USA > Tennessee > History of the Twentieth Tennessee regiment volunteer infantry, C.S.A > Part 21
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42
Shortly after the presentation of this flag to the Twentieth Tennessee Regiment, some considerable change was made in the organization of Bragg's Army, especially as to that portion which had from the battle of Shiloh been known as Breckin- ridge's Division. Generals Breckinridge and Preston were
Digitized by Google
253
REGIMENTAL HISTORY
transferred to another Department, and a new Division was formed and placed under Genl. A. P. Stewart, who had been promoted to Major General; in this division was the new formed brigade, first commanded by the former gallant Colonel of the Second Tennessee Regiment, Wm. B. Bate, who had been most severely wounded at the battle of Shiloh, and. had been promoted to Brigadier General. In lieu of a sword, he carried a crutch, being still lame from the serious wound received at Shiloh, when he took command of the brigade, which was composed of the Fifty-eighth Alabama Regiment, Thirty-seventh Georgia Regiment, Fourth Georgia Battalion, Fifteenth and Thirty-seventh Tennessee (Consolidated), and the Twentieth Tennessee Regiment, with the Eufaula Battery of Light Ar- tillery.
About the last of May, 1863, we find Rosecrans at Murfrees- boro with an army of about sixty-five thousand ; and Bragg at Shelbyville, Tullahoma and Fairfield with about forty-three thousand of all arms.
General Grant was at this time investing Vicksburg, and was anxious that Rosecrans should move on Bragg in order to keep Bragg from reinforcing Pemberton in Vicksburg, or Joe Johns- ton, who was just out of Vicksburg on the Big Black River. Halleck and Stanton at Washington thought as General Grant did, but General Rosecrans and his Corps Commanders thought differently ; so the advance was further delayed. Bragg in the meantime was satisfied to be let alone in his position, for he was drawing heavily in supplies from Southern Middle Tennessee, at the same time was preventing Rosecrans from reinforcing Grant at Vicksburg. But the sentiment at the North became so im- patient, that Rosecrans put his army in a condition to advance ; but before he concluded to move forward, he organized a reserve Corps of three divisons, and put the First Division under Baird, Second under J. D. Morgan, and the third under R. S. Grainger, with Genl. Gordon Grainger in command of the three.
-
General Rosecrans now gave orders for the Army of the Cum- berland to move South from Murfreesboro on June 23. The right of Bragg's Infantry was at Fairfield some four miles from
Digitized by Google
254
HISTORY OF THE TWENTIETH TENNESSEE REGIMENT
Hoover's Gap under Brig. Genl. Wm. B. Bate, of A. P. Stewart', Division, Hardee's Corps.
Bragg's Army of two Corps, one under Polk and the other under Hardee, of about thirty thousand Infantry, was stretched from Hoover's Gap on the east to Duck River on the west. Polk's Corps was the left wing of the Infantry and held the main posi- tion at Shelbyville ; the pike that leads from Murfreesboro to Shelbyville runs through Guy's Gap. Hardee held Liberty Gaps which was east of Guy's Gap through which the road runs south to Wartrace. Brigadier General Bate was at Fairfield near Hoover's Gap with his brigade, to which the Twentieth Tennes- see now belonged. Bragg's Cavalry, at this time amounting to about thirteen thousand, under Wheeler and Forrest, were on the two wings of the army. On the right his cavalry extended to Manchester, on the left, it extended to Columbia. Bragg's main base of supplies was at Chattanooga, and Rosecran's at Nashville, one hundred and fifty-one miles apart.
On June 23, Genl. W. S. Rosecrans, after having ordered up several small commands that were guarding outposts, moved his army out from Murfreesboro, he knowing that Bragg was well entrenched at Shelbyville, determined with his superior force to flank him out of his position ; so Rosecrans made a feint on Bragg's left by moving General Mitchell's Cavalry Division up from Triune to Salem and Eagleville in the direction of Shelby- ville, and on the same day, Gordon Grainger's Corps of three divisions and Brannon's Division of Thomas's Corps moved out the Shelbyville Pike some distance, then filed to the left and at- tacked Hardee on the Wartrace Road at Liberty Gap, where the hardest fighting of this campaign was done, except at Hoover's Cap.
Thomas's Corps moved out the Manchester Pike, and Critten- den with the Twenty-first Corps moved out to Readyville and awaited orders. He left Van Cleve with his Division to garrison Murfreesboro for a time. General Rosecrans knowing that the least resistance was out the Manchester Pike, which ran through a long canyon that is called Matt's Hollow, and also through Hoover's Gap in the direction of Manchester, a little village which lies east and somewhat in the rear of Bragg's posi-
Digitized by Google
255
REGIMENTAL HISTORY
tion, moved out on this pike with Wilder's Brigade of mounted infantry, as the advance of Thomas's Corps, with orders when they struck the Confederate's Cavalry to follow them closely through the Gap, and take possession of the southern mouth of it before the Confederates would have time to reinforce, which, with a force of about ten to one, they did.
I will here submit the official report of Brigadier General Bate who was in immediate command of the Confederates here.
Report of Brig. Genl. William B. Bate, C. S. Army, com- manding Brigade, Stewart's Division : -
CAMP NEAR TYNER'S STATION,
July 15, 1863.
Major : I have the honor to submit the following report of the battle of Hoover's Gap, fought on the evening of June 23 last by a part of my brigade : -
About 2 o'clock in the afternoon of that day, while encamped one mile from Fairfield and four miles from Hoover's Gap, a courier arrived from Major General Stewart, directing me to send one regiment and a battery up Garrison's Fork towards Beech Grove. In a few moments a second courier arrived, directing me to send two regiments. The Twentieth Tennessee and the Thirty-seventh Georgia Regiments and the Eufaula Light Artil- lery were designated for the expedition, and at once started through a drenching rain in fulfillment of the order. T. D. Cas- well's Battalion of Sharpshooters (Fourth Georgia Battalion) was directed to follow, and the remainder of my command ordered under arms, and to hold itself in readiness to move. Though the order was to send the force, I took the liberty of commanding it in person, believing it would meet the approbation of the Major-general commanding.
The command had not passed the confines of my camp before meeting in scattered remnants a part of the First (Third) Ken- tucky Cavalry in hot haste, stating that while on picket they had been scattered and driven from beyond Hoover's Gap by the advancing columns of the enemy. I had proceeded about one
Digitized by Google
256
HISTORY OF THE TWENTIETH TENNESSEE REGIMENT
mile when I met their Colonel (J. R. Butler) with some eight or ten of his men. He at once volunteered to return with me, and did so. I learned from him that three regiments of the enemy's cavalry had passed down the Manchester turnpike. I also about the same time heard from a citizen that some scouts of the enemy had already passed from the Manchester Pike down Noah's Fork as far as A. B. Robertson's mill, which was on the main road leading to my right and rear. I thereupon immediately sent a staff officer to camp, with instructions to Col. R. C. Tyler to move his command (the Fifteenth and Thirty-seventh Tennessee Regiments consolidated) to some eligible and defensible position on the road up Noah's Fork, to prevent the enemy from turning our right and rear. Through same channel I ordered Col. Bush Jones to take his command (Ninth Alabama Battalion) one mile in front of our encampment, where the Dismal Hollow road diverges from its main direction and is intersected by a road leading to Garrison's Fork, to resist any attempt made by the enemy to pass in that direction, which was to my left, and to hold himself ready to reinforce our advance should occasion re- quire.
These dispositions having been ordered, I hastily communi- cated them to Major General Stewart, at Fairfield, and moved on briskly to original destination. When about a mile from Beech Grove (which is near the entrance to Hoover's Gap), I threw out 'a company of skirmishers to my right, and sent for- ward with a few scouts at his own instance, Major William Clare, of General Bragg's staff, to ascertain the whereabouts of the enemy. His fire was soon drawn and his position developed. I immediately prepared to give him battle, and advanced two companies as skirmishers at a double quick to gain and occupy a skirt of woods before the enemy could do so, and to which he was advancing. Maj. Fred. Claybrooke (of the Twentieth Ten- nessee) pushed forward the skirmishers and effected the object, driving the enemy back after a sharp contest, in which Major Claybrooke, while gallantly pressing forward, received his death wound.
Our line of battle, composed of the Twentieth Tennessee and Thirty-seventh Georgia Regiments, extended at right angles
Digitized by Google
1
257
REGIMENTAL HISTORY
across the main road leading from Fairfield to Hoover's Gap, its left resting on the east bank of Garrison Fork. This line, with skirmishers well advanced, was moved forward until the enemy was driven back about a mile from where we first met him, into Hoover's Gap. One section of the Eufaula Light Artillery, under command of Lieut. W. H. Woods, was in the meantime placed in position on an eminence on my right, just previously occupied by the enemy's advance. This section (3-inch rifles), opened briskly and with telling effect so as to prevent the enemy's farther advance in that direction. It, in conjunction with our advanced skirmishers, completely commanded the exit from the gap on the east.
Having thus checked his advance on the Manchester pike, and learning that the mounted men who had been near Robertson's mill had returned to the gap before we arrived in sight of the same, believing my right and rear free from attack, I ordered, through a staff officer, Colonel Tyler, to bring his command up Garrison's Fork to the position we then occupied, and Colonel Jones to bring his to my left. Finding the enemy in force, and knowing he could without obstruction turn my left and gain a series of hills which commanded our then line of battle, and then relieve the Manchester pike, I at once moved Caswell's battalion of sharpshooters (which had just arrived), the Twentieth Ten- nessee, and the remaining section of the Eufaula Light Artillery, under command of W. J. Mckenzie, to the left and across Garri- son's Fork; ordered them to advance and drive the enemy before he could get a lodgment on the hills. My suspicion as to his probable movement was correct. He was advancing in force to gain the hills and turn our left.
The enemy was met with such spirit and resolution by these little commands, each playing its part most handsomely, that he gave way under their fierce attack until pressed back upon his second line. The engagement here became general and san- guinary.
Finding no disposition on the part of the foe to press my right to regain the ground from which he had been driven and relieve the Manchester pike, I ordered Col. A. F. Rudler, with the Thirty-seventh Georgia Regiment, to move his command across
Digitized by Google
258
HISTORY OF THE TWENTIETH TENNESSEE REGIMENT
the creek up the steep acclivity of its left bank, form line parallel to the same, and give an enfilading fire to the force then heavily engaging my left. The order was obeyed with alacrity and in good style. The enemy, anticipating the move, met it with a line of battle fronting the woods which skirted the bank of the creek. A bloody engagement here ensued with great odds against us, and after a futile but most persistent and gallant effort to dislodge him, Colonel Rudler properly withdrew his command under cover of the bank. At this juncture every gun and piece in that portion of my command which had arrived on the field was engaged in a spirited and deadly contest.
In this position we fought for nearly an hour, when, by his excess of numbers, the enemy turned our already extended left flank, giving an enfilading fire to the Twentieth Tennessee. It recoiled from the shock, was rallied, and formed in good time on a fence running a short distance from and perpendicular to our line of battle. Caswell's battalion of sharpshooters still held the right of the woods from which the enemy had been driven. Seeing, by his vastly superior force, that he could again turn my left without resistance, as every gun and piece of mine present were engaged, and Tyler and Jones not yet possibly within supporting distance, I removed the artillery then engaged on the left to a line of hills immediately in our rear and in front of William Johnson's house, which admirably overlooked the entire battle ground, as well as a considerable space to the right and left.
The artillery being placed in position on these commanding heights, my entire force present, excepting that guarding the east exit from the gap and the Manchester pike, was quickly and advantageously placed in such position as gave protection to both flanks, and ability to successfully repel any assault from the front. This position being secured, we held the enemy at bay with little effort and comparative security.
At this juncture, an hour before sunset, Lieut. Col. Bush. Jones, with the Ninth Alabama Battalion, arrived upon the field, under a heavy artillery fire, and was placed in position on the extreme left. Soon thereafter Colonel Tyler, with the Fifteenth and Thirty-seventh Tennessee consolidated, arrived
Digitized by Google
i
259
REGIMENTAL HISTORY
and occupied the ground from which the enemy had been driven in the early part of the action. Major General Stewart arrived with reinforcements about sundown, and assumed command.
My command having lost in killed and wounded nearly twenty- five per cent. of the number engaged, being wet from the drench- ing rain, and exhausted from the fight, was relieved by the re- enforcements, except the Twentieth Tennessee and the Eufaula Light Artillery, which remained without intermission in line of battle.
Thus closed with the day a most spirited and sanguinary con- flict, in which less than seven hundred men (about one-half of my brigade), successfully fought and drove back into Hoover's Gap and held at bay until nightfall Wilder's Brigade of mounted infantry and two brigades of Reynold's Division of Thomas's Corps, at least five to one. It was a bright day for the glory of our arms, but a sad one when we consider the loss of the many gallant spirits who sealed with their blood their devotion to our cause.
Among the officers who fell in this day's action we have to lament that of Maj. Fred. Claybrooke, of the Twentieth Tennes- see, one of the youngest but most gallant field officers known to the service. Capt. J. A. Pettigrew and Adjutant J. W. Thomas, of the same regiment, were dangerously wounded and have not yet recovered. Capt. W. M. Carter and Adjutant John R. Yourie, of Major Caswell's battalion, were severely wounded . early in the action. Also Capt. W. A. Quinn, Lieut. William Hutchinson, and Lieut. John W. Humphrey, of the Thirty- seventh Georgia.
Our list of the killed and wounded of the six hundred and fifty engaged was one hundred and forty six, which list has been pre- viously transmitted to you.
Col. T. B. Smith, commanding the Twentieth Tennessee Regi- ment ; Col. A. F. Rudler, commanding the Thirty-seventh Georgia, and his Lieutenant Colonel, J. T. Smith ; Maj. T. D. Caswell, commanding battalion of sharpshooters, and Second Lieutenant Mckenzie, commanding Eufaula Light Artillery, together with the officers and men under their commands, have
-
Digitized by Google
260
HISTORY OF THE TWENTIETH TENNESSEE REGIMENT
interwoven with new laurels the wreaths they have won on other battle fields.
I am pleased to make my acknowledgements to Colonels Tyler and Jones for the prompt manner with which they obeyed every order given them, and for the rapidity with which they brought their commands on the field when relieved from the posts as- signed them. My acknowledgements are likewise due and most cordially rendered for their gallant bearing and efficiency to Maj. G. W. Winchester, Capt. W. C. Yancey, Lieut. Thomas E. Blanchard, Lieut. James H. Bate, members of my staff, and Capt. J. E. Rice, ordnance officer, who brought up and super- vised the distribution of ammunition under the severest fire. Lieut. Aaron S. Bate, a young man of seventeen years of age, and my volunteer aid, did well his part. I regret his death, which resulted from the exposure and exhaustion of that day.
Maj. William Clare, Assistant Inspector General, on General Bragg's Staff, was making an inspection of my brigade when the order from General Stewart was received. He volunteered to accompany and serve me during the fight. His gallantry was marked, and his services of such an efficient character as to merit my special and most favorable comment.
The morrow renewed our association with the line of battle, under the leadership of Major General Stewart. The Twentieth Tennessee and Maney's battery, under command of Lieut. H. M. McAdoo which had previously been held in reserve, were trans- ferred by order of General Stewart, and placed under command of Brig. Genl. Bushrod Johnson.
The Eufaula Light Artillery was retained on the heights it had occupied the evening previous, and was under command of Brigadier General Johnson. The Thirty-seventh Georgia and Caswell's battalion of sharpshooters were held in reserve during the 25th, except two companies of the former, commanded by Capt. D. L. Gholston and Lieut. James A. Sanders, which were ordered to report to Brig. Genl. Clayton as skirmishers. Colonel Tyler and Lieutenant Colonel Jones, with their commands, were held in line on our center, subject to severe shelling during the entire day.
The next day's retreat was conducted in fine style, free from
Digitized by Google
-
261
REGIMENTAL HISTORY
undue excitement and straggling. My brigade was handsomely covered by Caswell's sharpshooters and two companies of skir- mishers from Colonel Tyler's command. At one time they con- cealed themselves in a skirt of woods until the enemy's skir- mishers had passed their right ; they then opened such a deadly fire upon their flank as to precipitate them back in great con- fusion. This incident had much to do with the caution which afterwards characterised our pursuit.
I am, Major, most respectfully, your obedient servant,"
WM. B. BATE. Brigadier-General."
MAJ. R. A. HATCHER,
Assistant Adjutant- General Stewart's Division.
In this action General Bate was painfully wounded but re- mained on the field in command of his heroic little band until nightfall before his wound was even dressed.
The battle of Hoover's Gap was fought on June 23, 1863, and after the battle the Twentieth Tennessee lay in line and on picket all night and until about noon on the 24th. Your writer stood picket the whole night in a freshly plowed field of corn in mud about half way to his knees. In the battle of Hoover's Gap the beautiful stand of colors that was presented by General Breckin- ridge, made from his wife's wedding dress, and requested by her to be given to the. most gallant regiment in his division, and which was given to the Twentieth Tennessee Regiment, had its staff shot in two and the eagle shot off the top of the staff in this engagement. Stewart's Division now retreated back to Tullahoma, and on the 29th, Bate's Brigade was drawn up in line of battle out on the Manchester Road, about two miles from Tullahoma, and in our front, skirmishing with the enemy, was the gallant Fourth Tennessee Cavalry Regiment, under the immediate com- mand of that knightly soldier, Col. J. W. Starnes, who on that morning received his death wound. His regiment and the Twentieth Tennessee Infantry were raised in the same section of country.
Bragg's Army was now in full retreat out of Middle Tennessee. Bate's Brigade crossed Elk River at Bethpage Bridge and
Digitized by Google
262
HISTORY OF THE TWENTIETH TENNESSEE REGIMENT
brought up the rear of Hardee's Corps. We had gone some three miles beyond the bridge upon the side of the mountain, when a courier came dashing up to Colonel Smith and said that the Yankees were driving our cavalry from the bridge, and the Twenticth Tennessee Regiment must go back; so we were double-quicked back and found that Martin's Cavalry had been driven away by the enemy's artillery, which had not as yet reached the bridge. The Twentieth Regiment, on their arrival deployed as skirmishers and drove the enemy back and burned the bridge. In a short time another courier came in haste and informed Colonel Smith that the enemy had crossed at a ford three miles above, and was about to cut his regiment off and to double-quick out from there as quickly as possible, which we did, and camped that night on top of the mountain without any- thing to eat except hard tack and water. Next day we moved on towards Chattanooga, by way of Battle Creek, and crossed the Tennessee River at Kelley's Ferry on a pontoon bridge, July 6, and bivouacked that night at Wauhatchie Station on the N. & C. R. R.
This was a campaign of twelve days without ceasing, in which Bragg with an army of forty-three thousand was flanked out of Tennessee by Rosecrans with an army which, by this time had been increased to seventy thousand. General Rosecrans could place as many men as Bragg had in our front, and then have nearly as many to flank us with. Bragg. had half a dozen passes over the mountain to defend, and could not successfully do so, with the number he had. There is one slur thrown at the troops from Tennessee in Bragg's army that I propose to clear up right here, viz : " that the Tennessee troops deserted in large numbers during this campaign." Now let us see : Bragg had two corps of infantry at Shelbyville, Tullahoma and Fairfield when the campaign began, besides his cavalry.
Polk's official report of effective men, on June 20, was 14,493, and at the close of the campaign he reports, July 10, 1863, present for duty 14,896, a difference in his favor of 402 more than he started with, to say nothing of his killed and wounded ; and it was in Polk's Corps that the greater number of Tennessee soldiers of this army were. Hardee had in his Corps
:
.
1
Digitized by Google
1
L
263
REGIMENTAL HISTORY
June 20, present for duty, 15,187; July 10 his return for duty was 13,413, which showed a loss of 1,774, while he had not near so many Tennesseeans as Polk had. It is true that Hardee's Corps did most of the fighting, simply because he was on the right wing where Rosecrans was making his flank movement ; and General Rosecrans only claims to have captured deserters and all 1,634. This was the second time that Tennesseeans had left their State to do battle for the cause to which they were wedded.
Tennesseeans fought as gallantly in the swamps and plains of Louisiana and Mississippi as they did on the northern border of their own State.
By July 8, 1863, Bragg had crossed to the south bank of the Tennessee and bivouacked his army in and near Chattanooga about forty thousand strong, with Buckner at Knoxville with about five thousand Confederate troops.
General Rosecrans was now on the north bank of the Tennes- see, or in close connection thereto with an army which his official returns show was present for duty June 30, as follows : -
Fourteenth Corps, present for duty 21,793
Twentieth Corps, present for duty 13,188
Twenty-first Corps, present for duty, Crittenden 13,964
Reserve Corps, Gordon Grainger 16,909
Cavalry 9,952
Miscellaneous detachments .
2,384
At general headquarters
1,068
Total present for duty 79,258
Genl. Ambrose E. Burnside was at Cumberland Gap and vicin- ity with a Federal Army of 25,000.
Bragg was now at Chattanooga which is the gateway to East Tennessee and North Georgia. Chattanooga then must be Rosecrans's objective point which he hoped to flank Bragg out of ยท with his superior numbers as he did out of Shelbyville and Tul- lahoma.
The last two mentioned places he flanked him out of by going to his right, now he proposed going to Bragg's left ; and to un-
Digitized by Google
264
HISTORY OF THE TWENTIETH TENNESSEE REGIMENT
derstand the position and movements of the two armies our reader should know something of the topography of the country.
Just south of the Tennessee River, and running parallel with it, are two ranges of mountains, known as Sand and Lookout Mountains. The northern extremity of Sand Mountain is called " Raccoon Mountain," where the Tennessee River cuts through and makes a very deep chasm. Between Sand Mountain and Lookout Mountain is Lookout Valley, which some call " Wills Valley." Lookout Creek flows through this valley, and empties into the Tennessee River below Chattanooga. Beyond Lookout Valley is Lookout Mountain, that rises 2,400 feet above the level of the sea, and butts square up to the Tennessee River near Chattanooga. There were then only three roads leading over this mountain, one near the river, the second at Johnson's Creek, twenty miles southwest, and the third at Winston's Gap, 42 miles from Chattanooga.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.