USA > Tennessee > The Annals of the Army of Tennessee and early western history, including a chronological summary of battles and engagements in the western armies of the Confederacy > Part 39
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THE ANNALS & ARMY OF TENNESSEE
EARLY WESTERN HISTORY.
VOL. I. &. NASHVILLE, TENN., DECEMBER, 1878. ¿ No. 9.
THE CAMPAIGN IN TENNESSEE.
Official Report of Major-General William B. Bate of the Operations of his Division at Franklin, Murfreesboro and Nashville.
[GENERAL MARCUS J. WRIGHT, now at Washington, who, by arrangement with the War Department, has access to the Confederate States Archives, has placed us under renewed obligations for several (C. S. A.) reports of battles. Among them that of Major-General Wm. B. Bate, of the Operations of his Division in General Hood's Tennessee Campaign in 1864-including the battles of Franklin, Mur- freesboro and Nashville. It is known, as a historic fact, that by orders from the Confederate States War Department, reports of subaltern officers of operations of their commands were not, at the time these took place, allowed to be published, but had to be duly forwarded, through regular channels, to the Adjutant-Gener- al's Office in Richmond. Soon thereafter Richmond fell into the hands of the Federals and the war terminated-hence many reports during the latter part of the war have never been published. Indeed, it was for a long time understood that they had been destroyed. It seems, however, they were not, but subse- quently turned up in Washington. It is only recently, by permission of the War . Department, and through the instrumentality of General Marcus J. Wright, that many of them are coming to light. These reports, now being brought to light, will furnish substantial data for the future historian. We have heretofore pub- lished several of them, obtained through the same channel, and, in this issue, present, through the columns of the "ANNALS," the one above mentioned of General Bate.
Our readers will find General Bate's report a most valuable and interesting paper. It tells a story of suffering, fortitude and heroic valor that has few parallels in history. One will read with wonder that men suffering with cold, hunger and every other privation, and in the midst of winter, should stand all day behind slight defenses which crumbled at every shot from numerous bat- teries, and then, in a single rank that was scarce a skirmish line, beat back two
VOL. I, NO. IX .- I.
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THE ANNALS OF THE ARMY OF TENNESSEE
serried lines of the enemy, only succumbing to a third when their flank and rear were exposed and their clubbed muskets knocked from their hands.]
HEADQUARTERS BATE'S DIVISION, TUPELO, MISSISSIPPI, January 25, 1865.
Major James D. Porter, A. A. G. :
TN obedience to orders from corps headquarters, I have the honor most respectfully to forward this report of the operations of my command in the late Tennessee campaign.
After an absence of two months, I rejoined the Army of Tennessee and took command of my division, near Cedar Town, on the roth of October, 1864.
During my absence Lewis' Brigade, of my division, had been taken from me and mounted, leaving Jackson's, Tyler's (commanded by Brigadier-General T. B. Smith) and Finley's (commanded by Colonel Robert Bullock) and Cobb's Battalion of Artillery, composed of Slocum's, Beauregard's and Phillip's Batteries. My command moved from that time in conjunction with Cheatham's Corps until the morning of the 13th of October, when I was sent in advance upon the flanks of Dalton to Mill Creek Gap, with instructions to take the block- house in the gap and destroy the railroad. Having approached within three miles, and hearing a locomotive, I sent forward my escort, with a man mounted behind each, to cut the road and prevent the escape of the trains from Dalton. Upon my arrival I found a formidable work, so commanding the gap as to prevent my passing through it. I soon surrounded it with my infantry, and placed my artillery in two hundred yards on a commanding point, and sent forward a flag of truce to demand its surrender. The flag was fired on, killing the horse of Captain Cheney, my Assistant Adjutant General, who bore it. Think- ing it done through mistake, I sent another, of which no notice was taken. I then opened my battery-the Fifth Washington Artillery, Lieutenant Shaleron, commanding-with fine effect, and also had the sharpshooters to keep up a fire at the port-holes. The infantry was put to destroying the railroad, except a part of Tyler's Brigade (Shy's Regiment), which was held as an assaulting party in case the block- house could not be taken otherwise. The block-house was constructed of timber and earth. The timber was compact and four feet thick, with the same thickness of earth thrown up for five or six feet on the outside, and covered with the same depth of timber and earth. It had
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forty port-holes, so arranged, both on the outer and inner side, as to afford opportunity for firing in almost any direction. A ditch was dug around the outside and filled with water. The assault was to be made at night, and all preparations made for it; but the artillery had fired with such accuracy and fatality late in the evening that, upon demand after dark, it unconditionally surrendered. The garrison consisted of a captain and lieutenant and fifty men, twelve or fifteen of whom had been killed and wounded.
The block-house was burnt next morning, and the destruction of the railroad continued. I moved Caswell's Battalion of Sharpshooters to Tunnel Hill early in the morning, together with a regiment of cavalry (which had that night reported to me for temporary duty), with a view of watching the enemy at that point. They found that it had been evacuated during the night, leaving many stores, both quartermaster and commissary, most of which were secured to the troops of my com- mand; those which could not be transported were burned. The rail- road was destroyed nearly to the tunnel, a distance of three miles, when I received orders to rejoin and bring up the rear of the army, taking the Villanow and thence the Lafayette Road. On arriving at the lat- ter place, my command moved in conjunction with Cheatham's Corps, to which it belonged, to Gadsden, Ala., and thence across Sand Moun- tain to Decatur, Ala., where, on the morning of the 27th of October, I was ordered on the Courtland Road, and, in the evening of the same day, directed by General Cheatham to press my skirmishers as near as practicable to the fort. I pushed up a detachment from each brigade under Major Caswell during the night, and drove the enemy's out- posts and skirmishers into the fort, and built skirmish pits on the same plateau with, and within two or three hundred yards of, the fort. My skirmishers were connected on the left by those of Cleburn's Division. The enemy came out early next morning, turning the extreme left of Cleburn's skirmish line, and passed to the rear of the left of mine, capturing twenty-five of my men. As soon as ascertained, General Jackson, with Colonel Mitchell's Regiment (being on the right), retook and held with much promptness and gallantry the pits, with a loss, however, of eight or ten men. In obedience to orders, I moved my command with the corps that evening on the Courtland Road, thence to Tuscumbia, where we remained for two weeks, and crossed the Tennessee River on the 13th of November. Major Cobb having been sent to the hospital on account of indisposition, Captain Beauregard,
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THE ANNALS OF THE ARMY OF TENNESSEE
by virtue of rank, took command of the battalion of artillery. I left Florence, Ala., on the 21st of November with my command, moving with its corps, via Waynesboro and Mount Pleasant, near Columbia, Tenn., and into bivouac on the 26th of November, on the Shelbyville Turnpike. The succeeding day and night was followed with slight skirmishing on the line around Columbia. At daylight on the morn- ing of the 29th I moved to Duck River, four miles above Columbia, and crossed on the pontoon bridge at 712 o'clock, which was as soon as I could do so, having to wait for General Cleburn's Division, which had the advance. I moved that day in rear of that division to the neighborhood of Spring Hill, a distance of twelve miles. After mov- ing rapidly for several miles and wading the creek, I deployed my division in line of battle, in obedience to orders from General Cheat- ham to form and move on Cleburn's left-Jackson on the right, and Smith in echelon on the left of front line; Colonel R. Bullock (com- manding the Florida Brigade) supporting the left. Not seeing General Cheatham at the moment of forming my line of battle, General Hood, who was personally present, directed me to move to the turnpike and . sweep toward Columbia. General Cleburn, being in advance, formed and moved forward before it was possible for me to do so, and "changed front" without stopping and without my knowing the fact, owing to intervening hills obstructing the view. As soon as ascer- tained, I conformed to the movement as well as I could, and pushed forward in the direction of the enemy, who held the turnpike. It was now getting dark, and I had moved more than a mile in line of battle. Cleburn had been engaged, with what success I did not know. Procuring a guide, learning the exact locality of the enemy, and the general direction of the turnpike, I "changed direction to the right "' again, and was moving so as to strike the turnpike to the right of Major Nat. Cheairs' residence, which I believed would bring me near Cleburn's left. Caswell's Battalion of Sharpshooters, deployed as skirmishers, was in a hundred yards of and commanded the turnpike, checking the enemy's movement along it in my front; and my lines were being adjusted for a further forward movement, when I received an order, through Lieutenant Schell, from General Cheatham, to halt and join my right to General Cleburn's left. My main line was in two hundred yards of the turnpike, when Major Caswell's Battalion fired into the enemy on the pike. He (the enemy) veered to his left, as I subseqently ascertained, and took a road leaving the pike near Dr.
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AND EARLY WESTERN HISTORY.
McKissick's. I obeyed the order of General Cheatham, and, with delay and difficulty (it being in the night and near the enemy), I ascertained the left of Cleburn's line, which had retired some distance to the rear of my right. I made known to General Cheatham the fact of the enemy threatening my left, and called for force to protect it. My left brigade was retired to confront any movement from that direction, and during the night, perhaps ro o'clock, General Johnson's Division, of Lee's Corps, was moved to my left. My command was so disposed as to be an extension of Cleburn's line, with its left retired. I bivouaced between 9 and 10 o'clock for the night.
At daylight there was no enemy in my front. Early in the morning of the 30th of November I was ordered to follow Cleburne, and bring up the rear of Cheatham's Corps. In pursuance thereof I moved down the Franklin Turnpike to the rear of Winston's Hill, three miles from Franklin, where our forces were being deployed and lines formed. About 3 o'clock in the evening I was ordered by General Cheatham to move my command by the left flank, pass a gap in the ridge to the left, circle around a mound which rose in the plain below, and move toward the Carter Creek Turnpike until, in direct advance on the town of Franklin, my left would strike the house of Mrs. Rebecca Bostick. I lost no time in starting, and moved rapidly. This gave me the arc, while the divisions on my right moved on the chord of the circle. I was informed that General Chalmer's Cavalry was ordered to form and advance, in conjunction with me, on my left. My line was formed, with Jackson's Brigade and Tyler's (commanded by Brigadier-General T. B. Smith) in the front-the former on the right, and Finley's Brig- ade (commanded by Colonel Robert Bullock) supporting. Major Cas- well had charge of the skirmish line in front. With these dispositions I moved forward, through the open plain, in good order. My skirmish line drove back that of the enemy, which was located on a line with Mrs. Bostick's house. The center of my line swept by this house ; my left, which I had extended, reaching near the Carter Creek Turn- pike. The line moved steadily on, not waiting for the cavalry, driving the enemy from his outer works, which covered the right, but not the left of my line. The cavalry (dismounted) not touching my left, nor being on a line with it, exposed that flank to a furious fire. I moved the Florida Brigade to the left and advanced it, two regiments extend- ing beyond the left of the turnpike. My line, now a single one with- out support, charged the works of the enemy; my right (Jackson's
.
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THE ANNALS OF THE ARMY OF TENNESSEE
Brigade) got to the works (the second line), and remained there until morning. The left was driven back. The enemy's works were strong and defiant, constructed on a slight elevation, with few obstructions in front for several hundred yards. The works to the left of Carter Creek Turnpike were not strong, and, with a vigorous assault, should have been carried-a fact, however, not known until next day. A battery was located just to the right of this turnpike, which kept up a fire until late at night. The left of my line was reformed on the branch, between the works of the enemy and Mrs. Bostick's house, but not in sufficient numbers to justify another effort to carry the works, as the command on my left had not come up. A battery, under the conduct of Colonel Press- man, participated most gallantly in the fight, first occupying a position near the house of Mrs. Bostick, and then was run up the turnpike close to the enemy's works, and engaged that battery of the enemy on our immediate front. Many of our men, who had gone into the inte- rior works, held their position until morning, when the enemy had evacuated the town. General Ed. Johnson's Division came in my rear just after dark, passing over that part of my line which had been reformed near the branch, fronting Mrs. Bostick's.
My loss in this engagement was 47 killed, 253 wounded, and 19 missing. Among the killed was Colonel Smith, of the First Confed- erate Regiment, Jackson's Brigade, who fell most gallantly while put- ting his regiment into the interior works of the enemy. Lieutenant- Colonel Hamilton was badly wounded while pressing forward in handsome style. Lieutenant-Colonel Badger, commanding First and Fourth Florida Regiments, was wounded three times before he left the field. Captain Carter, on staff duty with Tyler's Brigade, fell mortally wounded near the works of the enemy, and almost at the door of his father's house. His gallantry I witnessed with much pride, as I had done on other fields, and here take pleasure in men- tioning it especially.
Operations Around Murfreesboro.
COLONEL :- I have the honor most respectfully to submit the follow- ing report of the operations of my command near Murfreesboro on the 4th of December, 1864. On the morning of the 2nd of Decem- ber, as my command was moving from Franklin, Tenn., in the direc- tion of Nashville, I received the following order, made official and in- closed to me by Major-General Cheatham, commanding corps :
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AND EARLY WESTERN HISTORY.
HEADQUARTERS, NEAR FRANKLIN,
December 2, 1864-7 A.M.
General Hood directs that you will send Bate's Division, with one battery of artillery, over to Murfreesboro, and direct them to destroy the railroad from Murfreesboro to Nashville-burning all the bridges, and taking the block-houses and burning them. A. P. MASON,
Colonel and Assistant Adjutant General.
Colonel B. J. Hill, who had about one hundred and fifty cavalry, was ordered to co-operate with me. My command consisted of Jack- son's, Tyler's (commanded by Brigadier-General T. B. Smith) and Finley's Brigades (commanded by Colonel Robert Bullock) and Slo- cum's Battery (commanded by Lieutenant Shaleron), all not exceed- ing in number sixteen hundred men. I moved my command on the direct road from Franklin to Triune; thence on the Nolensville Turn- pike to the most practicable road leading across the country to the ter- minus of the Wilkinson Turnpike, some seven miles from Murfrees- boro. I learned here that Murfreesboro, instead of being evacuated as was supposed, and as the nature of my orders led me to believe, was occupied by a strong force, estimated at from six to ten thousand, commanded by Major-General Rousseau, which fact I reported to army headquarters on the morning of the 4th. I received that night the following communication from General Hood :
HEADQUARTERS, OVERTON'S HOUSE, SIX MILES FROM NASHVILLE, December 2, 1864.
GENERAL :- General Hood directs me to say that citizens report some five thousand Yankees at Murfreesboro. General Forrest will send some of his cavalry to assist you. You must act according to your judgment under the circumstances, keeping in view the object of your expedition, viz : to destroy the railroad. This report is sent you for what it is worth.
1
Yours, respectfully, A. P. MASON,
Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General. MAJOR-GENERAL BATE.
At 7 A. M. I moved my command by the left flank diagonally across the country from the Wilkinson to the Nashville and Murfreesboro Turnpike, striking the latter on the Nashville side of Overall's Creek, five and a half miles from Murfreesboro.
The object of going to Overall's Creek was to get between the enemy
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THE ANNALS OF THE ARMY OF TENNESSEE
and Nashville, that I might not be cut off by his superior force, and, if pressed, could fall back to the main army. It also put me in posi- tion to execute the order which I was cautioned by General Hood to keep in view, viz: to "destroy the railroad." 'This position also . made my force a protection to the right wing of the army.
Colonel Hill's command was ordered to close in as near as possible, and demonstrate on the Salem and Wilkinson turnpikes, and to keep me posted by scouting on my flanks and front.
I here drove in the enemy's scouts, and placed three regiments of the Florida Brigade, commanded by Colonel Robert Bullock (the Sixth Florida being detached, under Colonel Kenan, guarding the wagon train), near the bank of the creek in observation, and to pro- tect Shaleron's Battery, should occasion require, which was ordered to open on the block-house, just across the creek, guarding the railroad bridge. Tyler's Brigade (General T. B. Smith commanding) was held in reserve; Jackson's was immediately put to destroying the rail- road. About noon the enemy appeared on the opposite side of the creek, but was dispersed two or three times by a few well-directed shots from the artillery. He returned in the evening, reinforced by infantry and artillery. He moved a skirmish line down near the creek, as if to prevent our crossing, and about sundown turned my left flank with his cavalry and charged my battery. It was anticipated, however, and Tyler's Brigade brought to its support in time to repulse it, in conjunction with the battery, which fired double charges into his lines not fifty yards distant, scattering them in all directions and secur- ing fifteen or twenty of their horses.
Meanwhile, the infantry attacked the three regiments of the Florida Brigade with vastly superior numbers, wounding Colonel Bullock and driving his command back from the creek. Jackson's Brigade was promptly thrown forward to meet this advance, and with one volley repulsed and drove his infantry across the creek. I threw out skir- mishers to the bank of the creek and held the field. Slocum's Bat- tery, under command of Lieutenant Shaleron, acted with conspicuous and most effective gallantry. Colonel Ed. Dillon reported with the quadron of cavalry just before night-too late to take part in the ght. I certainly did not suppose this was all the support I was to get om General Forrest, mentioned in the before quoted order. I ordered olonel Dillon to relieve the infantry pickets at 10 o'clock, at which our I withdrew my infantry and artillery across Stewart's Creek,
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AND EARLY WESTERN HISTORY.
fearing the enemy might get on my flank or rear, with his superior numbers, during the night, and also that I might begin operations on the road early next morning.
In the fight, my losses were 15 killed, 59 wounded (Colonel Bul- lock, commanding the Florida Brigade, among the latter) and 13 missing. I have every reason to believe that the losses of the enemy were much greater. We buried some of his dead which he left when driven from the field.
Early on the morning of the 5th dispositions were made to take the block-houses at Stewart's Creek, Read's Branch and Smyrna, which, as we moved upon them, the enemy precipitately evacuated. Each of these was burned, after removing the stores, also the bridges they were intended to guard, and several miles of the railroad destroyed.
While these operations were going on, General Forrest arrived with two divisions of cavalry, followed by two infantry brigades (Sears's, of French's, and Palmer's, of Stevenson's, Divisjons), with artillery, and, by virtue of rank, assumed command of the forces near Murfreesboro. The order to keep in view the object of my mission-viz : "to destroy the railroad "-seemed to be revoked, and offensive operations against Murfreesboro assumed, which did not accord with my judgement, as I was satisfied there were eight or ten thousand Federals within, strongly fortified, and with a large amount of artillery in position- not deeming it prudent to attack such works manned with twice our numbers. I, however, readily gave cheerful co-operation. By com- mand of General Forrest, I ceased operations on the railroad and moved back toward Murfreesboro.
On the 6th I closed in my lines and pressed forward skirmishers as near to the works around Murfreesboro as practicable, in doing which I lost 16 men from Caswell's Battalion of Sharpshooters. I dug pits for skirmishers and built defences for my main line. I was ordered by General Forrest to move my entire command at daylight on the 7th to the Wilkinson, and my wagon train to the Salem Turnpike, which was done. My command was ordered to be an extension of the right of Colonel Palmer's Brigade, which occupied a hill fronting the fort and works of the enemy located on the west bank of Stone's River. While the order was being executed, the enemy was observed to be moving a force across Stone's River above the town of Murfrees- boro and down the Salem Turnpike. At this juncture I was ordered by General Forrest to make dispositions to move, in conjunction with
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THE ANNALS OF THE ARMY OF TENNESSEE
Colonel Palmer, on the works of the enemy, which, however, was re- voked, by ordering me to take charge of the infantry and put it into ¿ position near where the Wilkinson Turnpike crosses Overall's Creek, which I proceeded to do under the personal direction of General Forrest. The main line was established on the southwest side of the turnpike, diagonally to, but not crossing it at any point, with the right toward the creek, in the following order by brigades, beginning on the right : Sears's, Palmer's, Finley's. Jackson's and Tyler's Brigades were placed by me in reserve across the turnpike from main line. Temporary works were constructed of rails and logs. - The artillery was placed at the most eligible and advantageous. points. While tem- porary works were being built of rails and logs, the enemy presented himself in our front, but was speedily driven out of view by our artil- lery. I was ordered by General Forrest to put my entire command in the main line. Jackson was then ordered to the left of Finley's Brig- ade; Sears brought from the right to the left in prolongation of and re- tiring the main line toward the turnpike. The enemy soon presented him- self again, turning our left flank and advancing diagonally to it. General Forrest ordered the whole line by the left flank. The extent of the ene- my's line was not visible. Sears leading and Jackson following, under my order, moved too far to the left. The Florida and Palmer's Brigades were halted in the temporary works just vacated by these two. Smith was immediately brought in between them at right angles with the turnpike and in full front of the enemy, who was in two hundred yards, driving in our skirmishers-the cavalry on the left having fallen back with but slight resistance. The time of the reappearance of the enemy, emerging from the woods, when he was thought to have re- tired to Murfreesboro (no information being received by me from the cavalry in my front), did not admit of sufficient time to adjust the line before he was upon us; hence there was a space of perhaps seventy- five or a hundred yards between Smith's right and Finley's left. Jack- son and Sears were immediately ordered to move under the conduct of a staff officer (Major Shoeff) by the right flank and align on Smith's left, who was now engaged with the main line of the enemy. The enemy's line came diagonally from the left and struck Finley's and Palmer's Brigades, crumbling and driving them from the temporary works. Meanwhile, Smith's (Tyler's) and the right of Jackson's Brigade, which was getting in position, drove back, in gallant style, the right of the enemy's line, which confronted them. I did not
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