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 6
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one circumstance in this connection. In 1863 he predicted that the subsequent fighting would be made from breastworks and fortified skirmish lines, and to this end labored hard and persistently to improve the marksmanship of his Division by didactic and practical instructions.]
" Colonel A. S. Marks-Cousin Albert :-
W THILE at Atlanta, I saw General Cleburne for the first time, and spent some time with him at his room. He spoke in high terms of you. I found him to be apparently, and I suppose really, a very modest man. I was very much surprised to hear him say that he con- sidered slavery at an end. That we ought to put many of the negroes in the service, but that we could not risk them and the consequences without first changing our relations to them. That no half-way meas- ure would do-that an entire change of our relations to the slaves, not by military law, but by the action of the States, was necessary. That as soon as this was done, the effect would be upon the North such that they could not keep their armies in the field; and certainly it would insure our recognition at once by the principal powers of Europe. That if we take this step now, we can mould the relations, for all time to come, between the white and colored races; and we can control the negroes, and that they will still be our laborers as much as they now are, and, to all intents and purposes, will be our servants, at less cost than now. His great argument is, that if the Yankees succeed in abolishing slavery, equality and amalgamation will finally take place. General Cleburne says he submitted his views in writing to a number of the officers of the army at a meeting some weeks ago. That the paper was signed and approved by most of the officers of his Division ; that many officers at the meeting seemed favorably inclined to his views, and but one man-Major-General Walker-took decided ground against him, and a few days afterward wrote him a note (which he showed me), asking a copy of the paper, to be forwarded to the Secretary of War. General Cleburne answered him, saying he would take pleasure in furnishing a copy; had no objection to the Sec- retary of War knowing his views; that he did furnish the copy, sign- ing his own name, saying to General Walker that he had not consulted the other gentlemen, and did not feel authorized to give their names, as they signed the paper for the purposes of that meeting. General C. promised to send me a copy of this paper (25 pages).
I admire General Cleburne's boldness and the fearless manner in
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which he comes up to a question which he must know may overwhelm him in ruin; but I cannot agree with him in the necessity for such a move. I have no doubt about the effect on European Powers; but I do not believe the negro could be used to much advantage after he was freed. (But General C. says, writing a man "free" does not make him so, as the history of the Irish laborer shows.) We are fast approaching the crisis in this revolution when we may look for bold moves on the chess-board. No man need be surprised at any thing. I am always hopeful.
Very truly, A. S. COLYAR. Newnan, Ga., Jan. 30, 1864.
Colonel A. S. Marks-Cousin Albert :---
I HAVE just received a letter from General Cleburne, in which he excuses himself from sending me a copy of the paper referred to in my letter to you, by saying that he had a communication from the Secretary of War, saying "The President was of opinion that the pro- mulgation of such opinions, under the present circumstances of the Confederacy, can be productive only of discouragement, distraction, and dissension ; and urging the suppression not only of the memorial itself, but, likewise, of all discussions growing out of it." General Cleburne further says: "After such an opinion from the Commander- in-Chief of the Army and highest officer of our Government, I feel it my duty to suppress the memorial and to cease to advocate the meas- ures mentioned."
Truly, A. S. COLYAR. Newnan, Ga., Feb. 5, 1864.
THE SECOND TENNESSEE REGIMENT AT CHICKAMAUGA.
C LEBURNE'S DIVISION held the extreme left of Bragg's line ·on Saturday morning, Sept. 19, 1863, when it was ordered to the extreme right, where it got into line of battle at sunset. The battle had raged furiously at this point during the day with varying success. The dead and wounded were numerous on both sides, and mingled in-
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discriminately over a breadth of a half mile. Forrest's Cavalry had rendered signal service here by obstinate fighting, and the number of "dead men with spurs on " was conspicuous, and elicited the praise of the infantry; who, until then, had no high opinion of the staying qualities of this arm of the service. Batteries had contended for the last inch of ground on both sides, and changed hands several times during the day. At sunset the contest had lulled from exhaustion with the advantage to the Federals, who had proceeded to kindle fires and prepare for the night's rest. The air was quite chill, and Cle- burne's men, who had waded the Chickamauga, built little brush fires in spite of orders to the contrary, supposing that no further movement was intended that night. As soon as the lights disclosed their position, several shots were fired from a Federal battery, one of which struck the fifth wheel of a caison in the immediate vicinity of General Cle- burne. Skirmishers were thrown out in front of Ector's Division, which was lying a little distance in front, and at dusk Cleburne's Di- vision was ordered forward over it, seemingly for the purpose of re- lieving it for the night; but the command "Forward " ran along the line, and at the next instant the enemy's skirmishers opened a lively fusilade. This was followed briefly by a burst of artillery and a flash of rifles along the front, and the Division, before it was aware, found itself in the midst of one of the most memorable and thrilling scenes of the war. A short halt was made, to deliver a few rounds, when the right of Polk's Brigade advanced steadily onward, firing occasion- ally, as the enemy's position was disclosed. The First Arkansas, on the left, never slackened its fire as it advanced, and, consequently, re- ceived a larger share of the enemy's attention. The general allign- ment was remarkably well kept, and no confusion seemed to exist at any time. The enemy retreated in such disorder that the Seventy- ninth Pennsylvania regiment, U. S. A., with its Lieutenant-Colonel, fell into the hands of the Second Tennessee skirmishers, while wan- dering around in the darkness. Colonel Robison, of the Second Ten- nessee, received this officer's sword and wore it in the engagement the next day. The plate of the belt was very large and heavy, and in the progress of the fight at the breastworks it was struck by a bullet with such force that the Colonel was unhorsed, but sustained no serious in- jury. The Second Tennessee also captured a caison and gun.
When the line halted for the night, a mile and a half of ground had been recovered-a matter of vital importance to the Confederates,
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pushed, as they were at sunset, back among the breaks of the Chicka- mauga. General Cleburne was particularly well pleased with the per- > formance, which added another chaplet of glory to his already lau- reled brow.
General Forrest displayed his usual determination in taking an active part in the work, though his command had been hotly engaged all day, and could reasonably have claimed respite.
For a half hour the scene was thrilling indeed, and not surpassed in interest by any similar engagement of the war. The Federal artillery was served with spirit, and the flaming streamers of the flying shells added fearfully to the dramatic effect of the occasion. The scene of conflict was a level upland, covered with an open forest of hickory and oak, with little undergrowth. The dead of both sides were numerous and intermingled, and some of the badly wounded still lay where they fell. When success was assured, loud cheers ran along the line for miles. As the shouts died away, a long defiant whoop broke the silence in front from an irrepressible Federal, and the noisy tumult was over for the time. Later in the night heavy cheering was heard a mile in front, probably announcing the arrival of reinforcements.
The flurry of battle was scarcely ended, when prowlers began search- ¿ ing the field for booty ; and, as each one came back with acquisitions of money, finger rings, tobacco, haversacks, knapsacks, blankets, and the like, fresh parties started out and prowled all night-some of them going as far as the enemy's line. The United States soldiers, while encamped about Lookout, had manufactured finger-rings of the laurel root, which is abundant on that mountain. Numbers of these were collected, and, in some instances, the brutal prowlers unjointed the stiffened fingers in order to remove them. In fact, our own dead were robbed without scruple. To the Confederates the night was more or less feverish, from anxiety for the morrow. A constant chopping and felling of pines at the front kept them awake to the probabilities of a desperate contest the next day. There was but one feeling among the men, and that was the necessity of making the attack at day-light, be- fore the enemy's works were finished; and with this view they were in line at the earliest light and ready for action. But as hour after hour went by without orders to advance, and the ring of axes and crash of trees never ceased at the front, the situation grew sickening to contem- plate, and murmurs of dissatisfaction were openly expressed.
The explanation of the delay given by Lieutenant-General Leonidas
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Polk would shift the blame on to the shoulders of others; but it failed to save him from General Bragg's censure and the loss of his command in that department. Lieutenant-General D. H. Hill, in his explanation, admits that he failed to obey General Polk's order to report to him the night before, giving as a reason that he was fatigued by the cares of the day and slept until 2 o'clock A.M., when he rode to Alexander's Bridge, but failed to find the courier who was placed there to conduct him to General Polk's quarters; whereupon he returned to the field, which he reached shortly after sunrise.
As a consequence of this want of concert, the proper disposition of the troops designed for the attack was not effected until near Io o'clock. A.M. On whose shoulders the responsibility for the tactical blunders and omissions so patent on this occasion should fall, will have to be left to a fuller and more unbiased investigation than has yet been made public. We think it safe to say that a spirit of captiousness, taking refuge behind the sanction and privileges of red tape, is clearly visible in the conduct of several officers intrusted with the direction of affairs on the right wing. General Hill says that, when every thing seemed ready for the attack to begin, it was found that Jackson's Brigade was formed perpendicularly to the general alignment. The gist of the dis- pute on this occasion seems to be narrowed down to the question as to whether the tactical details of a movement ordered by the Command- ing General were to be supervised by himself, or left to the discretion of his subordinates for execution. Responsibility rises with rank, and the success of a commander rests largely with the ability of his "right hand." - Such was the relation that subsisted between Lee and Stone- wall Jackson. How far such ethics applied to General Bragg and his Lieutenants, turned out to be a question of dispute when the critical hour of action had arrived ; and the consequence was a fearful loss of life and prestige, which might have been avoided by a better regulated concert of action between them. Granted that these officers all felt exculpated on technical grounds; yet, there are times when considera- tions of self should sink to the lowest pit, and the behests of duty rise supreme, and this was one of them. The commonest soldier appre- ciated the importance of an attack before the enemy's works were com- pleted. If these criticisms seem out of place, they are inspired by the recollection of the bloody butchery of Cleburne's and Breckinridge's Divisions, in their prolonged and desperate contest against the doubly fortified lines of the enemy; and, worst of all, their morning repulse.
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Pending this delay, but not affecting it, according to General Hill, cooked rations were distributed, and, at the last moment, two men were detailed from each company to go to the Chickamauga-a mile off-for a supply of water.
At length the Commanding General became thoroughly out of pa- tience, and sent peremptory orders for the attack. His orders were promptly and gallantly obeyed.
The Battle.
The whole front moved forward simultaneously, and in a brief time was engaged throughout its entire extent. The musketry was so heavy and continuous that, for a while, the roar of the artillery was undistinguishable. Cleburne's Division struck the enemy's works nearly parallel, following closely on the heels of the skirmishers. The position was strong, being protected by two lines of logs in front of Polk's Brigade, rising in tiers on the hill-side, the top of which was crowned with artillery. A lower ridge, a mere swell of the surface, ran paral- lel 75 or 80 yards in front. There was a smart growth of underbrush intervening, which was trimmed down smoothly by bullets before the battle was over. As Polk's Brigade reached this plateau, a terrible burst of artillery and musketry greeted its appearance. The hissing of the missiles was more noticeable than the explosions of the guns, and sounded like the clashings of a multitude of sword-blades in the air overhead. Not a shot of the first volley struck the line, all flying high. Colonel Robison, of the Second Tennessee, gave the order to charge, which was only partially heard, and the yell with which we were wont to join battle was feeble, and roused little animation. Un- fortunately, parts of the line began to fire, which occasioned a halt, and soon the firing became general. No further attempt was made to go forward, as all commands were drowned in the noise of conflict, and the men seemed constrained by circumstances to endure the pelt- ing of the terrible tempest as best they could. The Second Tennessee occupied a conspicuous position on the plateau, and on this account got an undue share of the enemy's attention; but its fire was so closely delivered and so accurate that few heads were shown above the breast- works; in fact, very few of the enemy fired from the shoulder, the guns' generally being held above their heads and fired at random ; otherwise, few of the attacking party would have escaped, as it re- mained under fire fully an hour. The intervening trees were scarred
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! v bullets from bottom to top. The smoke, which shrouded our posi- non somewhat, was another element of safety, while a few scattered ines and oaks gave some shelter. The writer was one of a party of wine stretched out behind one pine. This tree was regarded as a mon- ver in size at this time, but, on inspection after the battle, it proved to be of quite ordinary proportions.
This was, without doubt, the most cheerless and monotonous com- bat in which the regiment ever engaged. There was nothing to do bat load and fire at a dim vista, whence proceeded quick flashes and a constant hissing of bullets. The voice of command was suppressed, and officers lay among the men, awaiting the end of the agony, hardly hoping to escape with life. But little was said more than a passing comment on each fresh disaster which lay low some brave fellow, or drove another bleeding from the field. There was no straggling !
Soon after the action began, a section of Key's Battery came into the gap between the Second Tennessee and the First Arkansas on the left, and unlimbered amid a shower of balls. Bravely they loaded and fired, but the underbrush and smoke made such a blank that their firing was extremely unsatisfactory, and they decided to withdraw from such an unpromising field, where bullets pelted their front and shell and canister played on their right flank at point blank range. In the act of withdrawing, a shell severed the trail of one piece, and it was left to its fate. The First Arkansas regiment acted more wisely than its fellows. It had gone into action on the left of the Second Tennessee, but, finding itself unable to advance after the first dash on the enemy's works, it retired a few paces to the shelter of the ridge and fought from this point.
The battle had been waged here fully three-quarters of an hour, and the Second, Fifth, and Forty-eighth Tennessee regiments still held their places at 75 yards from the enemy's line. The fighting on their side had dwindled to a solemn farce. Over one half their numbers were killed and disabled, and still the dreary conflict dragged on. No ohe said retreat. The ammunition gave out. The boxes of the dead and wounded were searched, and a new supply obtained, and with this the struggle was kept up. Gradually the enemy's fire slackened and ceased; our own was nothing more than that of a skirmish line. Had we silenced the enemy, or what did it mean ? Some one, look- ing through the smoke, reported that men were coming over the breast-works. At this the Confederates sprang to their feet, and, by a
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hasty retreat, put an end to the melancholy contest. However, Com- panys I and K were determined not to abandon Key's gun as a trophy to the enemy. Headed by Lieutenant House, of Company I, they quickly unslung the gun rope and carried it off the field at a double quick.
The gallant owners were greatly mortified that others should save : their gun, but promised never to leave us again in an hour of need, and nobly did they redeem their promise a few hours later.
The sense of mortification in the repulsed line was overwhelming and fully justified by the state of affairs as then known. Heavy rein- forcements had come from Virginia to help their brothers in the West, and all recognized this to be the golden opportunity to crush Rose- cranz and regain Tennessee. And now, after the middle of the day, the right wing of the Army of Tennessee had been signally repulsed, and lay bruised, bleeding and decimated, waiting for others to win the victory, if possible. It was heart-sickening to contemplate. If Cheatham's Division, which had n't fired a shot that morning, had only been brought to our support, the case might have been different. Breckinridge's heroic Division, after breaking in on the enemy's left, had been compelled to retire for want of support and leave its dead and hundreds of wounded where they fell. Well might the most patriotic heart have been cast down, humiliated and disgusted at such a state of affairs. The loud cheers of the enemy over our discomfiture were ringing in our ears. The brave General Deshler, of the Texas Brigade, had fallen with a cannot shot through the chest. General Lucius Polk had staid with his men all through the ordeal at the breast-works, and was the last man to quit the field. The First Arkansas had lost a number of her best officers and men-among them, Adjutant Greenleaf. The Fifth and Forty-eighth Tennessee had suffered heavily. The Second Tennessee had lost Captain Mc- Knight, of Company A, and a fearful list of officers and men. Its left company, K, at roll-call that night, reported 22, out of 28, killed and wounded, and not a solitary straggler. What added bitterness to this feeling in this Division (Cleburne's) was the belief that the field could have been carried with ease at sunrise. It is certain that if Cheatham's Division had supported Breckinridge, the enemy's left would have been effectually crushed in the first onset. Walker's heavy Division was at hand, and took little part in the contest. This assertion is corroborated by the fact that Cleburne's reduced and deci-
AND EARLY WESTERN HISTORY. 59
mated lines, properly supported in the afternoon, carried the enemy's works against Granger's fresh Corps which had arrived on the field after the morning fight. When General Lee's lines were repulsed at Gettysburg, he rode among his broken and disheartened men, and sought to soothe, their troubled feelings by taking all the blame on himself, saying, " It is my fault, it is my fault !" Who heard a single "peccavi" from the lips of those intrusted with the direction of affairs on this part of the line at Chickamauga? Not one! But, on the other hand, long official reports from each, endeavoring to fix the blame on others.
There are many contingencies which may mar the plan of a battle, but the issue is not altogether under the domain of pure chance. There are certain general principles governing success which admit of almost mathematical accuracy of application. For instance, the Con- federate right wing out-numbered and out-flanked the Federal left, and could, without doubt, have crushed it at sun-rise ; and yet only half of this force was brought against it at 10 A. M. Even then, if Cleburne and Breckinridge could have been actively supported, they would not, in the light of their evening performances, have been repulsed after two hours of desperate fighting.
But we are anticipating our narration.
After the morning fight, Polk's Brigade retired on Cheatham's Divis- ion, which it found in line of battle four or five hundred yards in the rear. Maney's Brigade was upbraided by a Second Tennesseean for not coming up to Cleburne's assistance, when one of them returned for an answer that he was "d -- d glad they didn't get into any such scrape." The answer was so cold blooded, under the circumstances, it was never forgotten, though it was only the utterance of an individual.
Here the line, diminished more than one-half by losses, was reformed and rested for several hours, listening, with painful suspense, to the bat- tle raging on the left. The work of the Confederate left wing was fa- vored in the afternoon's fighting by the withdrawal from their front of a large body of the enemy to reinforce their own left, which had suf- fered greatly in the morning fight.
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As the afternoon wore on, the firing seemed to be bearing toward the enemy's rear, and at this stage news came that Longstreet had cap- tured many pieces of artillery and was driving every thing before him. Such tidings had a marked effect on the spirits of the right wing, and when Cleburne's Division was ordered to advance again, the men went
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forward with alacrity and restored confidence. Polk's Brigade struck the enemy's works several hundred yards to the right of its morning point of attack, and encountered a heavy fire of artillery and small arms as soon as it came in view. Right at its heels came Key's Bat- tery, making a conspicuous mark for the enemy's guns ; but it formed in line with the infantry and unlimbered within one hundred yards of the works. The infantry fought in Indian style, from tree to tree, up to within fifty yards of the enemy, and the battery was pushed by hand to the same point. A thick smoke from burning leaves hung over the field, and both sides were nearer together than either apprehended. The Federal artillery overshot, and was silenced long before their in- fantry retreated. The firing of Key's Battery-which was very rapid-gave great confidence to the infantry, who cheered every round. Several of the latter-among them, Chas. Rogan, of Com- pany K, Second Tennessee-dropped their rifles and carried ammuni- tion at a double-quick in order to keep the guns at work. As the ene- my's fire began to slacken, a charge was made on their works by indi- viduals, quickly followed by the rest of the line. John Terry, of Company K, was the first to reach them. He and Colonel Robison made a race for the breast-works, but Terry won. As the Colonel reached them, a big Dutchman rose and fired in his face, but missed him. He instantly drew his sword and closed in on his antagonist, who dropped on his knees and begged for mercy, which the Colonel granted. It must not be supposed that this combat was of brief dura- tion from the description. A soldier in battle has little idea of the lapse of time. Our ammunition was nearly exhausted at this stage, and this fact was evidence that we had been engaged more than a half hour. The enemy's works, at this point, consisted of two lines of logs. Above these, on the hill, was their artillery, also protected by logs. Fifty yards in rear of these lay Granger's line of U. S. Regu- lars, slightly protected by such logs and chunks as they could get together. The moment was extremely critical for the little handful of Confederates, whose ammunition was about exhausted; and, when this line rose to charge them, it seemed well nigh impossible to prevent their etaking the works. A most fortunate arrival of boxes of cartridges, dispatched by Ordnance Sergeant Blackmore-which the men broke open with the butts of their guns and seized on like famished wolves- enabled them to hold their position until Cheatham's Division came up on the right. Then Polk's Brigade leaped the works and closed in for
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