USA > Tennessee > The military annals of Tennessee. Confederate. First series: embracing a review of military operations, with regimental histories and memorial rolls, V.1 > Part 27
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The Federals now by gradual approaches cautiously advanced toward Rich- mond, and by the 26th of May had reached Seven Pines within eight miles of the city. Only two corps, Key's and Heintzlesman's, had been advanced to the Rich- mond side of the Chickahominy. The time had now arrived to relieve Richmond or evacuate it. A plan of attack was agreed upon, and every thing in readiness to make it when an opportunity should occur. On the night of the 30th of May the vicinity of Richmond was visited by an unprecedented rain-storm -- the Confed- erates supposing this would raise the Chicksiliominy to such an extent as to sweep away all bridges and prevent the construction of new ones for at least forty-eight hours. This would leave Key and Heintzleman practically cut off and separated from the main army on the south side of the river. They saw at once the peril- ous situation of the Federal army, and concluded to attack and destroy these corps before they could either be reenforced or retreat. It was decided to attack Key's corps on the morning of the 30th.
A few days before this the Tennessee Brigade had been assigned to the division of Gen. Gustavus W. Smith. The plan or order of battle was as follows: Gen. Huger was to attack the left flank of the Federals on the Charles City road, which was to be followed by an attack of Longstreet and D. H. Hill on the center at Seven Pines. The division of G. W. Smith to take a position on the Nine Mile road to prevent their retreat or their being reenforced by way of Meadow Bridge. Hill and Longstreet waited impatiently until one o'clock for the signal-guns of Huger by which they were to be governed in making the attack. Hearing nothing up to this hour, their patience being exhausted, they commenced the battle without him. The assault of the Confederates was irresistible. Key's corps was driven from every position, and Casey's division completely routed and almost annibi- lated. Key was reenforced by Heintzleman, which was enough to momentarily check the victorious Confederates-but only for a moment, when they again ad- vanced, driving the Federals at every point. Key's corps, with the division sent by Heintzleman to his relief, had been driven a mile and a half, when Sumner succeeded in crossing the river with his corps to the relief of his hard-pressed friends. This new and fresh accession to the Federals effectually terminated the advance of the Confederates. During all this time Smith's division was silently listening to the battle. Every discharge of artillery or musketry could be distinctly heard, and the yells of the Confederates when a successful charge had been made were so inspiring that it was with difficulty that our men were restrained from joining in it. About six o'clock Smith's division was ordered to reinforce Long- street and Hill. The distance from the point at which we were stationed to the designated point to be reenforced was about four miles. This we reached in less than an hour. As we neared the battle-field we were joined by President Davis and General Lee, with their staffs. We reached the field just as the sun was dis- appearing in the west. Hampton's Legion and the Tennessee Brigade were
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selected to make the final assault upon Sumner's corps. They were formed in echelon of regiments- Hampton's Legion on the left and in front, the Seventh Tennessee next, and the Fourteenth and First in the order named. We had al- ready participated in some minor conflicts, but we were now about to engage in our first real battle of the war. And Gen. Hatton, our brigade commander, was very solicitous as to how we would acquit ourselves. Like many other commanders, he felt a personal interest in the conduct not only of his whole command but in the individual acts of his soldiers. Their characters impressed themselves upon the military standing and the repute of the commander; and with high aspirations, moved by an exalted ambition for the success of the cause he had espoused, and jealous of his own name and the fame of his brigade on the eve of battle, he gave expression to the thoughts that engrossed his mind. Riding in front of the Ten- nessee regiments, he addressed his soldiers as follows:
"Fellow-soldiers, you have at last met the enemy! Let the manner in which you acquit yourselves to-day be worthy the story of the past deeds of your beloved State of Tennessee. They who defend their firesides against an invader are im- pelled to do an act by the lower instinct of their natures; but you who are far from home and loved ones can only triumph when inspired by an exalted moral courage. The occasion is at hand, and I confidently expect that you will aequit yourselves as noble heroes. My hopes and my character are wrapped up in your conduct. Should you deserve the stigma of cowardice on this occasion, never can I hope to obliterate the disgrace, and no greater affliction could befall me than to return to my family disgraced upon the field of battle; and with the downeast countenance of a coward I can never hope to behold the bright and glancing eye of my dear little boy."
After thus addressing his soldiers with deep emotion, he at once gave the com- mand: "Fix bayonets; quick-step; forward; march!"
As we advanced the Federal batteries annoyed us greatly with frequent dis- charges of grape and canister; and although many gaps were made in our ranks, the lines were closed and the brigade continued to advance to within forty yards of their infantry's line, from which we received one of the most destructive vol- leys ever discharged into a body of troops. The advancing column was immedi- ately checked and began to return the fire, and for a few moments a desultory fir- ing was maintained. But soon the superior numbers and the strong position of the Federals had their effect-Hampton's Legion wavered, and finally fell back into the ranks of the Seventh and other Tennessee regiments, which threw them into confusion. At this crisis Generals Hatton, Hampton, and Smith (the latter now commanding the army, Gen. Johnston having been wounded some time before), under a terrible fire attempted to re-form the lines. In a few minutes Hatton was killed and Hampton wounded. The effort to re-form was fruitless. We were compelled to retire to the position from which we advanced. We were not en- gaged in this battle more than thirty minutes, yet in that short time our Adju- tant, G. A. Howard, and eight out of the ten company commanders, and half of the privates, were either killed or wounded. The enemy did not attempt to fol- low up this advantage, but was satisfied with having repulsed the assault.
The loss of Gen. Hatton was severely felt and universally regretted. He was looked upon as a favorite with the authorities, and with acknowledged ability, still in the prime of manhood, much was expected of this noble Tennessean. Of
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his character as we knew him, it can be said with utmost truthfulness that in the Confederate army no commander had more endeared himself to his soldiers than had Gen. Hatton, and at the same time secured in them the strictest discipline. He was an exemplar of the advice given by Polonius: "Be thou familiar, but by no means vulgar." Gen. Hatton loved his men, and his affection was reciprocat- ed. He was familiar, but strictly adhered to military discipline. Singular enough, these stern and severe rules, enforced as they were under all circum- stances, never for a moment alienated the affection of his subordinates. He was endowed with a high personal courage, and, as usual with men of his stuff, he was open, sincere, and conscientious. His men voluntarily assumed the burdens and hardships of military lite, and Gen. Hatton held them to a strict account of their obligations. Yet he never forgot that his subordinates were men with feelings and affections like his own. Having at an early age reached a high position in civil life, and having in the meantime attained a foremost place in military rank comparatively young, the pomp and tinsel of military or civie display had no influence over or attractions for hinr. He was governed, guided, and indeed wholly actuated, by the impulses of a noble, honest, and conscientious nature. To say he was a good man is faint praise, for he was one of the few noblest of earth.
The Seventh remained in its original position on the held until the night of the 1st of June, when it, with the brigade, was assigned to about the old position near Richmond. Col. Archer, of the Fifth Texas, was made Brigadier-general, and assigned to the command of the brigade, and the brigade was assigned to the division of Gen. A. P. Hill. About this time several important changes occurred in the staff of the regiment. Dr. G. L. Robertson resigned, and Dr. J. L. Fite was appointed Surgeon; A. W. Vick, Quartermaster, was promoted to be Brigade Quartermaster, and R. P. McClain was appointed Assistant Quartermaster to succeed him; John D. Allen was promoted to be Brigade Commissary, and D. B. S. Hankins was appointed to succeed him; Hankins was soon after promoted to be Brigade Commissary, and W. H. Atwell was appointed to succeed him. These officers retained their positions until the close of the war. Nothing was done by the regiment except the ordinary routine of camp and picket duty, until the sev- en days battle began. Gen. Johnston had been severely wounded at Seven Pines. and Gen. R. E. Lee was assigned to the command of the army in his stead, which position he held until the surrender. About the middle of June the Confederate commander, appreciating the necessity of relieving Richmond, began to feel for the weakest point of the enemy's line. A skillful and successful reconnoissance of the cavalry under Gen. Stuart, who passed entirely around the Federal army, developed the fact that its right was most vulnerable, and its rear very imperfect- ly protected. This determined Gen. Lee to attack its right.
The plan of the campaign was for Jackson-who had been reenforced by Whit- ing's division and recalled from the Valley -- to pass around the right of their line and attack them in the rear of their position at Mechanicsville, while A. P. Hill's division, crossing the Chickahominy at Meadow Bridge, would attack the same position in front and drive their extended right wing back, and thus clear the bridge over the Chickahominy, for the crossing of D. H. Hill and Longstree:, Magruder and Huger to remain in front of Richmond and prevent an attack on the city and to take advantage of any opportunity that might follow the success of' the attack on the right.
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A. P. Hill arrived at the point designated for him to assault Mechanicsville at the time agreed upon, but Jackson-" for once"-was not on time. Hill waited until 2 o'clock, and, Jackson failing to join him, commenced the battle, and after three hours hard fighting, Mechanicsville was taken, and the way open for Long- street. In this battle the loss of the Seventh was considerable, including Maj. Jolin A. Fite, wounded. On the next day-Hill's division having been joined by D. H. Hill and Longstreet-continued to pursue the Federals, who at last made a stand near Gaines's Mill, a position naturally strong, and made doubly so by artificial means-in fact, almost impregnable from an attack in front. They were posted on a bluff or abrupt ridge, in front of which ran Powhite Creek. The bluff was so steep that lines of fortification for infantry were so constructed that the rear line could fire over the front without endangering it. The artillery -about fifty pieces-was posted in rear of the infantry. All along their front the trees had been cut down and the trunks so interlapped as to make it exceeding- ly difficult to pass, even without the embarrassment of two lines of hostile in- fantry. Notwithstanding the superior strength of this position, the divisions of A. P. Hill and Longstreet made two direct assaults upon it without waiting for Jackson, who was to attack on the right and rear, as at Mechanicsville. In both of these assaults they were repulsed with severe loss; but about 5 o'clock in the afternoon the welcome sound of Jackson's cannon on the extreme left was heard, and at the same time Whiting's division reached Hill's left, when a general charge along the entire line was ordered. The sound of Jackson's guns and the sight of fresh reinforcements infused new life into the tired and almost exhausted troops of Hill and Longstreet. When the charging step was ordered they re- sponded with an alacrity seldom witnessed. The lines moved steadily and straight to the enemy, and never wavered until their double and triple lines were captured. In less than thirty minutes from the last order to advance, every po- sition of the enemy was carried, and the entire right wing of their army was com- pletely routed, and fled for safety to the Chickahominy.
The result of this victory was-first, the relief of Richmond, as from this time Mcclellan thought of nothing but the safety of his army; secondly, several pieces of artillery, about five thousand stand of arms, several stand of colors, several thousand prisoners, besides large quantities of other war material, were captured. But these results were not obtained without great loss. The loss of the Seventh .was especially severe, and among the slain was the gallant Lieut .- col. John K. Howard, whose daring and courage were only equaled by his popularity among those who knew him. He fell mortally wounded, leading the first charge. Act- ing Major W. H. Williamson was severely wounded. Many other valuable officers and men of the Seventh Regiment fell in this action-too many to enumerate in this short sketch.
The sweep of Jackson around the right of the enemy had two objects in view: one to assault their weak point, and the other to cut off and prevent their retreat down the Peninsula. After the battle of the 27th, Mcclellan abandoned all hope of either taking Richmond or retreating by the way he had advanced, his only hope now being to save his army by a retreat on the north side of the Chick- ahominy to the James River. He was brought to bay at several points on his re- treat: at Savage's Station, Frazier's farm, and Malvern Hill. The Seventh was en- gaged in the battle of Frazier's farm, and lost considerably, but was held in reserve
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at Malvern Hill; and although for several hours under the combined fire of gun- boats and field artillery, the loss was slight.
McClellan had now reached the friendly shelter of his gun-boats, and Gen. Lee, despairing of capturing his army, retired to higher and healthier ground, near Richmond, to rest and recuperate his army after the toilsome week of marching and fighting. At this place, Col. Goodner resigned; and Lieut .- col. Howard har- ing been killed, Maj. John A. Fite by seniority was promoted to be Colonel; S. G. Shepherd, senior Captain, to be Lieutenant-colonel; and W. H. Williamson, next ranking Captain, to be Major. These officers held their respective positions until the close of the war.
After resting until about the 1st of August, Hill's division was ordered to join Jackson, who had been sent north to Orange and Culpepper counties to operate against and check the advance of the Army of Virginia, commanded by Pope. The division of Hill marched from Gordonsville on the morning of the 8th of August, but did not that day reach Jackson who, already impatient to attack Pope, advanced with two divisions, Ewell's and Winder's, without waiting for Hill. Early on the morning of the 9th Hill commenced his march toward Cul- pepper Court-house. The advance had hardly begun before the distant sound of cannon announced that Jackson's advance divisions had met the enemy. Orders were sent to Hill to hurry up. The day was remarkably hot and sultry, and the red dust of the dirt-road almost suffocating, yet Hill's troops pressed rapidly on. The increased fire of artillery was a stimulus to renewed exertion on the part of Hill. We arrived on the field about five o'clock in the afternoon, and not a moment too soon. Ewell's division, which held the right, was wavering, and the left of Win- der's division had been turned and routed. Jackson in person, with a part of sev- eral Virginia regiments, was holding the center and protecting the artillery. At this crisis of the battle Hill arrived. He first promptly threw forward Thomas's brigade to the relief of Ewell, then Branch's, Archer's (Tennessee), and Pen- der's brigades to succor the routed left wing. Branch was formed on the right, Archer next, and Pender made a detour to the left and formed at almost right angles to Branch and Archer. Our lines were scarcely formed when a reg- iment of cavalry charged upon Branch, which he repulsed with the loss of half their men. Branch and Archer advanced rapidly, gradually pushing back the Federals, until they reached a wheat-field occupied by their reserve lines. Here an obstinate stand was made, and for a few moments the battle seemed doubtful, but opportunely Pinder threw his brigade upon their right flank. This changed the aspect at once. They hesitated a moment, then broke and fled in confusion from the field. Darkness prevented a pursuit. In this battle the Seventh again lost heavily. Among the wounded were Col. John A. Fite and Acting Major James C. Franklin.
Jackson, having achieved his object (checked Pope), retired to the neighborhood of Gordonsville to await the arrival of Longstreet, who had orders to leave a divis- ion for observation, and march the residue of his corps to that place. Longstreet's troops began to arrive on the 7th. Pope, in the meantime, had advanced with his army across the Rappahannock, and encamped between this river and the Rapidan, with his right extended nearly to Madison Court-house. Gen. Lee, who had as- sumed command, conceived the idea of turning his right and forcing him to fight between these two rivers, believing a defeat with such a river as the Rappahan-
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nock to cross would insure the destruction of his army. All preparations were made for the attack on the 18th, but some of the reserves having failed to reach their positions, the attack was deferred to the 20th.
The massing of Lee's army in his front, on the 18th, seemed to open Pope's eyes to the peril of his position. On the 19th he hastily withdrew his army to the north side of the Rappahannock. This plan being frustrated, it behooved the commanding General to formulate another, as it was very important to fight and crush Pope before he could be joined by Mcclellan. The plan adopted was that Longstreet, by maneuvering and feints, was to keep the attention of Pope constantly on the fords of the Rappahannock, while Jackson with his corps, which included Hill's division (it having been permanently attached to it), was to cross the upper branch of the Rappahannock and pass entirely around his right and reach his rear at Manassas Junction, which would place his corps between Pope and Washington, and of course cut off his supplies and communications. This he accomplished by two days forced marching of more than twenty-five miles a day. Early on the morning of the 27th the Tennessee Brigade-being the ad- vance of Hill's division-reached Manassas Junction. Other troops had preceded us, and had captured an immense amount of stores of every thing a hungry sol- dier could desire. We had hardly begun to help ourselves when the order to "fall in" was given. We could soon see the urgent necessity of this unwelcome order. About a mile to the north could be seen a large brigade of Federals ad- vancing toward us in perfect order over the open plain. We advanced at once to meet them. Gen. Archer said to the brigade: "Now is the time to test the fight- ing qualities of the two armies; maneuvering will not avail any thing, and vieto- ry depends alone on fighting." But we were doomed to disappointment in this, as Gen. Jackson, observing the situation, sent Pender around to the right, and Poague's, Carpenter's, and Braxton's batteries to us. The batteries opened, and the Federals, seeing Pender coming upon their left, broke and fled in disorder, without firing a shot. We pursued them to Bull Run, where they made a stand on the northern bank. This we charged and carried, killing their Gen. Tay- lor, and dispersing and capturing a large part of the brigade. A singular in- cident occurred in this charge: almost the entire loss of the regiment fell upon the smallest company, Co. H. This company had only twelve men engaged, every one of whom was either killed or wounded, which loss was more than that sustained by the residue of the regiment combined.
After this affair we returned to the division at Manassas Junction, where we remained until ten o'clock at night, when we were ordered to Centerville, which place we reached at daylight on the morning of the 28th. We then turned south to join the other divisions of the corps. Late in the afternoon the head of the column struck Pope's advance, who was now. hastening to the rear to re- establish his communications. The Tennessee Brigade, though under fire, did not actually engage in this fight. The next day our lines were formed along an unfinished railroad, A. P. Hill upon the extreme left. It was now Pope's turn to fight us in detail, to crush Jackson before he could be reenforced by Long- street. Jackson's corps, which amounted to only about eighteen thousand men, worn out, half starved, and who had marched and fought for four days without rest, were in a very critical position. Pope, with sixty thousand men, and receiv- ing fresh accessions every hour, thought it would be an easy task to destroy this
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force, and telegraphed to Washington that Jackson could not and would not es- cape him. On the 29th he massed his army on Jackson's left, and during the day made three distinct assaults, principally directed against Hill's division, which were repulsed. At one time during the progress of the battle a division of Federals forced themselves through Hill's lines, between the brigades of Gregg and Thomas. The Tennessee Brigade was taken in reverse and compelled to abandon the railroad cut and partially change front. This was done without panic or disorder. While in this position Gen. Jackson, much excited, rode into our midst, exclaiming: "Stand your ground! We must drive these people back ; the Lord is with us; we must whip them." We held our ground for a few moments, when reinforcements arrived. A charge was made, and the enemy re- pulsed along the whole line with great slaughter. Although repulsed in every assault, the enemy continued to skirmish until midnight.
On the evening of the 20th Longstreet's advance reached us, and he at once formed his lines along the right and at right angles to Jackson's line, the two to- gether forming a V, the enemy occupying the space between its two sides. On the morning of the 30th, without regarding the presence of Longstreet. Pope again threw his entire army against Jackson. The short space between Jackson and Longstreet was filled by about forty pieces of artillery, commanded by Gen. S. D. Lee. This artillery could to a great extent enfilade Pope's advancing lines. This assault, though determined and made with the whole of Pope's and a great part of MeClellan's army, was repulsed. The whole Confederate line now ad- vanced, and the Federals were driven in utter rout from every position, and noth- ing but darkness prevented a great part of Pope's army from being captured. The pursuit was continued until nine o'clock at night, when darkness prevented fur- ther operations. On the next day, after a few hours rest. Jackson's corps, with Hill in advance, began a detour to the left and a forced march to intercept Pope in his retreat to Washington. He was intercepted near Chantilly, and attacked by Jackson, but a heavy rain-storm stopped the battle. He withdrew in the night to the fortifications around Washington. Thus ended the campaign of sec- ond Manassis. The substantial results of this series of victories were nine thou- sand prisoners (including wounded ), twenty thousand stand of arms, many stands of colors, and about thirty pieces of artillery, and re-cuing Virginia from Feder- al dominion. The loss of the Seventh in these engagements was very heavy. as it was in the other regiments of the brigade.
Gen. Lee now concluded to "carry the war into Africa," and boldly commenced his march to Maryland. The Potomac, though broad, was not deep, and was easily forded by the troops. The Tennessee Brigade crossed at the Point of Rocks near Edwards's Ferry. The army was ordered to rendezvous at Frederick, Ma- ryland.
A garrison of twelve thousand Federals held the strong position of Harper's Fer- ry, almost directly in our rear, and couldl from that position continually interrupt our communications. Gen. Lee wisely concluded to capture or destroy this garri- son before proceeding farther north. Gen. Jackson was selected to execute this important undertaking. To his own corps the divisions of R. H. Anderson and MeLaws were added; while Gen. Lee, with Longstreet and D. H. Hill were to prevent MeClellan from reinforcing the place. Hill recrossed the Potomac at Martinsburg, and took a position on the west of the ferry. The other divisions
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