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 49
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MILITARY ANNALS OF TENNESSEE.
eighteen miles still farther north. After we had been at the ford some two weeks, a detachment, composed of two companies from the Eleventh, two from the Ser- enteenth, two from the Twentieth Tennessee, and two from the Fifteenth Missis- sippi regiments, and Col. MeNairy's battalion of cavalry, all under the command of Col. Battle, were ordered to proceed by night march to Barboursville, and en- gage the enemy next morning at day-break-which was handsomely done. At day- light our piekets opened fire and drove the enemy into town. The morning being foggy, it took a little while to get our forces arranged; then a forward movement was made, and in one hour the town was in the hands of the Confederates. The Federals, who were estimated by the citizens to be five hundred strong, had beat a hasty retreat; and when the morning sun had dissipated the fog and smoke from this our first battle-field, the casualties were found to be one old white sow killed, that a company of the Twentieth Regiment had fired into thinking she was the enemy. The poor old sow was literally riddled with shot, as that command was armed with flint-lock muskets that carried a large ball and three buckshot. The enemy having fled, Col. Battle, with his command, returned in triumph to the ford, and could truthfully repeat the school-boy's stanza:
We led them up the steep hill-side, Against the western wind; We routed them, we scouted them, Nor lost a single man.
After the battle of Barboursville, Gen. Zollicoffer moved his brigade north- ward by way of Barboursville and London on to Rock Castle, or better known as Wild Cat. As we passed Laurel Bridge we had a skirmish, and near this place one of the boys, who had been in the advance, came back to his command and remarked excitedly to his Captain: "Captain, they are in half a mile of us." The Captain replied: "Well, are we not in half a mile of them. I reckon they are as badly frightened as we are." On the day we reached Rock Castle the Twentieth Regiment was in advance. Just before we reached the river our skirmishers came upon the enemy's pickets, and a few shots were exchanged. The Federals ran in, leaving one of their number dead at his post. He proved to be Capt. Merriman, from East Tennessee, but belonged to an Ohio cavalry regiment. This was the first dead Federal we had seen. When the pickets ran in, the Twentieth Rezi- ment was ordered to open ranks and let McNairy's battalion of cavalry pass. They crossed the river at once, and a number of shots were fired. The Twen- tieth Regiment was also ordered to cross. This was abont dark. We plunged into the river and waded over, tore down a rail fence, and formed a line of bat- tle. In a few moments we were ordered back across the river, and in about half an hour we were ordered to wade the river the third time, and lay upon our arms, also to throw out our pickets at once. It was one of those cool, clear November nights, and we were wet nearly to our waists, having waded the river three times. In making the detail to go on picket that night, for the first time in the face of the enemy, the writer was unfortunate enough to be called in the detail. We were led away up on the side of the mountain and posted, wet, cold, and hungry. and frightened almost to death. Here we remained until toward day, when we were withdrawn to participate in the general advance. The Twentieth Regiment was in advance, left in front, when near the enemy, with Co. B deployed as skirmishers, but was soon withdrawn and sent to the top of the mountain on the
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REGIMENTAL HISTORIES AND MEMORIAL ROLLS.
right to guard it; and while here one of our pickets by the name of Buck Doyle discovered a few bush-whackers trying to creep up on us, and fired on them. Our Captain ordered us to fire and fall back, and from this we came near having a stampede; and had it not been for Lieut. T. B. Smith the entire company of sixty men would have run clear off of the mountain from two or three bush-whackers. The fighting at Wild Cat on the part of the Confederates was done by the Seven- teenth Tennessee, commanded by Col. Newman, and the Eleventh Tennessee, com- manded by Col. James Rains. When night came on we were withdrawn about a mile and went into camp; but before day we were ordered to retreat, which we did by almost the same route over which we had advanced. When we got back to Cum- berland Gap we halted for a few days, then went westward down the mountains until we came to Jamestown, in Fentress county, Tennessee, near which point we crossed the Kentucky line, and by way of Monticello we reached Mill Springs, on the south bank of the Cumberland River. On our arrival there we were at once ordered across the river. At this point the river makes a bend to the south, then again to the north, forming a horseshoe on the north side. It was in this bend that Gen. Zollicoffer pitched his camp and fortified across the neck of the horseshoe. At this time the enemy under Gen. Schoepf were at Somerset, some twenty miles off. This was the condition of affairs until January 18, 1862, when a large force under Gen. Thomas was trying to effect a junction with Gen. Schoepf. It was thought by our general officers-Gen. George B. Crittenden and Gen. Zolli- coffer-that the enemy's forces were divided by Fishing Creek. That stream was much swollen by recent rains. With this information, an attack on the part of the Confederates was ordered. We left camp at 12 o'clock on the night of Jan- uary 18; every thing was wet and the road very muddy, but the command reached the battle-field, which was six miles out from our camp, at daylight, when the ball opened. About this time a few Minie-balls began to whistle by, and some of the boys would dodge. Col. Battle hallooed out, "Don't dodge, men; don't dodge!" In a few minutes a cannon-ball came screeching through the timber near Col. Battle, and he inadvertently dropped his head, upon which some of the men began to laugh, when the old Colonel said: " Boys, dodge the big ones, but don't dodge the little ones." About this time the Fifteenth Mississippi and Twen- tieth Tennessee were warmly engaged-the latter regiment being armed with flint- lock muskets-and it was raining all the while. They fought to great disadvan- tage, but nobly did they stand their ground during this time. The gallant Missis- sippians were driving every thing before them. The road being so bad, the sup- port could not get up, and early in the action Gen. Zollicoffer was killed. The Fifteenth Mississippi and Twentieth Tennessee were cut to pieces -- fighting about five to one. The entire command soon became confused and were drawn from the field back into their camp, and that night recrossed the river and retreated-without rations, save parched corn, for six or eight days-to Gainesboro, Tenn., where we met supplies shipped up the Cumberland from Nashville. In this engagement the Fifteenth Mississippi carried into action four hundred men, and lost two hundred and twenty. The Twentieth Tennessee carried in about the same num- ber, and lost one hundred and thirty-three-thirty-three were killed dead on the field-and among its dead were Lieut. Bailie Peyton, Lieut. George W. Pettigrew, and the talented Lieut. Evans Shields.
When we left Gainesboro we took up our line of March to Murfreesboro. Here
-
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MILITARY ANNALS OF TENNESSEE.
we joined the retreating forces of Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston, on their way to the battle of Shiloh. We next went into camp at Iuka, Miss., and remained there a few days, and then moved twelve miles farther down the railroad to Burnsville, and camped again for a few days prior to the battle of Shiloh. While here we exchanged our flint-lock muskets for new Enfield rifles, with English cartridges; and a prouder set of men were never seen. By mistake, among the accouterments was a box of English sewed boots. Each company was given three pairs, and the entire company was to shoot for them, the three best shot> to have them ; dis- tance, two hundred yards-off-hand. Several of the boys shot inside of a six- inch circle; one hit the center.
On the morning of the 4th of April we broke up camp-many of us for the last time-and started for the field of Shiloh. We camped that night about twelve miles out. Next day we felt our way along. On the night of the 5th we lay in line of battle. We were so close to the enemy we were not even allowed to strike a match. Col. W. S. Statham, of the Fifteenth Mississippi, was in command of the brigade, which was composed of the following regiments: On the right the Twen- tieth Tennessee, Col. Joel A. Battle; Forty-fifth Tennessee, Col. Searcy ; Twenty- second Mississippi, Capt. Hughes; Nineteenth Tennessee, Col. Cummings; Fifteenth Mississippi, Lieut .- col. Walthall. This brigade was in Maj .- gen. Breckinridge's division, and held in reserve. On the morning of the 6th the pickets began fir- ing at daylight, and a general advance of our lines commenced. That morning when the roll was called, Corp. W. S. Battle, when his name was called, said " Here" for the last time. He was killed about two o'clock that day. The divis- ion, being in the reserve, was not engaged until about 1 P.M. on the 6th. This brigade, posted on the extreme right, swept down near the bank of the river. We met the Twelfth Illinois Regiment, which gave us a warm reception. The Forty- fifth Tennessee, just on our left, became confused in passing the fence of a mule-pen, and supposing the Twentieth Regiment were Federals, opened fire on us. About this time the Federals brought a regiment up between the right of our line and the river, and flanked us from the right. At this juncture the right wing fell back a few yards, when the "Old Roman" rallied them, and carried them to the front again. So the Twentieth Regiment was between three fires. A courier was sent to Col. Searcy, of the Forty-fifth Tennessee, to tell him that he was firing into his friends. At about this time the Fourth Louisiana was brought up, and charged the enemy that had flanked us on the right. When this was done, Gen. Breckinridge rode up to the Twentieth and ordered a charge, to which they re- sponded with the characteristic rebel yell, and on they went. Such a slaughter the writer has never seen except at the battle of Chickamauga. Where the Fed- eral lines were formed the dead lay two and three deep. Marshal Ney in his palm- iest days never rode the wave of battle more proudly than did Gen. Breckinridge in this charge. We pressed onward and onward, scarcely giving them time to rally, until Gen. Prentiss's brigade surrendered at 4 P.M., and the Federal host were huddled for protection under cover of their gun-boats.
It was near this hour that the Confederacy received a shock from which it never recovered-namely, the death of Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston. This great cap- tain died, not as Alexander, the son of Philip of Macedon-of whom it is said he conquered the world, and wept because he had not another world to conquer. On his return to Greece he fell by the hand of the intoxicating bowl and filled
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REGIMENTAL HISTORIES AND MEMORIAL ROLLS.
a drunkard's grave. Nor did he die as did Hannibal, the gifted Carthaginian, who at the battle of Canna stripped three barrels of golden rings from the fin- gers of the slaughtered Roman knights, and with his victorious army sat down before imperial Rome and made her tremble upon her seven hills. His army be- ing flanked by Scipio, the war was carried into Africa. His people became ui !- grateful for past services, and he was compelled to put an end to his own existence. Not so with Albert Sidney Johnston. He died surrounded by friends and com- rades on the threshold of a victory won by his own genius.
This ended the first day's fight. That night Gen. Buell reenforced Gen. Grant with almost as many fresh troops as Johnston had all told. The engagement next day was terrific. We would drive the Federals awhile, and they, in turn, would drive us. It was during this day's fighting, as before stated, that Col. Battle was captured, and his son-the refined and gifted Joel A. Battle, jr., then Adjutant of the regiment-was killed. Late in the evening the Confederates began to with- draw from the field, and Breckinridge's division lay on a portion of the field for three days, and covered the retreat to Corinth. In this bloody engagement the Twentieth Tennessee carried four hundred into action and lost one hundred and eighty-seven killed and wounded. Of ten thousand Confederates killed and wound- ed on this field, it was estimated that six thousand were Tennesseans, as Tennessee had twenty-five infantry regiments in action.
After the battle of Shiloh the army at this point was reorganized, and after some maneuvering around Corinth, Bragg retreated to Tupelo, Miss. There he divided his army, the major portion going to East Tennessee to take part in the Kentucky campaign; but Breckinridge's division, to which the Twentieth be- longed, was sent to Vicksburg. We participated in the siege of that place in 1862, with no very important results. Afterward the command went farther South, and fought in the battle of Baton Rouge. After this engagement we were ordered to Murfreesboro. Tenn. We arrived there in October, 1862. After camp- ing for about six weeks, we were ordered to Stewart's Creek, our advance post, about half-way between Murfreesboro and Nashville. By this time Bragg's army had reached Murfreesboro and Rosecrans's army had arrived at Nashville. The Twentieth Regiment, with the Forty-fifth Tennessee, remained at Stewart's Creek until Rosecrans began his move on Murfreesboro. They then fell back, and rejoined Breckinridge's division. This division was again held in reserve, and was not engaged until late in the afternoon of December 31. When we re- joined our division we were put in a new brigade, commanded by Brig .- gen. Wm. Preston, of Kentucky. His brigade was composed of the Twentieth Tennessee on the right, commanded by T. B. Smith; Sixtieth North Carolina, by Col. Mc- Dowell; and three Florida regiments. About three o'clock in the afternoon this brigade was ordered to charge a battery supported by two lines of infantry where the railroad and Nashville pike cross each other, on the north side of Stone's River. In this charge the Twentieth Regiment had to tear down a picket fence, go through by the right flank, and form again while under fire from the enemy, which was done in handsome style. We moved on the battery through a cotton- field, where work became hot. The North Carolinians gave way, and the Flor- ida troops obliqued to the left, leaving the Twentieth Regiment alone and single- handed before that battery and the two lines of infantry, with no protection but cotton-stocks. We were ordered to lie down, but it got so hot we could not stay
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MILITARY ANNALS OF TENNESSEE.
there, and so were ordered to retreat. We rallied. On our right, on the bluff of the river, about one thousand Federal, were stationed. Our Colonel ordered a charge on them. We had almost a hand-to-hand fight, but drove them from the bluff and held it until night. Our Colonel was wounded that evening. and the Color-bearer (a brother of the Colonel's), Capt. Watkins, Lient. Crosswaite, and a number of other brave men, were killed. We captured about one hundred pri -- oners. After dark we moved to the left, and joined the brigade. Next day noth- ing was done except a little shelling; but on Friday evening, January 2, 1563, Gen. Breckenridge made his memorable charge. With his division of four thou- sand six hundred men he charged the left wing of Rosecrans's army, and it seemed at one time as if he was going to succeed in driving them from the field. They were pressed back on their batteries across the river. We had driven them abont half a mile, but were forced to retire before greatly superior numbers. The ene- my was so badly crippled that he dared not follow. The writer was shot in the left breast, and lay on the field all night, and did not see a single Federal. The Confederates spent the next day in caring for their wounded, and then began a retreat to Shelbyville and Tullahoma. The Twentieth carried three hundred and fifty men into action, and lost one hundred and seventy-eight in killed and wounded.
We next pitched our camp at Tullahoma. We have already spoken of the presentation of the Breckenridge flag. In April we were moved to Fairfield, a little in advance of Tullahoma, and remained there until one wet morning in June. Gen. J. T. Wilder and his brigade suddenly made their appearance at Hoover's Gap, and it was such a complete surprise that only the Twentieth Reg- iment and Caswell's battalion of Georgia sharp-shooters were able to get to the scene of action. These two commands, all told, were about four hundred and fifty men. We at once opened on them, and a terrific little fight ensued. We were fighting about five to one. Wilder had at his back a corps of Federals, ready to pour through the gap of the mountain, and had it not been for the obstinacy of this little handful of men, Bragg's army would have been cut in two. This contest cost the Twentieth her Major, Fred Claybrook, who was killed; her Adjutant, J. W. Thomas, whom we thought was mortally wounded, and who fell in the hands of the enemy; besides forty-three men. After this a general retreat was ordered, and the Twentieth Regiment brought up the rear of Hardee's corps to Chatta- nooga. We went into camp at Tyner's Station, ten miles from Chattanooga, and remained until just before the battle of Chickamauga, at which time we were in Bate's brigade of Stewart's division. On Friday, Sept. 18, we drove the Federal advance back across Chickamauga River. The two armies lay on opposite sides of the river that night. Next morning at day-break we waded the river over to them; but Stewart's division was not engaged until about 3 o'clock P.M. By this time both wings of the Federal army had been partially turned. This threw their line in the shape of a V. A very strong battery guarded this point. Other commands had been charging it, but failed to take it. At about 3 o'clock Stew- art's division was ordered to charge it in columns by brigades. The first to charge was Clayton's Alabama brigade, that was never engaged before-they were driven back in less than thirty minutes; next was John C. Brown's brigade of Tennes- seans-this was a desperate attack, but he too in turn had to fall back; next and last the brigade of the " Old War-horse," Gen. W. B. Bate, was led to the charge. The field in front of this battery was already strewn with the dead and dying;
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REGIMENTAL HISTORIES AND MEMORIAL ROLLS.
but over these we went, meeting sheets of lead at every step. Double charge after double charge of grape and canister plowed through our ranks, and the only words to be heard above the roar of battle were, "Close up and forward, men!" The dense blue lines were seen to waver, and in twenty minutes the Federal ranks were broken, and this battery of destruction was in the hands of the boys of the Twentieth Tennessee. Around this battery sixteen horses were killed, and men lay in piles. The Twentieth carried into action one hundred and forty men, and lost in killed and wounded ninety-eight, most of whom fell around this bat- terv. The writer was among the number. How any human being could live through such a conflict, the good Lord only can tell. The next day the remnant of the regiment took part in the general advance and rout of the Federals. They were driven back into Chattanooga, a distance of ten miles, and Missionary Ridge was made the line of the Confederates. The regiment was here until the battle at this point was fought, and it was one of the few commands that came off of that disastrous field in order, having lost a number of men; it still won new lan- rels. We retreated back to Dalton, Ga., and went into winter-quarters until May, 1864, when the Georgia campaign was opened at Rocky Face Gap. The Twentieth Tennessee was among the first to meet the invader of Georgia soil on this cam- paign. We took part in the battles of Resaca, Dalton, New Hope Church, Pine Mountain, Kennesaw Mountain, Peach-tree Creek (22d of July, when Mc- Pherson, the Federal General, was killed), and at Jonesboro, where we lost the gallant Maj. Guthrie.
When this campaign closed, the Twentieth Regiment came with Gen. Hood into Middle Tennessee, and assisted in capturing several stockades on the line of march. These boys were at their post on the bloody fields of Franklin and Nashville, where some of the noblest of the old guard fell. When Hood re- treated from Tennessee, the skeleton of this regiment, with frost-bitten feet and chilled limbs, turned their backs upon their homes and loved ones to cast the star of their destiny with the Cross of St. Andrew.
After Hood's raid into Tennessee, and Joe Johnston had reassumed command of this department, this regiment followed him through Georgia and the Caro- linas, ever ready to do or die, until this grand old captain told them that their serv- ices were no longer required by their country. The Twentieth Regiment was to its division commanders as the Tenth Legion was to Casar. For four long years of crimson war the regiment was never routed, never lost a stand of colors, nor re- fused to obey an order. They had on their rolls, first and last, thirteen hundred men; when they laid down their arms at Greensboro, N. C., there were thirty- four men for duty.
Official.] FIELD AND STAFF, TWENTIETH TENNESSEE INFANTRY.
Colonel, Joel A. Battle, sr .; Lieutenant-colonel, M. B. Carter; Major, Patrick Duffie; Adju- tant, Joel A. Battle, jr .; Surgeons, D. B. Cliff, W. M. Clark, D. J. Roberts; Assistant Surgeon, A. R. Pinkston; Chaplain, J. A. Ellis.
Guthrie, Maj. J. F., k. in battle. Aug. 31, 1864. Battle, jr., Adje. Joel A., k. at the battle of Shiloh.
COMPANY A. Captain, William L. Foster.
Peyton, Boilie, k. at Fishing Creek.
Lowry, James, k. at Fishing Creek.
Cathey, John J., k. at Fishing Creek. Kohn, Julius, k. at Chickamauga. -
4
£
£
394
MILITARY ANNALS OF TENNESSEE.
Hulme, Roht. B., k. at Chickamauga.
Waldron, Patrick, k. at Missionary Ridge.
Frazier, John H., k. at Murfreesboro.
Hobbs, Henry, k. at Shiloh. Auglin, David, d. at Mill Springs, Ky.
Cator. John R., d. at Bristo !. Davidson, John T., d King, Anthony, d. Haffner, George, d.
COMPANY B. Captain, J. F. Guthrie.
Street, Eugene, k. at Chickamauga. Johnson, N. M., k. at Chickamauga.
| Hay, W. A., k. at Baton Rouge. Peay, N. C., k. at Dalton, Ga.
King, David G., k. at Chickamauga. Jenkins, G. A., d. March 20, 1863. MeClarion, William, d. Sept. 1, 1861.
Nevins, J. G., k. at Chickamauga. Peele, Robert, k. at Murfreesboro.
Poke, B., d. June 25, 1861.
Kellom, William, k. at Murfreesboro.
Potts, J. HI., d. June 25, 1861.
Battle, W. S., k. at Shiloh.
Potts, J. N., d. July 20, 1863.
Keith, George, k. at Fishing Creek.
Walden, Robert, d.
COMPANY C. Captains : James L. Rice and H. C. Lewis.
Goodrich, John A., k. at Shiloh.
Baker, W. N., k. at Shiloh.
Jones, G. W., k. at Murfreesboro. Watyon, G., k. at Murfreesboro.
Spain, W. H., k. at Shiloh.
Bundy, J. H., k. at Fishing Creek.
Mitchell, J. W., k. at Missionary Ridge. Collendar, J. T., k. at Hoover's Gap.
COMPANY D Captains : P. G. Smithson and W. P. Rucker.
Gee, A. B., k. at Chickamauga.
Collett, W. J., d. Feb. 6, 1863. -
Crutcher, J. G., k. April 6, 1862.
Kent, J. W. P., k. Dec. 31, 1863.
Murray, G. H., k. April 6, 1862.
Hall, W. R., d. July 13, 1861. Merritt, W. H., d. Aug. 25, 1862. Moxly, C. R., d. April 15, 1863. Pinkston, E. T., d. April 6, 1862.
Smith, J. M., k. Dec. 31, 1862.
Yeargin, B. W., k. June 24, 1863.
Russell, H. H., d. Feb. 28, 1862.
Buckman, J. P., k. June 24, 1863.
Wood, D. T. J., d. a prisoner.
Austin, E. A., d. Dec. 18, 1861.
Tucker, J. H., k. Dec. 31, 1862.
Couch, T. P., d. Jan. 1, 1862.
COMPANY E. Captains : J. S. Gooch and W. S. Ridley.
Peyton, J. W., k. at Chickamauga. Mason, M. S., k. at Chickamauga. Weakley, L. B., k. at Chickamauga. Sanders, J. A., k. at Murfreesboro. Crosswaite, F. B., k. at Murfreesboro. Humfleet, H., k. at Murfreesboro. Vinson, S., k. at Murfreesboro. Griggs, T., k. at Fishing Creek. Crosswaite, Shelton, k. at Fishing Creek.
Mullins, James, d. Aug. 24, 1861. Ridley, G. R., d. May 2, 1863. Sanders, G., d. Nov. 1, ISO1. Smith, W., d. July 1, 1862. Tune, H .. d. March 15, 1862. Towns, H .. d. Nov. 10, 1862.
Wood, W. M., d. March 1, 1863.
Williams, R., d. Oct. 1, 1861. White, J. A., d. March 15, 1862.
COMPANY F. Captain, J. A. Nimmo.
Anderson, Samuel, k. at Shiloh. Hawkins, R. S., k. at Shiloh. Hodges, J. R., k. at Shiloh. Mason, J. W., k. at Shiloh. Johnson, R. E., k. at Fishing Creek. Anderson, Franklin. k. at Fishing Creek. Brown, M. D., k. at Fishing Creek. Hodges, J. D. S., k. at Fishing Creek. Wilford, Green, k. at Fishing Creek. Simmons, C., k. at Chickamauga.
Woodward, J. N., k. at Chickamauga. Cready, Thomas, d. June 5, 1862 Doss, M. T., d. March 14, 1862. Hodges, D. S. M .. d. April 13, 1863. Morris, Henry, d. March 11, 1862. McQuiter, J. N., d. Sept. 13. 1863. Pike, John, d. Oct. 15, 1861. Tuttle, James, d. at Tupelo, Miss. Stewart, J. T., d. at Chattanooga. Fogg, B. W., d. a prisoner.
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