USA > Tennessee > The military annals of Tennessee. Confederate. First series: embracing a review of military operations, with regimental histories and memorial rolls, V.2 > Part 4
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At day-break next morning we discovered the enemy's sharp-shooters posted in our front, as well as some of their field artillery. They had also extended their posi- tion farther to our left, and were threatening the positions occupied by the Tenth, Forty-first, and Fifty-third Tennessee regiments and Maney's battery, all being in plain view of our position. On our right were Col. Palmer's Eighteenth Tenne -- see Regiment and Col. John C. Brown's Third Tennessee. About 11 o'clock of this day an assault was made upon our line by the enemy's infantry, near the right of Brown's regiment, but was easily repelled. About 1 p.M. a very stubborn attack was made on the position occupied by the Tenth, Forty-first, and Fifty- third Tennessee regimeuts, and for a considerable time it appeared that this part of the line would be broken. Althoughi poorly armed, these regiments, with Maney's battery, maintained their position, repelling every assault, inflicting ter- rible loss upon their assailants, and gaining a glorious victory. Graves's battery, too, which was posted on the crest of the hill overlooking their position, did splendid service. The enemy charged right up to our breastworks, so that when driven back their dead and wounded lay thick upon the ground for hundreds of yards back to the woods, which took fire from their guns, and many of their wounded perished in the flames, as they were prevented by Graves's battery and the in- fantry which had just defeated them from removing either their dead or wound- ed. The shrieks of the wretched wounded men were truly heart-rending. The weather was cold, and with the closing of the day a heavy snow-storm set in which stopped the burning of the woods, but brought a state of affairs almost as deplora- ble for their wounded as that which they had just experienced. Cannonading be- gan next morning between our batteries and the enemy's fleet, and lasted till late in the afternoon, when fate again decided against the enemy, who, with some ves-
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sels entirely destroyed and others badly damaged, was compelled to move off with his magnificent fleet.
.
However, next morning the battle was renewed and with increased earnestness. About 9 ADMI. the Thirty-second Tennessee Regiment, supported by Col. Palmer's Eighteenth Tennessee Regiment, was ordered to attack the enemy. Moving for- ward about a mile and finding no enemy, and feeling that we were being cut off, Col. Cook halted the regiment and corrected the aligninent. We were in the midst of a dense forest and heavy undergrowth, and there was so much smoke we could see only a short distance in front of us. Col. Cook, therefore, appealed to Capt. Finney's company for an officer and six or seven men to volunteer as skirmishers. Lieut. J. P. McGuire and the requisite number of men responded promptly, but before they had time to even attempt it the enemy opened upon us with both infantry and artillery, and seemed to have been in ambush for us. Being at close range and unable to drive the enemy, the regiment was withdrawn. Our loss in numbers was comparatively slight, but included our gallant Lieuten- ant-colonel, William P. Moore, who was mortally wounded and died soon after- ward. About 3 p.M. we reached our former position, and about 4 P.M. a very vig- orous assault was made on the extreme right of our line and in plain view of our regiment, but on a neighboring hill. The enemy was successful in this attack, and occupied our trenches immediately in rear of Fort Donelson, and it was thought from that position they would be able to command the fort, but night coming on no further attempt was made in that direction. We all believed the next day would be a bloody one, but to the surprise and mortification of nearly all of us daylight revealed the white flag all along our line. Gen. Buckner had sur- rendered during the night, or on the morning of February 16, 1862. Shortly after daylight the various commands of our army were formed, stacked their arms, and surrendered formally to Gen. Grant.
Detailed men were then sent out to bury the dead, which being done, we were ordered aboard a steam-boat, being now prisoners of war, and sent down the river to Cairo, Ill. At this place the officers and men were separated, the field and staff'officers sent with the officers of the line to Camp Chase, near Columbus, Ohio; while the non-commissioned officers and privates were sent to Camp Morton, near Indianapolis, Ind. From Camp Chase the field and staff officers were sent to Fort Warren, Mass. After remaining at Camp Chase a few weeks the officers of our regiment were removed to a new prison which had just been established on John- son's Island, in Lake Erie, near Sandusky city. We were prisoners a little more than six months, when we were sent to Vicksburg, Miss., and exchanged, and then ordered to rendezvous at Jackson, Miss.
Our first term of service had expired, and many of our officers who were exempt from further service on account of being over military age, declined to reenlist ; and therefore the companies and the regiment were reorganized about October 1, 1862. By election Capt. W. P. O'Neal and Brevet Second Lieutenant J. P. Mc- Guire were made Captains of their respective companies, but were in a few min- utes promoted to field officers. The companies then elected officers as follows:
1. Cook's company: Jake Morton, Captain; Robert F. McCaul, First Lieuten- ant; Thomas Banks, Second Lieutenant; John Waddy, Brevet Second Lieu- tenant.
2. Moore's company : Thomas D. Davenport, Captain; William Anderson, First
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Lieutenant; R. F. Bosham, Second Lieutenant; James White, Brevet Second Lieutenant.
3. Winstead's company: Field Arrowsmith, Captain; --- Bunch, First . Lieu- tenant; N. A. Young, Second Lieutenant; Green Bunch, Brevet Second Lieu- tenant.
4. Worley's company: Jos. Young, Captain; W. R. Collins, First Lieutenant; David S. Hannon, Second Lieutenant; William Summers, Brevet Second Lieu- tenant.
5. Hannah's company: John L. Brownlow, Captain; Fred. Fogg, First Lieu- tenant; G. W. Hammond, Second Lieutenant; --- -, Brevet Second Lieu- tenant.
6. Tucker's company: C. G. Tucker, Captain; Joel F. Pigg, First Lieutenant; Harris H. Tucker, Second Lieutenant; Carroll Ellis, Brevet Second Lieutenant.
7. Finney's company : W. A. Summers, Captain; John M. Wright, First Lieu- tenant; John E. Smith, Second Lieutenant; - --. , Brevet Second Lieutenant.
8. Hunnicutt's company : J. M. Bass, Captain; G. B. Reasons, First Lieutenant; Robert F. Holland, Second Lieutenant; --- - -- , Brevet Second Lieutenant.
9. O'Neal's company : Frank Hall, Captain; Jasper Smiley, First Lieutenant; Calvin Coffee, Second Lieutenant; Jos. Sanford, Brevet Second Lieutenant.
10. Ikord's company : John D. Clark, Captain; William Marsh, First Lieuten- ant; Burt MeFinn, Second Lieutenant;
, Brevet Second Lieutenant.
The companies then reelected Ed. Cook Colonel, and made Capt. Wm. P. O'Neal Lieutenant-colonel, and Capt. J. P. Maguire Major. The new staff was as follows: Capt. John Sheppard, Quartermaster; Doctors James F. Grant and Thomas J. Reid, Surgeons; Dr. Lewis S. Freeman, Assistant Surgeon; Lieut. R. A. Irvin, Adjutant; David S. Bodenhammer, Sergeant-major; Luther W. MeCord, Quarter- master Sergeant; George M. Brownlow, Commissary Sergeant; David D. Maney, Ordnance Sergeant; Dr. Mark Allison, Hospital Steward. All being trained sol- diers, we were armed and equipped and ordered to Knoxville, Tennessee, where we remained a short time without incident; and were next ordered to report to Gen. Forrest at Murfreesboro, Tennessee, at which place we staid several weeks drilling, disciplining, and recruiting. Our regiment soon numbered eleven hun- dred men and officers; and we were told from this time to the end of the war that it was considered one of the finest and most efficient regiments in the service.
We remained at Murfreesboro until some time in November, when we bivouacked at La Vergne several days, and then received marching orders, together with some other regiments of infantry, some artillery, and Forrest's cavalry. We moved north on the Nashville pike at eleven o'clock at night, and it was understood we were to attack Nashville next morning. At day-break we were drawn up in line of battle on the hill near the Murfreesboro pike, south of and overlooking the city. After the exchange of a few shots between our advance and the enemy's outposts, we withdrew without having accomplished any thing. The only accident resulting from this expedition was the slight wounding in the face of Maj. Strange, of Gen. Forrest's staff. Returning to Murfreesboro, we remained under command of Gen. Forrest until a few days before the battle of Stone's River, when we were ordered on post duty with head-quarters at Wartrace. Here we encamped until our army withdrew from Murfreesboro and went into winter-quarters at Tullahoma. Up to this time our regiment had never had any connection with a regularly or-
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ganized briga le; but here Col. John C. Brown, of the Third Tennessee, was pro- moted to Brigadier-general, and given as his brigade the Eighteenth, Twenty- sixth, Thirty-second, and Forty-fifth regiments, all Tennessee troops. In June, 1863, we were marched to Beech Grove, and were there only a short time when we were ordered to prepare three days rations and to be ready to move at a moment's warning. The marching orders came, and also information that a strong party of Federals had gone out from Murfreesboro in the direction of Woodbury. This was our first forced march, and one that will be remembered by every participant to the end of his life. It appeared that the Federals had passed through some gap of the mountains, and if we could reach the gap before they were aware of our approach, we would have them at great disadvantage and be sure to capture or destroy the whole force. We reached the point, but the enemy had heard of our coming and withdrawn from the trap we had set for them. The day being very hot, the men were much fatigued; many were entirely exhausted, and a num- ber died from overheat and fatigue. From this point we were ordered back to Becch Grove, and then to Wartrace, and finally on the first of July fell back to Tullahoma. We spent some days in fortifying this place, and then were ordered into line of battle near to and east of the village. About midnight of this day Gen. Bragg began his retreat from Middle Tennessee via Sewanee and Jasper, crossing the Tennessee River below Chattanooga, where we bivouacked several days, and then went into camp for some days at Tyner's Station. We were then ordered back to the Tennessee River a few miles above Chattanooga, where the enemy soon appeared on the opposite side of the river, and some sharp-shooting was indulged in, but resulted in nothing of importance. We marched next to the south of Chattanooga, east of Lookout Mountain, where it was understood we might have some fighting, as the Federals had crossed the river and were reported in considerable force on the opposite side of the mountain in the valley, and were expected to flank Gen. Bragg by passing through the mountain by way of MeLe- more's Cove. It was reported that a division of Federal infantry had passed through this cove, and was slowly moving in the direction of La Fayette, Georgia. Stewart's division, to which we now belonged, was sent in pursuit with a view of cutting them off by gaining the gap through which they had passed. We reached the vicinity of the gap, within five or six miles, when we came in contact with the Federal outposts, but the main body had passed through the gap and escaped. We then marched across the country via La Fayette, Georgia, to the bloody battle-field of Chickamauga.
In the first day's battle at Chickamauga, September 19, 1863, our division was in the first line of battle, and our regiment was the center regiment of Brown's brigade. Our Col. Cook was in command of the regiment, assisted by Major McGuire, our Lieutenant-colonel O'Neal being absent sick. We numbered for duty nine hundred men and officers, and all seemed "eager for the fray." The battle had already begun on other parts of the line, and the rattle and roar had been listened to for some time, when we were ordered to load and prepare for ae- tion. Next came the order " Forward!" and in a short time our skirmishers met those of the enemy and soon drove them in. We were now within easy ritle-range of their line of battle, which poured upon us volley after volley of misketry and artillery. The "double-quick" was ordered, and then the "charge," when our men raised the "rebel yell," and pressing on in fine order soon found ourselves
--
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on the ground which had just been occupied by the enemy. Pressing on again, we drove the enemy before us, inflicting terrible damage. Our regiment, though suf- fering heavily in killed and wounded, was being abundantly successful. We had met, and were still meeting, most stubborn resistance, but we overcame it all. The situation was so grave, and the struggle so fierce, we did not look to right or left; but the commands, "Steady!" "Forward!" "Aim low!" "Make every shot count!" -- these were heard as the deadly conflict was urged on. Our regiment had captured several pieces of artillery, and driven the confronting enemy from every position, when Major McGuire, who was commanding the right wing, dis- covered that the right wing of the brigade was not in sight. This fact was con- municated to Col. Cook at once. The regiment was halted, and the Thirty-second Tennessee stood there without support on the right or on the left. Col. Cook be- ing approached with the suggestion if he did not withdraw his regiment it would be captured, replied, "The Thirty-second Tennessee will never leave the field until ordered to do so!" And it didn't. But the line of battle No. 2 no sooner passed us than we were ordered to rejoin our brigade to the rear of this position. We were engaged this day three hours and twenty minutes. Our loss in killed and wounded was heavy. Col. Cook and Major McGuire both had their horses shot under them. The battle continued on until night. We occupied the field from which the Federals had been driven, and on which their dead and wounded were left by thousands.
That night was one never to be forgotten, especially by those of our regiment who were on the skirmish line. It was the writer's lot to command the skirmishes covering Brown's brigade and our regiment that night. We stood at the muzzle of the enemy's muskets, so to speak, and they stood at the muzzle of ours; so that the least noise never failed to provoke a shot. We therefore learned to be very quiet. Our army lay upon arms, and as all were worn and tired with the day's work, all were soon asleep. Of course we skirmishers and pickets had to keep our eyes and ears open all night, and our fingers on the trigger. We happened to occupy a portion of the field near a farm-house, in and around which large numbers of Federal wounded had been gathered during the day, and near which a very large number of animals in harness were left by the retreating and beaten enemy. Some of these animals were dead, some wounded, some parts of a train unhurt, but could not escape on account of some of the others of the train being either dead or disabled. As the night grew old the monotony was heavy, and the stillness intense and painful; yet often. in the midst of this, wounded soldiers about the house could be heard begging piteously for water; another and another would shriek with pain as if a dagger was at his heart; then the groaning of the wounded animals, or the neighing of a sound horse, would appear to be a signal for the rest of the animals to make their complaints and efforts to be released from their con- finement; they would break forth in the most hideous and unearthly yells and groans imaginable, which seemed to be taken up from the signal point and would run all along the line, sometimes lasting a minute or two; yet no one dared move to offer relief.
On the morning of the 20th of September, which was the second day's battle of Chickamauga, we all realized that another terrible day was before us. Yet flushed with our success of the day before, all seemed confident and courageous. We occupied the first line of battle again this day. Directly after day-dawn and be-
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MILITARY ANNALS OF TENNESSEE.
fore sunrise it was necessary for our brigade to change its position a little to the right. It was intended this change should be accomplished before it was light, but before it was executed it was nearly sunap, and we found ourselves exposed to a heavy artillery fire in front of our new position, while our skirmish line was being terribly afflicted by the enemy's sharp-shooters. The sharp-shooting and cannonading were kept up until about 11 A.M. Our men and officers who had been on skirmish duty since the evening before reported to the regiment, when we were ordered to load and prepare for action. Already far away to our right and left the storm of battle was raging with great fury, and we listened with almost breathless anxiety at the thunder of artillery, musketry, and the yells of the charging Confederates. Those of us who had been on the skirmish line knew what a powerful battery of twelve guns confronted us, and what a strong position it occupied; this knowledge seemed to nerve us for the terrible undertaking which , was now at hand. We were ordered forward, and soon came in sight of the bat- tery and a strong line of infantry, both of which were firing rapidly upon us. We were at a double-quick, and seeing the position of the enemy we were ordered to charge, and soon had possession of all the guns in our front. We pressed on, losing heavily, but inflicting heavy loss on the Federals in turn. All were highly elated over the success we were achieving, although at such heavy cost. In the midst of our success Captain Tucker, commanding the right company of our regi- ment, called Maj. McGuire's attention to the fact that we were about to be captured. Looking in the direction of the battery about six hundred yards back, we saw thousands of Federals forming in our rear, and upon the line from which we had just driven them. They seemed not to see us nor to know that we were in their rear. Col. Cook faced us about and moved obliquely to the right, which movement the Twenty-sixth Tennessee and Newman's Battalion, who were on our left and now in sight, conformed to. About the time we were reaching a prolongation of the line occupied by the battery the guns were turned upon us, and although we did escape capture it was with heavy loss. The regiment of our brigade to our right had again failed to carry their points, so we were thereby forced to relinquish all we had gained; the regiment to our left, however, kept abreast with us on this day, and did their work well.
Line of battle No. 2 was put in, and we were told to recapture the battery which we had captured and lost. Late that afternoon we were ordered for- ward again, and although not firing ourselves we were exposed to a most terrific fire from the enemy; but this force being attacked in flank, surrendered before it was necessary for us to open fire upon them. It was now night, and the field was ours again, with the enemy beaten at all points. That night they retreated to Chattanooga. Two days after, we marched up to Chattanooga, where we found the Federals strongly fortified. We drew up in line of battle east of the city and engaged their skirmishers, which provoked some shots from their heavy guns but did us no harnı. We were environing Chattanooga perhaps a month, during which time nothing of importance transpired.
About the middle of October our brigade was reenforced by the Third Tennes- see, and ordered to join Major-gen. C. L. Stevenson's division, then in quarters on top of Lookont Mountain. Our principal duty during our stay on the mountain was to picket the passes and trails up its sides to prevent our division being sur- prised. Some time in November our brigade received marching orders, and it was
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rumored that a brigade or more of Federal infantry and cavalry was moving up Wills's Valley, about Trenton, Ga., and that we were going down, via Nickajack trail, to surprise and capture them, and supply ourselves with blankets and shoes, with which we heard they were abundantly supplied, and which we sadly needed. We set out in high glee at the bright prospects before us, reached Niekajack trail, ten or twelve miles south of Lookout Point, and began the descent, expecting soon after we reached the valley to pounce upon our game, gobble them up, and march triumphantly back to camp with our booty; but before reaching the valley scouts had been sent forward, and they reported that Sherman's whole army was over there, which proved to be true. So we faced about, and went back up the trail in as much baste as we could. We returned to Lookout Point, rejoined our division, and remained there observing the movements of both armies, a greater part of which we could plainly see, as well as having a fine view of Chattanooga and sur- rounding country.
The stories which have gone the rounds of the Northern press concerning "the battle above the clouds" are of the wildest and most exaggerated character imag- inable. The day on which it is said to have occurred was the darkest I ever wit- nessed, it being impossible to see a man on horseback sixty feet from us. The Thirty-second Tennessee was ordered to report to the division officer of the day, Major McGuire. Bear in mind we were on top of Lookout Point, scattered all around the Point for hundreds of yards, in the midst of an incessant rain; and being right up in the clouds, we were in a darkness almost as black as night. We kept up a constant fire down through the clouds during the entire day. Some ten or fifteen feet below the summit of the Point there is a sort of second valley, in which there are now, and was then, quite a number of settlements. It was in this valley the celebrated battle was fought between Gen. Joe Hooker's corps of the Federal army and Gen. Walthall's command of Confederates, resulting in the capture of most of the latter. About 9 o'clock that night the rain had ceased, the clouds cleared away, and the night was beautifully star-lit. We then with- drew from the Point, and began the evacuation of our position on Lookout Mount- ain, bivouacking in the valley south of the city. Our forces had been driven around the base of the Point to a place near the road by which we had just re- treated, and the firing was still kept up quite vigorously on both sides. It was a memorable day, not soon to be forgotten. The sight was indeed beautiful. The blazes from the flashing rifles a mile or two away seemed to pass each other, look- ing like the trails of immense comets. Not a Federal soldier was ever on Look- out Point that day or night, their many statements to the contrary notwithstand- ing.
Before daylight next morning we were marching to our position in the battle- line on Missionary Ridge. Our position was on the western slope of the ridge, our left resting near the tunnel on the East Tennessee and Virginia railroad. We had been there but a little while when the Federals attacked us; but we re- pulsed them easily, with but few casualties. On the right our forces were success- ful, but half a mile to our left, where the ridge was high and the hill steep, the Mississippi troops, under command of Gen. Day, were attacked late in the after- noon and their line broken, which lost the day to Gen. Bragg. That night we retreated in the direction of Dalton, Ga., at which place we went into winter- quarters and remained until the following spring, nothing of interest transpiring
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except the super-edure of Gen. Bragg, in command of the Army of Tennessee, by Gen. Joseph E. Johnston.
Early in the spring of 1864 we moved to the vicinity of Tunnel Hill, and dur- ing this time eighteen men belonging to a company in a North Carolina regiment deserted in a body and went over to the enemy. They were subsequently capt- ured, tried by court-martial, found guilty, and sentenced to be shot to death by musketry in the presence of their corps. Eighteen graves had been dug. eighteen stakes planted-one at the head of each grave-and eighteen coffins prepared. The night before the execution was to take place one of the men died of disease, and on the morning of the execution another was pardoned by the President, leav- ing sixteen to be shot. These were pinioned and placed in wagons, seated on their coffins, with guards in each wagon, and driven together to their graves, where the troops had already formed in hollow square .so that all should see. Ten paces in front of the row of graves a battalion was drawn up in line with loaded guns. The condemned men were taken from the wagons, each one tied to a stake, and his coffin placed before him by his grave. The charges, specifications, and find- ings of the court-martial, together with the order of execution, were read aloud to them, all of which being finished and the battalion at "shoulder arms," the marshal blindfolded each of the condemned men by tying a strip of cloth, which had previously been hung upon the stake, over their eyes, and then stepping off to the right, and obliquely in front of the battalion, without uttering a word gave three motions of his handkerchief, indicating "Ready; aim; fire!" and sixteen souls were hurled into eternity.
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