USA > Wisconsin > The Fourteenth Wisconsin Vet. Vol. Infantry (General A. J. Smith's command) in the expedition and battle of Tupelo : also, wanderings through the wilds of Missouri and Arkansas in pursuit of Price > Part 1
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14TH WIS. VET. VOL. INFANTRY (GENERAL A. J. SMITH'S COMMAND) IN THE EXPEDITION & BATTLE OF TUPELO
Gc 973.74 W75t 1757937
M. L.
REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
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ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 00821 7801
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14th THE FOURTEENTH
Wisconsin Vet, Vol, Infantry
..
General A. J. Smith's Command.) 1
IN THE
Expedition and Battle of Tupelo;
RANSOM'S. BRIGADE.17TH . ARMY CORPS
W.H. TUCKER
SERGT.
Cº D. 14 T4
WIS V.V.INET
GEO.H. THOMAS
POST
G.A.R
U.V.L
Nº80
ENCAMPMENT
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DEC 11. 1861
OCT. 9TH 1665
ALSO,
Wanderings Through the Wilds of Missouri and Arkansas in Pursuit of Price.
-- BY -
W. H. TUCKER,
SERGEANT COMPANY " D." INDIANAPOLIS, I :DIANA.
39567
1757937
Dawes F 8349 .9862
TUCKER, WILLIAM HOWARD.
The Fourteenth Wisconsin vet. vol. infantry (General A. J. Smith's command) in the expedition and battle of Tupelo; also, Wanderings through the wilds of Missouri and Arkansas in pursuit of Price ... [Indianapolis, Ind., F.E.Engle & son, 1892?] 30p. 22}cm.
Running title: The Fourteenth Wisconsin from Red river to Nashville.
185908
CHELT CARD
ICN 42-8625
.
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WILLNETTA TUCKER.
From a photograph taken in the campaign of 1888, from Indiana to the White House.
-8349.962
DESIGNED AND PRINTED BY F. E. ENGLE & SON. 10 NORTH DELAWARE STREET, INDIANAPOLIS. IND.
18590:
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THE FOURTEENTH WISCONSIN
FROM
RED RIVER TO NASHVILLE.
Comrades of the Fourteenth, Wisconsin 1
Veteran Volunteers Association :
Your Committee on Entertainment for the fifth annual reunion, to be held at Omro, Wisconsin, June 14th, 15th and 16th, detailed me for the special duty of preparing and reading, at this time, a paper on the expedition and battle of Tupelo. This I have extended to the pursuit of Price, through Arkansas and Missouri, and our journey to Nashville. You must understand that the preparation of such a · paper on an event having taken place twenty-eight years ago, and no memoranda or data to which to refer, has been a tedious task. If you find I have made some mistakes in what I shall read, do not criticise, but each of you go home and write the case up to suit yourselves. I was then only twenty years of age, and but a soldier in the ranks, and thus my opportunities for observation were somewhat limited.
I think it was about June 3d, 1864, we landed at Memphis from the Great Red River Campaign, where we had been since early in March, with A. J. Smith's command. This consisted of old veteran regiments from the Fifteenth and Seventeenth Army Corps-men
THE FOURTEENTH WISCONSIN.
who had seen service at Belmont, Springfield, Pea. Ridge, Henry. Donaldson, Shiloh, Iuka, Corinth, Cold- water, Hatchie, Chicasaw, Port Gibson, Raymond. Champion Hill, Big Black, Vicksburg, Fort DeRussa. Pleasant Hill Landing, Cormargo Cross Roads. Clouterville, Cane River, Marksville, and Yellow Bayou.
We went into camp to the south-east of Memphis on the outskirts of the city, in a nice grove of timber. Our regiment was, at this time, about three hundred and fifty strong. Half of this number were recruits who joined us when at home on our veteran furlough. From then until the last of June our time was occu- pied in doing picket and such other duties as usually falls to the soldier's camp life.
While here we were called out about the middle of June, to witness the execution of three soldiers, cav- alry men from New Jersey and Pennsylvania regi- ments, who had been adjudged guilty of violating some general orders. Whether the sentence was just or not, we could not tell. but the general impression held was that the execution was wrong. With other troops amounting to from four to six thousand, we formed three sides of a square, Fort Pickering, just south of the city on a high bluff overlooking the Mississippi River, formed the fourth side. We were arranged in two lines facing inward. The condemed soldiers with their hands tied behind them, accompanied by priests, marched behind their respective coffins. They were preceded by a band of music. playing the death march. They passed through the lines, around the square, in solemn review, between the troops. Then
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CAMP SCENE.
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THE FOURTEENTH WISCONSIN
they were taken to the center of the square with their backs to the fort, and were blindfolded, after which a signal was given, by the dropping of a handkerchief. Each sitting on his coffin was shot dead by a detach- ment of the Eighth Iowa Infantry. Thus ended this sad scene. and the only one ever witnessed by the Fourteenth Wisconsin during our term of service.
General Washburn. one of the great failures of the war, was in command of the department at Mem- phis. However the rebel General Forrest held him strictly to his headquarters. Upon our arrival at Memphis a few of _Smith's veteran regiments were detailed to accompany that poor excuse of a General, Sturgis. to go out and engage Forrest and prevent him with his command from going to annoy Sherman, who was at this time advancing on Atlanta. Fortu- nately the Fourteenth escaped this fatal expedition, for which we were ever indebted to Colonel Ward, who was then commanding our brigade, and to Lieu- tenant-Colonel Polleys, who was in command of the regiment.
The battle took place one hundred and thirty miles from Memphis, at Bryce's Cross Roads, near Gun Town, Mississippi. June 10th. Sturgis was badly de- feated. losing his train consisting of fourteen pieces of artillery. two hundred and fifty wagons, well loaded with ammunition and ten day's rations. His loss in killed and wounded was twenty-three officers and five hundred and ninty-four men ; captured and miss- ing, fifty-twoofficer- and one thousand five hundred and seventy-one men: making a total loss of two thousand two hundred and forty. The reports show
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FROM RED RIVER TO NASHVILLE.
that Sturgis, together with Grierson's cavalry divi- sion, numbered not less than eight or nine thousand, while Forrest did not have at the time to exceed four thousand. Sturgis put his men into battle and had them defeated by detail. No censure could be too great for him and Washburn. One redeeming feature to this, the only defeat to our arms in the south-west from Camp Jackson to Mobile, is the fact that Sturgis was an importation from the east and a West Pointer. Washburn, who was in command of the District, should be in a great part held, individually responsi- ble for this defeat. It is necessary to refer to the complete destruction of this expedition, in order to show our surroundings at the time we started out from Memphis under Smith. Our aim being to engage and whip Forrest, should he give battle, and to destroy the Mobile and Ohio Railroad.
June 27th, we start on what is known as the Tupelo expedition, taking no camp equipage. The wreck of Sturgis's army had now returned from the Gun Town disaster. We marched to LaGrange, Tennessee, where Smith was to unite his command with Grierson's cavalry. The two combined would amount to eleven or twelve thousand, including twenty pieces of artillery.
Smith was to move south from LaGrange, to find Forrest and give him battle. On our route out from Memphis, we frequently saw indications of Sturgis's wrecked army strewn along the roadway. We were now marching over the same route the Fourteenth had traveled in the late fall of 1862. At that time we were on our way to Memphis from the Central
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THE FOURTEENTH WISCONSIN
Mississippi campaign, en route to Vicksburg via Memphis and the Mississippi River.
On our march to LaGrange we passed through the little towns of Colliersville, Moscow and other points familiar to the old veterans of the regiment. Many of the Fourteenth boys renewed their acquaint- ance formed on our previous trips through this coun- try. Here. it will be proper to say, that the boys of the Fourteenth were noted for their adaptability for forming acquaintance with the natives. They never passed through a country without becoming familiar with every sweet potato patch, every chicken roost, and every smoke house for miles around, which nat- urally brought the boys in close contact with the natives.
. This march was a hard one, dry, dusty and hot. The night we reached LaGrange, fifty-five miles east of Memphis, not one-fourth of the regiment stacked arms. The boys had fallen out along the route, but all came in during the night. We went into camp on a high ridge about three-fourths of a mile from a small stream of water. This was July the 2d. I believe. The next day or two we enjoyed ourselves, cleaning up and preparing for the future campaign.
On the morning of July 5th. having celebrated the Fourth. we moved south, with Grierson's division of cavalry. General J. A. Mower and Colonel David Moore, old veteran fighters, commanded the two divisions of infantry and artillery and Colonel Edward Bouton, a brigade of colored troops. In all there were about twelve thousand men and twenty pieces of artil- lery. We pushed on day after day with Forrest
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FROM RED RIVER TO NASHVILLE.
hovering on our front and flanks. Forrest's command - was composed of mounted infantry and numbered twelve or fourteen thousand. Grierson, with the cavalry, was in the advance and protected our flanks. They had frequent skirmishes each day.
On the 11th the cavalry had a heavy skirmish. The infantry did not get into action. Forrest was driven back and through the village of Pontotoc, Mississippi. Our regiment went into camp that evening, the 11th, on the south side of Pontotoc. We had now reached a point within striking distance of the Mobile and Ohio Railroad.
Early on the morning of the 13th we moved out of Pontotoc eastward, aiming to strike the railroad at Tupelo, nineteen miles distance. Thereby flanking Forrest, who was then with his army in a good fight- ing position some nine or ten miles to the south await- ing Smith. Forrest discovered this move and started to intercept us before we could reach the railroad, which he did some five miles from Tupelo. He made an attack upon Mower's division a part of which was in the rear and guarding the wagon train. Our bri- agde was along side of the train guarding the same, which was well loaded with ammunition, but at this time with very little to eat. After continuing the march for a few miles eastward, we passed a small open field on our right, while on our left was heavy timber. Passing the field the road was then through a belt of timber on either side. The country here was slightly rolling. A part of the regiment had passed the open field. A quarter of a mile in advance, a wagon road branched off to the right, towards the
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THE FOURTEENTH WISCONSIN
village of Tupelo. On this road Forrest had sent a division of cavalry to cut off our train from the main army, which was in the advance. He had also formed a line on our right, parallel to the road on which we were marching, and not more than two or three hun- dred feet from us. The underbrush was thick which gave then good cover from our view. All at once, bang, bang, whiz, whiz came the minnie balls thick and fast. Every mule was on his ear, but no stam- pede. We were penned in, rebs to the front, rebs on the right, and in the rear, and heavy timber on the left, nothing now but fight, and fight it was. We could only see a very short distance on account of the timber and underbrush, but from their firing we located their line pretty well. They had us at a great disadvantage, and after a brave and determined stand, by general consent we made a charge, driving them with considerable loss.
At the edge of the field, by the rail fence, a rebel battle flag was captured. Either Captain Kennealy or Captain Mansfield took the flag. It matters but little which grasped it first ; both were at the extreme front, and each is entitled to the trophy. We fired about sixteen rounds each. Our loss was slight. as they fired over us. I have often thought it was a wonder we were not all killed or taken prisoners. We saved the train and drove them back. I think at this time a thermometer would have registered 130 in the shade: From the dust and powder smoke we could have passed for a gang of contrabands. Reinforce- ments were sent back, but we had saved the train, and the colored brigade in the rear were well protect-
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Wann demi Vanter.
FORREST'S ATTACK ON SMITH'S TRAIN AND REPULSE BY THE 14TH WIS., JULY 13TH, 1864.
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THE FOURTEENTH WISCONSIN
ing that end of the line. We got the wagons all shaped up and moved on our journey. About dark we encamped at Harrisburg, a small hamlet but a short distance from Tupelo.
Smith had chosen a good position and placed his army in line of battle. The road we were marching on (the Pontotoc ) led through the center of the position se- lected for the bat- tle, should one be offered. It was a long ridge sparsely covered with scat- tering trees, and faced a large open- ing of cotton and REBBLE BATTLE FLAG. corn fields ; on the other side was heavy timber. This opening was from a half mile to a mile wide. Moore's division was placed on the left of the road, facing the country over which we had traveled, Mower's division on the right, and the Fourteenth taking a position in the line a little to the right of the road, facing south. Here we remained for the night with a strong picket line out, something quite neces- sary at that time. Next morning, July 14th, about six o'clock, Forrest made his fierce attack, the brunt of the attack falling on Moore's division, to our left. But with all of his desperation, and his men flushed with pride over the Gun Town victory, he failed to have any effect in breaking Moore's lines. For-
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BATTLE OF TUPELO, JULY 14TH 1864, FOURTEENTH WAITING FOR FORREST'S ADVANCE.
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THE FOURTEENTH WISCONSIN
rest's men made repeated charges, but were each time driven back with heavy losses. During the interruptions the artillery from both sides made it quite lively. For two hours the struggle continued until Moore had driven Forrest from his front, leav- ing the ground covered with their dead and dying. Forrest then moved back into the edge of the timber, and in plain view moved his lines to the left over in front of our position. We watched their move, which at times seemed that they were in a confused condition. After having manœuvred for some time to our admi- ration, and wonder whether they contemplated cross- ing the opening in our front, they in good line came sweeping down on our division through the corn and cotton fields in grand shape. Our lines were lying flat on the ground and breathlessly waited for them to come up. Our skirmishers were hurriedly driven in, and we held our fire until. Forrest's men were quite near. We then opened upon them with musketry and canister from our artillery. Human beings could not stand such a storm of shot and shell. Their line wavered a moment, then fell back ; we charged them, taking some prisoners. After falling back they again formed and made further assaults, but nothing like the first, our line from right to left repelling every attack. When Mower ordered his division to advance and charge, it was a grand sight. At last Forrest was driven into the woods, and his men all having their horses at hand, it was useless to pursue them. They left all of their dead and most of their wounded in our hands. The rest of the afternoon was occupied in bringing in and caring for the wounded of both armies. Smith's loss
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FROM RED RIVER TO NASHVILLE.
was about eight hundred killed and wounded. For- rest's loss was, according to his official report, one hundred and fifty-three killed, eight hundred wounded and two hundred missing. He is mistaken, for the best estimate made at the time was that we buried three hundred of his men. During this time Grierson with his cavalry was cutting and destroying the rail- road.
At nine o'clock that night Forrest rallied his men and made an attack on our colored brigade, on our ex- treme left, but finding the colored troops supported by a line of Smith's veterans, he was soon driven back. Smith had now completely whipped Forrest, and with the railroad destroyed, there appeared nothing more to do, so Smith decided to return to Memphis.
That night the boys lay down pretty well tired out.
Forrest showed up in the morning again on the left of our line and made another effort to fight the colored troops, but Smith was at hand, and in person led them in a charge, driving Forrest from the field, which ended the battle of Tupelo.
We then moved back north five miles and went into camp, after crossing Old Town Creek. We were just about to settle down to rest when the shells began to fly over and around us. Forrest having come up and planted a section of a battery on the south side of the creek that we had crossed, giving us a parting salute. Colonel Ward turned back with our brigade, and as the Fourteenth crossed the creek, filed off to the right in the timber skirting the creek. In our front was an open field. Across this, up a raise of ground, we charged. The rebs then were on the
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THE FOURTEENTH WISCONSIN
opposite side of the field. We drove them readily. and this was the last. But of all the hard charges we ever made was crossing that small field. The heat was so intense that it seemed that every man would fall before we reached the opposite side. This was just before sundown. We then re-crossed the creek and went into camp. On the following morn- ing, we started and made our way, by easy marches, back to Memphis. Our supplies having now been exhausted, we lived on blackberries and such supplies as we could gather from the country. We reached Memphis July 25th, ragged, tired and hungry. We had marched since leaving Memphis, on June 27th, over three hundred miles, through a country suffering from a severe drouth. Water was at that time hard to find. The country over which we had traveled had been marched and counter marched over, several times by both the rebel and federal armies. Though a well settled and well cultivated country, at this time but little was left in the shape of supplies. There were two things in great demand with Smith's veter- ans : one was a chance to fight. the other an opportu- nity to get supplies. We were all glad to return again to our camp, for a good rest, which we so much needed after a hard. but victorious campaign.
Smith was soon ordered with his command to Arkansas, where the rebel General Price was organ- izing an army on the borders of Texas to invade Mis- souri, and to go as far north as possible. St. Louis was his objective point, and it was also his intention to hold our western forces from going to join Sher- man.
From an ambrotype taken at Fond du Lac, December, 1861.
From an ambrotype taken at Lake Providence. March, 1863.
WILLIAM H. TUCKER.
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FROM RED RIVER TO NASHVILLE.
About the last of August we embarked on trans- ports, went down the Mississippi and up White River to St. Charles, Arkansas. Here we remained for a few days, fortifying the place with a strong line of entrench- ments. While we were at St. Charles news came that Forrest had made a dash into Memphis at an early hour one morning. He called on General Wash- burn, but he, in his night dress, found a hiding place in a chimney corner. This was the last we ever heard from Washburn. We then went farther up the river to Duvals Bluff, thence by rail to Brownsville, thirty- five miles, and twenty-five miles from Little Rock. Here we remained, waiting for Price to make his move to the north. Smith's command was the same as on the Tupelo expedition, less Grierson's cavalry.
· We now go into camp in old soldier style, a mile north of the railroad. At this time the health of the regiment was good. The recruits, who had joined us when at home on our veteran furlough, had become old veterans. Our camp equipage now, as in the past few months, was limited and not at all cumbersome. We located in a nice grove of timber and erected our tents in all shapes and varieties. They were mostly composed of what was commonly known as pup tents, made of two pieces of canvass or blankets stretched over a pole, which rested on two upright supports. "No dressing room attached." Usually in going into new quarters it would take but a day or two to build bake ovens and get into living shape. The boys of the Fourteenth never stopped to consider the length of time we were to remain in one locality, as that was at all times quite uncertain. We generally took our chances,
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let it be for one day or for more, our motto was to - make ourselves as comfortable as possible, and pass away the weary hours in camp as pleasantly as we could, reading, playing various kinds of games, telling stories, and anxiously waiting for the mail to come from home.
Soldiers were at all times anxious to receive a let- ter. Some were never disappointed and how quick they would brighten up when the Orderly Sergeant, who was Company Post Master, came with the mail from the Chaplain's quarters, and cried out the names of those who were fortunate enough to receive a letter. The Chaplain was regimental Post Master, (our old Chaplain, Father Engle, as we called him, still lives at the age of eighty-four years). How sad those would look, who looked in vain for a letter and none came. It was indeed a disappointment to them and many a tear would come to the eve of those weather- beaten and battle-scared veterans, when they turned away, no news from the loved ones at home. I was among the fortunate and whenever the mail reached us, I could at all times rely upon receiving a good long letter from my mother. Love and kind words to her soldier boy were a blessing to those who had left the dear wife at home and let her all go to stand by the flag, and fight his country's battles. She made a sacrifice more than all the rest, and oh, how anxiously were letters looked for from that dear one, none will ever know except those who looked for them.
Our time in camp was passed in various ways at this stage of the war. The companies were usually, by consent, divided into squads and put their rations
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together, cooking to suit themselves. These squads generally consisted of from two to six. Frequently, on the least provocation, these groups or squads would break up in little family rows and form again. Gen- erally they would, like the Irishman at Donnebrook's fair after a big fight. kiss and make it up again. Some companies would all mess together and have a regular cook. Sometimes one of the members of the company would be detailed for this duty. Often a colored indi- vidual would be pressed into service.
During camp life we were frequently detailed for some special duty, such as picket, fatigue or foraging. The word foraging, as you all understand, means go- ing beyond the picket lines into the enemy's country and gathering supplies, such as sweet potatoes, corn. chickens, pigs, cattle and old meats, such as hams, bacon and shoulders. Occasionally the boys would find tobacco. Of course we would take any thing we could make use of. Sometimes on our trips we would
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come back well loaded, and at other times without any supplies, and glad to get back to camp.
While at Brownsville the long-looked-for paymas- ter came. Several months were due and now the boys were all well supplied with money. Sutlers never failed to follow the army paymasters, and at this time they were quite plenty, and at double prices supplied us with all kinds of delicacies. For a few days we
lived well, though. to the credit of the volunteer sol- diers it can be said, they sent home the greater part of their money.
Aside from cooking our rations and regular duty, the time was usually passed, after the paymaster's visit, in exchanging money, which was done in the fol- lowing manner: Some of the more enterprising of the comrades would take a rubber blanket and mark with chalk or pencil on the same, the figures fromzone to
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FROM RED RIVER TO NASHVILLE.
six. These comrades were commonly called bankers. They would then spread the blanket on the ground and with a box and three little square blocks with the corresponding numbers from one to six on each, give them a shake. The boys would crowd around and put their money on selected numbers on the rubber. The banker would then shake out the little square blocks, called dice, should any number show up upon which money had been placed on the corresponding number on the rubber, it would win and the banker would pay over the amount. If the number did not show up, then the banker raked in the pile. This was called chuck-er- luck and was an uncertain game. Sometimes you would win, but more times lose. Such a game was a trifle one-sided and in favor of the banker, but usually he would venture to be one of the boys, and put his money down on some other fellows rubber and then he would bust. This amusement was not called gambling, it was exchanging money. Many of our officers passed . away their time amusing themselves playing that old- fashioned game, known as poker. It is generally known in modern times among our fashionable circles as pro- gressive eucher. Occasionally the boys would get hold of an officer, and, without much persuasion, get him to take an interest in this little game. He would of course soon get fleeced out of his last penny, and then, until the next pay day came, the boys would help the poor victim, which they were ever ready to do. They never refused to stand by them as they were a good lot of fellows, in camp as well as on march, though they sometimes got among a bad lot of boys, who usually had a loaded set of dice awaiting
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