USA > Wisconsin > An illustrated history of the state of Wisconsin : being a complete civil, political, and military history of the state, from its first exploration down to 1875 > Part 37
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regiment proceeded up the Tennessee River, and landed at Clifton, Tenn., and, on the 14th, marched by Huntsville and Decatur, Ala., to Rome, Ga., nearly three hundred miles, and joined the Army of the Tennessee at Acworth, Ga., on the 8th of June. On the 10th, the division took its place in the ad- vance, and on the 11th arrived within two miles of the enemy's position at the base of Kenesaw Mountain, and began throwing up intrenchments. On the 14th, another line of breastworks was thrown up nearer the enemy, about a thousand yards from the enemy's rifle-pits; and on the 15th an engagement took place, and the regiment succeeded in driving a brigade out of their rifle-pits, and holding the ground, in face of all opposi- tion, for twenty minutes, with a force of only a hundred and fifty men. In this action, the regiment lost two killed and twenty wounded. On the 2d of July, the regiment took a position on the Chattahoochee, forcing the enemy across the stream to his main works. On the 12th, the regiment was transferred to the third division (Gen. Leggett), and, accompa- nying the division, passed through Decatur July 20, and took position on the south side of the Augusta Railroad, eighty rods from the rebel intrenchments. Here a severe battle was had, the Twelfth and the division fighting bravely. In fifteen minutes, out of less than six hundred men engaged, they lost one hundred and thirty-four killed and wounded, and captured more small-arms than they had men engaged; many of them loaded and capped. Five color-bearers were shot, and the two flagstaffs were shot off. The next day, the fighting was resumed ; and the first brigade fought nobly. Engagements took place until the 1st of September. On the 5th they marched towards Atlanta, and encamped near Eastport on the 8th of that month. The casualties from July 28 to Sept. 10 were nine killed and thirty wounded.
On the 12th of October, the regiment with its valiant colonel, George E. Bryant, marched with the Seventeenth Army Corps, in search of the rebel general, Hood. The pursuit was con- tinued until Oct. 21, when the regiment went into camp at Little River, Ala. Here orders were received that the non- veterans whose terms of service expired before Nov. 7 should return to Chattanooga, and be mustered out. Four officers and
Dot -1
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eighty-three men of the old Twelfth responded to this order. The remainder of the regiment moved to Marietta and to At- lanta, and on the 15th commenced the grand march to Savan- nah, and, with the rest of the army, entered that city on the 21st of December.
The Thirteenth Regiment arrived at Janesville, Wis., on the 18th of January, 1864, and was warmly welcomed and hospitably entertained by the people of the city, and from the adjacent country, who had assembled to greet them. The regiment re-assembled at Camp Utley, Racine, on the expira- tion of their furlough, and proceeded to Nashville on the 31st of March, encamping at Edgefield, engaged in guarding trains from Louisville to Chattanooga. Here they were as- signed to first brigade, fourth division, and designed to operate against Atlanta ; but their destination was changed, and the brigade assigned the duty of guarding the Tennessee River between Stevenson and Decatur. On the 4th of June, they marched to Claysville, Ala., and erected earthworks; and, while here, they made frequent excursions across the river, capturing prisoners, and seizing confederate stores, with several skir- mishes with guerillas and rebel outposts. From this place, they proceeded to Woodville, and thence to Huntsville, where Col. Lyon was placed in command of all troops and railroad defences from Huntsville to Stevenson, a distance of sixty miles. During most of the summer, and into September, much sickness prevailed in the regiment ; and, on Oct. 1, the balance of the regiment proceeded to Larkinsville, and returned to Huntsville, and thence to Decatur.
One hundred and sixty of the non-veterans, including the lieutenant-colonel and several officers, were mustered out on the expiration of their term of office. On the 23d of Novem- ber, they proceeded to New Market, where they dispersed the Fourth Alabama Cavalry, destroying their camps and provis- ions, and killing and wounding thirteen. The Thirteenth remained at Stevenson until Hood's defeat at Nashville, when they returned to Huntsville, resuming duty on the railroad, repairing and rebuilding defences. On the 31st of December, Company G, stationed at Paint Rock Bridge, was suddenly assailed by about four hundred rebels ; and Lieut. Wagoner
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and thirty-five men were captured, and two were severely wounded.
The Fourteenth Regiment came to Wisconsin on veteran furlough in January, 1864, and was ordered to rendezvous at Camp Washburn, Milwaukee ; but owing to the severe snow-storms which blocked the railroads, and impeded the general travel, many of the men failed to report promptly on the day their furloughs expired. A peremptory order to the colonel to rejoin the corps at Vicksburg compelled him to leave with only a portion of his command. The regiment arrived at Vicksburg just in time to participate in the ill-fated Red River Expedition. The regiment was not in a fit condition to take the field, but twenty-five hundred men were to be made up from the Seventeenth Army Corps, to be composed, as far as possible, of troops that had not accompanied Gen. Sherman on his Meridian Expedition, from which he had just returned. The Fourteenth was, therefore, included in the quota of the Seventeenth Corps, and was assigned to a provisional division under the command of Gen. Thomas K. Smith. Accompanying the command, the expe- dition proceeded down the Mississippi, and up the Red River. The Fourteenth was present at the capture of Fort de Russey, on the 14th of March, and, on the advance of Gen. Banks above Alexandria, proceeded to Bayou Cotile, and thence by transports to Grand Encore. From thence they went to Shreveport, from which place they were ordered to return to Grand Encore. On the 12th, the fleet was attacked by the enemy in force at Pleasant Hill Landing. A severe fight ensued, lasting an hour, in which the enemy was repulsed with great slaughter. The army proceeded to Alexandria, halting till the dam could be built by Col. Bailey to enable the gun- boats to pass the rapids. The Fourteenth took part in the engagements at Cloutierville, Marksville, and Yellow Bayou, and in several minor skirmishes. With the rest of Gen Smith's command, the Fourteenth proceeded to the mouth of Red River, and thence up the Mississippi to Vicksburg, where it arrived on the 22d. That portion of the regiment which was left at Washington reached Vicksburg, six days after the departure of the regiment, in the Red River division. It moved
A
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HON. JOEL S. FISK.
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up the river, and subsequently joined Gen. Sherman's Grand Army at Acworth in the month of June, and performed gallant service in the campaign against Atlanta.
It became known as " Worden's Battalion," and was com- posed of Company E, and portions of each of the nine other companies of the regiment. The fragments of companies rejoined their regiment at Nashville, in November, 1864. The regiment moved to Memphis in May, and in July took part in the " Tupelo Expedition " under the command of Gen. A. J. Smith. On the 13th, the train was attacked by a brigade of the enemy's cavalry, but were repulsed by the Fourteenth and Thirty-third Wisconsin Regiments. The Fourteenth took part in the battle of Tupelo on the 14th, which resulted in the defeat of the rebel generals, Forrest and S. D. Lee. Returning to Memphis, they were ordered to Duval's Bluff ; and a portion sent to Augusta on a reconnoitring expedition, from which place they moved by rail to Brownsville, twenty-five miles from Little Rock, on the 7th of September. On the 17th, they participated in the pursuit of the rebel general, Price, who was then in Missouri ; and, after a hard march of three hundred and forty miles, they reached Cape Girardeau without meeting him. While here, they learned of the defeat of Price and the disper- sion of his forces. About the middle of November, they re- turned to St. Louis : from this place they proceeded to Nashville to re-enforce Gen. Thomas. At the battle of Nashville, two hundred and eighty prisoners were captured ; and the next day they pursued the enemy, and reached Clifton, on the Tennessee, on the 3d of January, 1865, and from thence to Eastport, Miss., where they arrived on the 11th.
The Fifteenth Regiment left Strawberry Plains on the 14th of January, 1864, and marched eighteen miles, arriving, on the following day, at Dandridge, where they were joined in the evening by a detachment of convalescents, which had been left at Chattanooga at their departure from that place on the 28th of November.
While en route, the detachment took part in a severe engage- ment with Wheeler's cavalry, at Charleston, Tenn., which resulted in the defeat of the enemy, with a loss of ten killed, and one hundred and sixty-seven wounded and prisoners.
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The regiment left Dandridge on the night of the 18th, arriving on the 21st at Knoxville, marching thence on the 24th, by way of Marysville, to McKee's Ferry, whence they returned, during the night of the 29th, to Marysville, under orders to proceed to Wisconsin on veteran furlough.
They reached Loudon, twenty-eight miles distant, on the 31st, and, owing to the threatening movements of the enemy, were met by orders to return immediately to Marysville, where they again encamped on the evening of the 1st of February, having suffered greatly from fatigue during the march. They remained in the performance of guard-duty at this place until the evening of the 16th, when they were put in motion, arriv- ing next day at Knoxville, where they remained a week, marching on the 24th to Strawberry Plains. Leaving this place on the 27th, they crossed the Holston River, and, proceeding by way of New Market, arrived on the 29th at Morristown. They returned to New Market on the 3d of March, and thence, on the 9th, to Strawberry Plains, where the regiment was stationed as guard to the railroad bridge, and employed in picket-duty and labor on the fortifications, until the 7th of April, when they left Strawberry Plains under orders to join the Army of the Cumberland, and, having marched a distance of one hundred and eight miles, encamped on the 16th at McDonald Station, Tenn., on the East Tennessee and Georgia Railroad, between Chattanooga and Cleveland.
Here thorough preparations were made for the spring cam- paign ; and on the 3d of May they left McDonald, and, accom- panying the movement of the Fourth Corps, joined Gen. Sherman's army, on the 5th, near Ringgold, Ga. From this place, the army was put in motion on the 7th; and, after severe skirmishing during the day, our troops occupied Tunnel Hill in the evening. The Fifteenth Wisconsin was employed during the night on picket-duty in front of Willich's brigade, and next morning was ordered forward to reconnoitre the enemy's position on Rocky Ridge, near Dalton. The regiment advanced, with four companies, under Capt. Gordon, deployed in front as skirmishers, and, after a severe skirmish, succeeded in dislodg- ing the enemy from his strong position on the summit of the ridge, which was immediately occupied by the reserve . compa-
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nies, and retained by the regiment until relieved on the morning of the 13th, when the troops were hurried forward in pursuit of the enemy, who had evacuated Dalton during the night.
On the following day, they came up with the rebels at Resaca, when a charge was ordered, and a fierce action ensued, in which the first line of rebel intrenchments was carried, the Fifteenth sustaining a loss of four killed, and fourteen wounded.
During the night of the 16th, the enemy evacuated his position at Resaca, burning the railroad bridge as he withdrew. On the 17th of May, our troops moved forward in pursuit. The Fifteenth, crossing the Coosawattee at noon, and pressing for- ward with constant skirmishing as the enemy retreated, arrived on the 25th before the enemy's position at Dallas. The Fourth Corps immediately moved to the support of the advance, under Gen. Hooker, which had been engaged in a severe fight with the enemy. They arrived on the battle-field near midnight, and next morning moved into position, which they proceeded to fortify. On the 27th the third division, to which the regiment belonged, was relieved from this position, and imme- diately moved to the extreme left of the army, where they were ordered to attack the enemy's works. In this, " the most desperate charge of the campaign," many of the regiment were killed on the rebel fortifications ; and our line was established within fifteen yards of the enemy, sheltered from his fire only by the slope of the hill upon which his batteries were planted.
Although exposed to a galling fire of musketry, they retained this position for five hours, when the enemy was re-enforced, and charged upon their weakened ranks, forcing them to retire, leaving their dead and mortally wounded in the hands of the rebels. In this sanguinary engagement, the regiment, which went into action with one hundred and sixty muskets, lost eighty-three officers and men, killed, wounded, and pris- oners. They afterwards accompanied the movements of the army toward Marietta, almost constantly under fire, and forcing the enemy slowly back from their front. On the 23d of June, they participated in the assault upon the enemy's position on Kenesaw Mountain, with a loss of six killed, and eleven wounded. They remained in the trenches before these works
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until the 3d of July, when they again moved forward in pursuit of the enemy, who had withdrawn from his works during the previous night. They crossed the Chattahoochee on the 17th, and accompanied the general movement of our . forces to Atlanta, before which place they were employed in siege and fatigue duty, near the extreme left of our line, until the evening of the 25th of August, when they left the trenches, accompanying Gen. Sherman's movement to intercept the enemy's communications on the south and east of Atlanta. Having marched about forty miles in a circuitous direction, they arrived, on the 31st, at Jonesborough, twenty-two miles from Atlanta, where temporary intrenchments were thrown up, and the troops bivouacked for the night.
They participated in the engagement at this place on the 1st of September, after which they marched through the town in pursuit of the retreating enemy, and encamped on the 3d near Lovejoy's Station. They broke camp on the evening of the 5th, and marched on the return to Atlanta, going into camp on the 8th, four miles from the city, on the Atlanta and Augusta Railroad. On the 29th, they left camp near Atlanta, under orders to report at Chattanooga, Tenn., at which place they arrived on the 1st of October, and were engaged in provost- duty until the 18th, when they were ordered to guard railroad bridges between Chattanooga and Whitesides. At the latter place, they remained until mustered out of service. Lieut .- Col. Johnson, having succeeded in escaping from the rebel prison, rejoined the regiment on the 24th of July, 1864. Three companies were mustered out Dec. 1, 1864, and the remainder in January and February, 1865.
The recruits and veterans of the regiment were transferred to the Twenty-fourth Wisconsin, and subsequently to the Thirteenth. The several companies, as they mustered out, returned to Wisconsin, were paid off, and disbanded. Thus closes the history of the Fifteenth Regiment, one of the bravest and most efficient regiments that Wisconsin has sent to the field.
The Sixteenth Regiment, after their furlough, started for Cairo, on the 18th of April, and arrived on the 22d. A number of changes took place in the regiment; Lieut-Col. Cassius
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Fairchild being promoted colonel. On the 4th of May, it being attached to the first brigade, third division, left Cairo, and proceeded by transports to Clifton, Tenn. Taking up their line of march to join Sherman's army, they proceeded by way of Huntsville, Warrenton, Ala., and Rome, Ga., and reached Acworth on the 8th of June, after a march of three hundred and twenty miles. Here they took position, and began their advance southward. The enemy were first encountered on the 15th, near Kenesaw Mountain. The regiment took part in the movements in that vicinity, including Bald Bill, driving the rebels out of and beyond their intrenchments. The Twelfth and Sixteenth Regiments were inseparably connected in the bloody fight of the 22d of July, both regiments exhibiting the greatest valor and bravery. Thence they proceeded towards Atlanta, and took part in destroying the railroad from that place to Jonesborough. They took part in the skirmish near that place, and also at Lovejoy. The casualties from June 9 to Sept. 9, 1864, of the Sixteenth, were, killed thirty-eight, wounded seventy-two. The regiment remained at Atlanta until Oct. 3, and participated in the Savannah campaign. From Savannah they went to Goldsborough, and thence to Raleigh, where the rebel general, Johnson, surrendered on the 26th of April, 1865.
The march homeward was by way of Richmond and Wash- ington City, where the regiment took part in the grand reviews. Proceeding from thence on the 7th of June, they were ordered to Louisville, Ky., reaching there on the 12th of July, and going into camp, when they were mustered out, and on the 14th took the cars for Wisconsin, reaching Madison on July 16, where they were publicly received by the State officers. They were paid off on the 19th of August, and the regiment was disbanded. Col. Fairchild was brevetted brigadier-general for meritorious services in the war.
The Seventeenth Regiment became a veteran regiment in January, 1864; seven-eighths of their number having re- enlisted. On the 8th of March, they left Vicksburg for Wisconsin on veteran furlough, and arrived at Madison on the 18th, where they were welcomed by the State authorities and citizens. They dispersed to their homes, and re-assembled at
CROSSCUP & WEST-SOPHIA
HON. W. S. PURDY.
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Camp Washburn, Milwaukee, on the 20th of April. The next day they proceeded to Cairo, where they found the Seventeenth Corps, to which they were attached, and which was on its way to join the forces of Gen Sherman in the Atlanta campaign. Here the regiment was assigned to the second brigade of Gen. Gersham's forces. On the 5th, they commenced their long march to join the forces of Gen. Sherman, and reached Acworth on the 8th of June. As we referred frequently to the movements of this army in this campaign, it is not neces- sary to repeat, only to state that this regiment was engaged in the operations against Kenesaw Mountain, Bald Hill, Atlanta, Jonesborough, and Lovejoy's Station, returning with the Seventeenth Corps, and camping near Atlanta on the 9th of September. With the Seventeenth Corps, they crossed the Chattahoochee in pursuit of Gen. Hood. From this pursuit, they returned to Marietta, and encamped Nov. 4, remaining until the 13th, when they moved to Atlanta, and on the 16th began the grand march for Savannah, where they remained until January, 1865. The Eighteenth Regiment left Hunts- ville on the 1st of May, 1864, and proceeded to Whitesburg, Ala., and thence to Allatoona, on the line of the Western and Atlantic Railroad, ninety miles south of Chattanooga, arriving July 13, and were employed guarding railroad-bridges, and occupied in camp-duty at Allatoona, until Aug. 22, when they marched to Chattanooga, and into Eastern Ten- nessee, in pursuit of the rebel general, Wheeler, who was on his raid against Sherman's communications. Returning, they encamped at Cowan, Tenn., until Sept. 19, when they rejoined the brigade at Allatoona. After the surrender of Atlanta, Gen. Hood attempted a raid on Sherman's railroad communications. At the battle at Allatoona, which was a severe and bloody one, the Eighteenth was engaged. The enemy, finding it impossible to capture that place, finally retreated, leaving at least fifteen hundred of his killed and wounded on the field. In this sanguinary engagement, the Eighteenth had, killed four, wounded eleven, prisoners seventy- three. After this battle, the non-veterans and recruits were assigned to the Ninety-third Illinois, and accompanied Gen. Sherman on his march to Savannah and Goldsborough. The
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veterans were furloughed on the 28th of November. Re- assembling at Milwaukee on the 28th of December, they reached Nashville on the 11th of January, 1865.
The Nineteenth Regiment was encamped on Trent River, N.C., in January, 1864. On the 1st of February, the enemy made an attack on Newbern, but was unsuccessful. On the 19th of April, a portion of the regiment was sent to re-enforce the garrison at Plymouth; but that post was surrendered before re-enforcement could reach them; and they returned on the 24th. On the 26th of April, the regiment left Newbern with orders to report at Yorktown, Va. Arriving there, they were assigned to the third brigade, and proceeded up the James River, and joined the Army of the James, commanded by Gen. B. F. Butler; and on the 6th marched to Point of Rocks, where they engaged in building fortifications until the 9th, when they took part in the movement to Waltham Junction. On the 12th, they took part in the action against Fort Darling ; and in the month of June were in the advance of Gen. Grant's army upon Petersburg. On the 13th of August, the re-enlisted men of the regiment, two hundred and fifty in number, were relieved from duty at the front, and left for Wisconsin, arriving at Madison on the 22d, and received a furlough of thirty days. Re-assembling, they left the State on the 3d of October, and proceeded to James River, and were assigned to the third brigade. On the 27th, with the division, it joined a reconnoissance in force, and reached the old battle-field of Fair Oaks, and was sent forward to charge a six-gun fort, and in doing so had to pass over an open plain. When within a hundred yards of the fort, they lay down, waiting for re-enforcements, which they did not receive; and the enemy charged out of their works, and captured nearly the whole of the regiment. It went into the battle with a hundred and eighty men and nine officers, and lost a hundred and thirty-six men and eight officers. After this battle (Fair Oaks) the remnant of the regiment, consisting of about eighty men, returned to Camp at Chapin's Farms, where they were joined by the non-veterans of the regiment, who had been for a time engaged in provost-guard-duty at Norfolk. From this time until the 2d of April, 1865, the regiment was engaged in picket- duty on the lines in front of Richmond.
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The Twentieth Regiment left Carrollton, near New Orleans, on the 7th of August, 1864, and proceeded, with the land- forces attached to the expedition of Admiral Farragut, against the forts commanding the mouth of Mobile Harbor, landing on the 10th at Mobile Point. Fort Morgan surrendered on the 23d. Forts Powell and Gaines had been captured or destroyed by the navy. The Twentieth Wisconsin and Thirty-fourth Iowa received the garrison as prisoners-of-war, and marched them on shipboard for New Orleans. On the 8th of Sep- tember, a detachment of the Twentieth proceeded up the bay, and destroyed some large salt-works, capable of making a thousand barrels per day, and brought down a large amount of lumber for building of commissary and quartermaster depots. The regiment was camped at Navy Cove, in October, engaged in constructing a telegraph, and building a railroad to Fort Morgan.
The regiment left Navy Cove on the 14th of December, and proceeded to Pascagoula; moved up the river a few miles, landing at Franklin Creek. Here a large amount of pine- lumber, cotton, and rosin, was seized. The lumber, some eight hundred thousand feet, was rafted through the enemy's terri- tory, besides a large quantity of cotton. On the 25th, they reached Griffin's Mills with the lumber and cotton, and seized additional lumber to the amount of one million five hundred thousand feet. Here they remained until the evacuation of East Pascagoula, on the 31st, when they proceeded to their old camp at Navy Cove on Mobile Point.
The Twenty-first Regiment left Lookout Mountain May 2, 1864, four hundred strong, and marched to join the advance on Atlanta. At Resaca, on the 14th May, a battle was fought; and, although not successful, the brigade held its position near the enemy's line until dark; and the Twenty-first was the last to retire. The list of killed and wounded, as published, is, killed eighteen, wounded thirty-one. On the 27th of May, they went into position near Dallas, and participated in the engage- ment at that place, the enemy retiring on the 30th. After further skirmishing, the regiment took position in front of Kenesaw Mountain. Here a battle was sustained four days, and the enemy driven from his position. The regiment was
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