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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/2651.txt b/2651.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c5170b8 --- /dev/null +++ b/2651.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10782 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Memoirs of General P. H. Sheridan, +Vol. 1, by General Philip Henry Sheridan + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Memoirs of General P. H. Sheridan, Vol. 1 + +Author: General Philip Henry Sheridan + +Release Date: June 7, 2004 [EBook #2651] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MEMOIRS OF GENERAL SHERIDAN *** + + + + +Produced by David Widger + + + + + + +PERSONAL MEMOIRES OF P. H. SHERIDAN, VOLUME 1. + +By Philip Henry Sheridan + + + +PREFACE + +When, yielding to the solicitations of my friends, I finally decided +to write these Memoirs, the greatest difficulty which confronted me +was that of recounting my share in the many notable events of the +last three decades, in which I played a part, without entering too +fully into the history of these years, and at the same time without +giving to my own acts an unmerited prominence. To what extent I have +overcome this difficulty I must leave the reader to judge. + +In offering this record, penned by my own hand, of the events of my +life, and of my participation in our great struggle for national +existence, human liberty, and political equality, I make no +pretension to literary merit; the importance of the subject-matter of +my narrative is my only claim on the reader's attention. + +Respectfully dedicating this work to my comrades in arms during the +War of the Rebellion, I leave it as a heritage to my children, and as +a source of information for the future historian. + +P. H. SHERIDAN. + +Nonguitt, Mass., August 2, 1888 + + + + +PERSONAL MEMOIRS + +P. H. SHERIDAN. + + + + + + +VOLUME I. + +CHAPTER I. + +ANCESTRY--BIRTH--EARLY EDUCATION--A CLERK IN A GROCERY +STORE--APPOINTMENT--MONROE SHOES--JOURNEY TO WEST POINT--HAZING +--A FISTICUFF BATTLE--SUSPENDED--RETURNS TO CLERKSHIP--GRADUATION. + +My parents, John and Mary Sheridan, came to America in 1830, having +been induced by the representations of my father's uncle, Thomas +Gainor, then living in Albany, N. Y., to try their fortunes in the +New World: They were born and reared in the County Cavan, Ireland, +where from early manhood my father had tilled a leasehold on the +estate of Cherrymoult; and the sale of this leasehold provided him +with means to seek a new home across the sea. My parents were +blood relations--cousins in the second degree--my mother, whose +maiden name was Minor, having descended from a collateral branch of +my father's family. Before leaving Ireland they had two children, +and on the 6th of March, 1831, the year after their arrival in this +country, I was born, in Albany, N. Y., the third child in a family +which eventually increased to six--four boys and two girls. + +The prospects for gaining a livelihood in Albany did not meet the +expectations which my parents had been led to entertain, so in 1832 +they removed to the West, to establish themselves in the village of +Somerset, in Perry County, Ohio, which section, in the earliest days +of the State; had been colonized from Pennsylvania and Maryland. At +this period the great public works of the Northwest--the canals and +macadamized roads, a result of clamor for internal improvements--were +in course of construction, and my father turned his attention to +them, believing that they offered opportunities for a successful +occupation. Encouraged by a civil engineer named Bassett, who had +taken a fancy to him, he put in bids for a small contract on the +Cumberland Road, known as the "National Road," which was then being +extended west from the Ohio River. A little success in this first +enterprise led him to take up contracting as a business, which he +followed on various canals and macadamized roads then building in +different parts of the State of Ohio, with some good fortune for +awhile, but in 1853 what little means he had saved were swallowed up +--in bankruptcy, caused by the failure of the Sciota and Hocking +Valley Railroad Company, for which he was fulfilling a contract at +the time, and this disaster left him finally only a small farm, just +outside the village of Somerset, where he dwelt until his death in +1875. + +My father's occupation kept him away from home much of the time +during my boyhood, and as a consequence I grew up under the sole +guidance and training of my mother, whose excellent common sense and +clear discernment in every way fitted her for such maternal duties. +When old enough I was sent to the village school, which was taught by +an old-time Irish "master"--one of those itinerant dominies of the +early frontier--who, holding that to spare the rod was to spoil the +child, if unable to detect the real culprit when any offense had been +committed, would consistently apply the switch to the whole school +without discrimination. It must be conceded that by this means he +never failed to catch the guilty mischief-maker. The school-year was +divided into terms of three months, the teacher being paid in each +term a certain sum--three dollars, I think, for each pupil-and having +an additional perquisite in the privilege of boarding around at his +option in the different families to which his scholars belonged. +This feature was more than acceptable to the parents at times, for +how else could they so thoroughly learn all the neighborhood gossip? +But the pupils were in almost unanimous opposition, because Mr. +McNanly's unheralded advent at any one's house resulted frequently in +the discovery that some favorite child had been playing "hookey," +which means (I will say to the uninitiated, if any such there be) +absenting one's self from school without permission, to go on a +fishing or a swimming frolic. Such at least was my experience more +than once, for Mr. McNanly particularly favored my mother's house, +because of a former acquaintanceship in Ireland, and many a time a +comparison of notes proved that I had been in the woods with two +playfellows, named Binckly and Greiner, when the master thought I was +home, ill, and my mother, that I was at school, deeply immersed in +study. However, with these and other delinquencies not uncommon +among boys, I learned at McNanly's school, and a little later, under +a pedagogue named Thorn, a smattering of geography and history, and +explored the mysteries of Pike's Arithmetic and Bullions' English +Grammar, about as far as I could be carried up to the age of +fourteen. This was all the education then bestowed upon me, and +this--with the exception of progressing in some of these branches by +voluntary study, and by practical application in others, supplemented +by a few months of preparation after receiving my appointment as a +cadet--was the extent of my learning on entering the Military +Academy. + +When about fourteen years old I began to do something for myself; Mr. +John Talbot, who kept a country store in the village, employing me to +deal out sugar, coffee, and calico to his customers at the munificent +salary of twenty-four dollars a year. After I had gained a +twelve-months' experience with Mr. Talbot my services began to be +sought by, others, and a Mr. David Whitehead secured them by the offer +of sixty dollars a year--Talbot refusing to increase my pay, but not +objecting to my advancement. A few months later, before my year was +up, another chance to increase my salary came about; Mr. Henry Dittoe, +the enterprising man of the village, offering me one hundred and +twenty dollars a year to take a position in the dry-goods store of +Fink & Dittoe. I laid the matter before Mr. Whitehead, and he frankly +advised me to accept, though he cautioned me that I might regret it, +adding that he was afraid Henry (referring to Mr. Dittoe) "had too +many irons in the fire." His warning in regard to the enterprising +merchant proved a prophecy, for "too many irons in the fire" brought +about Mr. Dittoe's bankruptcy, although this misfortune did not befall +him till long after I had left his service. I am glad to say, +however, that his failure was an exceptionally honest one, and due +more to the fact that he was in advance of his surroundings than to +any other cause. + +I remained with Fink & Dittoe until I entered the Military Academy, +principally in charge of the book-keeping, which was no small work +for one of my years, considering that in those days the entire +business of country stores in the West was conducted on the credit +system; the customers, being mostly farmers, never expecting to pay +till the product of their farms could be brought to market; and even +then usually squared the book-accounts by notes of hand, that were +often slow of collection. + +From the time I ceased to attend school my employment had +necessitated, to a certain degree, the application of what I had +learned there, and this practical instruction I reinforced somewhat +by doing considerable reading in a general way, until ultimately I +became quite a local authority in history, being frequently chosen as +arbiter in discussions and disputes that arose in the store. The +Mexican War, then going on, furnished, of course, a never-ending +theme for controversy, and although I was too young to enter the +military service when volunteers were mustering in our section, yet +the stirring events of the times so much impressed and absorbed me +that my sole wish was to become a soldier, and my highest aspiration +to go to West Point as a Cadet from my Congressional district. My +chances for this seemed very remote, however, till one day an +opportunity was thrown in my way by the boy who then held the place +failing to pass his examination. When I learned that by this +occurrence a vacancy existed, I wrote to our representative in +Congress, the Hon. Thomas Ritchey, and asked him for the appointment, +reminding him that we had often met in Fink & Dittoe's store, and +that therefore he must know something of my qualifications. He +responded promptly by enclosing my warrant for the class of 1848; so, +notwithstanding the many romances that have been published about the +matter, to Mr. Ritchey, and to him alone, is due all the credit--if +my career justifies that term--of putting me in the United States +Army. + +At once I set about preparing for the examination which precedes +admission to the Military Academy, studying zealously under the +direction of Mr. William Clark; my old teachers, McNanly and Thorn, +having disappeared from Somerset and sought new fields of usefulness. +The intervening months passed rapidly away, and I fear that I did not +make much progress, yet I thought I should be able to pass the +preliminary examination. That which was to follow worried me more +and gave me many sleepless nights; but these would have been less in +number, I fully believe, had it not been for one specification of my, +outfit which the circular that accompanied my appointment demanded. +This requirement was a pair of "Monroe shoes." Now, out in Ohio, +what "Monroe shoes" were was a mystery--not a shoemaker in my section +having so much as an inkling of the construction of the perplexing +things, until finally my eldest brother brought an idea of them from +Baltimore, when it was found that they were a familiar pattern under +another name. + +At length the time for my departure came, and I set out for West +Point, going by way of Cleveland and across Lake Erie to Buffalo. On +the steamer I fell in with another appointee en route to the academy, +David S. Stanley, also from Ohio; and when our acquaintanceship had +ripened somewhat, and we had begun to repose confidence in each +other, I found out that he had no "Monroe shoes," so I deemed myself +just that much ahead of my companion, although my shoes might not +conform exactly to the regulations in Eastern style and finish. At +Buffalo, Stanley and I separated, he going by the Erie Canal and I by +the railroad, since I wanted to gain time on account of commands to +stop in Albany to see my father's uncle. Here I spent a few days, +till Stanley reached Albany, when we journeyed together down the +river to West Point. The examination began a few days after our +arrival, and I soon found myself admitted to the Corps of Cadets, to +date from July 1, 1848, in a class composed of sixty-three members, +many of whom--for example, Stanley, Slocum, Woods, Kautz, and Crook +--became prominent generals in later years, and commanded divisions, +corps, and armies in the war of the rebellion. + +Quickly following my admission I was broken in by a course of hazing, +with many of the approved methods that the Cadets had handed down +from year to year since the Academy was founded; still, I escaped +excessive persecution, although there were in my day many occurrences +so extreme as to call forth condemnation and an endeavor to suppress +the senseless custom, which an improved civilization has now about +eradicated, not only at West Point, but at other colleges. + +Although I had met the Academic board and come off with fair success, +yet I knew so little of Algebra or any of the higher branches of +mathematics that during my first six months at the Academy I was +discouraged by many misgivings as to the future, for I speedily +learned that at the January examination the class would have to stand +a test much severer than that which had been applied to it on +entering. I resolved to try hard, however, and, besides, good +fortune gave me for a room-mate a Cadet whose education was more +advanced than mine, and whose studious habits and willingness to aid +others benefited me immensely. This room-mate was Henry W. Slocum, +since so signally distinguished in both military and civil capacities +as to win for his name a proud place in the annals of his country. +After taps--that is, when by the regulations of the Academy all the +lights were supposed to be extinguished, and everybody in bed--Slocum +and I would hang a blanket over the one window of our room and +continue our studies--he guiding me around scores of stumbling-blocks +in Algebra and elucidating many knotty points in other branches of +the course with which I was unfamiliar. On account of this +association I went up before the Board in January with less +uneasiness than otherwise would have been the case, and passed the +examination fairly well. When it was over, a self-confidence in my +capacity was established that had not existed hitherto, and at each +succeeding examination I gained a little in order of merit till my +furlough summer came round--that is, when I was half through the +four-year course. + +My furlough in July and August, 1850, was spent at my home in Ohio, +with the exception of a visit or two to other Cadets on furlough in +the State, and at the close of my leave I returned to the Academy in +the full expectation of graduating with my class in 1852. + +A quarrel of a belligerent character in September, ,1851, with Cadet +William R. Terrill, put an end to this anticipation, however, and +threw me back into the class which graduated in 1853. Terrill was a +Cadet Sergeant, and, while my company was forming for parade, having, +given me an order, in what I considered an improper tone, to "dress" +in a certain direction, when I believed I was accurately dressed, I +fancied I had a grievance, and made toward him with a lowered +bayonet, but my better judgment recalled me before actual contact +could take place. Of course Terrill reported me for this, and my ire +was so inflamed by his action that when we next met I attacked him, +and a fisticuff engagement in front of barracks followed, which was +stopped by an officer appearing on the scene. Each of us handed in +an explanation, but mine was unsatisfactory to the authorities, for I +had to admit that I was the assaulting party, and the result was that +I was suspended by the Secretary of War, Mr. Conrad, till August 28, +1852--the Superintendent of the Academy, Captain Brewerton, being +induced to recommend this milder course, he said, by my previous good +conduct. At the time I thought, of course, my suspension a very +unfair punishment, that my conduct was justifiable and the +authorities of the Academy all wrong, but riper experience has led me +to a different conclusion, and as I look back, though the +mortification I then endured was deep and trying, I am convinced that +it was hardly as much as I deserved for such an outrageous breach of +discipline. + +There was no question as to Terrill's irritating tone, but in giving +me the order he was prompted by the duty of his position as a file +closer, and I was not the one to remedy the wrong which I conceived +had been done me, and clearly not justifiable in assuming to correct +him with my own hands. In 1862, when General Buell's army was +assembling at Louisville, Terrill was with it as a brigadier-general +(for, although a Virginian, he had remained loyal), and I then took +the initiative toward a renewal of our acquaintance. Our renewed +friendship was not destined to be of long duration, I am sorry to +say, for a few days later, in the battle of Perryville, while +gallantly fighting for his country, poor Terrill was killed. + +My suspension necessitated my leaving the Academy, and I returned +home in the fall of 1851, much crestfallen. Fortunately, my good +friend Henry Dittoe again gave me employment in keeping the books of +his establishment, and this occupation of my time made the nine +months which were to elapse before I could go back to West Point pass +much more agreeably than they would have done had I been idle. In +August, 1852, I joined the first class at the Academy in accordance +with the order of the War Department, taking my place at the foot of +the class and graduating with it the succeeding June, number +thirty-four in a membership of fifty-two. At the head of this class +graduated James B. McPherson, who was killed in the Atlanta campaign +while commanding the Army of the Tennessee. It also contained such +men as John M. Schofield, who commanded the Army of the Ohio; Joshua +W. Sill, killed as a brigadier in the battle of Stone River; and many +others who, in the war of the rebellion, on one side or the other, +rose to prominence, General John B. Hood being the most distinguished +member of the class among the Confederates. + +At the close of the final examination I made no formal application +for assignment to any particular arm of the service, for I knew that +my standing would not entitle me to one of the existing vacancies, +and that I should be obliged to take a place among the brevet second +lieutenants. When the appointments were made I therefore found +myself attached to the First Infantry, well pleased that I had +surmounted all the difficulties that confront the student at our +national school, and looking forward with pleasant anticipation to +the life before me. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +ORDERED TO FORT DUNCAN, TEXAS--"NORTHERS"--SCOUTING +DUTY--HUNTING--NEARLY CAUGHT BY THE INDIANS--A PRIMITIVE HABITATION +--A BRAVE DRUMMERBOY'S DEATH--A MEXICAN BALL. + +On the 1st day of July, 1853, I was commissioned a brevet second +lieutenant in the First Regiment of United States Infantry, then +stationed in Texas. The company to which I was attached was +quartered at Fort Duncan, a military post on the Rio Grande opposite +the little town of Piedras Negras, on the boundary line between the +United States and the Republic of Mexico. + +After the usual leave of three months following graduation from the +Military Academy I was assigned to temporary duty at Newport +Barracks, a recruiting station and rendezvous for the assignment of +young officers preparatory to joining their regiments. Here I +remained from September, 1853, to March, 1854, when I was ordered to +join my company at Fort Duncan. To comply with this order I +proceeded by steamboat down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers to New +Orleans, thence by steamer across the Gulf of Mexico to Indianola, +Tex., and after landing at that place, continued in a small schooner +through what is called the inside channel on the Gulf coast to Corpus +Christi, the headquarters of Brigadier-General Persifer F. Smith, who +was commanding the Department of Texas. Here I met some of my old +friends from the Military Academy, among them Lieutenant Alfred +Gibbs, who in the last year of the rebellion commanded under me a +brigade of cavalry, and Lieutenant Jerome Napoleon Bonaparte, of the +Mounted Rifles, who resigned in 1854 to accept service in the French +Imperial army, but to most of those about headquarters I was an +entire stranger. Among the latter was Captain Stewart Van Vliet, of +the Quartermaster's Department, now on the retired list. With him I +soon came in frequent contact, and, by reason of his connection with +the Quartermaster's Department, the kindly interest he took in +forwarding my business inaugurated between us--a lasting friendship. + +A day or two after my arrival at Corpus Christi a train of Government +wagons, loaded with subsistence stores and quartermaster's supplies, +started for Laredo, a small town on the Rio Grande below Fort Duncan. +There being no other means of reaching my station I put my small +personal possessions, consisting of a trunk, mattress, two blankets, +and a pillow into one of the heavily loaded wagons and proceeded to +join it, sitting on the boxes or bags of coffee and sugar, as I might +choose. The movement of the train was very slow, as the soil was +soft on the newly made and sandy roads. We progressed but a few +miles on our first day's journey, and in the evening parked our train +at a point where there was no wood, a scant supply of water--and that +of bad quality--but an abundance of grass. There being no +comfortable place to sleep in any of the wagons, filled as they were +to the bows with army supplies, I spread my blankets on the ground +between the wheels of one of them, and awoke in the morning feeling +as fresh and bright as would have been possible if all the comforts +of civilization had been at my command. + +It took our lumbering train many days to reach Laredo, a distance of +about one hundred and sixty miles from Corpus Christi. Each march +was but a repetition of the first day's journey, its monotony +occasionally relieved, though, by the passage of immense flocks of +ducks and geese, and the appearance at intervals of herds of deer, +and sometimes droves of wild cattle, wild horses and mules. The +bands of wild horses I noticed were sometimes led by mules, but +generally by stallions with long wavy manes, and flowing tails which +almost touched the ground. + +We arrived at Laredo during one of those severe storms incident to +that section, which are termed "Northers" from the fact that the +north winds culminate occasionally in cold windstorms, frequently +preceded by heavy rains. Generally the blow lasts for three days, +and the cold becomes intense and piercing. While the sudden +depression of the temperature is most disagreeable, and often causes +great suffering, it is claimed that these "Northers" make the climate +more healthy and endurable. They occur from October to May, and in +addition to the destruction which, through the sudden depression of +the temperature, they bring on the herds in the interior, they are +often of sufficient violence to greatly injure the harbors on the +coast. + +The post near Laredo was called Fort McIntosh, and at this period the +troops stationed there consisted of eight companies of the Fifth +Infantry and two of the First, one of the First Artillery, and three +of the Mounted Rifles. Just before the "Norther" began these troops +had completed a redoubt for the defense of the post, with the +exception of the ditches, but as the parapet was built of sand--the +only material about Laredo which could be obtained for its +construction--the severity of the winds was too much for such a +shifting substance, and the work was entirely blown away early in the +storm. + +I was pleasantly and hospitably welcomed by the officers at the post, +all of whom were living in tents, with no furniture except a cot and +trunk, and an improvised bed for a stranger, when one happened to +come along. After I had been kindly taken in by one of the younger +officers, I reported to the commanding officer, and was informed by +him that he would direct the quartermaster to furnish me, as soon as +convenient, with transportation to Fort Duncan, the station of my +company. + +In the course of a day or two, the quartermaster notified me that a +Government six-mule wagon would be placed at my disposal to proceed +to my destination. No better means offering, I concluded to set out +in this conveyance, and, since it was also to carry a quantity of +quartermaster's property for Fort Duncan, I managed to obtain room +enough for my bed in the limited space between the bows and load, +where I could rest tolerably well, and under cover at night, instead +of sleeping on the ground under the wagon, as I had done on the road +from Corpus Christi to Laredo. + +I reached Fort Duncan in March, 1854., and was kindly received by the +commanding officer of the, regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel Thompson +Morris, and by the captain of my company ("D"), Eugene E. McLean, and +his charming wife the only daughter of General E. V. Sumner, who was +already distinguished in our service, but much better known in after +years in the operations of the Army of the Potomac, during its early +campaigns in Virginia. Shortly after joining company "D" I was sent +out on scouting duty with another company of the regiment to Camp La +Pena, about sixty or seventy miles east of Fort Duncan, in a section +of country that had for some time past been subjected to raids by the +Lipan and Comanche Indians. Our outpost at La Pena was intended as a +protection against the predatory incursions of these savages, so +almost constant scouting became a daily occupation. This enabled me +soon to become familiar with and make maps of the surrounding +country, and, through constant association with our Mexican guide, to +pick up in a short time quite a smattering of the Spanish language, +which was very useful to one serving on that frontier. + +At that early day western Texas was literally filled with game, and +the region in the immediate vicinity of La Pena contained its full +proportion of deer, antelope, and wild turkeys. The temptation to +hunt was therefore constantly before me, and a desire to indulge in +this pastime, whenever free from the legitimate duty of the camp, +soon took complete possession of me, so expeditions in pursuit of +game were of frequent occurrence. In these expeditions I was always +accompanied by a soldier named Frankman, belonging to "D" company, +who was a fine sportsman, and a butcher by trade. In a short period +I learned from Frankman how to approach and secure the different +species of game, and also how to dress and care for it when killed. +Almost every expedition we made was rewarded with a good supply of +deer, antelope, and wild turkeys, and we furnished the command in +camp with such abundance that it was relieved from the necessity of +drawing its beef ration, much to the discomfiture of the disgruntled +beef contractor. + +The camp at La Pena was on sandy ground, unpleasant for men and +animals, and by my advice it was moved to La Pendencia, not far from +Lake Espantosa. Before removal from our old location, however, early +one bright morning Frankman and I started on one of our customary +expeditions, going down La Pena Creek to a small creek, at the head +of which we had established a hunting rendezvous. After proceeding +along the stream for three or four miles we saw a column of smoke on +the prairie, and supposing it arose from a camp of Mexican rancheros +catching wild horses or wild cattle, and even wild mules, which were +very numerous in that section of country along the Nueces River, we +thought we would join the party and see how much success they were +having, and observe the methods employed in this laborious and +sometimes dangerous vocation. With this object in view, we continued +on until we found it necessary to cross to the other side of the +creek to reach the point indicated by the smoke. Just before +reaching the crossing I discovered moccasin tracks near the water's +edge, and realizing in an instant that the camp we were approaching +might possibly be one of hostile Indians--all Indians in that country +at that time were hostile--Frankman and I backed out silently, and +made eager strides for La Pena, where we had scarcely arrived when +Captain M. E. Van Buren, of the Mounted Rifle regiment, came in with +a small command, and reported that he was out in pursuit of a band of +Comanche Indians, which had been committing depredations up about +Fort Clark, but that he had lost the trail. I immediately informed +him of what had occurred to me during the morning, and that I could +put him on the trail of the Indians he was desirous of punishing. + +We hurriedly supplied with rations his small command of thirteen, +men, and I then conducted him to the point where I had seen the +smoke, and there we found signs indicating it to be the recently +abandoned camp of the Indians he was pursuing, and we also noticed +that prairie rats had formed the principal article of diet at the +meal they had just completed. As they had gone, I could do no more +than put him on the trail made in their departure, which was well +marked; for Indians, when in small parties, and unless pressed, +usually follow each other in single file. Captain Van Buren followed +the trail by Fort Ewell, and well down toward Corpus Christi, day and +night, until the Indians, exhausted and used up, halted, on an open +plain, unsaddled their horses, mounted bareback, and offered battle. +Their number was double that of Van Buren's detachment, but he +attacked them fearlessly, and in the fight was mortally wounded by an +arrow which entered his body in front, just above the sword belt, and +came through the belt behind. The principal chief of the Indians was +killed, and the rest fled. Captain Van Buren's men carried him to +Corpus Christi, where in a few days he died. + +After our removal to La Pendencia a similar pursuit of savages +occurred, but with more fortunate results. Colonel John H. King, now +on the retired list, then a captain in the First Infantry, came to +our camp in pursuit of a marauding band of hostile Indians, and I was +enabled to put him also on the trail. He soon overtook them, and +killing two without loss to himself, the band dispersed like a flock +of quail and left him nothing to follow. He returned to our camp +shortly after, and the few friendly Indian scouts he had with him +held a grand pow-wow and dance over the scalps of the fallen braves. + +Around La Pendencia, as at La Pena, the country abounded in deer, +antelope, wild turkeys, and quail, and we killed enough to supply +abundantly the whole command with the meat portion of the ration. +Some mornings Frankman and I would bring in as many as seven deer, +and our hunting expeditions made me so familiar with the region +between our camp and Fort Duncan, the headquarters of the regiment, +that I was soon enabled to suggest a more direct route of +communication than the circuitous one then traversed, and in +a short time it was established. + +Up to this time I had been on detached duty, but soon my own company +was ordered into the field to occupy a position on Turkey Creek, +about ten or twelve miles west of the Nueces River, on the road from +San Antonio to Fort Duncan, and I was required to join the company. +Here constant work and scouting were necessary, as our camp was +specially located with reference to protecting from Indian raids the +road running from San Antonio to Fort Duncan, and on to the interior +of Mexico. In those days this road was the great line of travel, and +Mexican caravans were frequently passing over it, to and fro, in such +a disorganized condition as often to invite attack from marauding +Comanches and Lipans. Our time, therefore, was incessantly occupied +in scouting, but our labors were much lightened because they were +directed with intelligence and justice by Captain McLean, whose +agreeable manners and upright methods are still so impressed on my +memory that to this day I look back upon my service with "D" Company +of the First Infantry as among those events which I remember with +most pleasure. + +In this manner my first summer of active field duty passed rapidly +away, and in the fall my company returned to Fort Duncan to go into +winter quarters. These quarters, when constructed, consisted of "A" +tents pitched under a shed improvised by the company. With only +these accommodations I at first lived around as best I could until +the command was quartered, and then, requesting a detail of wagons +from the quartermaster, I went out some thirty miles to get poles to +build a more comfortable habitation for myself. In a few days enough +poles for the construction of a modest residence were secured and +brought in, and then the building of my house began. First, the +poles were cut the proper length, planted in a trench around four +sides of a square of very small proportions, and secured at the top +by string-pieces stretched from one angle to another, in which +half-notches hack been made at proper intervals to receive the +uprights. The poles were then made rigid by strips nailed on +half-way to the ground, giving the sides of the structure firmness, +but the interstices were large and frequent; still, with the aid of +some old condemned paulins obtained from the quartermaster, the walls +were covered and the necessity for chinking obviated. This method of +covering the holes in the side walls also possessed the advantage of +permitting some little light to penetrate to the interior of the +house, and avoided the necessity of constructing a window, for which, +by the way, no glass could have been obtained. Next a good large +fire-place and chimney were built in one corner by means of stones +and mud, and then the roof was put on--a thatched one of prairie +grass. The floor was dirt compactly tamped. + +My furniture was very primitive: a chair or two, with about the same +number of camp stools, a cot, and a rickety old bureau that I +obtained in some way not now remembered. My washstand consisted of a +board about three feet long, resting on legs formed by driving sticks +into the ground until they held it at about the proper height from +the floor. This washstand was the most expensive piece of furniture +I owned, the board having cost me three dollars, and even then I +obtained it as a favor, for lumber on the Rio Grande was so scarce in +those days that to possess even the smallest quantity was to indulge +in great luxury. Indeed, about all that reached the post was what +came in the shape of bacon boxes, and the boards from these were +reserved for coffins in which to bury our dead. + +In this rude habitation I spent a happy winter, and was more +comfortably off than many of the officers, who had built none, but +lived in tents and took the chances of "Northers." During this period +our food was principally the soldier's ration: flour, pickled pork, +nasty bacon--cured in the dust of ground charcoal--and fresh beef, of +which we had a plentiful supply, supplemented with game of various +kinds. The sugar, coffee, and smaller parts of the ration were good, +but we had no vegetables, and the few jars of preserves and some few +vegetables kept by the sutler were too expensive to be indulged in. +So during all the period I lived at Fort Duncan and its sub-camps, +nearly sixteen months, fresh vegetables were practically +unobtainable. To prevent scurvy we used the juice of the maguey +plant, called pulque, and to obtain a supply of this anti-scorbutic I +was often detailed to march the company out about forty miles, cut +the plant, load up two or three wagons with the stalks, and carry +them to camp. Here the juice was extracted by a rude press, and put +in bottles until it fermented and became worse in odor than +sulphureted hydrogen. At reveille roll-call every morning this +fermented liquor was dealt out to the company, and as it was my duty, +in my capacity of subaltern, to attend these roll-calls and see that +the men took their ration of pulque, I always began the duty by +drinking a cup of the repulsive stuff myself. Though hard to +swallow, its well-known specific qualities in the prevention and cure +of scurvy were familiar to all, so every man in the command gulped +down his share notwithstanding its vile taste and odor. + +Considering our isolation, the winter passed very pleasantly to us +all. The post was a large one, its officers congenial, and we had +many enjoyable occasions. Dances, races, and horseback riding filled +in much of the time, and occasional raids from Indians furnished more +serious occupation in the way of a scout now and then. The proximity +of the Indians at times rendered the surrounding country somewhat +dangerous for individuals or small parties at a distance from the +fort; but few thought the savages would come near, so many risks were +doubtless run by various officers, who carried the familiar +six-shooter as their only weapon while out horseback riding, until +suddenly we were awakened to the dangers we had been incurring. + +About mid-winter a party of hostile Lipans made a swoop around and +skirting the garrison, killing a herder--a discharged drummer-boy--in +sight of the flag-staff. Of course great excitement followed. +Captain J. G. Walker, of the Mounted Rifles, immediately started with +his company in pursuit of the Indians, and I was directed to +accompany the command. Not far away we found the body of the boy +filled with arrows, and near him the body of a fine looking young +Indian, whom the lad had undoubtedly killed before he was himself +overpowered. We were not a great distance behind the Indians when +the boy's body was discovered, and having good trailers we gained on +them rapidly, with the prospect of overhauling them, but as soon as +they found we were getting near they headed for the Rio Grande, made +the crossing to the opposite bank, and were in Mexico before we could +overtake them. When on the other side of the boundary they grew very +brave, daring us to come over to fight them, well aware all the time +that the international line prevented us from continuing the pursuit. +So we had to return to the post without reward for our exertion +except the consciousness of having made the best effort we could to +catch the murderers. That night, in company with Lieutenant Thomas +G. Williams, I crossed over the river to the Mexican village of +Piedras Negras, and on going to a house where a large baille, or +dance, was going on we found among those present two of the Indians +we had been chasing. As soon as they saw us they strung their bows +for a fight, and we drew our six-shooters, but the Mexicans quickly +closed in around the Indians and forced them out of the house--or +rude jackal--where the "ball" was being held, and they escaped. We +learned later something about the nature of the fight the drummer had +made, and that his death had cost them dear, for, in addition to the +Indian killed and lying by his side, he had mortally wounded another +and seriously wounded a third, with the three shots that he had +fired. + +At this period I took up the notion of making a study of ornithology, +incited to it possibly by the great number of bright-colored birds +that made their winter homes along the Rio Grande, and I spent many a +leisure hour in catching specimens by means of stick traps, with +which I found little difficulty in securing almost every variety of +the feathered tribes. I made my traps by placing four sticks of a +length suited to the size desired so as to form a square, and +building up on them in log-cabin fashion until the structure came +almost to a point by contraction of the corners. Then the sticks +were made secure, the trap placed at some secluded spot, and from the +centre to the outside a trench was dug in the ground, and thinly +covered when a depth had been obtained that would leave an aperture +sufficiently large to admit the class of birds desired. Along this +trench seeds and other food were scattered, which the birds soon +discovered, and of course began to eat, unsuspectingly following the +tempting bait through the gallery till they emerged from its farther +end in the centre of the trap, where they contentedly fed till the +food was all gone. Then the fact of imprisonment first presented +itself, and they vainly endeavored to escape through the interstices +of the cage, never once guided by their instinct to return to liberty +through the route by which they had entered. + +Among the different kinds of birds captured in this way, +mocking-birds, blue-birds, robins, meadow larks, quail, and plover +were the most numerous. They seemed to have more voracious appetites +than other varieties, or else they were more unwary, and consequently +more easily caught. A change of station, however, put an end to my +ornithological plans, and activities of other kinds prevented me from +resuming them in after life. + +There were quite a number of young officers at the post during the +winter, and as our relations with the Mexican commandant at Piedras +Negras were most amicable, we were often invited to dances at his +house. He and his hospitable wife and daughter drummed up the female +portion of the elite of Piedras Negras and provided the house, which +was the official as well as the personal residence of the commandant, +while we--the young officers--furnished the music and such +sweetmeats, candies, &c., for the baille as the country would afford. + +We generally danced in a long hall on a hard dirt floor. The girls +sat on one side of the hall, chaperoned by their mothers or some old +duennas, and the men on the other. When the music struck up each man +asked the lady whom his eyes had already selected to dance with him, +and it was not etiquette for her to refuse--no engagements being +allowed before the music began. When the dance, which was generally +a long waltz, was over, he seated his partner, and then went to a +little counter at the end of the room and bought his dulcinea a plate +of the candies and sweetmeats provided. Sometimes she accepted them, +but most generally pointed to her duenna or chaperon behind, who held +up her apron and caught the refreshments as they were slid into it +from the plate. The greatest decorum was maintained at these dances, +primitively as they were conducted; and in a region so completely cut +off from the world, their influence was undoubtedly beneficial to a +considerable degree in softening the rough edges in a half-breed +population. + +The inhabitants of this frontier of Mexico were strongly marked with +Indian characteristics, particularly with those of the Comanche type, +and as the wild Indian blood predominated, few of the physical traits +of the Spaniard remained among them, and outlawry was common. The +Spanish conquerors had left on the northern border only their +graceful manners and their humility before the cross. The sign of +Christianity was prominently placed at all important points on roads +or trails, and especially where any one had been killed; and as the +Comanche Indians, strong and warlike, had devastated northeastern +Mexico in past years, all along the border, on both sides of the Rio +Grande, the murderous effects of their raids were evidenced by +numberless crosses. For more than a century forays had been made on +the settlements and towns by these bloodthirsty savages, and, the +Mexican Government being too weak to afford protection, property was +destroyed, the women and children carried off or ravished, and the +men compelled to look on in an agony of helplessness till relieved by +death. During all this time, however, the forms and ceremonials of +religion, and the polite manners received from the Spaniards, were +retained, and reverence for the emblems of Christianity was always +uppermost in the mind of even the most ignorant. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +ORDERED TO FORT READING, CAL.--A DANGEROUS UNDERTAKING--A RESCUED +SOLDIER--DISCOVERING INDIANS--PRIMITIVE FISHING--A DESERTED +VILLAGE--CAMPING OPPOSITE FORT VANCOUVER. + +In November, 1854, I received my promotion to a second lieutenancy in +the Fourth Infantry, which was stationed in California and Oregon. In +order to join my company at Fort Reading, California, I had to go to +New York as a starting point, and on arrival there, was placed on +duty, in May, 1855, in command of a detachment of recruits at +Bedloe's Island, intended for assignment to the regiments on the +Pacific coast. I think there were on the island (now occupied by the +statue of Liberty Enlightening the World) about three hundred +recruits. For a time I was the only officer with them, but shortly +before we started for California, Lieutenant Francis H. Bates, of the +Fourth Infantry, was placed in command. We embarked for the Pacific +coast in July, 1855, and made the journey without incident via the +Isthmus of Panama, in due time landing our men at Benecia Barracks, +above San Francisco. + +From this point I proceeded to join my company at Fort Reading, and +on reaching that post, found orders directing me to relieve +Lieutenant John B. Hood--afterward well known as a distinguished +general in the Confederate service. Lieutenant Hood was in command +of the personal mounted escort of Lieutenant R. S. Williamson, who +was charged with the duty of making such explorations and surveys as +would determine the practicability of connecting, by railroad, the +Sacramento Valley in California with the Columbia River in Oregon +Territory, either through the Willamette Valley, or (if this route +should prove to be impracticable) by the valley of the Des Chutes +River near the foot-slopes of the Cascade chain. The survey was +being made in accordance with an act of Congress, which provided both +for ascertaining the must practicable and economical route for a +railroad between the Mississippi River and the Pacific Ocean, and for +military and geographical surveys west of the Mississippi River. + +Fort Reading was the starting-point for this exploring expedition, +and there I arrived some four or five days after the party under +Lieutenant Williamson had begun its march. His personal escort +numbered about sixty mounted men, made up of detachments from +companies of the First Dragoons, under command of Lieutenant Hood, +together with about one hundred men belonging to the Fourth Infantry +and Third Artillery, commanded by Lieutenant Horatio Gates Gibson, +the present colonel of the Third United States Artillery. Lieutenant +George Crook--now major-general--was the quartermaster and commissary +of subsistence of the expedition. + +The commanding officer at Fort Reading seemed reluctant to let me go +on to relieve Lieutenant Hood, as the country to be passed over was +infested by the Pit River Indians, known to be hostile to white +people and especially to small parties. I was very anxious to +proceed, however, and willing to take the chances; so, consent being +finally obtained, I started with a corporal and two mounted men, +through a wild and uninhabited region, to overtake if possible +Lieutenant Williamson. Being on horseback, and unencumbered by +luggage of any kind except blankets and a little hard bread, coffee +and smoking-tobacco, which were all carried on our riding animals, we +were sanguine of succeeding, for we traversed in one day fully the +distance made in three by Lieutenant Williamson's party on foot. + +The first day we reached the base of Lassan's Butte, where I +determined to spend the night near an isolated cabin, or dugout, that +had been recently constructed by a hardy pioneer. The wind was +blowing a disagreeable gale, which had begun early in the day. This +made it desirable to locate our camp under the best cover we could +find, and I spent some little time in looking about for a +satisfactory place, but nothing better offered than a large fallen +tree, which lay in such a direction that by encamping on its lee side +we would be protected from the fury of the storm. This spot was +therefore fixed upon, and preparation made for spending the night as +comfortably as the circumstances would permit. + +After we had unsaddled I visited the cabin to inquire in regard to +the country ahead, and there found at first only a soldier of +Williamson's party; later the proprietor of the ranch appeared. The +soldier had been left behind by the surveying party on account of +illness, with instructions to make his way back to Fort Reading as +best he could when he recovered. His condition having greatly +improved, however, since he had been left, he now begged me in +beseeching terms to take him along with my party, which I finally +consented to do, provided that if he became unable to keep up with +me, and I should be obliged to abandon him, the responsibility would +be his, not mine. This increased my number to five, and was quite a +reinforcement should we run across any hostile Indians; but it was +also certain to prove an embarrassment should the man again fall ill. + +During the night, notwithstanding the continuance of the storm, I had +a very sound and refreshing sleep behind the protecting log where we +made our camp, and at daylight next morning we resumed our journey, +fortified by a breakfast of coffee and hard bread. I skirted around +the base of Lassan's Butte, thence down Hat Creek, all the time +following the trail made by Lieutenant Williamson's party. About +noon the soldier I had picked up at my first camp gave out, and could +go no farther. As stipulated when I consented to take him along, I +had the right to abandon him, but when it came to the test I could +not make up my mind to do it. Finding a good place not far off the +trail, one of my men volunteered to remain with him until he died; +and we left them there, with a liberal supply of hard bread and +coffee, believing that we would never again see the invalid. My +reinforcement was already gone, and another man with it. + +With my diminished party I resumed the trail and followed it until +about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, when we heard the sound of voices, +and the corporal, thinking we were approaching Lieutenant +Williamson's party, was so overjoyed in anticipation of the junction, +that he wanted to fire his musket as an expression of his delight. +This I prevented his doing, however, and we continued cautiously and +slowly on to develop the source of the sounds in front. We had not +gone far before I discovered that the noise came from a band of Pit +River Indians, who had struck the trail of the surveying expedition, +and were following it up, doubtless with evil intent. Dismounting +from my horse I counted the moccasin tracks to ascertain the number +of Indians, discovered it to be about thirty, and then followed on +behind them cautiously, but with little difficulty, as appearances of +speed on their part indicated that they wished to overtake Lieutenant +Williamson's party, which made them less on the lookout than usual +for any possible pursuers. After following the trail until nearly +sundown, I considered it prudent to stop for the night, and drew off +some little distance, where, concealed in a dense growth of timber, +we made our camp. + +As I had with me now only two men, I felt somewhat nervous, so I +allowed no fires to be built, and in consequence our supper consisted +of hard bread only. I passed an anxious night, but beyond our own +solicitude there was nothing to disturb us, the Indians being too +much interested in overtaking the party in front to seek for victims +in the rear, After a hard-bread breakfast we started again on the +trail, and had proceeded but a short distance when, hearing the +voices of the Indians, we at once slackened our speed so as not to +overtake them. + +Most of the trail on which we traveled during the morning ran over an +exceedingly rough lava formation--a spur of the lava beds often +described during the Modoc war of 1873 so hard and flinty that +Williamson's large command made little impression on its surface, +leaving in fact, only indistinct traces of its line of march. By +care and frequent examinations we managed to follow his route through +without much delay, or discovery by the Indians, and about noon, +owing to the termination of the lava formation, we descended into the +valley of Hat Greek, a little below where it emerges from the second +canon and above its confluence with Pit River. As soon as we reached +the fertile soil of the valley, we found Williamson's trail well +defined, deeply impressed in the soft loam, and coursing through +wild-flowers and luxuriant grass which carpeted the ground on every +hand. + +When we struck this delightful locality we traveled with considerable +speed, and after passing over hill and vale for some distance, the +trail becoming more and more distinct all the time, I suddenly saw in +front of me the Pit River Indians. + +This caused a halt, and having hurriedly re-capped our guns and +six-shooters, thus preparing for the worst, I took a look at the band +through my field-glass. They were a half-mile or more in our front +and numbered about thirty individuals, armed with bows and arrows +only. Observing us they made friendly demonstrations, but I had not +implicit faith in a Pit River Indian at that period of the settlement +of our country, and especially in that wild locality, so after a +"council of war" with the corporal and man, I concluded to advance to +a point about two hundred yards distant from the party, when, relying +on the speed of our horses rather than on the peaceable intentions of +the savages, I hoped to succeed in cutting around them and take the +trail beyond. Being on foot they could not readily catch us, and +inasmuch as their arrows were good for a range of only about sixty +yards, I had no fear of any material damage on that score. + +On reaching the place selected for our flank movement we made a dash +to the left of the trail, through the widest part of the valley, and +ran our horses swiftly by, but I noticed that the Indians did not +seem to be disturbed by the manoeuvre and soon realized that this +indifference was occasioned by the knowledge that we could not cross +Hat Creek, a deep stream with vertical banks, too broad to be leaped +by our horses. We were obliged, therefore, to halt, and the Indians +again made demonstrations of friendship, some of them even getting +into the stream to show that they were at the ford. Thus reassured, +we regained our confidence and boldly crossed the river in the midst +of them. After we had gained the bluff on the other side of the +creek, I looked down into the valley of Pit River, and could plainly +see the camp of the surveying party. Its proximity was the influence +which had doubtless caused the peaceable conduct of the Indians. +Probably the only thing that saved us was their ignorance of our +being in their rear, until we stumbled on them almost within sight of +the large party under Williamson. + +The Pit River Indians were very hostile at that time, and for many +succeeding years their treachery and cruelty brought misfortune and +misery to the white settlers who ventured their lives in search of +home and fortune in the wild and isolated section over which these +savages roamed. Not long after Williamson's party passed through +their country, the Government was compelled to send into it a +considerable force for the purpose of keeping them under control. +The outcome of this was a severe fight--resulting in the loss of a +good many lives--between the hostiles and a party of our troops under +Lieutenant George Crook. It finally ended in the establishment of a +military post in the vicinity of the battle-ground, for the permanent +occupation of the country. + +A great load was lifted from my heart when I found myself so near +Williamson's camp, which I joined August 4, 1855, receiving a warm +welcome from the officers. During the afternoon I relieved +Lieutenant Hood of the command of the personal escort, and he was +ordered to return, with twelve of the mounted men, over the trail I +had followed. I pointed out to him on the map the spot where he +would find the two men left on the roadside, and he was directed to +take them into Fort Reading. They were found without difficulty, and +carried in to the post. The sick man--Duryea--whom I had expected +never to see again, afterward became the hospital steward at Fort +Yamhill, Oregon, when I was stationed there. + +The Indians that I had passed at the ford came to the bluff above the +camp, and arranging themselves in a squatting posture, looked down +upon Williamson's party with longing eyes, in expectation of a feast. +They were a pitiable lot, almost naked, hungry and cadaverous. +Indians are always hungry, but these poor creatures were particularly +so, as their usual supply of food had grown very scarce from one +cause and another. + +In prosperity they mainly subsisted on fish, or game killed with the +bow and arrow. When these sources failed they lived on grasshoppers, +and at this season the grasshopper was their principal food. In +former years salmon were very abundant in the streams of the +Sacramento Valley, and every fall they took great quantities of these +fish and dried them for winter use, but alluvial mining had of late +years defiled the water of the different streams and driven the fish +out. On this account the usual supply of salmon was very limited. +They got some trout high up on the rivers, above the sluices and +rockers of the miners, but this was a precarious source from which to +derive food, as their means of taking the trout were very primitive. +They had neither hooks nor lines, but depended entirely on a +contrivance made from long, slender branches of willow, which grew on +the banks of most of the streams. One of these branches would be +cut, and after sharpening the butt-end to a point, split a certain +distance, and by a wedge the prongs divided sufficiently to admit a +fish between. The Indian fisherman would then slyly put the forked +end in the water over his intended victim, and with a quick dart +firmly wedge him between the prongs. When secured there, the work of +landing him took but a moment. When trout were plentiful this +primitive mode of taking them was quite successful, and I have often +known hundreds of pounds to be caught in this way, but when they were +scarce and suspicious the rude method was not rewarded with good +results. + +The band looking down on us evidently had not had much fish or game +to eat for some time, so when they had made Williamson understand +that they were suffering for food he permitted them to come into +camp, and furnished them with a supply, which they greedily swallowed +as fast as it was placed at their service, regardless of possible +indigestion. When they had eaten all they could hold, their +enjoyment was made complete by the soldiers, who gave them a quantity +of strong plug tobacco. This they smoked incessantly, inhaling all +the smoke, so that none of the effect should be lost. When we +abandoned this camp the next day, the miserable wretches remained in +it and collected the offal about the cooks' fires to feast still +more, piecing out the meal, no doubt, with their staple article of +food--grasshoppers. + +On the morning of August 5 Lieutenant Hood started back to Fort +Reading, and Lieutenant Williamson resumed his march for the Columbia +River. Our course was up Pit River, by the lower and upper canons, +then across to the Klamath Lakes, then east, along their edge to the +upper lake. At the middle Klamath Lake, just after crossing Lost +River and the Natural Bridge, we met a small party of citizens from +Jacksonville, Oregon, looking for hostile Indians who had committed +some depredations in their neighborhood. From them we learned that +the Rogue River Indians in southern Oregon were on the war-path, and +that as the "regular troops up there were of no account, the citizens +had taken matters in hand, and intended cleaning up the hostiles." +They swaggered about our camp, bragged a good deal, cursed the +Indians loudly, and soundly abused the Government for not giving them +better protection. It struck me, however, that they had not worked +very hard to find the hostiles; indeed, it could plainly be seen that +their expedition was a town-meeting sort of affair, and that anxiety +to get safe home was uppermost in their thoughts. The enthusiasm +with which they started had all oozed out, and that night they +marched back to Jacksonville. The next day, at the head of the lake, +we came across an Indian village, and I have often wondered since +what would have been the course pursued by these valiant warriors +from Jacksonville had they gone far enough to get into its vicinity. + +When we reached the village the tepees--made of grass--were all +standing, the fires burning and pots boiling--the pots filled with +camas and tula roots--but not an Indian was to be seen. Williamson +directed that nothing in the village should be disturbed; so guards +were placed over it to carry out his instructions and we went into +camp just a little beyond. We had scarcely established ourselves +when a very old Indian rose up from the high grass some distance off, +and with peaceable signs approached our camp, evidently for the +purpose of learning whether or not our intentions were hostile. +Williamson told him we were friendly; that we had passed through his +village without molesting it, that we had put a guard there to secure +the property his people had abandoned in their fright, and that they +might come back in safety. The old man searchingly eyed everything +around for some little time, and gaining confidence from the +peaceable appearance of the men, who were engaged in putting up the +tents and preparing their evening meal, he concluded to accept our +professions of friendship, and bring his people in. Going out about +half a mile from the village he gave a peculiar yell, at which +between three and four hundred Indians arose simultaneously from the +ground, and in answer to his signal came out of the tall grass like a +swarm of locusts and soon overran our camp in search of food, for +like all Indians they were hungry. They too, proved to be Pit +Rivers, and were not less repulsive than those of their tribe we had +met before. They were aware of the hostilities going on between the +Rogue Rivers and the whites, but claimed that they had not taken any +part in them. I question if they had, but had our party been small, +I fear we should have been received at their village in a very +different manner. + +From the upper Klamath Lake we marched over the divide and down the +valley of the Des Chutes River to a point opposite the mountains +called the Three Sisters. Here, on September 23, the party divided, +Williamson and I crossing through the crater of the Three Sisters and +along the western slope of the Cascade Range, until we struck the +trail on McKenzie River, which led us into the Willamette Valley not +far from Eugene City. We then marched down the Willamette Valley to +Portland, Oregon, where we arrived October 9, 1855 + +The infantry portion of the command, escorting Lieutenant Henry L. +Abbot, followed farther down the Des Chutes River, to a point +opposite Mount Hood, from which it came into the Willamette Valley +and then marched to Portland. At Portland we all united, and moving +across the point between the Willamette and Columbia rivers, encamped +opposite Fort Vancouver, on the south bank of the latter stream, on +the farm of an old settler named Switzler, who had located there many +years before. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +"OLD RED"--SKILLFUL SHOOTING--YAKIMA--WAR--A LUDICROUS +MISTAKE--"CUT-MOUTH JOHN'S" ENCOUNTER--FATHER PANDOZA'S +MISSION--A SNOW-STORM--FAILURE OF THE EXPEDITION. + +Our camp on the Columbia, near Fort Vancouver, was beautifully +situated on a grassy sward close to the great river; and--as little +duty was required of us after so long a journey, amusement of one +kind or another, and an interchange of visits with the officers at +the post, filled in the time acceptably. We had in camp an old +mountaineer guide who had accompanied us on the recent march, and who +had received the sobriquet of "Old Red," on account of the shocky and +tangled mass of red hair and beard, which covered his head and face +so completely that only his eyes could be seen. His eccentricities +constantly supplied us with a variety of amusements. Among the +pastimes he indulged in was one which exhibited his skill with the +rifle, and at the same time protected the camp from the intrusions +and ravages of a drove of razor-backed hogs which belonged to Mr. +Switzler. These hogs were frequent visitors, and very destructive to +our grassy sward, rooting it up in front of our tents and all about +us; in pursuit of bulbous roots and offal from the camp. Old Red +conceived the idea that it would be well to disable the pigs by +shooting off the tips of their snouts, and he proceeded to put his +conception into execution, and continued it daily whenever the hogs +made their appearance. Of course their owner made a row about it; +but when Old Red daily settled for his fun by paying liberally with +gold-dust from some small bottles of the precious metal in his +possession, Switzler readily became contented, and I think even +encouraged the exhibitions--of skill. + +It was at this period (October, 1855) that the Yakima Indian war +broke out, and I was detached from duty with the exploring party and +required by Major Gabriel J. Rains, then commanding the district, to +join an expedition against the Yakimas. They had some time before +killed their agent, and in consequence a force under Major Granville +O. Haller had been sent out from the Dalles of the Columbia to +chastise them; but the expedition had not been successful; in fact, +it had been driven back, losing a number of men and two mountain +howitzers. + +The object of the second expedition was to retrieve this disaster. +The force was composed of a small body of regular troops, and a +regiment of Oregon mounted volunteers under command of Colonel James +W. Nesmith--subsequently for several years United States Senator from +Oregon. The whole force was under the command of Major Rains, Fourth +Infantry, who, in order that he might rank Nesmith, by some +hocus-pocus had been made a brigadier-general, under an appointment +from the Governor of Washington Territory. + +We started from the Dalles October 30, under conditions that were not +conducive to success. The season was late for operations; and worse +still, the command was not in accord with the commanding officer, +because of general belief in his incompetency, and on account of the +fictitious rank he assumed. On the second day out I struck a small +body of Indians with my detachment of dragoons, but was unable to do +them any particular injury beyond getting possession of a large +quantity of their winter food, which their hurried departure +compelled them to abandon. This food consisted principally of dried +salmon-pulverized and packed in sacks made of grass-dried +huckleberries, and dried camas; the latter a bulbous root about the +size of a small onion, which, when roasted and ground, is made into +bread by the Indians and has a taste somewhat like cooked chestnuts. + +Our objective point was Father Pandoza's Mission, in the Yakima +Valley, which could be reached by two different routes, and though +celerity of movement was essential, our commanding officer +"strategically" adopted the longer route, and thus the Indians had +ample opportunity to get away with their horses, cattle, women and +children, and camp property. + +After the encounter which I just now referred to, the command, which +had halted to learn the results of my chase, resumed its march to and +through the Klikitat canon, and into the lower Yakima Valley, in the +direction of the Yakima River. I had charge at the head of the +column as it passed through the canon, and on entering the valley +beyond, saw in the distance five or six Indian scouts, whom I pressed +very closely, until after a run of several miles they escaped across +the Yakima River. + +The soil in the valley was light and dry, and the movement of animals +over it raised great clouds of dust, that rendered it very difficult +to distinguish friend from foe; and as I was now separated from the +main column a considerable distance, I deemed it prudent to call a +halt until we could discover the direction taken by the principal +body of the Indians. We soon learned that they had gone up the +valley, and looking that way, we discovered a column of alkali dust +approaching us, about a mile distant, interposing between my little +detachment and the point where I knew General Rains intended to +encamp for the night. After hastily consulting with Lieutenant +Edward H. Day, of the Third United States Artillery, who was with me, +we both concluded that the dust was caused by a body of the enemy +which had slipped in between us and our main force. There seemed no +alternative left us but to get back to our friends by charging +through these Indians; and as their cloud of dust was much larger +than ours, this appeared a desperate chance. Preparations to charge +were begun, however, but, much to our surprise, before they were +completed the approaching party halted for a moment and then +commenced to retreat. This calmed the throbbing of our hearts, and +with a wild cheer we started in a hot pursuit, that continued for +about two miles, when to our great relief we discovered that we were +driving into Rains's camp a squadron of Nesmith's battalion of Oregon +volunteers that we had mistaken for Indians, and who in turn believed +us to be the enemy. When camp was reached, we all indulged in a +hearty laugh over the affair, and at the fright each party had given +the other. The explanations which ensued proved that the squadron of +volunteers had separated from the column at the same time that I had +when we debouched from the canon, and had pursued an intermediate +trail through the hills, which brought it into the valley of the +Yakima at a point higher up the river than where I had struck it. + +Next day we resumed our march up the valley, parallel to the Yakima. +About 1 o'clock we saw a large body of Indians on the opposite side +of the river, and the general commanding made up his mind to cross +and attack them. The stream was cold, deep, and swift, still I +succeeded in passing my dragoons over safely, but had hardly got them +well on the opposite bank when the Indians swooped down upon us. +Dismounting my men, we received the savages with a heavy fire, which +brought them to a halt with some damage and more or less confusion. + +General Rains now became very much excited and alarmed about me, and +endeavored to ford the swift river with his infantry and artillery, +but soon had to abandon the attempt, as three or four of the poor +fellows were swept off their feet and drowned. Meantime Nesmith came +up with his mounted force, crossed over, and joined me. + +The Indians now fell back to a high ridge, on the crest of which they +marched and countermarched, threatening to charge down its face. +Most of them were naked, and as their persons were painted in gaudy +colors and decorated with strips of red flannel, red blankets and gay +war-bonnets, their appearance presented a scene of picturesque +barbarism, fascinating but repulsive. As they numbered about six +hundred, the chances of whipping them did not seem overwhelmingly in +our favor, yet Nesmith and I concluded we would give them a little +fight, provided we could engage them without going beyond the ridge. +But all our efforts were in vain, for as we advanced they retreated, +and as we drew back they reappeared and renewed their parade and +noisy demonstrations, all the time beating their drums and yelling +lustily. They could not be tempted into a fight where we desired it, +however, and as we felt unequal to any pursuit beyond the ridge +without the assistance of the infantry and artillery, we re-crossed +the river and encamped with Rains. It soon became apparent that the +noisy demonstrations of the Indians were intended only as a blind to +cover the escape of their women and children to a place of safety in +the mountains. + +Next morning we took up our march without crossing the river; and as +our route would lead us by the point on the opposite bank where the +Indians had made their picturesque display the day before, they at an +early hour came over to our side, and rapidly moved ahead of us to +some distant hills, leaving in our pathway some of the more +venturesome young braves, who attempted, to retard our advance by +opening fire at long range from favorable places where they lay +concealed. This fire did us little harm, but it had the effect of +making our progress so slow that the patience of every one but +General Rains was well-nigh exhausted. + +About 2 o'clock in the afternoon we arrived well up near the base of +the range of hills, and though it was growing late we still had time +to accomplish something, but our commanding officer decided that it +was best to go into camp, and make a systematic attack next morning. +I proposed that he let me charge with my dragoons through the narrow +canon where the river broke through the range, while the infantry +should charge up the hill and drive the enemy from the top down on +the other side. In this way I thought we might possibly catch some +of the fugitives, but his extreme caution led him to refuse the +suggestion, so we pitched our tents out of range of their desultory +fire, but near enough to observe plainly their menacing and +tantalizing exhibitions of contempt. + +In addition to firing occasionally, they called us all sorts of bad +names, made indecent gestures, and aggravated us, so that between 3 +and 4 o'clock in the afternoon, by an inexplicable concert of action, +and with a serious breach of discipline, a large number of the men +and many of the officers broke en masse from the camp with loud yells +and charged the offending savages. As soon as this mob got within +musket-shot they opened fire on the Indians, who ran down the other +face of the ridge without making the slightest resistance. The hill +was readily taken by this unmilitary proceeding, and no one was hurt +on either side, but as Rains would not permit it to be held, a large +bonfire was lighted on the crest in celebration of the victory, and +then all hands marched back to camp, where they had no sooner arrived +and got settled down than the Indians returned to the summit of the +ridge, seemingly to enjoy the fire that had been so generously built +for their benefit, and with renewed taunts and gestures continued to +insult us. + +Our camp that night was strongly picketed, and when we awoke in the +morning the Indians still occupied their position on the hill. At +daylight we advanced against them, two or three companies of infantry +moving forward to drive them from the summit, while our main column +passed through the canon into the upper Yakima Valley led by my +dragoons, who were not allowed to charge into the gorge, as the +celerity of such a movement might cause the tactical combination to +fail. + +As we passed slowly and cautiously through the canon the Indians ran +rapidly away, and when we reached the farther end they had entirely +disappeared from our front, except one old fellow, whose lame horse +prevented him keeping up with the main body. This presented an +opportunity for gaining results which all thought should not be lost, +so our guide, an Indian named "Cut-mouth John," seized upon it, and +giving hot chase, soon, overtook the poor creature, whom he speedily +killed without much danger to himself, for the fugitive was armed +with only an old Hudson's Bay flint-lock horse-pistol which could not +be discharged. + +"Cut-mouth John's" engagement began and ended all the fighting that +took place on this occasion, and much disappointment and discontent +followed, Nesmith's mounted force and my dragoons being particularly +disgusted because they had not been "given a chance." During the +remainder of the day we cautiously followed the retreating foe, and +late in the evening went into camp a short distance from Father +Pandoza's Mission; where we were to await a small column of troops +under command of Captain Maurice Maloney, of the Fourth Infantry, +that was to join us from Steilicom by way of the Natchez Pass, and +from which no tidings had as yet been received. + +Next morning the first thing I saw when I put my head out from my +blankets was "Cut-mouth John," already mounted and parading himself +through the camp. The scalp of the Indian he had despatched the day +before was tied to the cross-bar of his bridle bit, the hair dangling +almost to the ground, and John was decked out in the sacred vestments +of Father Pandoza, having, long before any one was stirring in camp, +ransacked the log-cabin at the Mission in which the good man had +lived. John was at all times a most repulsive looking individual, a +part of his mouth having been shot away in a fight with Indians near +Walla Walla some years before, in which a Methodist missionary had +been killed; but his revolting personal appearance was now worse than +ever, and the sacrilegious use of Father Pandoza's vestments, coupled +with the ghastly scalp that hung from his bridle, so turned opinion +against him that he was soon captured, dismounted, and his parade +brought to an abrupt close, and I doubt whether he ever after quite +reinstated himself in the good graces of the command. + +In the course of the day nearly all the men visited the Mission, but +as it had been plundered by the Indians at the outbreak of +hostilities, when Father Pandoza was carried off, little of value was +left about it except a considerable herd of pigs, which the father +with great difficulty had succeeded in accumulating from a very small +beginning. The pigs had not been disturbed by the Indians, but the +straggling troops soon disposed of them, and then turned their +attention to the cabbages and potatoes in the garden, with the +intention, no doubt, of dining that day on fresh pork and fresh +vegetables instead of on salt junk and hard bread, which formed their +regular diet on the march. In digging up the potatoes some one +discovered half a keg of powder, which had been buried in the garden +by the good father to prevent the hostile Indians from getting it to +use against the whites. As soon as this was unearthed wild +excitement ensued, and a cry arose that Father Pandoza was the person +who furnished powder to the Indians; that here was the proof; that at +last the mysterious means by which the Indians obtained ammunition +was explained--and a rush was made for the mission building. This was +a comfortable log-house of good size, built by the Indians for a +school and church, and attached to one end was the log-cabin +residence of the priest. Its destruction was a matter of but a few +moments. A large heap of dry wood was quickly collected and piled in +the building, matches applied, and the whole Mission, including the +priest's house, was soon enveloped in flames, and burned to the +ground before the officers in camp became aware of the disgraceful +plundering in which their men were engaged. + +The commanding officer having received no news from Captain Maloney +during the day, Colonel Nesmith and I were ordered to go to his +rescue, as it was concluded that he had been surrounded by Indians in +the Natchez Pass. We started early the next morning, the snow +falling slightly as we set out, and soon arrived at the eastern mouth +of the Natchez Pass. On the way we noticed an abandoned Indian +village, which had evidently not been occupied for some time. As we +proceeded the storm increased, and the snow-fall became deeper and +deeper, until finally our horses could not travel through it. In +consequence we were compelled to give up further efforts to advance, +and obliged to turn back to the abandoned village, where we encamped +for the night. Near night-fall the storm greatly increased, and our +bivouac became most uncomfortable; but spreading my blankets on the +snow and covering them with Indian matting, I turned in and slept +with that soundness and refreshment accorded by nature to one +exhausted by fatigue. When I awoke in the morning I found myself +under about two feet of snow, from which I arose with difficulty, yet +grateful that it had kept me warm during the night. + +After a cup of coffee and a little hard bread, it was decided we +should return to the main camp near the Mission, for we were now +confident that Maloney was delayed by the snow, and safe enough on +the other side of the mountains. At all events he was beyond aid +from us, for the impassable snowdrifts could not be overcome with the +means in our possession. It turned out that our suppositions as to +the cause of his delay were correct. He had met with the same +difficulties that confronted us, and had been compelled to go into +camp. + +Meanwhile valuable time had been lost, and the Indians, with their +families and stock, were well on their way to the Okenagan country, a +region into which we could not penetrate in the winter season. No +other course was therefore left but to complete the dismal failure of +the expedition by returning home, and our commander readily gave the +order to march back to the Dalles by the "short" route over the +Yakima Mountains. + +As the storm was still unabated, it was evident our march home would +be a most difficult one, and it was deemed advisable to start back at +once, lest we should be blocked up in the mountains by the snows for +a period beyond which our provisions would not last. Relying on the +fact that the short route to the Dalles would lead us over the range +at its most depressed point, where it was hoped the depth of snow was +not yet so great as to make the route impassable, we started with +Colonel Nesmith's battalion in advance to break the road, followed by +my dragoons. In the valley we made rapid progress, but when we +reached the mountain every step we took up its side showed the snow +to be growing deeper and deeper. At last Nesmith reached the summit, +and there found a depth of about six feet of snow covering the +plateau in every direction, concealing all signs of the trail so +thoroughly that his guides became bewildered and took the wrong +divide. The moment I arrived at the top my guide--Donald Mc Kay--who +knew perfectly the whole Yakima range, discovered Nesmith's mistake. +Word was sent to bring him back, but as he had already nearly crossed +the plateau, considerable delay occurred before he returned. When he +arrived we began anew the work of breaking a road for the foot troops +behind us, my detachment now in advance. The deep snow made our work +extremely laborious, exhausting men and horses almost to the point of +relinquishing the struggle, but our desperate situation required that +we should get down into the valley beyond, or run the chance of +perishing on the mountain in a storm which seemed unending. About +midnight the column reached the valley, very tired and hungry, but +much elated over its escape. We had spent a day of the most intense +anxiety, especially those who had had the responsibility of keeping +to the right trail, and been charged with the hard work of breaking +the road for the infantry and artillery through such a depth of snow. + +Our main difficulties were now over, and in due time we reached the +Dalles, where almost everyone connected with the expedition voted it +a wretched failure; indeed, General Rains himself could not think +otherwise, but he scattered far and wide blame for the failure of his +combinations. This, of course, led to criminations and +recriminations, which eventuated in charges of incompetency preferred +against him by Captain Edward O. C. Ord, of the Third Artillery. +Rains met the charges with counter-charges against Ord, whom he +accused of purloining Father Pandoza's shoes, when the soldiers in +their fury about the ammunition destroyed the Mission. At the time +of its destruction a rumor of this nature was circulated through +camp, started by some wag, no doubt in jest; for Ord, who was +somewhat eccentric in his habits, and had started on the expedition +rather indifferently shod in carpet-slippers, here came out in a +brand-new pair of shoes. Of course there was no real foundation for +such a report, but Rains was not above small things, as the bringing +of this petty accusation attests. Neither party was ever tried, for +General John E. Wool the department commander, had not at command a +sufficient number of officers of appropriate rank to constitute a +court in the case of Rains, and the charges against Ord were very +properly ignored on account of their trifling character. + +Shortly after the expedition returned to the Dalles, my detachment +was sent down to Fort Vancouver, and I remained at that post during +the winter of 1855-'56, till late in March. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +AN INDIAN CONFEDERATION--MASSACRE AT THE CASCADES OF THE +COLUMBIA--PLAN TO RELIEVE THE BLOCKHOUSE--A HAZARDOUS FLANK +MOVEMENT--A NEW METHOD OF ESTABLISHING GUILT--EXECUTION OF +THE INDIAN MURDERERS. + +The failure of the Haller expedition from lack of a sufficient force, +and of the Rains expedition from the incompetency of its commander, +was a great mortification to the officers and men connected with +them, and, taken together, had a marked effect upon the Indian +situation in Oregon and Washington Territories at that particular +era. Besides, it led to further complications and troubles, for it +had begun to dawn upon the Indians that the whites wanted to come in +and dispossess them of their lands and homes, and the failures of +Haller and Rains fostered the belief with the Indians that they could +successfully resist the pressure of civilization. + +Acting under these influences, the Spokanes, Walla Wallas, Umatillas, +and Nez Perces cast their lot with the hostiles, and all the savage +inhabitants of the region east of the Cascade Range became involved +in a dispute as to whether the Indians or the Government should +possess certain sections of the country, which finally culminated in +the war of 1856. + +Partly to meet the situation that was approaching, the Ninth Infantry +had been sent out from the Atlantic coast to Washington Territory, +and upon its arrival at Fort Vancouver encamped in front of the +officers' quarters, on the beautiful parade-ground of that post, and +set about preparing for the coming campaign. The commander, Colonel +George Wright, who had been promoted to the colonelcy of the regiment +upon its organization the previous year, had seen much active duty +since his graduation over thirty years before, serving with credit in +the Florida and Mexican wars. For the three years previous to his +assignment to the Ninth Infantry he had been stationed on the Pacific +coast, and the experience he had there acquired, added to his +excellent soldierly qualities, was of much benefit in the active +campaigns in which, during the following years, he was to +participate. Subsequently his career was brought to an untimely +close when, nine years after this period, as he was returning to the +scene of his successes, he, in common with many others was drowned by +the wreck of the ill-fated steamer Brother Jonathan. Colonel Wright +took command of the district in place of Rains, and had been at +Vancouver but a short time before he realized that it would be +necessary to fight the confederated tribes east of the Cascade Range +of mountains, in order to disabuse them of the idea that they were +sufficiently strong to cope with the power of the Government. He +therefore at once set about the work of organizing and equipping his +troops for a start in the early spring against the hostile Indians, +intending to make the objective point of his expedition the heart of +the Spokane country on the Upper Columbia River, as the head and +front of the confederation was represented in the person of old +Cammiackan, chief of the Spokanes. + +The regiment moved from Fort Vancouver by boat, March 25, 1856, and +landed at the small town called the Dalles, below the mouth of the +Des Chutes River at the eastern base of the Cascade Range, and just +above where the Columbia River enters those mountains. This +rendezvous was to be the immediate point of departure, and all the +troops composing the expedition were concentrated there. + +On the morning of March 26 the movement began, but the column had +only reached Five Mile Creek when the Yakimas, joined by many young +warriors-free lances from other tribes, made a sudden and unexpected +attack at the Cascades of the Columbia, midway between Vancouver and +the Dalles, killed several citizens, women and children, and took +possession of the Portage by besieging the settlers in their cabins +at the Upper Cascades, and those who sought shelter at the Middle +Cascades in the old military block-house, which had been built some +years before as a place of refuge under just such circumstances. +These points held out, and were not captured, but the landing at the +Lower Cascades fell completely into the hands of the savages. +Straggling settlers from the Lower Cascades made their way down to +Fort Vancouver, distant about thirty-six miles, which they reached +that night; and communicated the condition of affairs. As the +necessity for early relief to the settlers and the re-establishment +of communication with the Dalles were apparent, all the force that +could be spared was ordered out, and in consequence I immediately +received directions to go with my detachment of dragoons, numbering +about forty effective men, to the relief of the middle blockhouse, +which really meant to retake the Cascades. I got ready at once, and +believing that a piece of artillery would be of service to me, asked +for one, but as there proved to be no guns at the post, I should have +been obliged to proceed without one had it not been that the regular +steamer from San Francisco to Portland was lying at the Vancouver +dock unloading military supplies, and the commander, Captain Dall, +supplied me with the steamer's small iron cannon, mounted on a wooden +platform, which he used in firing salutes at different ports on the +arrival and departure of the vessel. Finding at the arsenal a supply +of solid shot that would fit the gun, I had it put upon the steamboat +Belle, employed to carry my command to the scene of operations, and +started up the Columbia River at 2 A.M. on the morning of the 27th. +We reached the Lower Cascades early in the day, where, selecting a +favorable place for the purpose, I disembarked my men and gun on the +north bank of the river, so that I could send back the steamboat to +bring up any volunteer assistance that in the mean time might have +been collected at Vancouver. + +The Columbia River was very high at the time, and the water had +backed up into the slough about the foot of the Lower Cascades to +such a degree that it left me only a narrow neck of firm ground to +advance over toward the point occupied by the Indians. On this neck +of land the hostiles had taken position, as I soon learned by +frequent shots, loud shouting, and much blustering; they, by the most +exasperating yells and indecent exhibitions, daring me to the +contest. + +After getting well in hand everything connected with my little +command, I advanced with five or six men to the edge of a growth of +underbrush to make a reconnoissance. We stole along under cover of +this underbrush until we reached the open ground leading over the +causeway or narrow neck before mentioned, when the enemy opened fire +and killed a soldier near my side by a shot which, just grazing the +bridge of my nose, struck him in the neck, opening an artery and +breaking the spinal cord. He died instantly. The Indians at once +made a rush for the body, but my men in the rear, coming quickly to +the rescue, drove them back; and Captain Doll's gun being now brought +into play, many solid shot were thrown into the jungle where they lay +concealed, with the effect of considerably moderating their +impetuosity. Further skirmishing at long range took place at +intervals during the day, with little gain or loss, however, to +either side, for both parties held positions which could not be +assailed in flank, and only the extreme of rashness in either could +prompt a front attack. My left was protected by the back water +driven into the slough by the high stage of the river, and my right +rested secure on the main stream. Between us was only the narrow +neck of land, to cross which would be certain death. The position of +the Indians was almost the exact counterpart of ours. + +In the evening I sent a report of the situation back to Vancouver by +the steamboat, retaining a large Hudson's Bay bateau which I had +brought up with me. Examining this I found it would carry about +twenty men, and made up my mind that early next morning I would cross +the command to the opposite or south side of the Columbia River, and +make my way up along the mountain base until I arrived abreast the +middle blockhouse, which was still closely besieged, and then at some +favorable point recross to the north bank to its relief, endeavoring +in this manner to pass around and to the rear of the Indians, whose +position confronting me was too strong for a direct attack. This +plan was hazardous, but I believed it could be successfully carried +out if the boat could be taken with me; but should I not be able to +do this I felt that the object contemplated in sending me out would +miserably fail, and the small band cooped up at the block-house would +soon starve or fall a prey to the Indians, so I concluded to risk all +the chances the plan involved. + +On the morning of March 28 the savages were still in my front, and +after giving them some solid shot from Captain Dall's gun we slipped +down to the river-bank, and the detachment crossed by means of the +Hudson's Bay boat, making a landing on the opposite shore at a point +where the south channel of the river, after flowing around Bradford's +Island, joins the main stream. It was then about 9 o'clock, and +everything had thus far proceeded favorably, but examination of the +channel showed that it would be impossible to get the boat up the +rapids along the mainland, and that success could only be assured by +crossing the south channel just below the rapids to the island, along +the shore of which there was every probability we could pull the boat +through the rocks and swift water until the head of the rapids was +reached, from which point to the block-house there was smooth water. +Telling the men of the embarrassment in which I found myself, and +that if I could get enough of them to man the boat and pull it up the +stream by a rope to the shore we would cross to the island and make +the attempt, all volunteered to go, but as ten men seemed sufficient +I selected that number to accompany me. Before starting, however, I +deemed it prudent to find out if possible what was engaging the +attention of the Indians, who had not yet discovered that we had left +their front. I therefore climbed up the side of the abrupt mountain +which skirted the water's edge until I could see across the island. +From this point I observed the Indians running horse-races and +otherwise enjoying themselves behind the line they had held against +me the day before. The squaws decked out in gay colors, and the men +gaudily dressed in war bonnets, made the scene most attractive, but +as everything looked propitious for the dangerous enterprise in hand +I spent little time watching them. Quickly returning to the boat, I +crossed to the island with my ten men, threw ashore the rope attached +to the bow, and commenced the difficult task of pulling her up the +rapids. We got along slowly at first, but soon striking a camp of +old squaws who had been left on the island for safety, and had not +gone over to the mainland to see the races, we utilized them to our +advantage. With unmistakable threats and signs we made them not only +keep quiet, but also give us much needed assistance in pulling +vigorously on the towrope of our boat. + +I was laboring under a dreadful strain of mental anxiety during all +this time, for had the Indians discovered what we were about, they +could easily have come over to the island in their canoes, and, by +forcing us to take up our arms to repel their attack, doubtless would +have obliged the abandonment of the boat, and that essential adjunct +to the final success of my plan would have gone down the rapids. +Indeed, under such circumstances, it would have been impossible for +ten men to hold out against the two or three hundred Indians; but the +island forming an excellent screen to our movements, we were not +discovered, and when we reached the smooth water at the upper end of +the rapids we quickly crossed over and joined the rest of the men, +who in the meantime had worked their way along the south bank of the +river parallel with us. I felt very grateful to the old squaws for +the assistance they rendered. They worked well under compulsion, and +manifested no disposition to strike for higher wages. Indeed, I was +so much relieved when we had crossed over from the island and joined +the rest of the party, that I mentally thanked the squaws one and +all. I had much difficulty in keeping the men on the main shore from +cheering at our success, but hurriedly taking into the bateau all of +them it could carry, I sent the balance along the southern bank, +where the railroad is now built, until both detachments arrived at a +point opposite the block-house, when, crossing to the north bank, I +landed below the blockhouse some little distance, and returned the +boat for the balance of the men, who joined me in a few minutes. + +When the Indians attacked the people at the Cascades on the 26th, +word was sent to Colonel Wright, who had already got out from the +Dalles a few miles on his expedition to the Spokane country. He +immediately turned his column back, and soon after I had landed and +communicated with the beleaguered block-house the advance of his +command arrived under Lieutenant-Colonel Edward J. Steptoe. I +reported to Steptoe, and related what had occurred during the past +thirty-six hours, gave him a description of the festivities that were +going on at the lower Cascades, and also communicated the +intelligence that the Yakimas had been joined by the Cascade Indians +when the place was first attacked. I also told him it was my belief +that when he pushed down the main shore the latter tribe without +doubt would cross over to the island we had just left, while the +former would take to the mountains. Steptoe coincided with me in +this opinion, and informing me that Lieutenant Alexander Piper would +join my detachment with a mountain' howitzer, directed me to convey +the command to the island and gobble up all who came over to it. + +Lieutenant Piper and I landed on the island with the first boatload, +and after disembarking the howitzer we fired two or three shots to +let the Indians know we had artillery with us, then advanced down the +island with the whole of my command, which had arrived in the mean +time; all of the men were deployed as skirmishers except a small +detachment to operate the howitzer. Near the lower end of the island +we met, as I had anticipated, the entire body of Cascade Indianmen, +women, and children--whose homes were in the vicinity of the +Cascades. They were very much frightened and demoralized at the turn +events had taken, for the Yakimas at the approach of Steptoe had +abandoned them, as predicted, and fled to the mountians. The chief +and head-men said they had had nothing to do with the capture of the +Cascades, with the murder of men at the upper landing, nor with the +massacre of men, women, and children near the block-house, and put +all the blame on the Yakimas and their allies. I did not believe +this, however, and to test the truth of their statement formed them +all in line with their muskets in hand. Going up to the first man on +the right I accused him of having engaged in the massacre, but was +met by a vigorous denial. Putting my forefinger into the muzzle of +his gun, I found unmistakable signs of its having been recently +discharged. My finger was black with the stains of burnt powder, and +holding it up to the Indian, he had nothing more to say in the face +of such positive evidence of his guilt. A further examination proved +that all the guns were in the same condition. Their arms were at +once taken possession of, and leaving a small, force to look after +the women and children and the very old men, so that there could be +no possibility of escape, I arrested thirteen of the principal +miscreants, crossed the river to the lower landing, and placed them +in charge of a strong guard. + +Late in the evening the steamboat, which I had sent back to +Vancouver, returned, bringing to my assistance from Vancouver, +Captain Henry D. Wallen's company of the Fourth Infantry and a +company of volunteers hastily organized at Portland, but as the +Cascades had already been retaken, this reinforcement was too late to +participate in the affair. The volunteers from Portland, however, +were spoiling for a fight, and in the absence of other opportunity +desired to shoot the prisoners I held (who, they alleged, had killed +a man named Seymour), and proceeded to make their arrangements to do +so, only desisting on being informed that the Indians were my +prisoners, subject to the orders of Colonel Wright, and would be +protected to the last by my detachment. Not long afterward Seymour +turned up safe and sound, having fled at the beginning of the attack +on the Cascades, and hid somewhere in the thick underbrush until the +trouble was over, and then made his way back to the settlement. The +next day I turned my prisoners over to Colonel Wright, who had them +marched to the upper landing of the Cascades, where, after a trial by +a military commission, nine of them were sentenced to death and duly +hanged. I did not see them executed, but was afterward informed +that, in the absence of the usual mechanical apparatus used on such +occasions, a tree with a convenient limb under which two empty +barrels were placed, one on top of the other, furnished a rude but +certain substitute. In executing the sentence each Indian in turn +was made to stand on the top barrel, and after the noose was adjusted +the lower barrel was knocked away, and the necessary drop thus +obtained. In this way the whole nine were punished. Just before +death they all acknowledged their guilt by confessing their +participation in the massacre at the block-house, and met their doom +with the usual stoicism of their race. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +MISDIRECTED VENGEANCE--HONORABLE MENTION--CHANGE OF COMMAND--EDUCATED +OXEN--FEEDING THE INDIANS--PURCHASING A BURYING-GROUND--KNOWING RATS. + +While still encamped at the lower landing, some three or four days +after the events last recounted, Mr. Joseph Meek, an old frontiersman +and guide for emigrant trains through the mountains, came down from +the Dalles, on his way to Vancouver, and stopped at my camp to +inquire if an Indian named Spencer and his family had passed down to +Vancouver since my arrival at the Cascades. Spencer, the head of the +family, was a very influential, peaceable Chinook chief, whom Colonel +Wright had taken with him from Fort Vancouver as an interpreter and +mediator with the Spokanes and other hostile tribes, against which +his campaign was directed. He was a good, reliable Indian, and on +leaving Vancouver to join Colonel Wright, took his family along, to +remain with relatives and friends at Fort Dalles until the return of +the expedition. When Wright was compelled to retrace his steps on +account of the capture of the Cascades, this family for some reason +known only to Spencer, was started by him down the river to their +home at Vancouver. + +Meek, on seeing the family leave the Dalles, had some misgivings as +to their safe arrival at their destination, because of the excited +condition of the people about the Cascades; but Spencer seemed to +think that his own peaceable and friendly reputation, which was +widespread, would protect them; so he parted from his wife and +children with little apprehension as to their safety. In reply to +Meek's question, I stated that I had not seen Spencer's family, when +he remarked, "Well, I fear that they are gone up," a phrase used in +that country in early days to mean that they had been killed. I +questioned him closely, to elicit further information, but no more +could be obtained; for Meek, either through ignorance or the usual +taciturnity of his class, did not explain more fully, and when the +steamer that had brought the reinforcement started down the river, he +took passage for Vancouver, to learn definitely if the Indian family +had reached that point. I at once sent to the upper landing, distant +about six miles, to make inquiry in regard to the matter, and in a, +little time my messenger returned with the information that the +family had reached that place the day before, and finding that we had +driven the hostiles off, continued their journey on foot toward my +camp, from which point they expected to go by steamer down the river +to Vancouver. + +Their non-arrival aroused in me suspicions of foul play, so with all +the men I could spare, and accompanied by Lieutenant William T. +Welcker, of the Ordnance Corps--a warm and intimate friend--I went in +search of the family, deploying the men as skirmishers across the +valley, and marching them through the heavy forest where the ground +was covered with fallen timber and dense underbrush, in order that no +point might escape our attention. The search was continued between +the base of the mountain and the river without finding any sign of +Spencer's family, until about 3 o'clock in the afternoon, when we +discovered them between the upper and lower landing, in a small open +space about a mile from the road, all dead--strangled to death with +bits of rope. The party consisted of the mother, two youths, three +girls, and a baby. They had all been killed by white men, who had +probably met the innocent creatures somewhere near the blockhouse, +driven them from the road into the timber, where the cruel murders +were committed without provocation, and for no other purpose than the +gratification of the inordinate hatred of the Indian that has often +existed on the frontier, and which on more than one occasion has +failed to distinguish friend from foe. The bodies lay in a +semicircle, and the bits of rope with which the poor wretches had +been strangled to death were still around their necks. Each piece of +rope--the unwound strand of a heavier piece--was about two feet long, +and encircled the neck of its victim with a single knot, that must +have been drawn tight by the murderers pulling at the ends. As there +had not been quite enough rope to answer for all, the babe was +strangled by means of a red silk handkerchief, taken, doubtless, from +the neck of its mother. It was a distressing sight. A most cruel +outrage had been committed upon unarmed people--our friends and +allies--in a spirit of aimless revenge. The perpetrators were +citizens living near the middle block-house, whose wives and children +had been killed a few days before by the hostiles, but who well knew +that these unoffending creatures had had nothing to do with those +murders. + +In my experience I have been obliged to look upon many cruel scenes +in connection with Indian warfare on the Plains since that day, but +the effect of this dastardly and revolting crime has never been +effaced from my memory. Greater and more atrocious massacres have +been committed often by Indians; their savage nature modifies one's +ideas, however, as to the inhumanity of their acts, but when such +wholesale murder as this is done by whites, and the victims not only +innocent, but helpless, no defense can be made for those who +perpetrated the crime, if they claim to be civilized beings. It is +true the people at the Cascades had suffered much, and that their +wives and children had been murdered before their eyes, but to wreak +vengeance on Spencer's unoffending family, who had walked into their +settlement under the protection of a friendly alliance, was an +unparalleled outrage which nothing can justify or extenuate. With as +little delay as possible after the horrible discovery, I returned to +camp, had boxes made, and next day buried the bodies of these hapless +victims of misdirected vengeance. + +The summary punishment inflicted on the nine Indians, in their trial +and execution, had a most salutary effect on the confederation, and +was the entering wedge to its disintegration; and though Colonel +Wright's campaign continued during the summer and into the early +winter, the subjugation of the allied bands became a comparatively +easy matter after the lesson taught the renegades who were captured +at the Cascades. My detachment did not accompany Colonel Wright, but +remained for some time at the Cascades, and while still there General +Wool came up from San Francisco to take a look into the condition of +things. From his conversation with me in reference to the affair at +the Cascades, I gathered that he was greatly pleased at the service I +had performed, and I afterward found that his report of my conduct +had so favorably impressed General Scott that that distinguished +officer complimented me from the headquarters of the army in general +orders. + +General Wool, while personally supervising matters on the Columbia +River, directed a redistribution to some extent of the troops in the +district, and shortly before his return to San Francisco I was +ordered with my detachment of dragoons to take station on the Grande +Ronde Indian Reservation in Yamhill County, Oregon, about twenty-five +miles southwest of Dayton, and to relieve from duty at that point +Lieutenant William B. Hazen--late brigadier-general and chief signal +officer--who had established a camp there some time before. I +started for my new station on April 21, and marching by way of +Portland and Oregon City, arrived at Hazen's camp April 25. The camp +was located in the Coast range of mountains, on the northeast part of +the reservation, to which last had been added a section of country +that was afterward known as the Siletz reservation. The whole body +of land set aside went under the general name of the "Coast +reservation," from its skirting the Pacific Ocean for some distance +north of Yaquina Bay, and the intention was to establish within its +bounds permanent homes for such Indians as might be removed to it. +In furtherance of this idea, and to relieve northern California and +southwestern Oregon from the roaming, restless bands that kept the +people of those sections in a state of constant turmoil, many of the +different tribes, still under control but liable to take part in +warfare, were removed to the reservation, so that they might be away +from the theatre of hostilities. + +When I arrived I found that the Rogue River Indians had just been +placed upon the reservation, and subsequently the Coquille, Klamath, +Modocs, and remnants of the Chinooks were collected there also, the +home of the latter being in the Willamette Valley. The number all +told amounted to some thousands, scattered over the entire Coast +reservation, but about fifteen hundred were located at the Grande +Ronde under charge of an agent, Mr. John F. Miller, a sensible, +practical man, who left the entire police control to the military, +and attended faithfully to the duty of settling the Indians in the +work of cultivating the soil. + +As the place was to be occupied permanently, Lieutenant Hazen had +begun, before my arrival, the erection of buildings for the shelter +of his command, and I continued the work of constructing the post as +laid out by him. In those days the Government did not provide very +liberally for sheltering its soldiers; and officers and men were +frequently forced to eke out parsimonious appropriations by toilsome +work or go without shelter in most inhospitable regions. Of course +this post was no exception to the general rule, and as all hands were +occupied in its construction, and I the only officer present, I was +kept busily employed in supervising matters, both as commandant and +quartermaster, until July, when Captain D. A. Russell, of the Fourth +Infantry, was ordered to take command, and I was relieved from the +first part of my duties. + +About this time my little detachment parted from me, being ordered to +join a company of the First Dragoons, commanded by Captain Robert +Williams, as it passed up the country from California by way of +Yamhill. I regretted exceedingly to see them go, for their faithful +work and gallant service had endeared every man to me by the +strongest ties. Since I relieved Lieutenant Hood on Pit River, +nearly a twelvemonth before, they had been my constant companions, +and the zeal with which they had responded to every call I made on +them had inspired in my heart a deep affection that years have not +removed. When I relieved Hood--a dragoon officer of their own +regiment--they did not like the change, and I understood that they +somewhat contemptuously expressed this in more ways than one, in +order to try the temper of the new "Leftenant," but appreciative and +unremitting care, together with firm and just discipline, soon +quieted all symptoms of dissatisfaction and overcame all prejudice. +The detachment had been made up of details from the different +companies of the regiment in order to give Williamson a mounted +force, and as it was usual, under such circumstances, for every +company commander to shove into the detail he was called upon to +furnish the most troublesome and insubordinate individuals of his +company, I had some difficulty, when first taking command, in +controlling such a medley of recalcitrants; but by forethought for +them and their wants, and a strict watchfulness for their rights and +comfort, I was able in a short time to make them obedient and the +detachment cohesive. In the past year they had made long and +tiresome marches, forded swift mountain streams, constructed rafts of +logs or bundles of dry reeds to ferry our baggage, swum deep rivers, +marched on foot to save their worn-out and exhausted animals, climbed +mountains, fought Indians, and in all and everything had done the +best they could for the service and their commander. The disaffected +feeling they entertained when I first assumed command soon wore away, +and in its place came a confidence and respect which it gives me the +greatest pleasure to remember, for small though it was, this was my +first cavalry command. They little thought, when we were in the +mountains of California and Oregon--nor did I myself then dream--that +but a few years were to elapse before it would be my lot again to +command dragoons, this time in numbers so vast as of themselves to +compose almost an army. + +Shortly after the arrival of Captain Russell a portion of the Indians +at the Grande Ronde reservation were taken down the coast to the +Siletz reservation, and I was transferred temporarily to Fort +Haskins, on the latter reserve, and assigned to the duty of +completing it and building a blockhouse for the police control of the +Indians placed there. + +While directing this work, I undertook to make a road across the +coast mountains from King's Valley to the Siletz, to shorten the haul +between the two points by a route I had explored. I knew there were +many obstacles in the way, but the gain would be great if we could +overcome them, so I set to work with the enthusiasm of a young +path-finder. The point at which the road was to cross the range was +rough and precipitous, but the principal difficulty in making it would +be from heavy timber on the mountains that had been burned over years +and years before, until nothing was left but limbless trunks of dead +trees--firs and pines--that had fallen from time to time until the +ground was matted with huge logs from five to eight feet in diameter. +These could not be chopped with axes nor sawed by any ordinary means, +therefore we had to burn them into suitable lengths, and drag the +sections to either side of the roadway with from four to six yoke of +oxen. + +The work was both tedious and laborious, but in time perseverance +surmounted all obstacles and the road was finished, though its grades +were very steep. As soon as it was completed, I wished to +demonstrate its value practically, so I started a Government wagon +over it loaded with about fifteen hundred pounds of freight drawn by +six yoke of oxen, and escorted by a small detachment of soldiers. +When it had gone about seven miles the sergeant in charge came back +to the post and reported his inability to get any further. Going out +to the scene of difficulty I found the wagon at the base of a steep +hill, stalled. Taking up a whip myself, I directed the men to lay on +their gads, for each man had supplied himself with a flexible hickory +withe in the early stages of the trip, to start the team, but this +course did not move the wagon nor have much effect on the demoralized +oxen; but following as a last resort an example I heard of on a +former occasion, that brought into use the rough language of the +country, I induced the oxen to move with alacrity, and the wagon and +contents were speedily carried to the summit. The whole trouble was +at once revealed: the oxen had been broken and trained by a man who, +when they were in a pinch, had encouraged them by his frontier +vocabulary, and they could not realize what was expected of them +under extraordinary conditions until they heard familiar and possibly +profanely urgent phrases. I took the wagon to its destination, but +as it was not brought back, even in all the time I was stationed in +that country, I think comment on the success of my road is +unnecessary. + +I spent many happy months at Fort Haskins, remaining there until the +post was nearly completed and its garrison increased by the arrival +of Captain F. T. Dent--a brother-in-law of Captain Ulysses S. Grant +--with his company of the Fourth Infantry, in April, 1857. In the +summer of 1856, and while I was still on duty there, the Coquille +Indians on the Siletz, and down near the Yaquina Bay, became, on +account of hunger and prospective starvation, very much excited and +exasperated, getting beyond the control of their agent, and even +threatening his life, so a detachment of troops was sent out to set +things to rights, and I took command of it. I took with me most of +the company, and arrived at Yaquina Bay in time to succor the agent, +who for some days had been besieged in a log hut by the Indians and +had almost abandoned hope of rescue. + +Having brought with me over the mountains a few head of beef cattle +for the hungry Indians, without thinking of running any great +personal risk I had six beeves killed some little distance from my +camp, guarding the meat with four Soldiers, whom I was obliged to +post as sentinels around the small area on which the carcasses lay. +The Indians soon formed a circle about the sentinels, and impelled by +starvation, attempted to take the beef before it could be equally +divided. This was of course resisted, when they drew their knives +--their guns having been previously taken away from them--and some of +the inferior chiefs gave the signal to attack. The principal chief, +Tetootney John, and two other Indians joined me in the centre of the +circle, and protesting that they would die rather than that the +frenzied onslaught should succeed, harangued the Indians until the +rest of the company hastened up from camp and put an end to the +disturbance. I always felt grateful to Tetootney John for his +loyalty on this occasion, and many times afterward aided his family +with a little coffee and sugar, but necessarily surreptitiously, so +as not to heighten the prejudices that his friendly act had aroused +among his Indian comrades. + +The situation at Yaquina Bay did not seem very safe, notwithstanding +the supply of beef we brought; and the possibility that the starving +Indians might break out was ever present, so to anticipate any +further revolt, I called for more troops. The request was complied +with by sending to my assistance the greater part of my own company +("K")from Fort Yamhill. The men, inspired by the urgency of our +situation, marched more than forty miles a day, accomplishing the +whole distance in so short a period, that I doubt if the record has +ever been beaten. When this reinforcement arrived, the Indians saw +the futility of further demonstrations against their agent, who they +seemed to think was responsible for the insufficiency of food, and +managed to exist with the slender rations we could spare and such +indifferent food as they could pick up, until the Indian Department +succeeded in getting up its regular supplies. In the past the poor +things had often been pinched by hunger and neglect, and at times +their only food was rock oysters, clams and crabs. Great quantities +of these shell-fish could be gathered in the bay near at hand, but +the mountain Indians, who had heretofore lived on the flesh of +mammal, did not take kindly to mollusks, and, indeed, ate the +shell-fish only as a last resort. + +Crab catching at night on the Yaquina Bay by the coast Indians was a +very picturesque scene. It was mostly done by the squaws and +children, each equipped with a torch in one hand, and a sharp-pointed +stick in the other to take and lift the fish into baskets slung on +the back to receive them. I have seen at times hundreds of squaws +and children wading about in Yaquina Bay taking crabs in this manner, +and the reflection by the water of the light from the many torches, +with the movements of the Indians while at work, formed a weird and +diverting picture of which we were never tired. + +Not long after the arrival of the additional troops from Yamhill, it +became apparent that the number of men at Yaquina Bay would have to +be reduced, so in view of this necessity, it was deemed advisable to +build a block-house for the better protection of the agents and I +looked about for suitable ground on which to erect it. Nearly all +around the bay the land rose up from the beach very abruptly, and the +only good site that could be found was some level ground used as the +burial-place of the Yaquina Bay Indians--a small band of fish-eating +people who had lived near this point on the coast for ages. They +were a robust lot, of tall and well-shaped figures, and were called +in the Chinook tongue "salt chuck," which means fish-eaters, or +eaters of food from the salt water. Many of the young men and women +were handsome in feature below the forehead, having fine eyes, +aquiline noses and good mouths, but, in conformity with a +long-standing custom, all had flat heads, which gave them a distorted +and hideous appearance, particularly some of the women, who went to +the extreme of fashion and flattened the head to the rear in a sharp +horizontal ridge by confining it between two boards, one running back +from the forehead at an angle of about forty degrees, and the other up +perpendicularly from the back of the neck. When a head had been +shaped artistically the dusky maiden owner was marked as a belle, and +one could become reconciled to it after a time, but when carelessness +and neglect had governed in the adjustment of the boards, there +probably was nothing in the form of a human being on the face of the +earth that appeared so ugly. + +It was the mortuary ground of these Indians that occupied the only +level spot we could get for the block-house. Their dead were buried +in canoes, which rested in the crotches of forked sticks a few feet +above-ground. The graveyard was not large, containing probably from +forty to fifty canoes in a fair state of preservation. According to +the custom of all Indian tribes on the Pacific coast, when one of +their number died all his worldly effects were buried with him, so +that the canoes were filled with old clothes, blankets, pieces of +calico and the like, intended for the use of the departed in the +happy hunting grounds. + +I made known to the Indians that we would have to take this piece of +ground for the blockhouse. They demurred at first, for there is +nothing more painful to an Indian than disturbing his dead, but they +finally consented to hold a council next day on the beach, and thus +come to some definite conclusion. Next morning they all assembled, +and we talked in the Chinook language all day long, until at last +they gave in, consenting, probably, as much because they could not +help themselves, as for any other reason. It was agreed that on the +following day at 12 o'clock, when the tide was going out, I should +take my men and place the canoes in the bay, and let them float out +on the tide across the ocean to the happy hunting-grounds: + +At that day there existed in Oregon in vast numbers a species of +wood-rat, and our inspection of the graveyard showed that the canoes +were thickly infested with them. They were a light gray animal, +larger than the common gray squirrel, with beautiful bushy tails, +which made them strikingly resemble the squirrel, but in cunning and +deviltry they were much ahead of that quick-witted rodent. I have +known them to empty in one night a keg of spikes in the storehouse in +Yamhill, distributing them along the stringers of the building, with +apparently no other purpose than amusement. We anticipated great fun +watching the efforts of these rats to escape the next day when the +canoes should be launched on the ocean, and I therefore forbade any +of the command to visit the graveyard in the interim, lest the rats +should be alarmed. I well knew that they would not be disturbed by +the Indians, who held the sacred spot in awe. When the work of +taking down the canoes and carrying them to the water began, +expectation was on tiptoe, but, strange as it may seem, not a rat was +to be seen. This unexpected development was mystifying. They had +all disappeared; there was not one in any of the canoes, as +investigation proved, for disappointment instigated a most thorough +search. The Indians said the rats understood Chinook, and that as +they had no wish to accompany the dead across the ocean to the happy +hunting-grounds, they took to the woods for safety. However that may +be, I have no doubt that the preceding visits to the burial-ground, +and our long talk of the day before, with the unusual stir and +bustle, had so alarmed the rats that, impelled, by their suspicious +instincts, they fled a danger, the nature of which they could not +anticipate, but which they felt to be none the less real and +impending. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +LEARNING THE CHINOOK LANGUAGE--STRANGE INDIAN +CUSTOMS--THEIR DOCTORS--SAM PATCH--THE MURDER OF A +WOMAN--IN A TIGHT PLACE--SURPRISING THE INDIANS--CONFLICTING +REPORTS OF THE BATTLE OF BULL RUN--SECESSION QUESTION IN +CALIFORNIA--APPOINTED A CAPTAIN--TRANSFERRED TO THE EAST. + +The troubles at the Siletz and Yaquina Bay were settled without +further excitement by the arrival in due time of plenty of food, and +as the buildings, at Fort Haskins were so near completion that my +services as quartermaster were no longer needed, I was ordered to +join my own company at Fort Yamhill, where Captain Russell was still +in command. I returned to that place in May, 1857, and at a period a +little later, in consequence of the close of hostilities in southern +Oregon, the Klamaths and Modocs were sent back to their own country, +to that section in which occurred, in 1873, the disastrous war with +the latter tribe. This reduced considerably the number of Indians at +the Grande Ronde, but as those remaining were still somewhat unruly, +from the fact that many questions requiring adjustment were +constantly arising between the different bands, the agent and the +officers at the post were kept pretty well occupied. Captain Russell +assigned to me the special work of keeping up the police control, and +as I had learned at an early day to speak Chinook (the "court +language" among the coast tribes) almost as well as the Indians +themselves, I was thereby enabled to steer my way successfully on +many critical occasions. + +For some time the most disturbing and most troublesome element we had +was the Rogue River band. For three or four years they had fought +our troops obstinately, and surrendered at the bitter end in the +belief that they were merely overpowered, not conquered. They openly +boasted to the other Indians that they could whip the soldiers, and +that they did not wish to follow the white man's ways, continuing +consistently their wild habits, unmindful of all admonitions. +Indeed, they often destroyed their household utensils, tepees and +clothing, and killed their horses on the graves of the dead, in the +fulfillment of a superstitious custom, which demanded that they +should undergo, while mourning for their kindred, the deepest +privation in a property sense. Everything the loss of which would +make them poor was sacrificed on the graves of their relatives or +distinguished warriors, and as melancholy because of removal from +their old homes caused frequent deaths, there was no lack of occasion +for the sacrifices. The widows and orphans of the dead warriors were +of course the chief mourners, and exhibited their grief in many +peculiar ways. I remember one in particular which was universally +practiced by the near kinsfolk. They would crop their hair very +close, and then cover the head with a sort of hood or plaster of +black pitch, the composition being clay, pulverized charcoal, and the +resinous gum which exudes from the pine-tree. The hood, nearly an +inch in thickness, was worn during a period of mourning that lasted +through the time it would take nature, by the growth of the hair, +actually to lift from the head the heavy covering of pitch after it +had become solidified and hard as stone. It must be admitted that +they underwent considerable discomfort in memory of their relatives. +It took all the influence we could bring to bear to break up these +absurdly superstitious practices, and it looked as if no permanent +improvement could be effected, for as soon as we got them to discard +one, another would be invented. When not allowed to burn down their +tepees or houses, those poor souls who were in a dying condition +would be carried out to the neighboring hillsides just before +dissolution, and there abandoned to their sufferings, with little or +no attention, unless the placing under their heads of a small stick +of wood--with possibly some laudable object, but doubtless great +discomfort to their victim--might be considered such. + +To uproot these senseless and monstrous practices was indeed most +difficult. The most pernicious of all was one which was likely to +bring about tragic results. They believed firmly in a class of +doctors among their people who professed that they could procure the +illness of an individual at will, and that by certain incantations +they could kill or cure the sick person. Their faith in this +superstition was so steadfast that there was no doubting its +sincerity, many indulging at times in the most trying privations, +that their relatives might be saved from death at the hands of the +doctors. I often talked with them on the subject, and tried to +reason them out of the superstitious belief, defying the doctors to +kill me, or even make me ill; but my talks were unavailing, and they +always met my arguments with the remark that I was a white man, of a +race wholly different from the red man, and that that was the reason +the medicine of the doctors would not affect me. These villainous +doctors might be either men or women, and any one of them finding an +Indian ill, at once averred that his influence was the cause, +offering at the same time to cure the invalid for a fee, which +generally amounted to about all the ponies his family possessed. If +the proposition was accepted and the fee paid over, the family, in +case the man died, was to have indemnity through the death of the +doctor, who freely promised that they might take his life in such +event, relying on his chances of getting protection from the furious +relatives by fleeing to the military post till time had so assuaged +their grief that matters could be compromised or settled by a +restoration of a part of the property, when the rascally leeches +could again resume their practice. Of course the services of a +doctor were always accepted when an Indian fell ill; otherwise the +invalid's death would surely ensue, brought about by the evil +influence that was unpropitiated. Latterly it had become quite the +thing, when a patient died, for the doctor to flee to our camp--it +was so convenient and so much safer than elsewhere--and my cellar was +a favorite place of refuge from the infuriated friends of the +deceased. + +Among the most notable of these doctors was an Indian named Sam +Patch, who several times sought asylum in any cellar, and being a +most profound diplomat, managed on each occasion and with little +delay to negotiate a peaceful settlement and go forth in safety to +resume the practice of his nefarious profession. I often hoped he +would be caught before reaching the post, but he seemed to know +intuitively when the time had come to take leg-bail, for his advent +at the garrison generally preceded by but a few hours the death of +some poor dupe. + +Finally these peculiar customs brought about the punishment of a +noted doctress of the Rogue River tribe, a woman who was constantly +working in this professional way, and who had found a victim of such +prominence among the Rogue Rivers that his unlooked for death brought +down on her the wrath of all. She had made him so ill, they +believed, as to bring him to death's door notwithstanding the many +ponies that had been given her to cease the incantations, and it was +the conviction of all that she had finally caused the man's death +from some ulterior and indiscernible motive. His relatives and +friends then immediately set about requiting her with the just +penalties of a perfidious breach of contract. Their threats induced +her instant flight toward my house for the usual protection, but the +enraged friends of the dead man gave hot chase, and overtook the +witch just inside the limits of the garrison, where, on the +parade-ground, in sight of the officers' quarters, and before any one +could interfere, they killed her. There were sixteen men in pursuit +of the doctress, and sixteen gun-shot wounds were found in her body +when examined by the surgeon of the post. The killing of the woman +was a flagrant and defiant outrage committed in the teeth of the +military authority, yet done so quickly that we could not prevent it. +This necessitated severe measures, both to allay the prevailing +excitement and to preclude the recurrence of such acts. The body was +cared for, and delivered to the relatives the next day for burial, +after which Captain Russell directed me to take such steps as would +put a stop to the fanatical usages that had brought about this +murderous occurrence, for it was now seen that if timely measures were +not taken to repress them, similar tragedies would surely follow. + +Knowing all the men of the Rogue River tribe, and speaking fluently +the Chinook tongue, which they all understood, I went down to their +village the following day, after having sent word to the tribe that I +wished to have a council with them. The Indians all met me in +council, as I had desired, and I then told them that the men who had +taken part in shooting the woman would have to be delivered up for +punishment. They were very stiff with me at the interview, and with +all that talent for circumlocution and diplomacy with which the +Indian is lifted, endeavored to evade my demands and delay any +conclusion. But I was very positive, would hear of no compromise +whatever, and demanded that my terms be at once complied with. No +one was with me but a sergeant of my company, named Miller, who held +my horse, and as the chances of an agreement began to grow remote, I +became anxious for our safety. The conversation waxing hot and the +Indians gathering close in around me, I unbuttoned the flap of my +pistol holster, to be ready for any emergency. When the altercation +became most bitter I put my hand to my hip to draw my pistol, but +discovered it was gone--stolen by one of the rascals surrounding me. +Finding myself unarmed, I modified my tone and manner to correspond +with my helpless condition, thus myself assuming the diplomatic side +in the parley, in order to gain time. As soon as an opportunity +offered, and I could, without too much loss of self-respect, and +without damaging my reputation among the Indians, I moved out to +where the sergeant held my horse, mounted, and crossing the Yamhill +River close by, called back in Chinook from the farther bank that +"the sixteen men who killed the woman must be delivered up, and my +six-shooter also." This was responded to by contemptuous laughter, so +I went back to the military post somewhat crestfallen, and made my +report of the turn affairs had taken, inwardly longing for another +chance to bring the rascally Rogue Rivers to terms. + +When I had explained the situation to Captain Russell, he thought +that we could not, under any circumstances, overlook this defiant +conduct of the Indians, since, unless summarily punished, it would +lead to even more serious trouble in the future. I heartily seconded +this proposition, and gladly embracing the opportunity it offered, +suggested that if he would give me another chance, and let me have +the effective force of the garrison, consisting of about fifty men, I +would chastise the Rogue Rivers without fail, and that the next day +was all the time I required to complete arrangements. He gave me the +necessary authority, and I at once set to work to bring about a +better state of discipline on the reservation, and to put an end to +the practices of the medicine men (having also in view the recovery +of my six-shooter and self-respect), by marching to the village and +taking the rebellious Indians by force. + +In the tribe there was an excellent woman called Tighee Mary (Tighee +in Chinook means chief), who by right of inheritance was a kind of +queen of the Rogue Rivers. Fearing that the insubordinate conduct of +the Indians would precipitate further trouble, she came early the +following morning to see me and tell me of the situation Mary +informed me that she had done all in her power to bring the Indians +to reason, but without avail, and that they were determined to fight +rather than deliver up the sixteen men who had engaged in the +shooting. She also apprised me of the fact that they had taken up a +position on the Yamhill River, on the direct road between the post +and village, where, painted and armed for war, they were awaiting +attack. + +On this information I concluded it would be best to march to the +village by a circuitous route instead of directly, as at first +intended, so I had the ferry-boat belonging to the post floated about +a mile and a half down the Yamhill River and there anchored. At 11 +o'clock that night I marched my fifty men, out of the garrison, in a +direction opposite to that of the point held by the Indians, and soon +reached the river at the ferryboat. Here I ferried the party over +with little delay, and marched them along the side of the mountain, +through underbrush and fallen timber, until, just before daylight, I +found that we were immediately in rear of the village, and thence in +rear, also, of the line occupied by the refractory Indians, who were +expecting to meet me on the direct road from the post. Just at break +of day we made a sudden descent upon the village and took its +occupants completely by surprise, even capturing the chief of the +tribe, "Sam," who was dressed in all his war toggery, fully armed and +equipped, in anticipation of a fight on the road where his comrades +were in position. I at once put Sam under guard, giving orders to +kill him instantly if the Indians fired a shot; then forming my line +on the road beyond the edge of the village, in rear of the force +lying in wait for a front attack, we moved forward. When the hostile +party realized that they were completely cut off from the village, +they came out from their stronghold on the river and took up a line +in my front, distant about sixty yards with the apparent intention of +resisting to the last. + +As is usual with Indians when expecting a fight, they were nearly +naked, fantastically painted with blue clay, and hideously arrayed in +war bonnets. They seemed very belligerent, brandishing their muskets +in the air, dancing on one foot, calling us ugly names, and making +such other demonstrations of hostility, that it seemed at first that +nothing short of the total destruction of the party could bring about +the definite settlement that we were bent on. Still, as it was my +desire to bring them under subjection without loss of life, if +possible, I determined to see what result would follow when they +learned that their chief was at our mercy. So, sending Sam under +guard to the front, where he could be seen, informing them that he +would be immediately shot if they fired upon us, and aided by the +cries and lamentations of the women of the village, who deprecated +any hostile action by either party, I soon procured a parley. + +The insubordinate Indians were under command of "Joe," Sam's brother, +who at last sent me word that he wanted to see me, and we met between +our, respective lines. I talked kindly to him, but was firm in my +demand that the men who killed the woman must be given up and my +six-shooter returned. His reply was he did not think it could be done, +but he would consult his people. After the consultation, he returned +and notified me that fifteen would surrender and the six-shooter +would be restored, and further, that we could kill the sixteenth man, +since the tribe wished to get rid of him anyhow, adding that he was a +bad Indian, whose bullet no doubt had given the woman her death +wound. He said that if I assented to this arrangement, he would +require all of his people except the objectionable man to run to the +right of his line at a preconcerted signal. The bad Indian would be +ordered to stand fast on the extreme left, and we could open fire on +him as his comrades fell away to the right. I agreed to the +proposition, and gave Joe fifteen minutes to execute his part of it. +We then returned to our respective forces, and a few minutes later +the fifteen ran to the right flank as agreed upon, and we opened fire +on the one Indian left standing alone, bringing him down in his +tracks severely wounded by a shot through the shoulder. + +While all this was going on, the other bands of the reservation, +several thousand strong, had occupied the surrounding hills for the +purpose of witnessing the fight, for as the Rogue Rivers had been +bragging for some time that they could whip the soldiers, these other +Indians had come out to see it done. The result, however, +disappointed the spectators, and the Rogue Rivers naturally lost +caste. The fifteen men now came in and laid down their arms +(including my six-shooter) in front of us as agreed, but I compelled +them to take the surrendered guns up again and carry them to the +post, where they were deposited in the block-house for future +security. The prisoners were ironed with ball and chain, and made to +work at the post until their rebellious spirit was broken; and the +wounded man was correspondingly punished after he had fully +recovered. An investigation as to why this man had been selected as +the offering by which Joe and his companions expected to gain +immunity, showed that the fellow was really a most worthless +character, whose death even would have been a benefit to the tribe. +Thus it seemed that they had two purposes in view--the one to +propitiate me and get good terms, the other to rid themselves of a +vagabond member of the tribe. + +The punishment of these sixteen Indians by ball and chain ended all +trouble with the Rogue River tribe. The, disturbances arising from +the incantations of the doctors and doctresses, and the practice of +killing horses and burning all worldly property on the graves of +those who died, were completely suppressed, and we made with little +effort a great stride toward the civilization of these crude and +superstitious people, for they now began to recognize the power of +the Government. In their management afterward a course of justice +and mild force was adopted, and unvaryingly applied. They were +compelled to cultivate their land, to attend church, and to send +their children to school. When I saw them, fifteen years later, +transformed into industrious and substantial farmers, with neat +houses, fine cattle, wagons and horses, carrying their grain, eggs, +and butter to market and bringing home flour, coffee, sugar, and +calico in return, I found abundant confirmation of my early opinion +that the most effectual measures for lifting them from a state of +barbarism would be a practical supervision at the outset, coupled +with a firm control and mild discipline. + +In all that was done for these Indians Captain Russell's judgment and +sound, practical ideas were the inspiration. His true manliness, +honest and just methods, together with the warm-hearted interest he +took in all that pertained to matters of duty to his Government, +could not have produced other than the best results, in what position +soever he might have been placed. As all the lovable traits of his +character were constantly manifested, I became most deeply attached +to him, and until the day of his death in 1864, on the battle-field +of Opequan, in front of Winchester, while gallantly leading his +division under my command, my esteem and affection were sustained and +intensified by the same strong bonds that drew me to him in these +early days in Oregon. + +After the events just narrated I continued on duty at the post of +Yamhill, experiencing the usual routine of garrison life without any +incidents of much interest, down to the breaking out of the war of +the rebellion in April, 1861. The news of the firing on Fort Sumter +brought us an excitement which overshadowed all else, and though we +had no officers at the post who sympathized with the rebellion, there +were several in our regiment--the Fourth Infantry--who did, and we +were considerably exercised as to the course they might pursue, but +naturally far more so concerning the disposition that would be made +of the regiment during the conflict. + +In due time orders came for the regiment to go East, and my company +went off, leaving me, however--a second lieutenant--in command of the +post until I should be relieved by Captain James J. Archer, of the +Ninth Infantry, whose company was to take the place of the old +garrison. Captain Archer, with his company of the Ninth, arrived +shortly after, but I had been notified that he intended to go South, +and his conduct was such after reaching the post that I would not +turn over the command to him for fear he might commit some rebellious +act. Thus a more prolonged detention occurred than I had at first +anticipated. Finally the news came that he had tendered his +resignation and been granted a leave of absence for sixty days. On +July 17 he took his departure, but I continued in command till +September 1, when Captain Philip A. Owen, of the Ninth Infantry, +arrived and, taking charge, gave me my release. + +From the day we received the news of the firing on Sumter until I +started East, about the first of September, 1861, I was deeply +solicitous as to the course of events, and though I felt confident +that in the end the just cause of the Government must triumph, yet +the thoroughly crystallized organization which the Southern +Confederacy quickly exhibited disquieted me very much, for it alone +was evidence that the Southern leaders had long anticipated the +struggle and prepared for it. It was very difficult to obtain direct +intelligence of the progress of the war. Most of the time we were in +the depths of ignorance as to the true condition of affairs, and this +tended to increase our anxiety. Then, too, the accounts of the +conflicts that had taken place were greatly exaggerated by the +Eastern papers, and lost nothing in transition. The news came by the +pony express across the Plains to San Francisco, where it was still +further magnified in republishing, and gained somewhat in Southern +bias. I remember well that when the first reports reached us of, the +battle of Bull Run--that sanguinary engagement--it was stated that +each side had lost forty thousand men in killed and wounded, and none +were reported missing nor as having run away. Week by week these +losses grew less, until they finally shrunk into the hundreds, but +the vivid descriptions of the gory conflict were not toned down +during the whole summer. + +We received our mail at Yamhill only once a week, and then had to +bring it from Portland, Oregon, by express. On the day of the week +that our courier, or messenger, was expected back from Portland, I +would go out early in the morning to a commanding point above the +post, from which I could see a long distance down the road as it ran +through the valley of the Yamhill, and there I would watch with +anxiety for his coming, longing for good news; for, isolated as I had +been through years spent in the wilderness, my patriotism was +untainted by politics, nor had it been disturbed by any discussion of +the questions out of which the war grew, and I hoped for the success +of the Government above all other considerations. I believe I was +also uninfluenced by any thoughts of the promotion that might result +to me from the conflict, but, out of a sincere desire to contribute +as much as I could to the preservation of the Union, I earnestly +wished to be at the seat of war, and feared it might end before I +could get East. In no sense did I anticipate what was to happen to +me afterward, nor that I was to gain any distinction from it. I was +ready to do my duty to the best of my ability wherever I might be +called, and I was young, healthy, insensible to fatigue, and desired +opportunity, but high rank was so distant in our service that not a +dream of its attainment had flitted through my brain. + +During the period running from January to September, 1861, in +consequence of resignations and the addition of some new regiments to +the regular army, I had passed through the grade of first lieutenant +and reached that of captain in the Thirteenth United States Infantry, +of which General W. T. Sherman had recently been made the colonel. +When relieved from further duty at Yamhill by Captain Owen, I left +for the Atlantic coast to join my new regiment. A two days' ride +brought me down to Portland, whence I sailed to San Franciso, and at +that city took passage by steamer for New York via the Isthmus of +Panama, in company with a number of officers who were coming East +under circumstances like my own. + +At this time California was much agitated--on the question of +secession, and the secession element was so strong that considerable +apprehension was felt by the Union people lest the State might be +carried into the Confederacy. As a consequence great distrust +existed in all quarters, and the loyal passengers on the steamer, not +knowing what might occur during our voyage, prepared to meet +emergencies by thoroughly organizing to frustrate any attempt that +might possibly be made to carry us into some Southern port after we +should leave Aspinwall. However, our fears proved groundless; at all +events, no such attempt was made, and we reached New York in safety +in November, 1861. A day or two in New York sufficed to replenish a +most meagre wardrobe, and I then started West to join my new +regiment, stopping a day and a night at the home of my parents in +Ohio, where I had not been since I journeyed from Texas for the +Pacific coast. The headquarters of my regiment were at Jefferson +Barracks, Missouri, to which point I proceeded with no further delay +except a stay in the city of St. Louis long enough to pay my respects +to General H. W. Halleck. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +AUDITING ACCOUNTS--CHIEF QUARTERMASTER AND COMMISSARY OF THE ARMY OF +SOUTHWEST MISSOURI--PREPARING FOR THE PEA RIDGE CAMPAIGN--A +DIFFERENCE WITH GENERAL CURTIS--ORDERED TO THE FRONT--APPOINTED A +COLONEL. + +Some days after I had reached the headquarters of my regiment near +St. Louis, General Halleck sent for me, and when I reported he +informed me that there existed a great deal of confusion regarding +the accounts of some of the disbursing officers in his department, +whose management of its fiscal affairs under his predecessor, General +John C. Fremont, had been very loose; and as the chaotic condition of +things could be relieved only by auditing these accounts, he +therefore had determined to create a board of officers for the +purpose, and intended to make me president of it. The various +transactions in question covered a wide field, for the department +embraced the States of Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, Arkansas, +and all of Kentucky west of the Cumberland River. + +The duty was not distasteful, and I felt that I was qualified to +undertake it, for the accounts to be audited belonged exclusively to +the Quartermaster and Subsistence departments, and by recent +experience I had become familiar with the class of papers that +pertained to those branches of the army. Indeed, it was my +familiarity with such transactions, returns, etc., that probably +caused my selection as president of the board. + +I entered upon the work forthwith, and continued at it until the 26th +of December, 1861. At that date I was relieved from the auditing +board and assigned to duty as Chief Commissary of the Army of +Southwest Missouri, commanded by General Samuel R. Curtis. This army +was then organizing at Rolla, Missouri, for the Pea Ridge campaign, +its strength throughout the campaign being in the aggregate about +fifteen thousand men. + +As soon as I received information of my selection for this position, +I went to General Halleck and requested him to assign me as Chief +Quartermaster also. He was reluctant to do so, saying that I could +not perform both duties, but I soon convinced him that I could do +both better than the one, for I reminded him that as Chief +Quartermaster I should control the transportation, and thus obviate +all possible chances of discord between the two staff departments; a +condition which I deemed essential to success, especially as it was +intended that Curtis's army should mainly subsist on the country. +This argument impressed Halleck, and becoming convinced, he promptly +issued the order making me Chief Quartermaster and Chief Commissary +of Subsistence of the Army of Southwest Missouri, and I started for +Rolla to enter upon the work assigned me. + +Having reported to General Curtis, I quickly learned that his system +of supply was very defective, and the transportation without proper +organization, some of the regiments having forty to fifty wagon each, +and others only three or four. I labored day and night to remedy +these and other defects, and with the help of Captain Michael P. +Small, of the Subsistence Department, who was an invaluable +assistant, soon brought things into shape, putting the transportation +in good working order, giving each regiment its proper quota of +wagons, and turning the surplus into the general supply trains of the +army. In accomplishing this I was several times on the verge of +personal conflict with irate regimental commanders, but Colonel G. M. +Dodge so greatly sustained me with General Curtis by strong moral +support, and by such efficient details from his regiment--the Fourth +Iowa Volunteer Infantry--that I still bear him and it great affection +and lasting gratitude. + +On January 26, 1862, General Curtis's army began its march from Rolla +to Springfield, Missouri, by way of Lebanon. The roads were deep +with mud, and so badly cut up that the supply trains in moving +labored under the most serious difficulties, and were greatly +embarrassed by swollen streams. Under these circumstances many +delays occurred, and when we arrived at Lebanon nearly all the +supplies with which we had started had been consumed, and the work of +feeding the troops off the country had to begin at that point. To +get flour, wheat had to be taken from the stacks, threshed, and sent +to the mills to be ground. Wheat being scarce in this region, corn +as a substitute had to be converted into meal by the same laborious +process. In addition, beef cattle had to be secured for the meat +ration. + +By hard work we soon accumulated a sufficient quantity of flour and +corn meal to justify the resumption of our march on Springfield; at +or near which point the enemy was believed to be awaiting us, and the +order was given to move forward, the commanding general cautioning +me, in the event of disaster, to let no salt fall into General +Price's hands. General Curtis made a hobby of this matter of salt, +believing the enemy was sadly in need of that article, and he +impressed me deeply with his conviction that our cause would be +seriously injured by a loss which would inure so greatly and +peculiarly to the enemy's benefit; but we afterward discovered, when +Price abandoned his position, that about all he left behind was salt. + +When we were within about eight miles of Springfield, General Curtis +decided to put his troops in line of battle for the advance on the +town, and directed me to stretch out my supply trains in a long line +of battle, so that in falling back, in case the troops were repulsed, +he could rally the men on the wagons. I did not like the tactics, +but of course obeyed the order. The line moved on Springfield, and +took the town without resistance, the enemy having fled southward, in +the direction of Pea Ridge, the preceding day. Of course our success +relieved my anxiety about the wagons; but fancy has often pictured +since, the stampede of six mule teams that, had we met with any +reverse, would have taken place over the prairies of southwest +Missouri. + +The army set out in pursuit of Price, but I was left at Springfield +to gather supplies from the surrounding country, by the same means +that had been used at Lebanon, and send them forward. To succeed in +this useful and necessary duty required much hard work. To procure +the grain and to run the mills in the country, replacing the +machinery where parts had been carried away, or changing the +principle and running the mills on some different plan when +necessary, and finally forward the product to the army, made a task +that taxed the energy of all engaged in it. Yet, having at command a +very skillful corps of millwrights, machinists, and millers, detailed +principally from the Fourth Iowa and Thirty-sixth Illinois volunteer +regiments, we soon got matters in shape, and were able to send such +large quantities of flour and meal to the front, that only the bacon +and small parts of the ration had to be brought forward from our +depot at Rolla. When things were well systematized, I went forward +myself to expedite the delivery of supplies, and joined the army at +Cross Hollows, just south of Pea Ridge. + +Finding everything working well at Cross Hollows, I returned to +Springfield in a few days to continue the labor of collecting +supplies. On my way back I put the mills at Cassville in good order +to grind the grain in that vicinity, and perfected there a plan for +the general supply from the neighboring district of both the men and +animals of the army, so that there should, be no chance of a failure +of the campaign from bad roads or disaster to my trains. Springfield +thus became the centre of the entire supply section. + +Just after my return to Springfield the battle of Pea Ridge was +fought. The success of the Union troops in this battle was +considerable, and while not of sufficient magnitude to affect the +general cause materially, it was decisive as to that particular +campaign, and resulted in driving all organized Confederate forces +out of the State of Missouri. After Pea Ridge was won, certain +efforts were made to deprive Curtis of the credit due him for the +victory; but, no matter what merit belonged to individual commanders, +I was always convinced that Curtis was deserving of the highest +commendation, not only for the skill displayed on the field, but for +a zeal and daring in campaign which was not often exhibited at that +early period of the war. Especially should this credit be awarded +him, when we consider the difficulties under which he labored, how he +was hampered in having to depend on a sparsely settled country for +the subsistence of his troops. In the reports of the battle that +came to Springfield, much glory was claimed for some other general +officers, but as I had control of the telegraph line from Springfield +east, I detained all despatches until General Curtis had sent in his +official report. He thus had the opportunity of communicating with +his superior in advance of some of his vain subordinates, who would +have laid claim to the credit of the battle had I not thwarted them +by this summary means. + +Not long afterward came the culmination of a little difference that +had arisen between General Curtis and me, brought about, I have since +sometimes thought, by an assistant quartermaster from Iowa, whom I +had on duty with me at Springfield. He coveted my place, and finally +succeeded in getting it. He had been an unsuccessful banker in Iowa, +and early in the war obtained an appointment as assistant +quartermaster of volunteers with the rank of captain. As chief +quartermaster of the army in Missouri, there would be opportunities +for the recuperation of his fortunes which would not offer to one in +a subordinate place; so to gain this position he doubtless intrigued +for it while under my eye, and Curtis was induced to give it to him +as soon as I was relieved. His career as my successor, as well as in +other capacities in which he was permitted to act during the war, was +to say the least not savory. The war over he turned up in Chicago as +president of a bank, which he wrecked; and he finally landed in the +penitentiary for stealing a large sum of money from the United States +Treasury at Washington while employed there as a clerk. The chances +that this man's rascality would be discovered were much less when +chief of the departments of transportation and supply of an army than +they afterward proved to be in the Treasury. I had in my possession +at all times large sums of money for the needs of the army, and among +other purposes for which these funds were to be disbursed was the +purchase of horses and mules. Certain officers and men more devoted +to gain than to the performance of duty (a few such are always to be +found in armies) quickly learned this, and determined to profit by +it. Consequently they began a regular system of stealing horses from +the people of the country and proffering them to me for purchase. It +took but a little time to discover this roguery, and when I became +satisfied of their knavery I brought it to a sudden close by seizing +the horses as captured property, branding them U. S., and refusing to +pay for them. General Curtis, misled by the misrepresentations that +had been made, and without fully knowing the circumstances, or +realizing to what a base and demoralizing state of things this course +was inevitably tending, practically ordered me to make the Payments, +and I refused. The immediate result of this disobedience was a +court-martial to try me; and knowing that my usefulness in that army +was gone, no matter what the outcome of the trial might be, I asked +General Halleck to relieve me from duty with General Curtis and order +me to St. Louis. This was promptly done, and as my connection with +the Army of Southwest Missouri was thus severed before the court +could be convened, my case never came to trial. The man referred to +as being the cause of this condition of affairs was appointed by +General Curtis to succeed me. I turned over to the former all the +funds and property for which I was responsible, also the branded +horses and mules stolen from the people of the country, requiring +receipts for everything. I heard afterward that some of the blooded +stock of southwest Missouri made its way to Iowa in an unaccountable +manner, but whether the administration of my successor was +responsible for it or not I am unable to say. + +On my arrival at St. Louis I felt somewhat forlorn and disheartened +at the turn affairs had taken. I did not know where I should be +assigned, nor what I should be required to do, but these +uncertainties were dispelled in a few days by General Halleck, who, +being much pressed by the Governors of some of the Western States to +disburse money in their sections, sent me out into the Northwest with +a sort of roving commission to purchase horses for the use of the +army. I went to Madison and Racine, Wis., at which places I bought +two hundred horses, which were shipped to St. Louis. At Chicago I +bought two hundred more, and as the prices paid at the latter point +showed that Illinois was the cheapest market--it at that time +producing a surplus over home demands--I determined to make Chicago +the centre of my operations. + +While occupied in this way at Chicago the battle of Shiloh took +place, and the desire for active service with troops became uppermost +in my thoughts, so I returned to St. Louis to see if I could not get +into the field. General Halleck having gone down to the Shiloh +battle-field, I reported to his Assistant Adjutant-General, Colonel +John C. Kelton, and told him of my anxiety to take a hand in active +field-service, adding that I did not wish to join my regiment, which +was still organizing and recruiting at Jefferson Barracks, for I felt +confident I could be more useful elsewhere. Kelton knew that the +purchasing duty was but temporary, and that on its completion, +probably at no distant date, I should have to join my company at the +barracks; so, realizing the inactivity to which that situation of +affairs would subject me, he decided to assume the responsibility of +sending me to report to General Halleck at Shiloh, and gave me an +order to that effect. + +This I consider the turning-point in my military career, and shall +always feel grateful to Colonel Kelton for his kindly act which so +greatly influenced my future. My desire to join the army at Shiloh +had now taken possession of me, and I was bent on getting there by +the first means available. Learning that a hospital-boat under +charge of Dr. Hough was preparing to start for Pittsburg Landing, I +obtained the Doctor's consent to take passage on it, and on the +evening of April 15, I left St. Louis for the scene of military +operations in northeastern Mississippi. + +At Pittsburg Landing I reported to General Halleck, who, after some +slight delay, assigned me to duty as an assistant to Colonel George +Thom, of the topographical engineers. Colonel Thom put me at the +work of getting the trains up from the landing, which involved the +repair of roads for that purpose by corduroying the marshy places. +This was rough, hard work, without much chance of reward, but it, was +near the field of active operations, and I determined to do the best +I could at it till opportunity for something better might arise. + +General Halleck did not know much about taking care of himself in the +field. His camp arrangements were wholly inadequate, and in +consequence he and all the officers about him were subjected to much +unnecessary discomfort and annoyance. Someone suggested to him to +appoint me quartermaster for his headquarters, with a view to +systematizing the establishment and remedying the defects complained +of, and I was consequently assigned to this duty. Shortly after this +assignment I had the satisfaction of knowing that General Halleck was +delighted with the improvements made at headquarters, both in camp +outfit and transportation, and in administration generally. My +popularity grew as the improvements increased, but one trifling +incident came near marring it. There was some hitch about getting +fresh beef for General Halleck's mess, and as by this time everybody +had come to look to me for anything and everything in the way of +comfort, Colonel Joe McKibben brought an order from the General for +me to get fresh beef for the headquarters mess. I was not caterer +for this mess, nor did I belong to it even, so I refused point-blank. +McKibben, disliking to report my disobedience, undertook persuasion, +and brought Colonel Thom to see me to aid in his negotiations, but I +would not give in, so McKibben in the kindness of his heart rode +several miles in order to procure the beef himself, and thus save me +from the dire results which he thought would follow should Halleck +get wind of such downright insubordination. The next day I was made +Commissary of Subsistence for the headquarters in addition to my +other duties, and as this brought me into the line of fresh beef, +General Halleck had no cause thereafter to complain of a scarcity of +that article in his mess. + +My stay at General Halleck's headquarters was exceedingly agreeable, +and my personal intercourse with officers on duty there was not only +pleasant and instructive, but offered opportunities for improvement +and advancement for which hardly any other post could have afforded +like chances. My special duties did not occupy all my time, and +whenever possible I used to go over to General Sherman's division, +which held the extreme right of our line in the advance on Corinth, +to witness the little engagements occurring there continuously during +the slow progress which the army was then making, the enemy being +forced back but a short distance each day. I knew General Sherman +very well. We came from near the same section of country in Ohio, +and his wife and her family had known me from childhood. I was +always kindly received by the General, and one day he asked me if I +would be willing to accept the colonelcy of a certain Ohio regiment +if he secured the appointment. I gladly told him yes, if General +Halleck would let me go; but I was doomed to disappointment, for in +about a week or so afterward General Sherman informed me that the +Governor of Ohio would not consent, having already decided to appoint +some one else. + +A little later Governor Blair, of Michigan, who was with the army +temporarily in the interest of the troops from his State, and who +just at this time was looking around for a colonel for the Second +Michigan Cavalry, and very anxious to get a regular officer, fixed +upon me as the man. The regiment was then somewhat run down by +losses from sickness, and considerably split into factions growing +out of jealousies engendered by local differences previous to +organization, and the Governor desired to bridge over all these +troubles by giving the regiment a commander who knew nothing about +them. I presume that some one said to the Governor about this time, +"Why don't you get Sheridan?" This, however, is only conjecture. I +really do not know how my name was proposed to him, but I have often +been told since that General Gordon Granger, whom I knew slightly +then, and who had been the former colonel of the regiment, first +suggested the appointment. At all events, on the morning of May 27, +1862, Captain Russell A. Alger--recently Governor of Michigan +--accompanied by the quartermaster of the regiment, Lieutenant Frank +Walbridge, arrived at General Halleck's headquarters and delivered to +me this telegram: + +(By Telegraph.) +"MILITARY DEPT OF MICHIGAN, +"ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE, +"DETROIT, May 25, 1862. + +GENERAL ORDERS NO. 148. + +"Captain Philip H. Sheridan, U. S. Army, is hereby appointed +Colonel of the Second Regiment Michigan Cavalry, to rank from +this date. + +"Captain Sheridan will immediately assume command of the +regiment. + +"By order of the Commander-in-Chief, +"JNO. ROBERTSON, +"Adjutant-General." + + +I took the order to General Halleck, and said that I would like to +accept, but he was not willing I should do so until the consent of +the War Department could be obtained. I returned to my tent much +disappointed, for in those days, for some unaccountable reason, the +War Department did not favor the appointment of regular officers to +volunteer regiments, and I feared a disapproval at Washington. After +a further consultation with Captain Alger and Lieutenant Walbridge, I +determined to go to the General again and further present the case. +Enlarging on my desire for active service with troops, and urging the +utter lack of such opportunity where I was, I pleaded my cause until +General Halleck finally resolved to take the responsibility of +letting me go without consulting the War Department. When I had +thanked him for the kindness, he said that inasmuch as I was to leave +him, he would inform me that the regiment to which I had just been +appointed was ordered out as part of a column directed to make a raid +to the south of the enemy, then occupying Corinth, and that if I +could turn over my property, it would probably be well for me to join +my command immediately, so that I could go with the expedition. I +returned to my tent, where Alger and Walbridge were still waiting, +and told them of the success of my interview, at the same time +notifying them that I would join the regiment in season to accompany +the expedition of which Halleck had spoken. + +In the course of the afternoon I turned over all my property to my +successor, and about 8 o'clock that evening made my appearance at the +camp of the Second Michigan Cavalry, near Farmington, Mississippi. +The regiment was in a hubbub of excitement making preparations for +the raid, and I had barely time to meet the officers of my command, +and no opportunity at all to see the men, when the trumpet sounded to +horse. Dressed in a coat and trousers of a captain of infantry, but +recast as a colonel of cavalry by a pair of well-worn eagles that +General Granger had kindly given me, I hurriedly placed on my saddle +a haversack, containing some coffee, sugar, bacon, and hard bread, +which had been prepared, and mounting my horse, I reported my +regiment to the brigade commander as ready for duty. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +EXPEDITION TO BOONEVILLE--DESTROYING SUPPLIES--CONFEDERATE +STRAGGLERS--SUCCESS OF THE EXPEDITION--A RECONNOISSANCE--THE +IMPORTANCE OF BODILY SUSTENANCE--THE BATTLE OF BOONEVILLE +--RECOMMENDED FOR APPOINTMENT AS A BRIGADIER-GENERAL. + +The expedition referred to by General Halleck in his parting +conversation was composed of the Second Michigan and Second Iowa +regiments of cavalry, formed into a brigade under command of Colonel +Washington L. Elliott, of the Second Iowa. It was to start on the +night of the 27th of May at 12 o'clock, and proceed by a circuitous +route through Iuka, Miss., to Booneville, a station on the Mobile and +Ohio Railroad, about twenty-two miles below Corinth, and accomplish +all it could in the way of destroying the enemy's supplies and +cutting his railroad communications. + +The weather in that climate was already warm, guides unobtainable, +and both men and horses suffered much discomfort from the heat, and +fatigue from the many delays growing out of the fact that we were in +almost total ignorance of the roads leading to the point that we +desired to reach. In order that we might go light we carried only +sugar, coffee, and salt, depending on the country for meat and bread. +Both these articles were scarce, but I think we got all there was, +for our advent was so unexpected by the people of the region through +which we passed that, supposing us to be Confederate cavalry, they +often gave us all they had, the women and servants contributing most +freely from their, reserve stores. + +Before reaching Booneville I had the advance, but just as we arrived +on the outskirts of the town the brigade was formed with the Second +Iowa on my right, and the whole force moved forward, right in front, +preceded by skirmishers. Here we encountered the enemy, but forced +him back with little resistance. When we had gained possession of +the station, Colonel Elliott directed me to take the left wing of my +regiment, pass to the south, and destroy a bridge or culvert supposed +to be at a little distance below the town on the Mobile and Ohio +Railroad. The right wing, or other half of the regiment, was to be +held in reserve for my support if necessary. I moved rapidly in the +designated direction till I reached the railroad, and then rode down +it for a mile and a half, but found neither bridge nor culvert. I +then learned that there was no bridge of any importance except the +one at Baldwin, nine miles farther down, but as I was aware, from +information recently received, that it was defended by three +regiments and a battery, I concluded that I could best accomplish the +purpose for which I had been detached--crippling the road--by tearing +up the track, bending the rails, and burning the cross-ties. This +was begun with alacrity at four different points, officers and men +vieing with one another in the laborious work of destruction. We had +but few tools, and as the difficulties to overcome were serious, our +progress was slow, until some genius conceived the idea that the +track, rails and ties, might be lifted from its bed bodily, turned +over, and subjected to a high heat; a convenient supply of dry +fence-rails would furnish ample fuel to render the rails useless. +In this way a good deal of the track was effectively broken up, and +communication by rail from Corinth to the south entirely cut off. +While we were still busy in wrecking the road, a dash was made at my +right and rear by a squadron of Confederate cavalry. This was +handsomely met by the reserve under Captain Archibald P. Campbell, of +the Second Michigan, who, dismounting a portion of his command, +received the enemy with such a volley from his Colt's repeating +rifles that the squadron broke and fled in all directions. We were +not molested further, and resumed our work, intending to extend the +break toward Baldwin, but receiving orders from Elliott to return to +Booneville immediately, the men were recalled, and we started to +rejoin the main command. + +In returning to Booneville, I found the railroad track above where I +had struck it blocked by trains that we had thus cut off, and the +woods and fields around the town covered with several thousand +Confederate soldiers. These were mostly convalescents and +disheartened stragglers belonging to General Beauregard's army, and +from them we learned that Corinth was being evacuated. I spent some +little time in an endeavor to get these demoralized men into an open +field, with a view to some future disposition of them; but in the +midst of the undertaking I received another order from Colonel +Elliott to join him at once. The news of the evacuation had also +reached Elliott, and had disclosed a phase of the situation so +different from that under which he had viewed it when we arrived at +Booneville, that he had grown anxious to withdraw, lest we should be +suddenly pounced upon by an overwhelming force from some one of the +columns in retreat. Under such circumstances my prisoners would +prove a decided embarrassment, so I abandoned further attempts to get +them together--not even paroling them, which I thought might have +been done with but little risk. + +In the meantime the captured cars had been fired, and as their +complete destruction was assured by explosions from those containing +ammunition, they needed no further attention, so I withdrew my men +and hastened to join Elliott, taking along some Confederate officers +whom I had retained from among four or five hundred prisoners +captured when making the original dash below the town. + +The losses in my regiment, and, in fact, those of the entire command, +were insignificant. The results of the expedition were important; +the railroad being broken so thoroughly as to cut off all rolling +stock north of Booneville, and to place at the service of General +Halleck's army the cars and locomotives of which the retreating +Confederates were now so much in need. In addition, we burned +twenty-six cars containing ten thousand stand of small arms, three +pieces of artillery, a great quantity of clothing, a heavy supply of +ammunition, and the personal baggage of General Leonidas Polk. A +large number of prisoners, mostly sick and convalescent, also fell +into our hands; but as we could not carry them with us--such a hurried +departure was an immediate necessity, by reason of our critical +situation--the process of paroling them was not completed, and they +doubtless passed back to active service in the Confederacy, properly +enough unrecognized as prisoners of war by their superiors. + +In returning, the column marched back by another indirect route to +its old camp near Farmington, where we learned that the whole army +had moved into and beyond Corinth, in pursuit of Beauregard, on the +13th of May, the very day we had captured Booneville. Although we +had marched about one hundred and eighty miles in four days, we were +required to take part, of course, in the pursuit of the Confederate +army. So, resting but one night in our old camp, we were early in +the saddle again on the morning of the 2d of June. Marching south +through Corinth, we passed on the 4th of June the scene of our late +raid, viewing with much satisfaction, as we took the road toward +Blackland, the still smoldering embers of the burned trains. + +On the 4th of June I was ordered to proceed with my regiment along +the Blackland road to determine the strength of the enemy in that +direction, as it was thought possible we might capture, by a +concerted movement which General John Pope had suggested to General +Halleck, a portion of Beauregard's rear guard. Pushing the +Confederate scouts rapidly in with a running fire for a mile or more, +while we were approaching a little stream, I hoped to gobble the main +body of the enemy's pickets. I therefore directed the sabre +battalion of the regiment, followed by that portion of it armed with +revolving rifles, to dash forward in column, cut off these videttes +before they could cross the stream, and then gather them in. The +pickets fled hastily, however, and a pell-mell pursuit carried us +over the stream at their heels by a little bridge, with no thought of +halting till we gained a hill on the other side, and suddenly found +ourselves almost in the camp of a strong body of artillery and +infantry. Captain Campbell being in advance, hurriedly dismounted +his battalion for a further forward movement on foot, but it was +readily seen that the enemy was present in such heavy force as almost +to ensure our destruction, and I gave orders for a hasty withdrawal. +We withdrew without loss under cover of thick woods, aided much, +however, by the consternation of the Confederates, who had hardly +recovered from their surprise at our sudden appearance in their camp +before we had again placed the stream between them and us by +recrossing the bridge. The reconnoissance was a success in one way +--that is, in finding out that the enemy was at the point supposed by, +General Pope; but it also had a tendency to accelerate Beauregard's +retreat, for in a day or two his whole line fell back as far south as +Guntown, thus rendering abortive the plans for bagging a large +portion of his army. + +General Beauregard's evacuation of Corinth and retreat southward were +accomplished in the face of a largely superior force of Union troops, +and he reached the point where he intended to halt for reorganization +without other loss than that sustained in the destruction of the cars +and supplies at Booneville, and the capture of some stragglers and +deserters that fell into our hands while we were pressing his rear +from General Pope's flank. The number of these was quite large, and +indicated that the enemy was considerably demoralized. Under such +circumstances, an energetic and skillfully directed pursuit might not +have made certain the enemy's destruction, but it would largely have +aided in disintegrating his forces, and I never could quite +understand why it was not ordered. The desultory affairs between +rear and advance guards seemed as a general, thing to have no +particular purpose in view beyond finding out where the enemy was, +and when he was found, since no supporting colums were at hand and no +one in supreme control was present to give directions, our +skirmishing was of little avail and brought but small reward. + +A short time subsequent to these occurrences, Colonel Elliott was +made a brigadier-general, and as General Pope appointed him his +Chief-of-Staff, I, on the 11th of June, 1862, fell in command of the +brigade by seniority. For the rest of the month but little of moment +occurred, and we settled down into camp at Booneville on the 26th of +June, in a position which my brigade had been ordered to take up some +twenty miles, in advance of the main army for the purpose of covering +its front. Although but a few days had elapsed from the date of my +appointment as colonel of the Second Michigan to that of my +succeeding to the command of the brigade, I believe I can say with +propriety that I had firmly established myself in the confidence of +the officers and men of the regiment, and won their regard by +thoughtful care. I had striven unceasingly to have them well fed and +well clothed, had personally looked after the selection of their +camps, and had maintained such a discipline as to allay former +irritation. + +Men who march, scout, and fight, and suffer all the hardships that +fall to the lot of soldiers in the field, in order to do vigorous +work must have the best bodily sustenance, and every comfort that can +be provided. I knew from practical experience on the frontier that +my efforts in this direction would not only be appreciated, but +requited by personal affection and gratitude; and, further, that such +exertions would bring the best results to me. Whenever my authority +would permit I saved my command from needless sacrifices and +unnecessary toil; therefore, when hard or daring work was to be done +I expected the heartiest response, and always got it. Soldiers are +averse to seeing their comrades killed without compensating results, +and none realize more quickly than they the blundering that often +takes place on the field of battle. They want some tangible +indemnity for the loss of life, and as victory is an offset the value +of which is manifest, it not only makes them content to shed their +blood, but also furnishes evidence of capacity in those who command +them. My regiment had lost very few men since coming under my +command, but it seemed, in the eyes of all who belonged to it, that +casualties to the enemy and some slight successes for us had repaid +every sacrifice, and in consequence I had gained not only their +confidence as soldiers, but also their esteem and love as men, and to +a degree far beyond what I then realized. + +As soon as the camp of my brigade was pitched at Booneville, I began +to scout in every direction, to obtain a knowledge of the enemy's +whereabouts and learn the ground about me. My standing in drawing at +the Military Academy had never been so high as to warrant the belief +that I could ever prove myself an expert, but a few practical lessons +in that line were impressed on me there, and I had retained enough to +enable me to make rough maps that could be readily understood, and +which would be suitable to replace the erroneous skeleton outlines of +northern Mississippi, with which at this time we were scantily +furnished; so as soon as possible I compiled for the use of myself +and my regimental commanders an information map of the surrounding +country. This map exhibited such details as country roads, streams, +farmhouses, fields, woods, and swamps, and such other topographical +features as would be useful. I must confess that my crude sketch did +not evidence much artistic merit, but it was an improvement on what +we already possessed in the way of details to guide the command, and +this was what I most needed; for it was of the first importance that +in our exposed condition we should be equipped with a thorough +knowledge of the section in which we were operating, so as to be +prepared to encounter an enemy already indicating recovery from the +disorganizing effects of his recent retreat. + +In the immediate vicinity of Booneville the country was covered with +heavy forests, with here and there clearings or intervening fields +that had been devoted to the cultivation of cotton and corn. The +ground was of a low character, typical of northeastern Mississippi, +and abounded in small creeks that went almost totally dry even in +short periods of drought, but became flooded with muddy water under +the outpouring of rain peculiar to a semi-tropical climate. In such +a region there were many chances of our being surprised, especially +by an enemy who knew the country well, and whose ranks were filled +with local guides; and great precautions as well as the fullest +information were necessary to prevent disaster. I therefore +endeavored to familiarize all with our surroundings, but scarcely had +matters begun to shape themselves as I desired when our annihilation +was attempted by a large force of Confederate cavalry. + +On the morning of July 1, 1862, a cavalry command of between five and +six thousand-men, under the Confederate General James R. Chalmers, +advanced on two roads converging near Booneville. The head of the +enemy's column on the Blackland and Booneville road came in contact +with my pickets three miles and a half west of Booneville. These +pickets, under Lieutenant Leonidas S. Scranton, of the Second +Michigan Cavalry, fell back slowly, taking advantage of every tree or +other cover to fire from till they arrived at the point where the +converging roads joined. At this junction there was a strong +position in the protecting timber, and here Scranton made a firm +stand, being reinforced presently by the few men he had out as +pickets on the road to his left, a second company I had sent him from +camp, and subsequently by three companies more, all now commanded by +Captain Campbell. This force was dismounted and formed in line, and +soon developed that the enemy was present in large numbers. Up to +this time Chalmers had shown only the heads of his columns, and we +had doubts as to his purpose, but now that our resistance forced him +to deploy two regiments on the right and left of the road, it became +apparent that he meant business, and that there was no time to lose +in preparing to repel his attack. + +Full information of the situation was immediately sent me, and I +directed Campbell to hold fast, if possible, till I could support +him, but if compelled to retire he was authorized to do so slowly, +taking advantage of every means that fell in his way to prolong the +fighting. Before this I had stationed one battalion of the Second +Iowa in Booneville, but Colonel Edward Hatch, commanding that +regiment, was now directed to leave one company for the protection of +our camp a little to the north of the station, and take the balance +of the Second Iowa, with the battalion in Booneville except two sabre +companies, and form the whole in rear of Captain Campbell, to protect +his flanks and support him by a charge should the enemy break his +dismounted line. + +While these preparations were being made, the Confederates attempted +to drive Campbell from his position by a direct attack through an +open field. In this they failed, however, for our men, reserving +their fire until the enemy came within about thirty yards, then +opened on him with such a shower of bullets from our Colt's rifles +that it soon became too hot for him, and he was repulsed with +considerable loss. Foiled in this move, Chalmers hesitated to attack +again in front, but began overlapping both flanks of Campbell's line +by force of numbers, compelling Campbell to retire toward a strong +position I had selected in his rear for a line on which to make our +main resistance. As soon as the enemy saw this withdrawing he again +charged in front, but was again as gallantly repelled as in the first +assault, although the encounter was for a short time so desperate as +to have the character of a hand-to-hand conflict, several groups of +friend and foe using on each other the butts of their guns. At this +juncture the timely arrival of Colonel Hatch with the Second Iowa +gave a breathing-spell to Campbell, and made the Confederates so +chary of further direct attacks that he was enabled to retire; and at +the same time I found opportunity to make disposition of the +reinforcement to the best advantage possible, placing the Second Iowa +on the left of the new line and strengthening Campbell on its right +with all the men available. + +In view of his numbers, the enemy soon regained confidence in his +ability to overcome us, and in a little while again began his +flanking movements, his right passing around my left flank some +distance, and approaching our camp and transportation, which I had +forbidden to be moved out to the rear. Fearing that he would envelop +us and capture the camp and transportation, I determined to take the +offensive. Remembering a circuitous wood road that I had become +familiar with while making the map heretofore mentioned, I concluded +that the most effective plan would be to pass a small column around +the enemy's left, by way of this road, and strike his rear by a +mounted charge simultaneously with an advance of our main line on his +front. I knew that the attack in rear would be a most hazardous +undertaking, but in the face of such odds as the enemy had the +condition of affairs was most critical, and could be relieved, only +by a bold and radical change in our tactics; so I at once selected +four sabre companies, two from the Second Michigan and two from the +Second Iowa, and placing Captain Alger, of the former regiment, in +command of them, I informed him that I expected of them the quick and +desperate work that is usually imposed on a forlorn hope. + +To carry out the purpose now in view, I instructed Captain Alger to +follow the wood road as it led around the left of the enemy's +advancing forces, to a point where 'it joined the Blackland road, +about three miles from Booneville, and directed him, upon reaching +the Blackland road, to turn up it immediately, and charge the rear of +the enemy's line. Under no circumstances was he to deploy the +battalion, but charge in column right through whatever he came upon, +and report to me in front of Booneville, if at all possible for him +to get there. If he failed to break through the enemy's line, he was +to go ahead as far as he could, and then if any of his men were left, +and he was able to retreat, he was to do so by the same route he had +taken on his way out. To conduct him on this perilous service I sent +along a thin, sallow, tawny-haired Mississippian named Beene, whom I +had employed as a guide and scout a few days before, on account of +his intimate knowledge of the roads, from the public thoroughfares +down to the insignificant by-paths of the neighboring swamps. With +such guidance I felt sure that the column would get to the desired +point without delay, for there was no danger of its being lost or +misled by taking any of the many by-roads which traversed the dense +forests through which it would be obliged to pass. I also informed +Alger that I should take the reserve and join the main line in front +of Booneville for the purpose of making an advance of my whole force, +and that as a signal he must have his men cheer loudly when he struck +the enemy's rear, in order that my attack might be simultaneous with +his. + +I gave him one hour to go around and come back through the enemy, and +when he started I moved to the front with the balance of the reserve, +to put everything I had into the fight. This meant an inestimable +advantage to the enemy in case of our defeat, but our own safety +demanded the hazard. All along our attenuated line the fighting was +now sharp, and the enemy's firing indicated such numerical strength +that fear of disaster to Alger increased my anxiety terribly as the +time set for his cheering arrived and no sound of it was heard. + +Relying, however, on the fact that Beene's knowledge of the roads +would prevent his being led astray, and confident of Alger's +determination to accomplish the purpose for which he set out, as soon +as the hour was up I ordered my whole line forward. Fortunately, +just as this moment a locomotive and two cars loaded with grain for +my horses ran into Booneville from Corinth. I say fortunately, +because it was well known throughout the command that in the morning, +when I first discovered the large numbers of the enemy, I had called +for assistance; and my troops, now thinking that reinforcements had +arrived by rail from Rienzi, where a division of infantry was +encamped, and inspirated by this belief, advanced with renewed +confidence and wild cheering. Meantime I had the engineer of the +locomotive blow his whistle loudly, so that the enemy might also +learn that a train had come; and from the fact that in a few moments +he began to give way before our small force, I thought that this +strategem had some effect. Soon his men broke, and ran in the utmost +disorder over the country in every direction. I found later, +however, that his precipitous retreat was due to the pressure on his +left from the Second Iowa, in concert with the front attack of the +Second Michigan, and the demoralization wrought in his rear by Alger, +who had almost entirely accomplished the purpose of his expedition, +though he had failed to come through, or so near that I could hear +the signal agreed upon before leaving Booneville. + +After Alger had reached and turned up the Blackland road, the first +thing he came across was the Confederate headquarters; the officers +and orderlies about which he captured and sent back some distance to +a farm-house. Continuing on a gallop, he soon struck the rear of the +enemy's line, but was unable to get through; nor did he get near +enough for me to hear his cheering; but as he had made the distance +he was to travel in the time allotted, his attack and mine were +almost coincident, and the enemy, stampeded by the charges in front +and rear, fled toward Blackland, with little or no attempt to capture +Alger's command, which might readily have been done. Alger's +troopers soon rejoined me at Booneville, minus many hats, having +returned by their original route. They had sustained little loss +except a few men wounded and a few temporarily missing. Among these +was Alger himself, who was dragged from his saddle by the limb of a +tree that, in the excitement of the charge, he was unable to flank. +The missing had been dismounted in one way or another, and run over +by the enemy in his flight; but they all turned up later, none the +worse except for a few scratches and bruises. + +My effective strength in this fight was 827 all told, and Alger's +command comprised ninety officers and men. Chalmers's force was +composed of six regiments and two battalions, and though I have been +unable to find any returns from which to verify his actual numbers, +yet, from the statements of prisoners and from information obtained +from citizens along his line of march, it is safe to say that he had +in the action not less than five-thousand men. Our casualties were +not many--forty-one in all. His loss in killed and wounded was +considerable, his most severely wounded--forty men--falling into our +hands, having been left at farm-houses in the vicinity of the +battlefield. + +The victory in the face of such odds was most gratifying, and as it +justified my disinclination--in fact, refusal--to retire from +Booneville without fighting (for the purpose of saving my +transportation, as directed by superior authority when I applied in +the morning for reinforcements), it was to me particularly grateful. +It was also very valuable in, view of the fact that it increased the +confidence between the officers and men of my brigade and me, and +gave us for the balance of the month not only comparative rest, but +entire immunity from the dangers of a renewed effort to gobble my +isolated outpost. In addition to all this, commendation from my +immediate superiors was promptly tendered through oral and written +congratulations; and their satisfaction at the result of the battle +took definite form a few days later, in the following application for +my promotion, when, by an expedition to Ripley, Miss., most valuable +information as to the enemy's location and plans was captured: + + + +"HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE MISSISSIPPI, +"JULY 30, 1862.--3.05 P. M. + +"MAJOR-GENERAL HALLECK, +"Washington, D. C. + +"Brigadiers scarce; good ones scarce. Asboth goes on the month's +leave you gave him ten months since; Granger has temporary command. +The undersigned respectfully beg that you will obtain the promotion +of Sheridan. He is worth his weight in gold. His Ripley expedition +has brought us captured letters of immense value, as well as +prisoners, showing the rebel plans and dispositions, as you will +learn from District Commander. + +"W. S. ROSECRANS, Brigadier-General. +"C. C. SULLIVAN, " " +"G. GRANGER, " " +"W. L. ELLIOTT, " " +"A. ASBOTH, " " " + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +IN CAMP NEAR RIENZI--GENERAL GRANGER--A VALUABLE CAPTURE AT RIPLEY +--RAIDING A CORNFIELD--REPULSING AN ATTACK--PRESENTED WITH THE BLACK +HORSE "RIENZI"--MEETING GENERAL GRANT--APPOINTED A BRIGADIER-GENERAL. + +After the battle of Booneville, it was decided by General Rosecrans, +on the advice of General Granger, that my position at Booneville was +too much exposed, despite the fact that late on the evening of the +fight my force had been increased by the addition of, a battery of +four guns and two companies of infantry, and by the Third Michigan +Cavalry, commanded by Colonel John K. Mizner; so I was directed to +withdraw from my post and go into camp near Rienzi, Mississippi, +where I could equally well cover the roads in front of the army, and +also be near General Asboth's division of infantry, which occupied a +line in rear of the town. This section of country, being higher and +more rolling than that in the neighborhood of Booneville, had many +advantages in the way of better camping-grounds, better grazing and +the like, but I moved with reluctance, because I feared that my +proximity to Asboth would diminish to a certain extent my +independence of command. + +General Asboth was a tall, spare, handsome man, with gray mustache +and a fierce look. He was an educated soldier, of unquestioned +courage, but the responsibilities of outpost duty bore rather heavily +on him, and he kept all hands in a state of constant worry in +anticipation of imaginary attacks. His ideas of discipline were not +very rigid either, and as by this time there had been introduced into +my brigade some better methods than those obtaining when it first +fell to my command, I feared the effect should he, have any control +over it, or meddle with its internal affairs. However, there was +nothing to do but to move to the place designated, but General +Granger, who still commanded the cavalry division to which the +brigade belonged, so arranged matters with General Rosecrans, who had +succeeded to the command of the Army of the Mississippi, that my +independence was to be undisturbed, except in case of a general +attack by the enemy. + +We went into camp near Rienzi, July 22, sending back to the general +field-hospital at Tuscumbia Springs all our sick--a considerable +number--stricken down by the malarial influences around Booneville. +In a few days the fine grazing and abundance of grain for our +exhausted horses brought about their recuperation; and the many large +open fields in the vicinity gave opportunity for drills and parades, +which were much needed. I turned my attention to those disciplinary +measures which, on account of active work in the field, had been +necessarily neglected since the brigade had arrived at Pittsburg +Landing, in April; and besides, we had been busy in collecting +information by scouting parties and otherwise, in prosecution of the +purpose for which we were covering the main army. + +I kept up an almost daily correspondence with General Granger, +concerning the information obtained by scouts and reconnoitring +parties, and he came often to Rienzi to see me in relation to this +and other matters. Previously I had not had much personal +association with Granger. While I was at Halleck's headquarters we +met on one or two occasions, and the day I joined the Second Michigan +at Farmington I saw him for a few moments, but, with such slight +exception, our intercourse had been almost exclusively official. He +had suggested my name, I was told, to Governor Blair, when the +Governor was in search of an officer of the regular army to appoint +to the colonelcy of the Second Michigan Cavalry, but his +recommendation must have been mainly based on the favorable opinions +he had heard expressed by General Halleck and by some of the officers +of his staff, rather than from any personal knowledge of my capacity. +Of course I was very grateful for this, but some of his +characteristics did not impress me favorably, and I sometimes wished +the distance between our camps greater. His most serious failing was +an uncontrollable propensity to interfere with and direct the minor +matters relating to the command, the details for which those under +him were alone responsible. Ill-judged meddling in this respect +often led to differences between us, only temporary it is true, but +most harassing to the subordinate, since I was compelled by the +circumstances of the situation not only invariably to yield my own +judgment, but many a time had to play peacemaker--smoothing down +ruffled feelings, that I knew had been excited by Granger's freaky +and spasmodic efforts to correct personally some trifling fault that +ought to have been left to a regimental or company commander to +remedy. Yet with all these small blemishes Granger had many good +qualities, and his big heart was so full of generous impulses and +good motives as to far outbalance his short-comings; and +not-withstanding the friction and occasional acerbity of our official +intercourse, we maintained friendly relations till his death. + +In pursuance of the fatal mistake made by dispersing Halleck's forces +after the fall of Corinth, General Don Carlos Buell's Army of the +Ohio had been started some time before on its march eastward toward +Chattanooga; and as this movement would be followed of course by a +manoeuvre on the part of the enemy, now at Tupelo under General +Braxton Bragg, either to meet Buell or frustrate his designs by some +counter-operation, I was expected to furnish, by scouting and all +other means available, information as to what was going on within the +Confederate lines. To do the work required, necessitated an increase +of my command, and the Seventh Kansas Cavalry was therefore added to +it, and my picket-line extended so as to cover from Jacinto +southwesterly to a point midway between Rienzi and Booneville, and +then northwesterly to the Hatchie River. Skirmishes between outposts +on this line were of frequent occurrence, with small results to +either side, but they were somewhat annoying, particularly in the +direction of Ripley, where the enemy maintained a considerable +outpost. Deciding to cripple if not capture this outpost, on the +evening of July 27, I sent out an expedition under Colonel Hatch, +which drove the enemy from the town of Ripley and took a few +prisoners, but the most valuable prize was in the shape of a package +of thirty-two private letters, the partial reading of which disclosed +to me the positive transfer from Mississippi of most of Bragg's army, +for the purpose of counteracting Buell's operations in northern +Alabama and East Tennessee. This decisive evidence was of the utmost +importance, and without taking time to read all the letters, I +forwarded them to General Granger July 28, in a despatch which +stated: "I deem it necessary to send them at once; the enemy is +moving in large force on Chattanooga." Other than this the results +of the expedition were few; and the enemy, having fled from Ripley +with but slight resistance, accompanied by almost all the +inhabitants, re-occupied the place next day after our people had +quitted it, and resumed in due time his annoying attacks on our +outposts, both sides trying to achieve something whenever occasion +offered. + +The prevalence of a severe drought had resulted in drying up many of +the streams within the enemy's lines, and, in consequence, he was +obliged to shift his camps often, and send his beef-cattle and mules +near his outposts for water. My scouts kept me well posted in regard +to the movements of both camps and herds; and a favorable opportunity +presenting itself, I sent an expedition on August 14 to gather in +some animals located on Twenty-Mile Creek, a stream always supplied +with water from a source of never-failing, springs. Our side met +with complete success in this instance, and when the expedition +returned, we were all made happy by an abundance of fresh beef, and +by some two hundred captured mules, that we thus added to our trains +at a time when draft animals were much needed. + +Rations for the men were now supplied in fair quantities, and the +only thing required to make us wholly contented was plenty of grain +for our animals. Because of the large number of troops then in West +Tennessee and about Corinth, the indifferent railroad leading down +from Columbus, Ky., was taxed to its utmost capacity to transport +supplies. The quantity of grain received at Corinth from the north +was therefore limited, and before reaching the different outposts, by +passing through intermediate depots of supply, it had dwindled to +insignificance. I had hopes, however, that this condition of things +might be ameliorated before long by gathering a good supply of corn +that was ripening in the neighborhood, and would soon, I thought, be +sufficiently hard to feed to my animals. Not far from my +headquarters there was a particularly fine field, which, with this +end in view, I had carefully protected through the milky stage, to +the evident disappointment of both Asboth's men and mine. They bore +the prohibition well while it affected only themselves, but the trial +was too great when it came to denying their horses; and men whose +discipline kept faith with my guards during the roasting-ear period +now fell from grace. Their horses were growing thin, and few could +withstand the mute appeals of their suffering pets; so at night the +corn, because of individual foraging, kept stealthily and steadily +vanishing, until the field was soon fringed with only earless stalks. +The disappearance was noticed, and the guard increased, but still the +quantity of corn continued to grow less, the more honest troopers +bemoaning the loss, and questioning the honor of those to whose +safekeeping it had been entrusted. Finally, doubtless under the +apprehension that through their irregularities the corn would all +disappear and find its way to the horses in accordance with the +stealthy enterprise of their owners, a general raid was made on the +field in broad daylight, and though the guard drove off the +marauders, I must admit that its efforts to keep them back were so +unsuccessful that my hopes for an equal distribution of the crop were +quickly blasted. One look at the field told that it had been swept +clean of its grain. Of course a great row occurred as to who was to +blame, and many arrests and trials took place, but there had been +such an interchanging of cap numbers and other insignia that it was +next to impossible to identify the guilty, and so much crimination +and acrimony grew out of the affair that it was deemed best to drop +the whole matter. + +On August 27 about half of the command was absent reconnoitring, I +having sent it south toward Tupelo, in the hope of obtaining some +definite information regarding a movement to Holly Springs of the +remainder of the Confederate army, under General Price, when about +mid-day I was suddenly aroused by excited cries and sounds of firing, +and I saw in a moment that the enemy was in my camp. He had come in +on my right flank from the direction of the Hatchie River, pell-mell +with our picket-post stationed about three miles out on the Ripley +road. The whole force of the enemy comprised about eight hundred, +but only his advance entered with my pickets, whom he had charged and +badly stampeded, without, on their part, the pretense of a fight in +behalf of those whom it was their duty to protect until proper +dispositions for defense could be made. The day was excessively hot, +one of those sultry debilitating days that had caused the suspending +of all military exercises; and as most of the men were lounging or +sleeping in their tents, we were literally caught napping. The alarm +spread instantly through the camp, and in a moment the command turned +out for action, somewhat in deshabille it is true, but none the less +effective, for every man had grabbed his rifle and cartridge-box at +the first alarm. Aided by a few shots from Captain Henry Hescock's +battery, we soon drove the intruders from our camp in about the same +disorder in which they had broken in on us. By this time Colonel +Hatch and Colonel Albert L. Lee had mounted two battalions each, and +I moved them out at a lively pace in pursuit, followed by a section +of the battery. No halt was called till we came upon the enemy's +main body, under Colonel Faulkner, drawn up in line of battle near +Newland's store. Opening on him with the two pieces of artillery, I +hurriedly formed line confronting him, and quickly and with but +little resistance drove him in confusion from the field. The sudden +turning of the tables dismayed Faulkner's men, and panic seizing +them, they threw away every loose article of arms or clothing of +which they could dismember themselves, and ran in the wildest +disorder in a mad effort to escape. As the chase went on the panic +increased, the clouds of dust from the road causing an intermingling +of friend and foe. In a little while the affair grew most ludicrous, +Faulkner's hatless and coatless men taking to the woods in such +dispersed order and so demoralized that a good many prisoners were +secured, and those of the enemy who escaped were hunted until dark. +When the recall was sounded, our men came in loaded down with plunder +in the shape of hats, haversacks, blankets, pistols, and shotguns, in +a quantity which amply repaid for the surprise of the morning, but +did not excuse the delinquent commander of our picket-guard, who a +few days later was brought to a realizing sense of his duty by a +court-martial. + +Shortly after this affair Captain Archibald P. Campbell, of the +Second Michigan Cavalry, presented me with the black horse called +Rienzi, since made historical from having been ridden by me in many +battles, conspicuously in the ride from Winchester to Cedar Creek, +which has been celebrated in the poem by T. Buchanan Read. This +horse was of Morgan stock, and then about three years old. He was +jet black, excepting three white feet, sixteen hands high, and +strongly built, with great powers of endurance. He was so active +that he could cover with ease five miles an hour at his natural +walking gait. The gelding had been ridden very seldom; in fact, +Campbell had been unaccustomed to riding till the war broke out, and, +I think, felt some disinclination to mount the fiery colt. Campbell +had an affection for him, however, that never waned, and would often +come to my headquarters to see his favorite, the colt being cared for +there by the regimental farrier, an old man named John Ashley, who +had taken him in charge when leaving Michigan, and had been his groom +ever since. Seeing that I liked the horse--I had ridden him on +several occasions--Campbell presented him to me on one of these +visits, and from that time till the close of the war I rode him +almost continuously, in every campaign and battle in which I took +part, without once finding him overcome by fatigue, though on many +occasions his strength was severely tested by long marches and short +rations. I never observed in him any vicious habit; a nervousness +and restlessness and switch of the tail, when everything about him +was in repose, being the only indication that he might be +untrustworthy. No one but a novice could be deceived by this, +however, for the intelligence evinced in every feature, and his +thoroughbred appearance, were so striking that any person accustomed +to horses could not misunderstand such a noble animal. But Campbell +thought otherwise, at least when the horse was to a certain degree +yet untrained, and could not be pursuaded to ride him; indeed, for +more than a year after he was given to me, Campbell still retained +suspicions of his viciousness, though, along with this mistrust, an +undiminished affection. Although he was several times wounded, this +horse escaped death in action; and living to a ripe old age, died in +1878, attended to the last with all the care and surrounded with +every comfort due the faithful service he had rendered. + +In moving from Corinth east toward Chattanooga, General Buell's army +was much delayed by the requirement that he should repair the Memphis +and Charleston railroad as he progressed. The work of repair obliged +him to march very slowly, and was of but little use when done, for +guerrillas and other bands of Confederates destroyed the road again +as soon as he had passed on. But worst of all, the time thus +consumed gave General Bragg the opportunity to reorganize and +increase his army to such an extent that he was able to contest the +possession of Middle Tennessee and Kentucky. Consequently, the +movement of this army through Tennessee and Kentucky toward the Ohio +River--its objective points being Louisville and Cincinnati--was now +well defined, and had already rendered abortive General Buell's +designs on Chattanooga and East Tennessee. Therefore extraordinary +efforts on the part of the Government became necessary, and the +concentration of National troops at Louisville and Cincinnati to meet +the contingency of Bragg's reaching those points was an obvious +requirement. These troops were drawn from all sections in the West +where it was thought they could be spared, and among others I was +ordered to conduct thither--to Louisville or Cincinnati, as +subsequent developments might demand--my regiment, Hescock's battery, +the Second and Fifteenth Missouri, and the Thirty-sixth and +Forty-fourth Illinois regiments of infantry, known as the "Pea Ridge +Brigade." With this column I marched back to Corinth on the 6th of +September, 1862, for the purpose of getting railroad transportation +to Columbus, Kentucky. + +At Corinth I met General Grant, who by this time had been +reestablished in favor and command somewhat, General Halleck having +departed for Washington to assume command of the army as +General-in-Chief. Before and during the activity which followed his +reinstatement, General Grant had become familiar with my services +through the transmission to Washington of information I had furnished +concerning the enemy's movements, and by reading reports of my fights +and skirmishes in front, and he was loth to let me go. Indeed, he +expressed surprise at seeing me in Corinth, and said he had not +expected me to go; he also plainly showed that he was much hurt at +the inconsiderate way in which his command was being depleted. Since +I was of the opinion that the chief field of usefulness and +opportunity was opening up in Kentucky, I did not wish him to retain +me, which he might have done, and I impressed him with my conviction, +somewhat emphatically, I fear. Our conversation ended with my wish +gratified. I afterward learned that General Granger, whom General +Grant did not fancy, had suggested that I should take to Cincinnati +the main portion of Granger's command--the Pea Ridge Brigade--as well +as the Second Michigan Cavalry, of which I was still colonel. +We started that night, going by rail over the Mobile and Ohio road to +Columbus, Ky., where we embarked on steamboats awaiting us. These +boats were five in number, and making one of them my flag-ship, +expecting that we might come upon certain batteries reported to be +located upon the Kentucky shore of the Ohio, I directed the rest to +follow my lead. Just before reaching Caseyville, the captain of a +tin-clad gunboat that was patrolling the river brought me the +information that the enemy was in strong force at Caseyville, and +expressed a fear that my fleet could not pass his batteries. +Accepting the information as correct, I concluded to capture the +place before trying to pass up the river. Pushing in to the bank as +we neared the town, I got the troops ashore and moved on Caseyville, +in the expectation of a bloody fight, but was agreeably surprised +upon reaching the outskirts of the village by an outpouring of its +inhabitants--men, women, and children--carrying the Stars and +Stripes, and making the most loyal professions. Similar +demonstrations of loyalty had been made to the panic-stricken captain +of the gunboat when he passed down the river, but he did not stay to +ascertain their character, neither by landing nor by inquiry, for he +assumed that on the Kentucky bank of the river there could be no +loyalty. The result mortified the captain intensely; and deeming his +convoy of little further use, he steamed toward Cairo in quest of +other imaginary batteries, while I re-embarked at Caseyville, and +continued up the Ohio undisturbed. About three miles below +Cincinnati I received instructions to halt, and next day I was +ordered by Major-General H. G. Wright to take my troops back to +Louisville, and there assume command of the Pea Ridge Brigade, +composed of the Second and Fifteenth Missouri, Thirty-sixth and +Forty-fourth Illinois infantry, and of such other regiments as might +be sent me in advance of the arrival of General Buell's army. +When I reached Louisville I reported to Major-General William Nelson, +who was sick, and who received me as he lay in bed. He asked me why +I did not wear the shoulder-straps of my rank. I answered that I was +the colonel of the Second Michigan cavalry, and had on my appropriate +shoulder-straps. He replied that I was a brigadier-general for the +Booneville fight, July 1, and that I should wear the shoulder-straps +of that grade. I returned to my command and put it in camp; and +as I had no reluctance to wearing the shoulder-straps of a +brigadier-general, I was not long in procuring a pair, particularly +as I was fortified next day by receiving from Washington official +information of my appointment as a brigadier-general, to date from +July 1, 1862, the day of the battle of Booneville. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +GOOD ADVICE FROM GENERAL NELSON--HIS TRAGIC DEATH--PUTTING LOUISVILLE +IN A STATE OF DEFENSE--ASSIGNED TO THE COMMAND OF THE ELEVENTH +DIVISION--CAPTURE OF CHAPLIN HEIGHTS--BATTLE OF PERRYVILLE--REPORTED +AMONG THE KILLED--A THRILLING INCIDENT--GENERAL BUELL RELIEVED BY +GENERAL ROSECRANS. + +I reported to Major-General Nelson at the Galt House in Louisville, +September 14, 1862, who greeted me in the bluff and hearty fashion of +a sailor--for he had been in the navy till the breaking out of the +war. The new responsibilities that were now to fall upon me by +virtue of increased rank caused in my mind an uneasiness which, I +think, Nelson observed at the interview, and he allayed it by giving +me much good advice, and most valuable information in regard to +affairs in Kentucky, telling me also that he intended I should retain +in my command the Pea Ridge Brigade and Hescock's battery. This +latter assurance relieved me greatly, for I feared the loss of these +troops in the general redistribution which I knew must soon take +place; and being familiar with their valuable service in Missouri, +and having brought them up from Mississippi, I hoped they would +continue with me. He directed me to take position just below the +city with the Pea Ridge Brigade, Hescock's battery, and the Second +Michigan Cavalry, informing me, at the same time, that some of the +new regiments, then arriving under a recent call of the President for +volunteers, would also be assigned to my command. Shortly after the +interview eight new regiments and an additional battery joined me, +thus making good his promise of more troops. + +A few days later came Nelson's tragic end, shocking the whole +country. Those of us in camp outside of the city were startled on +the morning of September 29 by the news that General Jefferson C. +Davis, of the Union Army, had shot General Nelson at the Galt House, +and the wildest rumors in regard to the occurrence came thick and +fast; one to the effect that Nelson was dead, another having it that +he was living and had killed Davis, and still others reflecting on +the loyalty of both, it being supposed by the general public at first +that the difficulty between the two men had grown out of some +political rather than official or personal differences. When the +news came, I rode into the city to the Galt House to learn the +particulars, reaching there about 10 o'clock in the forenoon. Here I +learned that Nelson had been shot by Davis about two hours before, at +the foot of the main stairway leading from the corridor just beyond +the office to the second floor, and that Nelson was already dead. It +was almost as difficult to get reliable particulars of the matter at +the hotel as it had been in my camp, but I gathered that the two men +had met first at an early hour near the counter of the hotel office, +and that an altercation which had begun several days before in +relation to something official was renewed by Davis, who, attempting +to speak to Nelson in regard to the subject-matter of their previous +dispute, was met by an insulting refusal to listen. It now appears +that when Nelson made this offensive remark, Davis threw a small +paper ball that he was nervously rolling between his fingers into +Nelson's face, and that this insult was returned by Nelson slapping +Davis (Killed by a Brother Soldier.--Gen. J. B. Fry.) in the face. +But at the time, exactly what had taken place just before the +shooting was shrouded in mystery by a hundred conflicting stories, +the principal and most credited of which was that Davis had demanded +from Nelson an apology for language used in the original altercation, +and that Nelson's refusal was accompanied by a slap in the face, at +the same moment denouncing Davis as a coward. However this may be, +Nelson, after slapping Davis, moved toward the corridor, from which a +stairway led to the second floor, and just as he was about to ascend, +Davis fired with a pistol that he had obtained from some one near by +after the blow had been struck. The ball entered Nelson's breast +just above the heart, but his great strength enabled him to ascend +the stairway notwithstanding the mortal character of the wound, and +he did not fall till he reached the corridor on the second floor. He +died about half an hour later. The tragedy cast a deep gloom over +all who knew the men, for they both had many warm personal friends; +and affairs at Louisville had hardly recovered as yet from the +confused and discouraging condition which preceded the arrival of +General Buell's army. General Buell reported the killing of Nelson +to the authorities at Washington, and recommended the trial of Davis +by court-martial, but no proceedings were ever instituted against him +in either a civil or military court, so to this day it has not been +determined judicially who was the aggressor. Some months later Davis +was assigned to the command of a division in Buell's army after that +officer had been relieved from its command. + +Two Confederate armies, under General Kirby Smith and General Braxton +Bragg, had penetrated into Kentucky, the one under Smith by the way +of Cumberland Gap, the other and main army under Bragg by way of the +Sequatche Valley, Glasgow, and Mumfordsville. Glasgow was captured +by the enemy on the 17th of September, and as the expectation was +that Buell would reach the place in time to save the town, its loss +created considerable alarm in the North, for fears were now +entertained that Bragg would strike Louisville and capture the city +before Buell could arrive on the ground. It became necessary +therefore to put Louisville in a state of defense, and after the +cordon of principal works had been indicated, my troops threw up in +one night a heavy line of rifle-pits south of the city, from the +Bardstown pike to the river. The apprehended attack by Bragg never +came, however, for in the race that was then going on between him and +Buell on parallel roads, the Army of the Ohio outmarched the +Confederates, its advance arriving at Louisville September 25. + +General Buell immediately set about reorganizing the whole force, and +on September 29 issued an order designating the troops under my +command as the Eleventh Division, Army of the Ohio, and assigning +Brigadier-General J. T. Boyle to command the division, and me to +command one of its brigades. To this I could not object, of course, +for I was a brigadier-general of very recent date, and could hardly +expect more than a brigade. I had learned, however, that at least +one officer to whom a high command had been given--a corps--had not +yet been appointed a general officer by the President, and I +considered it somewhat unfair that I should be relegated to a +brigade, while men who held no commissions at all were being made +chiefs of corps and divisions; so I sought an interview with General +Buell's chief-of-staff, Colonel Fry, and, while not questioning +Buell's good intentions nor his pure motives, insisted that my rights +in the matter should be recognized. That same evening I was assigned +to the command of the Eleventh Division, and began preparing it at +once for a forward movement, which I knew must soon take place in the +resumption of offensive operations by the Army of the Ohio. + +During the interval from September 25 till October 1 there was among +the officers much criticism of General Buell's management of the +recent campaign, which had resulted in his retirement to Louisville; +and he was particularly censured by many for not offering battle to +General Bragg while the two armies were marching parallel to each +other, and so near that an engagement could have been brought on at +any one of several points--notably so at Glasgow, Kentucky, if there +had been a desire to join issue. It was asserted, and by many +conceded, that General Buell had a sufficient force to risk a fight. +He was much blamed for the loss of Mumfordsville also. The capture +of this point, with its garrison, gave Bragg an advantage in the race +toward the Ohio River, which odds would most likely have ensured the +fall of Louisville had they been used with the same energy and skill +that the Confederate commander displayed from Chattanooga to Glasgow; +but something always diverted General Bragg at the supreme moment, +and he failed to utilize the chances falling to him at this time, +for, deflecting his march to the north toward Bardstown, he left open +to Buell the direct road to Louisville by way of Elizabethtown. + +At Bardstown Bragg's army was halted while he endeavored to establish +a Confederate government in Kentucky by arranging for the +installation of a provisional governor at Lexington. Bragg had been +assured that the presence of a Confederate army in Kentucky would so +encourage the secession element that the whole State could be forced +into the rebellion and his army thereby largely increased; but he had +been considerably misled, for he now found that though much latent +sympathy existed for his cause, yet as far as giving active aid was +concerned, the enthusiasm exhibited by the secessionists of Kentucky +in the first year of the war was now replaced by apathy, or at best +by lukewarmness. So the time thus spent in political machinations +was wholly lost to Bragg; and so little reinforcement was added to +his army that it may be said that the recruits gained were not enough +to supply the deficiencies resulting from the recent toilsome marches +of the campaign. + +In the meanwhile Buell had arrived at Louisville, system had been +substituted for the chaos which had previously obtained there, and +orders were issued for an advance upon the enemy with the purpose of +attacking and the hope of destroying him within the limits of the +"blue grass" region, and, failing in that, to drive him from +Kentucky. The army moved October 1, 1862, and my division, now a +part of the Third Corps, commanded by General C. C. Gilbert, marched +directly on Bardstown, where it was thought the enemy would make a +stand, but Bragg's troops retreated toward Perryville, only resisting +sufficiently to enable the forces of General Kirby Smith to be drawn +in closer--they having begun a concentration at Frankfort--so they +could be used in a combined attack on Louisville as soon as the +Confederate commander's political projects were perfected. + +Much time was consumed by Buell's army in its march on Perryville, +but we finally neared it on the evening of October 7. During the +day, Brigadier-General Robert B. Mitchell's division of Gilbert's +corps was in the advance on the Springfield pike, but as the enemy +developed that he was in strong force on the opposite side of a small +stream called Doctor's Creek, a tributary of Chaplin River, my +division was brought up and passed to the front. It was very +difficult to obtain water in this section of Kentucky, as a drought +had prevailed for many weeks, and the troops were suffering so for +water that it became absolutely necessary that we should gain +possession of Doctor's Creek in order to relieve their distress. +Consequently General Gilbert, during the night, directed me to push +beyond Doctor's Creek early the next morning. At daylight on the 8th +I moved out Colonel Dan McCook's brigade and Barnett's battery for +the purpose, but after we had crossed the creek with some slight +skirmishing, I found that we could not hold the ground unless we +carried and occupied a range of hills, called Chaplin Heights, in +front of Chaplin River. As this would project my command in the +direction of Perryville considerably beyond the troops that were on +either flank, I brought up Laiboldt's brigade and Hescock's battery +to strengthen Colonel McCook. Putting both brigades into line we +quickly carried the Heights, much to the surprise of the enemy, I +think, for he did not hold on to the valuable ground as strongly as +he should have done. This success not only ensured us a good supply +of water, but also, later in the day, had an important bearing in the +battle of Perryville. After taking the Heights, I brought up the +rest of my division and intrenched, without much difficulty, by +throwing up a strong line of rifle-pits, although the enemy's +sharpshooters annoyed us enough to make me order Laiboldt's brigade +to drive them in on the main body. This was successfully done in a +few minutes, but in pushing them back to Chaplin River, we discovered +the Confederates forming a line of battle on the opposite bank, with +the apparent purpose of an attack in force, so I withdrew the brigade +to our intrenchments on the crest and there awaited the assault. + +While this skirmishing was going on, General Gilbert--the corps +commander--whose headquarters were located on a hill about a mile +distant to the rear, kept sending me messages by signal not to bring +on an engagement. I replied to each message that I was not bringing +on an engagement, but that the enemy evidently intended to do so, and +that I believed I should shortly be attacked. Soon after returning +to the crest and getting snugly fixed in the rifle-pits, my attention +was called to our left, the high ground we occupied affording me in +that direction an unobstructed view. I then saw General A. McD. +McCook's corps--the First-advancing toward Chaplin River by the +Mackville road, apparently unconscious that the Confederates were +present in force behind the stream. I tried by the use of signal +flags to get information of the situation to these troops, but my +efforts failed, and the leading regiments seemed to approach the +river indifferently prepared to meet the sudden attack that speedily +followed, delivered as it was from the chosen position of the enemy. +The fury of the Confederate assault soon halted this advance force, +and in a short time threw it into confusion, pushed it back a +considerable distance, and ultimately inflicted upon it such loss of +men and guns as to seriously cripple McCook's corps, and prevent for +the whole day further offensive movement on his part, though he +stoutly resisted the enemy's assaults until 4 o'clock in the +afternoon. + +Seeing McCook so fiercely attacked, in order to aid him I advanced +Hescock's battery, supported by six regiments, to a very good +position in front of a belt of timber on my extreme left, where an +enfilading fire could be opened on that portion of the enemy +attacking the right of the First Corps, and also on his batteries +across Chaplin River. But at this juncture he placed two batteries +on my right and began to mass troops behind them, and General +Gilbert, fearing that my intrenched position on the heights might be +carried, directed me to withdraw Hescock and his supports and return +them to the pits. My recall was opportune, for I had no sooner got +back to my original line than the Confederates attacked me furiously, +advancing almost to my intrenchments, notwithstanding that a large +part of the ground over which they had to move was swept by a heavy +fire of canister from both my batteries. Before they had quite +reached us, however, our telling fire made them recoil, and as they +fell back, I directed an advance of my whole division, bringing up my +reserve regiments to occupy the crest of the hills; Colonel William +P. Carlin's brigade of Mitchell's division meanwhile moving forward +on my right to cover that flank. This advance pressed the enemy to +Perryville, but he retired in such good order that we gained nothing +but some favorable ground that enabled me to establish my batteries +in positions where they could again turn their attention to the +Confederates in front of McCook, whose critical condition was shortly +after relieved, however, by a united pressure of Gilbert's corps +against the flank of McCook's assailants, compelling them to retire +behind Chaplin River. + +The battle virtually ended about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, though +more or less desultory firing continued until dark. Considering the +severity of the engagement on McCook's front, and the reverses that +had befallen him, I question if, from that part of the line, much +could have been done toward retrieving the blunders of the day, but +it did seem to me that, had the commander of the army been able to be +present on the field, he could have taken advantage of Bragg's final +repulse, and there would have remained in our hands more than the +barren field. But no attempt was made to do anything more till next +morning, and then we secured little except the enemy's killed and +most severely wounded. + +The operations of my division during the engagement pleased. General +Gilbert very much, and he informed me that he would relax a rigidly +enforced order which General Buell had issued some days before, +sufficiently to permit my trains to come to the front and supply my +almost starving troops with rations. The order in question was one +of those issued, doubtless with a good intent, to secure generally +the safety of our trains, but General Gilbert was not elastic, and on +the march he had construed the order so illiberally that it was next +to impossible to supply the men with food, and they were particularly +short in this respect on the eve of the battle. I had then +endeavored to persuade him to modify his iron-clad interpretation of +the order, but without effect, and the only wagons we could bring up +from the general parks in rear were ambulances and those containing +ammunition. So to gain access to our trains was a great boon, and at +that moment a more welcome result than would have been a complete +victory minus this concession. + +When the battle ceased General Gilbert asked me to join him at +Buell's headquarters, which were a considerable distance to the rear, +so after making some dispositions for the evening I proceeded there +as requested. I arrived just as Buell was about to sit down to his +supper, and noticing that he was lame, then learned that he had been +severely injured by a recent fall from his horse. He kindly invited +me to join him at the table, an invitation which I accepted with +alacrity, enjoying the meal with a relish known only to a very-hungry +man, for I had eaten nothing since morning. Of course the events of +the day were the chief topic of discussion--as they were during my +stay at headquarters--but the conversation indicated that what had +occurred was not fully realized, and I returned to my troops +impressed with the belief that General Buell and his staff-officers +were unconscious of the magnitude of the battle that had just been +fought. + +It had been expected by Buell that he would fight the enemy on the +9th of October, but the Confederates disposed of that proposition by +attacking us on the 8th, thus disarranging a tactical conception +which, with our superior numbers, would doubtless have proved +successful had it not been anticipated by an enterprising foe. +During the battle on the 8th the Second Corps, under General Thomas +L. Crittenden, accompanied by General George H. Thomas, lay idle the +whole day for want of orders, although it was near enough to the +field to take an active part in the fight; and, moreover, a large +part of Gilbert's corps was unengaged during the pressure on McCook. +Had these troops been put in on the enemy's left at any time after he +assaulted McCook, success would have been beyond question; but there +was no one on the ground authorized to take advantage of the +situation, and the battle of Perryville remains in history an example +of lost opportunities. This was due in some measure probably to +General Buell's accident, but is mainly attributable to the fact that +he did not clearly apprehend Bragg's aim, which was to gain time to +withdraw behind Dick's River all the troops he had in Kentucky, for +the Confederate general had no idea of risking the fate of his army +on one general battle at a place or on a day to be chosen by the +Union commander. + +Considering the number of troops actually engaged, the losses to +Buell were severe, amounting to something over five thousand in +killed, wounded, and missing. Among the killed were two brigade +commanders of much promise--General James S. Jackson and General +William R. Terrill. McCook's corps lost twelve guns, some of which +were recovered next day. The enemy's loss in killed and wounded we +never learned, but it must have equalled ours; and about four +thousand prisoners, consisting principally of sick and wounded, fell +into our hands. In the first report of the battle sent North to the +newspapers I was reported among the killed; but I was pleased to +notice, when the papers reached us a few days later, that the error +had been corrected before my obituary could be written. + +The enemy retired from our front the night of the 8th, falling back +on Harrodsburg to form a junction with Kirby Smith, and by taking +this line of retreat opened to us the road to Danville and the chance +for a direct march against his depot of supplies at Bryantsville. We +did not take advantage of this opening, however, and late in the day +--on the 9th--my division marched in pursuit, in the direction of +Harrodsburg, which was the apex of a triangle having for its base a +line from Perryville to Danville. The pursuit was slow, very slow, +consuming the evening of the 9th and all of the 10th and 11th. By +cutting across the triangle spoken of above, just south of the apex, +I struck the Harrodsburg-Danville road, near Cave Springs, joining +there Gilbert's left division, which had preceded me and marched +through Harrodsburg. Here we again rested until the intention of the +enemy could be divined, and we could learn on which side of Dick's +River he would give us battle. A reconnoissance sent toward the +Dickville crossing developed to a certainty that we should not have +another engagement, however; for it disclosed the fact that Bragg's +army had disappeared toward Camp Dick Robinson, leaving only a small +rear-guard at Danville, which in turn quickly fled in the direction +of Lancaster, after exchanging a few shots with Hescock's battery. + +While this parting salute of deadly projectiles was going on, a +little, daughter of Colonel William J. Landram, whose home was in +Danville, came running out from his house and planted a small +national flag on one of Hescock's guns. The patriotic act was so +brave and touching that it thrilled all who witnessed the scene; and +until the close of the war, when peace separated the surviving +officers and men of the battery, that little flag was protected and +cherished as a memento of the Perryville campaign. + +Pursuit of the enemy was not continued in force beyond Crab Orchard, +but some portions of the army kept at Bragg's heels until he crossed +the Cumberland River, a part of his troops retiring to Tennessee by +way of Cumberland Gap, but the major portion through Somerset. As +the retreat of Bragg transferred the theatre of operations back to +Tennessee, orders were now issued for a concentration of Buell's army +at Bowling Green, with a view to marching it to Nashville, and my +division moved to that point without noteworthy incident. I reached +Bowling Green with a force much reduced by the losses sustained in +the battle of Perryville and by sickness. I had started from +Louisville on October 1 with twelve regiments of infantry--four old +and eight new ones--and two batteries, but many poor fellows, +overcome by fatigue, and diseases induced by the heat, dust, and +drought of the season, had to be left at roadside hospitals. This +was particularly the case with the new regiments, the men of which, +much depressed by homesickness, and not yet inured to campaigning, +fell easy victims to the hardships of war. + +At Bowling Green General Buell was relieved, General W. S. Rosecrans +succeeding him. The army as a whole did not manifest much regret at +the change of commanders, for the campaign from Louisville on was +looked upon generally as a lamentable failure, yet there were many +who still had the utmost confidence in General Buell, and they +repelled with some asperity the reflections cast upon him by his +critics. These admirers held him blameless throughout for the +blunders of the campaign, but the greater number laid every error at +his door, and even went to the absurdity of challenging his loyalty +in a mild way, but they particularly charged incompetency at +Perryville, where McCook's corps was so badly crippled while nearly +30,000 Union troops were idle on the field, or within striking +distance. With these it was no use to argue that Buell's accident +stood in the way of his activity, nor that he did not know that the +action had assumed the proportions of a battle. The physical +disability was denied or contested, but even granting this, his +detractors claimed that it did not excuse his ignorance of the true +condition of the fight, and finally worsted his champions by pointing +out that Bragg's retreat by way of Harrodsburg beyond Dick's River so +jeopardized the Confederate army, that had a skillful and energetic +advance of the Union troops been made, instead of wasting precious +time in slow and unnecessary tactical manoeuvres, the enemy could +have been destroyed before he could quit the State of Kentucky. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +MOVING TO BOWLING GREEN--JAMES CARD, THE SCOUT AND GUIDE--GENERAL +SILL--COLONEL SCHAEFER--COLONEL G. W. ROBERTS--MOVEMENT ON +MURFREESBORO'--OPENING OF THE BATTLE OF STONE RIVER. + +My division had moved from Crab Orchard to Bowling Green by easy +marches, reaching this place November 1. General Rosecrans assumed +command of the department October 30, at Louisville, and joined the +army November 2. There had been much pressure brought to bear on +General Buell to induce him to take measures looking to the occupancy +of East Tennessee, and the clamor to this end from Washington still +continued; but now that Bragg was south of the Cumberland River, in a +position threatening Nashville, which was garrisoned by but a small +force, it was apparent to every one at all conversant with the +situation that a battle would have to be fought somewhere in Middle +Tennessee. So, notwithstanding the pressure from Washington, the +army was soon put in motion for Nashville, and when we arrived there +my division went into camp north of the river, on a plateau just +outside the little town of Edgefield, until the movements of the +enemy should be further developed. + +While in this camp, on the plantation of Mr. Hobson, there came to my +headquarters one morning an East Tennessean named James Card, who +offered to the Union cause his services in any capacity in which they +might be made useful. This offer, and the relation of his personal +history, were given with such sincerity of speech and manner that in +a short time I became convinced of his honesty of purpose. He was a +small, active, busy man, with a determined way about him, and his +countenance indicated great intelligence. He gave minute information +that was of inestimable value to me regarding East and Middle +Tennessee and northern Georgia, for, with a view to the army's future +movements, I was then making a study of the topography of this +region, and posting myself as to Middle Tennessee, for all knew this +would be the scene of active operations whenever the campaign was +resumed. This man, like most of the East Tennesseans whom I had met, +was intensely loyal and patriotic, and the interview led in a few +days to his employment as a scout and guide, and subsequently to the +engaging in the same capacity of two of his brothers, who were good +men; but not quite as active nor so intelligent as he was. Card had +been a colporter, having pedled books, especially religious tracts, +over all Middle and East Tennessee and Georgia, assisted by his +brothers at times, and was therefore thoroughly familiar with these +regions, their roads and inhabitants. He also preached to country +congregations occasionally, when ministers were scarce, and I have no +doubt often performed the functions of family physician in the +mountain district. Thus his opportunities were great; and the loyal +people in every section of the country being well known to him and +his brothers, the three began, at this time, a system of scouting and +investigation which bore its first-fruits in specifically locating +the different divisions of Bragg's army, with statements of their +strength and condition, and all with so much accuracy that I +thereafter felt reasonably sure that I could at all times procure +such knowledge of the enemy's operations as would well equip me for +any contingency that might arise. + +By the middle of November the enemy, having assembled his forces in +Middle Tennessee, showed considerable boldness, and it became +necessary to rearrange the Union lines; so my troops were moved to +the south side of the river, out on the Murfreesboro' pike, to Mill +Creek, distant from Nashville about seven miles. While we were in +camp on Mill Creek the army was reorganized, and General Joshua W. +Sill, at his own request, was assigned to my division, and took +command of Colonel Nicholas Greusel's brigade. My division became at +the same time the Third Division, Right Wing, Fourteenth Army Corps, +its three brigades of four regiments each being respectively +commanded by General Sill, Colonel Frederick Schaefer and Colonel Dan +McCook; but a few days later Colonel George W. Roberts's brigade, +from the garrison at Nashville, was substituted for McCook's. + +General Sill was a classmate of mine at the Military Academy, having +graduated in 1853. On graduating he was appointed to the Ordnance +Corps, and served in that department at various arsenals and ordnance +depots throughout the country till early in 1861, when he resigned to +accept a professorship of mathematics and civil engineering at the +Brooklyn Collegiate and Polytechnic Institute. At the breaking out +of the war he immediately tendered his services to the Government, +and soon rose to the colonelcy of the Thirty-Third Ohio Volunteers, +and afterward to the rank of brigadier-general. I knew him well, and +was glad that he came to my division, though I was very loth to +relieve Colonel Greusel, of the Thirty-Sixth Illinois, who had +already indicated much military skill and bravery, and at the battle +of Perryville had handled his men with the experience of a veteran. +Sill's modesty and courage were exceeded only by a capacity that had +already been demonstrated in many practical ways, and his untimely +death, almost within a month of his joining me, abruptly closed a +career which, had it been prolonged a little more, not only would +have shed additional lustre on his name, but would have been of +marked benefit to his country. + +Colonel Schaefer, of the Second Missouri Infantry, had been absent on +sick-leave during the Kentucky campaign, but about this date he +returned to duty, and by seniority fell in command of the second +brigade. He was of German birth, having come from Baden, where, +prior to 1848, he had been a non-commissioned officer in the service +of his State. He took part as an insurgent in the so-called +revolution which occurred at Baden in that year, and, compelled to +emigrate on the suppression of the insurrection, made his way to this +country and settled in St. Louis. Here the breaking out of the war +found him, and through the personal interest which General Sigel took +in him he was commissioned a colonel of volunteers. He had had a +pretty fair education, a taste for the military profession, and was +of tall and slender build, all of which gave him a student-like +appearance. He was extremely excitable and nervous when anticipating +a crisis, but always calmed down to cool deliberation when the +critical moment came. With such a man I could not be less than well +satisfied, although the officer whom he replaced--Colonel Laiboldt +--had performed efficient service and shown much capacity in the +recent campaign. + +Colonel G. W. Roberts, of the Forty-Second Illinois Infantry, also +came to me in the reorganization. He was an ideal soldier both in +mind and body. He was young, tall, handsome, brave, and dashing, and +possessed a balance-wheel of such good judgment that in his sphere of +action no occasion could arise from which he would not reap the best +results. But he too was destined to lay, down his life within a few +days, and on the same fatal field. His brigade had been performing +garrison duty in Nashville during the siege of that city while +Buell's army was in Kentucky, but disliking the prospect of +inactivity pending the operations opening before us, Roberts had +requested and obtained a transfer to the army in the field. His +brigade relieved Colonel Dan McCook's, the latter reluctantly joining +the garrison at Nashville, every one in it disappointed and disgusted +that the circumstances existing at this time should necessitate their +relegation to the harassing and tantalizing duty of protecting our +depots and line of supply. + +I was fortunate in having such brigade commanders, and no less +favored in the regimental and battery commanders. They all were not +only patriots, but soldiers, and knowing that discipline must be one +of the most potent factors in bringing to a successful termination, +the mighty contest in which our nation was struggling for existence, +they studied and practiced its methods ceaselessly, inspiring with +the same spirit that pervaded themselves the loyal hearts of their +subordinate officers and men. All worked unremittingly in the camp +at Mill Creek in preparing for the storm, which now plainly indicated +its speedy coming. Drills, parades, scouts, foraging expeditions, +picket and guard duty, made up the course in this school of +instruction, supplemented by frequent changes in the locations of the +different brigades, so that the division could have opportunity to +learn to break camp quickly and to move out promptly on the march. +Foraging expeditions were particularly beneficial in this respect, +and when sent out, though absent sometimes for days, the men went +without tents or knapsacks, equipped with only one blanket and their +arms, ammunition, and rations, to teach them to shift for themselves +with slender means in the event of necessity. The number of +regimental and headquarters wagons was cut down to the lowest +possible figure, and everything made compact by turning into the +supply and ammunition trains of the division all surplus +transportation, and restricting the personal baggage of officers to +the fewest effects possible. + +My own staff also was somewhat reorganized and increased at Mill +Creek, and though it had been perfectly satisfactory before, yet, on +account of the changes of troops that had occurred in the command, I +found it necessary to replace valuable officers in some instances, +and secure additional ones in others. The gathering of information +about the enemy was also industriously pursued, and Card and his +brothers were used constantly on expeditions within the Confederate +lines, frequently visiting Murfreesboro', Sparta, Tullahoma, +Shelbyville, and other points. What they learned was reported to +army headquarters, often orally through me or personally communicated +by Card himself, but much was forwarded in official letters, +beginning with November 24, when I transmitted accurate information +of the concentration of Bragg's main force at Tullahoma. Indeed, +Card kept me so well posted as to every movement of the enemy, not +only with reference to the troops in my immediate front, but also +throughout his whole army, that General Rosecrans placed the most +unreserved reliance on all his statements, and many times used them +to check and correct the reports brought in by his own scouts. + +Slight skirmishes took place frequently during this period, and now +and then heavy demonstrations were made in the neighborhood of +Nolensville by reconnoitring parties from both armies, but none of +these ever grew into a battle. These affairs sprung from the desire +of each side to feel his antagonist, and had little result beyond +emphasizing the fact that behind each line of pickets lay a massed +and powerful army busily preparing for the inevitable conflict and +eager for its opening. So it wore on till the evening of December +25, 1862; then came the order to move forward. + +General Rosecrans, in the reorganization of the army, had assigned +Major-General A. McD. McCook to command the right wing, Major-General +George H. Thomas the centre, and Major-General T. L. Crittenden the +left wing. McCook's wing was made up of three divisions, +commanded in order of rank by Brigadier-General Jeff. C. Davis; +Brigadier-General R. W. Johnson, and Brigadier-General P. H. Sheridan. +Although the corps nomenclature established by General Buell was +dropped, the grand divisions into which he had organized the army at +Louisville were maintained, and, in fact, the conditions established +then remained practically unaltered, with the exception of the +interchange of some brigades, the transfer of a few general officers +from one wing or division to another, and the substitution of General +Thomas for Gilbert as a corps commander. The army was thus compact +and cohesive, undisturbed by discord and unembarrassed by jealousies +of any moment; and it may be said that under a commander who, we +believed, had the energy and skill necessary to direct us to success, +a national confidence in our invincibility made us all keen for a +test of strength with the Confederates. We had not long to wait. + +Early on the morning of December 26, 1862, in a heavy rain, the army +marched, the movement being directed on Murfreesboro', where the +enemy had made some preparation to go into winter-quarters, and to +hold which town it was hoped he would accept battle. General Thomas +moved by the Franklin and Wilson pikes, General Crittenden by the +Murfreesboro' pike, through Lavergne, and General McCook by the +Nolensville pike--Davis's division in advance. As McCook's command +neared Nolensville, I received a message from Davis informing me that +the Confederates were in considerable force, posted on a range of +hills in his front, and requesting me to support him in an attack he +was about to make. When the head of my column arrived at Nolensville +I began massing my troops on the right of the road, and by the time +this formation was nearly completed Davis advanced, but not meeting +with sufficient resistance to demand active assistance from me, he +with his own command carried the hills, capturing one piece of +artillery. This position of the Confederates was a strong one, +defending Knob's Gap, through which the Nolensville and Triune pike +passed. On the 27th Johnson's division, followed by mine, advanced +to Triune, and engaged in a severe skirmish near that place, but my +troops were not called into action, the stand made by the enemy being +only for the purpose of gaining time to draw in his outlying troops, +which done, he retired toward Murfreesboro'. I remained inactive at +Triune during the 28th, but early on the 29th moved out by the Bole +Jack road to the support of, Davis in his advance to Stewart's Creek, +and encamped at Wilkinson's crossroads, from which point to +Murfreesboro', distant about six miles, there was a good turnpike. +The enemy had sullenly resisted the progress of Crittenden and McCook +throughout the preceding three days, and as it was thought probable +that he might offer battle at Stewart's Creek, Thomas, in pursuance +of his original instructions looking to just such a contingency, had +now fallen into the centre by way of the Nolensville crossroads. + +On the morning of the 30th I had the advance of McCook's corps on the +Wilkinson pike, Roberts's brigade leading. At first only slight +skirmishing took place, but when we came within about three miles of +Murfreesboro' the resistance of the enemy's pickets grew serious, and +a little further on so strong that I had to put in two regiments to +push them back. I succeeded in driving them about half a mile, when +I was directed by McCook to form line of battle and place my +artillery in position so that I could act in concert with Davis's +division, which he wished to post on my right in the general line he +desired to take up. In obedience to these directions I deployed on +the right of, and oblique to the Wilkinson pike, with a front of four +regiments, a second line of four regiments within short supporting +distance, and a reserve of one brigade in column of regiments to the +rear of my centre. All this time the enemy kept up a heavy artillery +and musketry fire on my skirmishers, he occupying, with his +sharpshooters, beyond some open fields, a heavy belt of timber to my +front and right, where it was intended the left of Davis should +finally rest. To gain this point Davis was ordered to swing his +division into it in conjunction with a wheeling movement of my right +brigade, until our continuous line should face nearly due east. This +would give us possession of the timber referred to, and not only rid +us of the annoying fire from the skirmishers screened by it, but also +place us close in to what was now developing as Bragg's line of +battle. The movement was begun about half-past 2, and was +successfully executed, after a stubborn resistance. In this +preliminary affair the enemy had put in one battery of artillery, +which was silenced in a little while, however, by Bush's and +Hescock's guns. By sundown I had taken up my prescribed position, +facing almost east, my left (Roberts's brigade) resting on the +Wilkinson pike, the right (Sill's brigade) in the timber we had just +gained, and the reserve brigade (Schaefer's) to the rear of my +centre, on some rising ground in the edge of a strip of woods behind +Houghtaling's and Hescock's batteries. Davis's division was placed +in position on my right, his troops thrown somewhat to the rear, so +that his line formed nearly a right angle with mine, while Johnson's +division formed in a very exposed position on the right of Davis, +prolonging the general line just across the Franklin pike. + +The centre, under Thomas, had already formed to my left, the right of +Negley's division joining my left in a cedar thicket near the +Wilkinson pike, while Crittenden's corps was posted on the left of +Thomas, his left resting on Stone River, at a point about two miles +and a half from Murfreesboro'. + +The precision that had characterized every manoeuvre of the past +three days, and the exactness with which each corps and division fell +into its allotted place on the evening of the 30th, indicated that at +the outset of the campaign a well-digested plan of operations had +been prepared for us; and although the scheme of the expected battle +was not known to subordinates of my grade, yet all the movements up +to this time had been so successfully and accurately made as to give +much promise for the morrow, and when night fell there was general +anticipation of the best results to the Union army. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +ASSAULT ON OUR RIGHT FLANK--OCCUPYING A NEW POSITION--THE ENEMY +CHECKED--TERRIBLE LOSS OF OFFICERS--AMMUNITION GIVES OUT +--RECONSTRUCTING THE LINE--COLLECTING THE WOUNDED AND BURYING +THE DEAD--DEALING WITH COWARDS--RESULTS OF THE VICTORY. + +The enemy under Bragg lay between us and stone River in order of +battle, his general line conforming to the course of that stream. In +my immediate front he appeared to be established in strong force in a +dense cedar wood, just beyond an open valley, which varied from two +hundred to four hundred yards in width, the cedars extending the +entire length of the valley. From the events of the day and evening +of the 3oth, it was apparent that the two armies were in close +proximity, and orders received during the night revealed the fact +that Rosecrans intended to attack by throwing his left on the enemy's +right, with the expectation of driving it in toward Murfreesboro', so +that the right of Crittenden's corps could attack Bragg's centre in +reverse, while Thomas supported Crittenden by a simultaneous front +assault; and from the movements of the enemy at daylight next +morning, it was plainly indicated that Bragg had planned to swing his +left on our right by an exactly similar manoeuvre, get possession of +the railroad and the Nashville pike, and if possible cut us off from +our base at Nashville. The conceptions in the minds of the two +generals were almost identical; but Bragg took the initiative, +beginning his movement about an hour earlier than the time set by +Rosecrans, which gained him an immense advantage in execution in the +earlier stages of the action. + +During the evening, feeling keenly all the solicitude which +attends one in anticipation of a battle, I examined my position with +great care, inspecting its whole length several times to remedy any +defects that might exist, and to let the men see that I was alive to +their interests and advantages. After dark, I went back to the rear +of my reserve brigade, and establishing my headquarters behind the +trunk of a large fallen tree, which would shelter me somewhat from +the cold December wind, lay down beside a small camp-fire to get some +rest. + +At 2 o'clock on the morning of the 31st General Sill came back to me +to report that on his front a continuous movement of infantry and +artillery had been going on all night within the Confederate lines, +and that he was convinced that Bragg was massing on our right with +the purpose of making an attack from that direction early in the +morning. After discussing for a few minutes the probabilities of +such a course on the part of the enemy, I thought McCook should be +made acquainted with what was going on, so Sill and I went back to +see him at his headquarters, not far from the Griscom House, where we +found him sleeping on some straw in the angle of a worm-fence. I +waked him up and communicated the intelligence, and our consequent +impressions. He talked the matter over with us for some little time, +but in view of the offensive-defensive part he was to play in the +coming battle, did not seem to think that there was a necessity for +any further dispositions than had already been taken. He said that +he thought Johnson's division would be able to take care of the +right, and seemed confident that the early assault which was to be +made from Rosecrans's left would anticipate and check the designs +which we presaged. We two then returned to my little camp-fire +behind the log, and as we continued talking of what might be expected +from the indications on the right, and Sill becoming more anxious, I +directed two regiments from the reserve to report to him, that they +might be placed within very short supporting distance of his line. +He then rejoined his brigade, better satisfied, but still adhering to +the belief he had expressed when first making his report. + +Long before dawn my division breakfasted, and was assembled under +arms, the infantry in line, the cannoneers at their pieces, but while +we were thus preparing, all the recent signs of activity in the +enemy's camp were hushed, a death-like stillness prevailing in the +cedars to our front. Shortly after daylight General Hardee opened +the engagement, just as Sill had predicted, by a fierce attack on +Johnson's division, the extreme right of the Union line. Immediate +success attending this assault, Hardee extended the attack gradually +along in front of Davis, hip movement taking the form of a wheel to +the right, the pivot being nearly opposite the left of my division. +Johnson's division soon gave way, and two of Davis's brigades were +forced to fall back with it, though stubbornly resisting the +determined and sweeping onset. + +In the meantime the enemy had also attacked me, advancing across an +old cotton-field in Sill's front in heavy masses, which were +furiously opened upon by Bush's battery from Sill's line, and by +Hescock's and Houghtaling's batteries, which had an oblique fire on +the field from a commanding position in rear of my centre. The +effect of this fire on the advancing column was terrible, but it +continued on till it reached the edge of the timber where Sill's +right lay, when my infantry opened at a range of not over fifty +yards. For a short time the Confederates withstood the fire, but +then wavered, broke, and fell back toward their original line. As +they retired, Sill's brigade followed in a spirited charge, driving +them back across the open ground and behind their intrenchments. In +this charge the gallant Sill was killed; a rifle ball passing through +his upper lip and penetrating the brain. Although this was a heavy +loss, yet the enemy's discomfiture was such as to give us an hour's +time, and as Colonel Greusel, Thirty-sixth Illinois, succeeded to +Sill's command, I directed him, as he took charge, to recall the +brigade to its original position, for the turning-column on my +extreme right was now assuming the most menacing attitude, and it was +urgently necessary to prepare for it. + +When that portion of the enemy driven back by Sill recovered from its +repulse it again advanced to the attack, this time directing its +efforts chiefly upon my extreme right, and the front of Woodruff's +brigade of Davis's division, which brigade still held on in its first +position. In front of my centre the Confederates were again driven +back, but as the assault on Woodruff was in conjunction with an +advance of the column that had forced Johnson to retire, Woodruff was +compelled unfortunately to give way, and two regiments on the right +of my line went with him, till they rallied on the two reserve +regiments which, in anticipation of the enemy's initiatory attack I +had sent to Sill's rear before daylight. + +Both Johnson's and Davis's divisions were now practically gone from +our line, having retired with a loss of all formation, and they were +being closely pursued by the enemy, whose columns were following the +arc of a circle that would ultimately carry him in on my rear. In +consequence of the fact that this state of things would soon subject +me to a fire in reverse, I hastily withdrew Sill's brigade and the +reserve regiments supporting it, and ordered Roberts's brigade, which +at the close of the enemy's second repulse had changed front toward +the south and formed in column of regiments, to cover the withdrawal +by a charge on the Confederates as they came into the timber where my +right had originally rested. Roberts made the charge at the proper +time, and was successful in checking the enemy's advance, thus giving +us a breathing-spell, during which I was able to take up a new +position with Schaefer's and Sill's brigades on the commanding ground +to the rear, where Hescock's and Houghtaling's batteries had been +posted all the morning. + +The general course of this new position was at right angles with my +original line, and it took the shape of an obtuse angle, with my +three batteries at the apex. Davis, and Carlin of his division, +endeavored to rally their men here on my right, but their efforts +were practically unavailing,--though the calm and cool appearance of +Carlin, who at the time was smoking a stumpy pipe, had some effect, +and was in strong contrast to the excited manner of Davis, who seemed +overpowered by the disaster that had befallen his command. But few +could be rallied, however, as the men were badly demoralized, and +most of them fell back beyond the Wilkinson pike, where they +reorganized behind the troops of General Thomas. + +At this juncture the enemy's turning-column began advancing again in +concert with Cheatham's division, and as the extreme left of the +Confederates was directed on Griscom's house, and their right on the +Blanton house, my new position was in danger of envelopment. No hope +of stemming the tide at this point seemed probable, but to gain time +I retained my ground as long as possible, and until, under directions +from General McCook, I moved to the front from my left flank and +attached myself to the right of Negley's division, which up to this +hour had been left almost undisturbed by the enemy in the line it had +taken up the night before. Under a heavy fire we succeeded in this +manoeuvre, Schaefer's brigade marching first, then the batteries, and +Roberts's and Sill's brigades following. When my division arrived on +this new ground, I posted Roberts on Negley's right, with Hescock's +and Bush's guns, the brigade and guns occupying a low rocky ridge of +limestone, which faced them toward Murfreesboro', nearly south. The +rest of my division was aligned facing west, along the edge of a +cedar thicket, the rear rank backed up on the right flank of Roberts, +with Houghtaling's battery in the angle. This presented Sill's and +Schaefer's brigades in an almost opposite direction to the line we +had so confidently taken up the night before, and covered Negley's +rear. The enemy, in the meantime, had continued his wheeling +movement till he occupied the ground that my batteries and reserve +brigade had held in the morning, and I had now so changed my position +that the left brigade of my division approached his intrenchments in +front of Stone River, while Sill's and Schaeffer's brigades, by +facing nearly west, confronted the successful troops that had smashed +in our extreme right. + +I had hardly got straightened out in this last place when I was +attacked by Cheatham's'division, which, notwithstanding the +staggering blows it had previously received from Sill and Roberts, +now again moved forward in conjunction with the wheeling movement +under the immediate command of Hardee. One of the most sanguinary +contests of the day now took place. In fulfillment of Bragg's +original design no doubt, Cheatham's division attacked on my left, +while heavy masses under Hardee, covered by batteries posted on the +high ground formerly occupied by my guns, assaulted my right, the +whole force advancing simultaneously. At the same time the enemy +opened an artillery fire from his intrenchments in front of +Murfreesboro', and it seemed that he was present on every side. My +position was strong, however, located in the edge of a dense cedar +thicket and commanding a slight depression of open ground that lay in +my front. My men were in good spirits too, notwithstanding they had +been a good deal hustled around since daylight, with losses that had +told considerably on their numbers. Only a short distance now +separated the contending lines, and as the batteries on each side +were not much more than two hundred yards apart when the enemy made +his assault, the artillery fire was fearful in its effect on the +ranks of both contestants, the enemy's heavy masses staggering under +the torrent of shell and canister from our batteries, while our lines +were thinned by his ricochetting projectiles, that rebounded again +and again over the thinly covered limestone formation and sped on to +the rear of Negley. But all his efforts to dislodge or destroy us +were futile, and for the first time since daylight General Hardee was +seriously checked in the turning movement he had begun for the +purpose of getting possession of the Nashville pike, and though +reinforced until two-fifths of Bragg's army was now at his command, +yet he met with repulse after repulse, which created great gaps in +his lines and taught him that to overwhelm us was hopeless. + +As the enemy was recoiling from his first attack, I received a +message from Rosecrans telling me that he was making new +dispositions, and directing me to hold on where I was until they were +completed. From this I judged that the existing conditions of the +battle would probably require a sacrifice of my command, so I +informed Roberts and Schaefer that we must be prepared to meet the +demand on us by withstanding the assault of the enemy, no matter what +the outcome. Every energy was therefore bent to the simple holding +of our ground, and as ammunition was getting scarce, instructions +were given throughout the command to have it reserve its fire till +the most effective moment. In a little while came a second and a +third assault, and although they were as daring and furious as the +first, yet in each case the Confederates were repulsed, driven back +in confusion, but not without deadly loss to us, for the noble +Roberts was killed, and Colonel Harrington, of the Twenty-Seventh +Illinois, who succeeded to his brigade, was mortally wounded a few +minutes later. I had now on the death-roll three brigade commanders, +and the loss of subordinate officers and men was appalling, but their +sacrifice had accomplished the desired result; they had not fallen in +vain. Indeed, the bravery and tenacity of my division gave to +Rosecrans the time required to make new dispositions, and exacted +from our foes the highest commendations. + +A lull followed the third fierce assault, and an investigation showed +that, with the exception of a few rounds in my brigade, our +ammunition was entirely exhausted; and while it was apparent that the +enemy was reluctant to renew the conflict in my front, yet I was +satisfied I could not hold on much longer without the danger of +ultimate capture, so I prepared to withdraw as soon as the troops of +Rousseau's division, which had been ordered to take up a line on my +right, came into position. Schaefer's and Sill's brigades being +without a cartridge, I directed them to fix bayonets for a charge, +and await any attempt of the enemy to embarrass my retreat, while +Roberts's brigade, offering such resistance as its small quantity of +ammunition would permit, was pulled slowly in toward the Nashville +pike. Eighty of the horses of Houghtaling's battery having been +killed, an attempt was made to bring his guns back by hand over the +rocky ground, but it could not be done, and we had to abandon them. +Hescock also had lost most of his horses, but all his guns were +saved. Bush's battery lost two pieces, the tangled underbrush in the +dense cedars proving an obstacle to getting them away which his +almost superhuman exertions could not surmount. Thus far the bloody +duel had cost me heavily, one-third of my division being killed or +wounded. I had already three brigade commanders killed; a little +later I lost my fourth--Colonel Schaefer. + +The difficulties of withdrawing were very great, as the ground was +exceptionally rocky, and the growth of cedars almost impenetrable for +wheeled carriages. Retiring sullenly under a heavy fire, while the +general line was reformed to my right and rear, my division was at +length drawn through the cedars and debouched into an open space near +the Murfreesboro' pike, behind the right of Palmer's division. Two +regiments of Sill's brigade, however, on account of the conformation +of the ground, were obliged to fall back from the point where +Woodruff's brigade of Davis's division had rallied after the disaster +of the early morning. The division came out of the cedars with +unbroken ranks, thinned by only its killed and wounded--but few +missing. When we came into the open ground, McCook directed +Roberts's brigade--now commanded by Colonel Luther P. Bradley--to +proceed a short distance to the rear on the Nashville pike, to repel +the enemy's threatening attempt at our communications. Willingly and +cheerfully the brigade again entered the fight under these new +conditions, and although it was supplied with but three or four +cartridges to the man now, it charged gallantly and recaptured two +pieces of artillery which the Union troops had had to abandon at that +point. + +Shortly after we debouched from the cedars I was directed by +Rosecrans to send some aid to the right of General Palmer's division; +and two of Schaefer's regiments, having obtained ammunition, were +pushed up on Palmer's right, accompanied by four of Hescock's guns; +but the advance of the enemy here had already been checked by Palmer, +and only a desultory contest ensued. Rosecrans, whom I now met in +the open ground west of the railroad, behind Palmer, directed that my +command should relieve Wood's division, which was required to fall +back and take up the new line that had been marked out while I was +holding on in the cedars. His usually florid face had lost its ruddy +color, and his anxious eyes told that the disasters of the morning +were testing his powers to the very verge of endurance, but he seemed +fully to comprehend what had befallen us. His firmly set lips and, +the calmness with which his instructions were delivered inspired +confidence in all around him; and expressing approbation of what my +division had done, while deliberately directing it to a new point, he +renewed in us all the hope of final victory, though it must be +admitted that at this phase of the battle the chances lay largely +with the enemy. + +Withdrawing the two regiments and Hescock's battery, that I had +posted on the right of Palmer, I moved as directed by Rosecrans into +the position to the east of the railroad, and formed immediately to +the right of Wood, who was now being attacked all along his front, +but more particularly where his right rested near the railroad. +Under a storm of shot and shell that came in torrents my troops took +up the new ground, advancing through a clump of open timber to Wood's +assistance. Forming in line in front of the timber we poured a +telling fire into the enemy's ranks, which were then attacking across +some cleared fields; but when he discovered additional troops +confronting him, he gave up the attempt to carry Wood's position. It +was here that I lost Schaefer, who was killed instantly, making my +fourth brigade commander dead that day. The enemy in front of Wood +having been checked, our whole line east of the railroad executed +undisturbed its retrograde movement to a position about three hundred +yards to its rear. When I fell back to the edge of the clump of +timber, where when first coming on the ground I had formed to help +Wood, I was ordered by Rosecrans to prepare to make a charge should +the enemy again assault us. In anticipation of this work I massed my +troops in close column. The expected attack never came, however, but +the shot and shell of a furious cannonade told with fatal effect upon +men and officers as they lay on their faces hugging the ground. The +torments of this trying situation were almost unbearable, but it was +obvious to all that it was necessary to have at hand a compact body +of troops to repel any assault the enemy might make pending the +reconstruction of the extreme right of our line, and a silent +determination to stay seemed to take hold of each individual soldier; +nor was this grim silence interrupted throughout the cannonade, +except in one instance, when one of the regiments broke out in a +lusty cheer as a startled rabbit in search of a new hiding-place +safely ran the whole length of the line on the backs of the men. + +While my troops were still lying here, General Rosecrans, with a part +of his staff and a few orderlies, rode out on the rearranged line to +supervise its formation and encourage the men, and in prosecution of +these objects moved around the front of my column of attack, within +range of the batteries that were shelling us so viciously. As he +passed to the open ground on my left, I joined him. The enemy seeing +this mounted party, turned his guns upon it, and his accurate aim was +soon rewarded, for a solid shot carried away the head of Colonel +Garesche, the chief-of-staff, and killed or wounded two or three +orderlies. Garesche's appalling death stunned us all, and a +momentary expression of horror spread over Rosecrans's face; but at +such a time the importance of self-control was vital, and he pursued +his course with an appearance of indifference, which, however, those +immediately about him saw was assumed, for undoubtedly he felt most +deeply the death of his friend and trusted staff-officer. + +No other attacks were made on us to the east of the railroad for the +rest of the afternoon, and just before dark I was directed to +withdraw and take up a position along the west side of the Nashville +pike, on the extreme right of our new line, where Roberts's brigade +and the Seventy-third and Eighty-eighth Illinois had already been +placed by McCook. The day had cost me much anxiety and sadness, and +I was sorely disappointed at the general result, though I could not +be other than pleased at the part taken by my command. The loss of +my brigade commanders--Sill, Roberts, Schaefer, and Harrington-and a +large number of regimental and battery officers, with so many of +their men, struck deep into my heart: My thinned ranks told the +woeful tale of the fierce struggles, indescribable by words, through +which my division had passed since 7 o'clock in the morning; and +this, added to our hungry and exhausted condition, was naturally +disheartening. The men had been made veterans, however, by the +fortunes and misfortunes of the day, and as they went into their new +places still confident of final success, it was plain to see that +they felt a self-confidence inspired by the part they had already +played. + +My headquarters were now established on the Nashville pike, about +three miles and a half from Murfreesboro'; my division being aligned +to the west of the pike, bowed out and facing almost west, Cleburn's +division of the Confederates confronting it. Davis's division was +posted on my right, and Walker's brigade of Thomas's corps, which had +reported to me, took up a line that connected my left with Johnson's +division. + +Late in the evening General Rosecrans, accompanied by General McCook, +and several other officers whose names I am now unable to recall, +rode by my headquarters on their way to the rear to look for a new +line of battle--on Overall's creek it was said--that would preserve +our communications with Nashville and offer better facilities for +resistance than the one we were now holding. Considerable time had +elapsed when they returned from this exploration and proceeded to +their respective commands, without intimating to me that anything had +been determined upon by the reconnoissance, but a little later it was +rumored through the different headquarters that while the party was +looking for a new position it discovered the enemy's troops moving +toward our right and rear, the head of his columns being conducted in +the darkness by the aid of torches, and that no alternative was left +us but to hold the lines we then occupied. The torches had been seen +unquestionably, and possibly created some alarm at first in the minds +of the reconnoitring party, but it was soon ascertained that the +lights came from a battalion of the Fourth regular cavalry that was +picketing our flank and happened to be starting its bivouac fires at +the moment. The fires and the supposed movements had no weight, +therefore, in deciding the proposition to take up a line at Overall's +creek, but General Rosecrans, fortunately for the army, decided to +remain where he was. Doubtless reflections during his ride caused +him to realize that the enemy must be quite as much crippled as +himself. If it had been decided to fall back to Overall's creek, we +could have withdrawn without much difficulty very likely, but such a +retrograde movement would have left to the enemy the entire +battle-field of Stone River and ultimately compelled our retreat +to Nashville. + +In the night of December 3rd several slight demonstrations were made +on my front, but from the darkness neither party felt the effect of +the other's fire, and when daylight came again the skirmishers and +lines of battle were in about the same position they had taken up the +evening before. Soon after daybreak it became evident that the +conflict was to be renewed, and a little later the enemy resumed the +offensive by an attack along my left front, especially on Walker's +brigade. His attempt was ineffectual, however, and so easily +repulsed as to demonstrate that the desperate character of his +assaults the day before had nearly exhausted his strength. About 3 +o'clock in the afternoon he made another feeble charge on my front, +but our fire from the barricades and rifle-pits soon demoralized his +advancing lines, which fell back in some confusion, thus enabling us +to pick up about a hundred prisoners. From this time till the +evening of January 3 Bragg's left remained in our front, and +continued to show itself at intervals by weak demonstrations, which +we afterward ascertained were directly intended to cover the +desperate assault he made with Breckenridge on the left of Rosecrans, +an assault that really had in view only a defensive purpose, for +unless Bragg dislodged the troops which were now massing in front of +his right he would be obliged to withdraw General Polk's corps behind +Stone River and finally abandon Murfreesboro'. The sequel proved +this to be the case; and the ill-judged assault led by Breckenridge +ending in entire defeat, Bragg retired from Murfreesboro' the night +of January 3. + +General Rosecrans occupied Murfreesboro' on the 4th and 5th, having +gained a costly victory, which was not decisive enough in its +character to greatly affect the general course of the war, though it +somewhat strengthened and increased our hold on Middle Tennessee. +The enemy in retiring did not fall back very far--only behind Duck +River to Shelbyville and Tullahoma--and but little endeavor was made +to follow him. Indeed, we were not in condition to pursue, even if +it had been the intention at the outset of the campaign. + +As soon as possible after the Confederate retreat I went over the +battle-field to collect such of my wounded as had not been carried +off to the South and to bury my dead. In the cedars and on the +ground where I had been so fiercely assaulted when the battle opened, +on the morning of the 31st, evidences of the bloody struggle appeared +on every hand in the form of broken fire-arms, fragments of +accoutrements, and splintered trees. The dead had nearly all been +left unburied, but as there was likelihood of their mutilation by +roving swine, the bodies had mostly been collected in piles at +different points and inclosed by rail fences. The sad duties of +interment and of caring for the wounded were completed by the 5th, +and on the 6th I moved my division three miles, south of +Murfreesboro' on the Shelbyville pike, going into camp on the banks +of Stone River. Here the condition of my command was thoroughly +looked into, and an endeavor made to correct such defects as had been +disclosed by the recent battle. + +During the engagement there had been little straggling, and my list +of missing was small and legitimate; still, it was known that a very +few had shirked their duty, and an example was necessary. Among this +small number were four officers who, it was charged, had abandoned +their colors and regiments. When their guilt was clearly +established, and as soon as an opportunity occurred, I caused the +whole division to be formed in a hollow square, closed in mass, and +had the four officers marched to the centre, where, telling them that +I would not humiliate any officer or soldier by requiring him to +touch their disgraced swords, I compelled them to deliver theirs up +to my colored servant, who also cut from their coats every insignia +of rank. Then, after there had been read to the command an order +from army headquarters dismissing the four from the service, the +scene was brought to a close by drumming the cowards out of camp. It +was a mortifying spectacle, but from that day no officer in that +division ever abandoned his colors. + +My effective force in the battle of Stone River was 4,154 officers +and men. Of this number I lost 1,633 killed, wounded, and missing, +or nearly 40 per cent. In the remaining years of the war, though +often engaged in most severe contests, I never experienced in any of +my commands so high a rate of casualties. The ratio of loss in the +whole of Rosecrans's army was also high, and Bragg's losses were +almost equally great. Rosecrans carried into the action about 42,000 +officers and men. He lost 13,230, or 31 per cent. Bragg's effective +force was 37,800 officers and men; he lost 10,306, or nearly 28 per +cent. + +Though our victory was dearly bought, yet the importance of gaining +the day at any price was very great, particularly when we consider +what might have been the result had not the gallantry of the army and +the manoeuvring during the early disaster saved us from ultimate +defeat. We had started out from Nashville on an offensive campaign, +probably with no intention of going beyond Murfreesboro', in +midwinter, but still with the expectation of delivering a crushing +blow should the enemy accept our challenge to battle. He met us with +a plan of attack almost the counterpart of our own. In the execution +of his plan he had many advantages, not the least of which was his +intimate knowledge of the ground, and he came near destroying us. +Had he done so, Nashville would probably have fallen; at all events, +Kentucky would have been opened again to his incursions, and the +theatre of war very likely transferred once more to the Ohio River. +As the case now stood, however, Nashville was firmly established as a +base for future operations, Kentucky was safe from the possibility of +being again overrun, and Bragg, thrown on the defensive, was +compelled to give his thoughts to the protection of the interior of +the Confederacy and the security of Chattanooga, rather than indulge +in schemes of conquest north of the Cumberland River. While he still +held on in Middle Tennessee his grasp was so much loosened that only +slight effort would be necessary to push him back into Georgia, and +thus give to the mountain region of East Tennessee an opportunity to +prove its loyalty to the Union. + +The victory quieted the fears of the West and Northwest, destroyed +the hopes of the secession element in Kentucky, renewed the drooping +spirits of the East Tennesseans, and demoralized the disunionists in +Middle Tennessee; yet it was a negative victory so far as concerned +the result on the battle-field. Rosecrans seems to have planned the +battle with the idea that the enemy would continue passive, remain +entirely on the defensive, and that it was necessary only to push +forward our left in order to force the evacuation of Murfreesboro'; +and notwithstanding the fact that on the afternoon of December 30 +McCook received information that the right of Johnson's division. +resting near the Franklin pike, extended only to about the centre of +the Confederate army, it does not appear that attack from that +quarter was at all apprehended by the Union commanders. + +The natural line of retreat of the Confederates was not threatened by +the design of Rosecrans; and Bragg, without risk to his +communications, anticipated it by a counter-attack of like character +from his own left, and demolished his adversary's plan the moment we +were thrown on the defensive. Had Bragg followed up with the spirit +which characterized its beginning the successful attack by Hardee on +our right wing--and there seems no reason why he should not have done +so--the army of Rosecrans still might have got back to Nashville, but +it would have been depleted and demoralized to such a degree as to +unfit it for offensive operations for a long time afterward. Bragg's +intrenchments in front of Stone River were very strong, and there +seems no reason why he should not have used his plain advantage as +explained, but instead he allowed us to gain time, intrench, and +recover a confidence that at first was badly shaken. Finally, to cap +the climax of his errors, he directed Breckenridge to make the +assault from his right flank on January 2, with small chance for +anything but disaster, when the real purpose in view could have been +accomplished without the necessity of any offensive manoeuvre +whatever. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +APPOINTED A MAJOR-GENERAL--THE SECRET EXPEDITION UNDER CARD THE +SCOUT--HIS CAPTURE BY GUERRILLAS--ESCAPE--A REVENGE PARTY--WOMEN +SOLDIERS--A FIGHT WITH SABRES--TULLAHOMA CAMPAIGN--A FOOLISH +ADVENTURE. + +On the 6th of January, 1863, my division settled quietly down in its +camp south of Murfreesboro'. Its exhausted condition after the +terrible experiences of the preceding week required attention. It +needed recuperation, reinforcement, and reorganization, and I set +about these matters without delay, in anticipation of active +operations early in the spring. No forward movement was made for +nearly six months, however, and throughout this period drills, +parades, reconnoissances, and foraging expeditions filled in the time +profitably. In addition to these exercises the construction of +permanent fortifications for the security of Murfreesboro' was +undertaken by General Rosecrans, and large details from my troops +were furnished daily for the work. Much attention was also given to +creating a more perfect system of guard and picket duty-a matter that +had hitherto been somewhat neglected in the army, as its constant +activity had permitted scant opportunity for the development of such +a system. It was at this time that I received my appointment as a +major-general of Volunteers. My promotion had been recommended by +General Rosecrans immediately after the battle of Stone River, but +for some reason it was delayed until April, and though a long time +elapsed between the promise and the performance, my gratification was +extreme. + +My scout, Card, was exceedingly useful while encamped near +Murfreesboro, making several trips to East Tennessee within the +enemy's lines to collect information as to the condition of the loyal +people there, and to encourage them with the hope of early +liberation. He also brought back from each trip very accurate +statements as to the strength and doings of the Confederate army, +fixing almost with certainty its numbers and the locations of its +different divisions, and enabling my engineer-officer--Major +Morhardt--to construct good maps of the country in our front. On +these dangerous excursions Card was always accompanied by one of his +brothers, the other remaining with me to be ready for duty if any +accident occurred to those who had gone out, or in case I wanted to +communicate with them. In this way we kept well posted, although the +intelligence these men brought was almost always secured at the risk +of their lives. + +Early in the spring, before the Tullahoma campaign began, I thought +it would be practicable, by sending out a small secret expedition of +but three or four men, to break the Nashville and Chattanooga +railroad between Chattanooga and the enemy's position at Tullahoma by +burning the bridges in Crow Creek valley from its head to Stevenson, +Alabama, and then the great bridge across the Tennessee River at +Bridgeport. Feeling confident that I could persuade Card to +undertake the perilous duty, I broached the contemplated project to +him, and he at once jumped at the opportunity of thus distinguishing +himself, saying that with one of his brothers and three other loyal +East Tennesseeans, whose services he knew could be enlisted, he felt +sure of carrying out the idea, so I gave him authority to choose his +own assistants. In a few days his men appeared at my headquarters, +and when supplied with money in notes of the State Bank of Tennessee, +current everywhere as gold in those days, the party, composed of +Card, the second brother, and the three East Tennesseeans, started on +their precarious enterprise, their course being directed first toward +the Cumberland Mountains, intending to strike the Nashville and +Chattanooga railroad somewhere above Anderson's station. They +expected to get back in about fifteen days, but I looked for some +knowledge of the progress of their adventure before the expiration of +that period, hoping to hear through Confederate sources prisoners and +the like-of the destruction of the bridges. I waited in patience for +such news, but none came, and as the time Card had allotted himself +passed by, I watched anxiously for his return, for, as there was +scarcely a doubt that the expedition had proved a failure, the fate +of the party became a matter of deep concern to Card's remaining +brother and to me. Finally this brother volunteered to go to his +father's house in East Tennessee to get tidings of the party, and I +consented, for the probabilities were that some of them had made +their way to that point, or at least that some information had +reached there about them. As day after day went by, the time fixed +for this brother's return came round, yet he also remained out; but +some days after the lad was due Card himself turned up accompanied by +the brother he had taken with him, soon explained his delay in +getting back, and gave me the story of his adventures while absent. + +After leaving my camp, his party had followed various byways across +the Cumberland Mountains to Crow Creek Valley, as instructed; but +when nearing the railroad above Anderson's Station, they were +captured by some guerrillas prowling about that vicinity, and being +suspected of disloyalty to the Confederacy, were carried to +Chattanooga and imprisoned as Yankee spies. Their prospects now were +decidedly discouraging, for death stared them in the face. +Fortunately, however, some delays occurred relative to the +disposition that should be made of them, and they, meanwhile, +effected their escape from their jailors by way of one of the prison +windows, from which they managed to displace a bar, and by a skiff, +in the darkness of night, crossed the Tennessee River a little below +Chattanooga. From this point the party made their way back to my +camp, traveling only at night, hiding in the woods by day, and for +food depending on loyal citizens that Card had become acquainted with +when preaching and peddling. + +Card's first inquiry after relating his story was for the youngest +brother, whom he had left with me. I told him what I had done, in my +anxiety about himself, and that more than sufficient time had elapsed +for his brother's return. His reply was: "They have caught him. The +poor fellow is dead." His surmise proved correct; for news soon came +that the poor boy had been captured at his father's house, and +hanged. The blow to Card was a severe one, and so hardened his heart +against the guerrillas in the neighborhood of his father's home--for +he knew they were guilty of his brother's murder--that it was with +difficulty I could persuade him to continue in the employment of the +Government, so determined was he to avenge his brother's death at the +first opportunity. Finally, however, I succeeded in quieting the +almost uncontrollable rage that seemed to possess him, and he +remained with me during the Tullahoma and Chickamauga campaigns; but +when we reached Knoxville the next winter, he took his departure, +informing me that he was going for the bushwhackers who had killed +his brother. A short time after he left me, I saw him at the head of +about thirty well-armed East Tennesseeans--refugees. They were +determined-looking men, seeking revenge for the wrongs and sufferings +that had been put upon them in the last two years, and no doubt +wreaked their vengeance right and left on all who had been in any way +instrumental in persecuting them. + +The feeding of our army from the base at Louisville was attended with +a great many difficulties, as the enemy's cavalry was constantly +breaking the railroad and intercepting our communications on the +Cumberland River at different points that were easily accessible to +his then superior force of troopers. The accumulation of reserve +stores was therefore not an easy task, and to get forage ahead a few +days was well-nigh impossible, unless that brought from the North was +supplemented by what we could gather from the country. Corn was +abundant in the region to the south and southwest of Murfreesboro', +so to make good our deficiences in this respect, I employed a brigade +about once a week in the duty of collecting and bringing in forage, +sending out sometimes as many as a hundred and fifty wagons to haul +the grain which my scouts had previously located. In nearly every +one of these expeditions the enemy was encountered, and the wagons +were usually loaded while the skirmishers kept up a running fire, +Often there would occur a respectable brush, with the loss on each +side of a number of killed and wounded. The officer in direct +command always reported to me personally whatever had happened during +the time he was out--the result of his reconnoissance, so to speak, +for that war the real nature of these excursions--and on one occasion +the colonel in command, Colonel Conrad, of the Fifteenth Missouri, +informed me that he got through without much difficulty; in fact, +that everything had gone all right and been eminently satisfactory, +except that in returning he had been mortified greatly by the conduct +of the two females belonging to the detachment and division train at +my headquarters. These women, he said, had given much annoyance by +getting drunk, and to some extent demoralizing his men. To say that +I was astonished at his statement would be a mild way of putting it, +and had I not known him to be a most upright man and of sound sense, +I should have doubted not only his veracity, but his sanity. +Inquiring who they were and for further details, I was informed that +there certainly were in the command two females, that in some +mysterious manner had attached themselves to the service as soldiers; +that one, an East Tennessee woman, was a teamster in the division +wagon-train and the other a private soldier in a cavalry company +temporarily attached to my headquarters for escort duty. While out +on the foraging expedition these Amazons had secured a supply of +"apple-jack" by some means, got very drunk, and on the return had +fallen into Stone River and been nearly drowned. After they had been +fished from, the water, in the process of resuscitation their sex was +disclosed, though up to this time it appeared to be known only to +each other. The story was straight and the circumstance clear, +so, convinced of Conrad's continued sanity, I directed the +provost-marshal to bring in arrest to my headquarters the two +disturbers of Conrad's peace of mind, After some little search the +East Tennessee woman was found in camp, somewhat the worse for the +experiences of the day before, but awaiting her fate content idly +smoking a cob-pipe. She was brought to me, and put in duress under +charge of the division surgeon until her companion could be secured. +To the doctor she related that the year before she had "refugeed" from +East Tennessee, and on arriving in Louisville assumed men's apparel +and sought and obtained employment as a teamster in the +quartermaster's department. Her features were very large, and so +coarse and masculine was her general appearance that she would readily +have passed as a man, and in her case the deception was no doubt +easily practiced. Next day the "she dragoon" was caught, and proved +to be a rather prepossessing young woman, and though necessarily +bronzed and hardened by exposure, I doubt if, even with these marks of +campaigning, she could have deceived as readily as did her companion. +How the two got acquainted, I never learned, and though they had +joined the army independently of each other, yet an intimacy had +sprung up between them long before the mishaps of the foraging +expedition. They both were forwarded to army headquarters, and, when +provided with clothing suited to their sex, sent back to Nashville, +and thence beyond our lines to Louisville. + +On January 9, by an order from the War Department, the Army of the +Cumberland had been divided into three corps, designated the +Fourteenth, Twentieth, and Twenty-first. This order did not alter the +composition of the former grand divisions, nor change the commanders, +but the new nomenclature was a decided improvement over the clumsy +designations Right Wing, Centre, and Left Wing, which were well +calculated to lead to confusion sometimes. McCook's wing became the +Twentieth Corps, and my division continued of the same organization, +and held the same number as formerly-the Third Division, Twentieth +Corps. My first brigade was now commanded by Brigadier-General +William H. Lytle, the second by Colonel Bernard Laiboldt, and the +third by Colonel Luther P. Bradley. + +On the 4th of March I was directed to move in light marching order +toward Franklin and join General Gordon Granger, to take part in some +operations which he was projecting against General Earl Van Dorn, +then at Spring Hill. Knowing that my line of march would carry me +through a region where forage was plentiful, I took along a large +train of empty wagons, which I determined to fill with corn and send +back to Murfreesboro', believing that I could successfully cover the +train by Minty's brigade of cavalry, which had joined me for the +purpose of aiding in a reconnoissance toward Shelbyville. In +marching the column I placed a regiment of infantry at its head, then +the wagon-train, then a brigade of infantry--masking the cavalry +behind this brigade. The enemy, discovering that the train was with +us, and thinking he could capture it, came boldly out with his, +cavalry to attack. The head of his column came up to the crossroads +at Versailles, but holding him there, I passed the train and infantry +brigade beyond toward Eagleville, and when my cavalry had been thus +unmasked, Minty, followed by the balance of my division, which was +still behind, charged him with the sabre. Success was immediate and +complete, and pursuit of the routed forces continued through +Unionville, until we fell upon and drove in the Confederate outposts +at Shelbyville. Here the enemy was taken by surprise evidently, +which was most fortunate for us, otherwise the consequences might +have been disastrous. Minty captured in the charge about fifty +prisoners and a few wagons and mules, and thus enabled me to load my +train with corn, and send it back to Murfreesboro' unmolested. In +this little fight the sabre was freely used by both sides, and I do +not believe that during the whole war I again knew of so large a +percentage of wounds by that arm in proportion to the numbers +engaged. + +That night I encamped at Eagleville, and next day reported to Granger +at Franklin, arriving in the midst of much excitement prevailing on +account of the loss of Coburn's brigade, which had been captured the +day before a little distance south of that point, while marching to +form a junction with a column that had been directed on Columbia from +Murfreesboro'. Shortly after Coburn's capture General Granger had +come upon the scene, and the next day he advanced my division and +Minty's troops directly on Spring Hill, with a view to making some +reprisal; but Van Dorn had no intention of accommodating us, and +retired from Spring Hill, offering but little resistance. He +continued to fall back, till finally he got behind Duck River, where +operations against him ceased; for, in consequence of the incessant +rains of the season, the streams had become almost impassable. +Later, I returned by way of Franklin to my old camp at Murfreesboro', +passing over on this march the ground on which the Confederate +General Hood met with such disaster the following year in his attack +on Stanley's corps. + +My command had all returned from the Franklin expedition to +Murfreesboro' and gone into camp on the Salem pike by the latter part +of March, from which time till June it took part in only the little +affairs of outposts occurring every now and then on my own front. In +the meanwhile General Rosecrans had been materially reinforced by the +return of sick and wounded men; his army had become well disciplined, +and was tolerably supplied; and he was repeatedly pressed by the +authorities at Washington to undertake offensive operations. + +During the spring and early summer Rosecrans resisted, with a great +deal of spirit and on various grounds, these frequent urgings, and +out of this grew up an acrimonious correspondence and strained +feeling between him and General Halleck. Early in June, however, +stores had been accumulated and other preparations made for a move +forward, Resecrans seeming to have decided that he could safely risk +an advance, with the prospect of good results. Before finally +deciding, he called upon most of his corps and division commanders +for their opinions on certain propositions which he presented, and +most of them still opposed the projected movement, I among the +number, reasoning that while General Grant was operating against +Vicksburg, it was better to hold Bragg in Middle Tennessee than to +push him so far back into Georgia that interior means of +communication would give the Confederate Government the opportunity +of quickly joining a part of his force to that of General Johnson in +Mississippi. + +At this stage, and in fact prior to it, Rosecrans seemed to manifest +special confidence in me, often discussing his plans with me +independent of the occasions on which he formally referred them for +my views. I recollect that on two different occasions about this +time he unfolded his designs to me in this informal way, outlining +generally how he expected ultimately to force Bragg south of the +Tennessee River, and going into the details of the contemplated move +on Tullahoma. His schemes, to my mind, were not only comprehensive, +but exact, and showed conclusively, what no one doubted then, that +they were original with him. I found in them very little to +criticise unfavorably, if we were to move at all, and Rosecrans +certainly impressed me that he favored an advance at an early day, +though many of his generals were against it until the operations on +the Mississippi River should culminate in something definite. There +was much, fully apparent in the circumstances about his headquarters, +leading to the conviction that Rosecrans originated the Tullahoma +campaign, and the record of his prior performances collaterally +sustains the visible evidence then existing. In my opinion, then, +based on a clear recollection of various occurrences growing out of +our intimacy, he conceived the plan of the Tullahoma campaign and the +one succeeding it; and is therefore entitled to every credit that +attended their execution, no matter what may be claimed for others. + +On the 23d of June Bragg was covering his position north of Duck +River with a front extending from McMinnville, where his cavalry +rested, through Wartrace and Shelbyville to Columbia, his depot being +at Tullahoma. Rosecrans, thinking that Bragg would offer strong +resistance at Shelbyville--which was somewhat protected by a spur +of low mountains or hills, offshoots of the Cumberland Mountains +--decided to turn that place; consequently, he directed the mass +of the Union army on the enemy's right flank, about Manchester. + +On the 26th of June McCook's corps advanced toward Liberty Gap, my +divisions marching on the Shelbyville pike. I had proceeded but a +few miles when I encountered the enemy's pickets, who fell back to +Christiana, about nine miles from Murfreesboro'. Here I was assailed +pretty wickedly by the enemy's sharpshooters and a section of +artillery, but as I was instructed to do nothing more than cover the +road from Eagleville, over which Brannan's division was to approach +Christiana, I made little reply to this severe annoyance, wishing to +conceal the strength of my force. As soon as the head of Brannan's +column arrived I marched across-country to the left, and encamped +that night at the little town of Millersburg, in the vicinity of +Liberty Gap. I was directed to move from Millersburg, on Hoover's +Gap--a pass in the range of hills already referred to, through which +ran the turnpike from Murfreesboro' to Manchester--but heavy rains +had made the country roads almost impassable, and the last of my +division did not reach Hoover's Gap till the morning of June 27, +after its abandonment by the enemy. Continuing on to Fairfield, the +head of my column met, south of that place, a small force of +Confederate infantry and cavalry, which after a slight skirmish +Laiboldt's brigade drove back toward Wartrace. The next morning I +arrived at Manchester, where I remained quiet for the day. Early on +the 29th I marched by the Lynchburg road for Tullahoma, where the +enemy was believed to be in force, and came into position about six +miles from the town. + +By the 31st the whole army had been concentrated, in spite of many +difficulties, and though, on account of the heavy rains that had +fallen almost incessantly since we left Murfreesboro', its movements +had been slow and somewhat inaccurate, yet the precision with which +it took up a line of battle for an attack on Tullahoma showed that +forethought and study had been given to every detail. The enemy had +determined to fall back from Tullahoma at the beginning of the +campaign, however, and as we advanced, his evacuation had so far +progressed that when, on July 1. We reached the earthworks thrown. +up early in the year for the defense of the place, he had almost +wholly disappeared, carrying off all his stores and munitions of war +except some little subsistence and eleven pieces of artillery. A +strong rearguard remained to cover the retreat, and on my front the +usual encounters between advancing and retreating forces took place. +Just before reaching the intrenchments on the Lynchburg road, I came +upon an open space that was covered by a network of fallen trees and +underbrush, which had been slashed all along in front of the enemy's +earthworks. This made our progress very difficult, but I shortly +became satisfied that there were only a few of the enemy within the +works, so moving a battalion of cavalry that had joined me the day +before down the road as rapidly as the obstructions would permit, the +Confederate pickets quickly departed, and we gained possession of the +town. Three siege guns, four caissons, a few stores, and a small +number of prisoners fell into my hands. + +That same evening orders were issued to the army to push on from +Tullahoma in pursuit, for, as it was thought that we might not be +able to cross Elk River on account of its swollen condition, we could +do the enemy some damage by keeping close as possible at his heels. +I marched on the Winchester road at 3 o'clock on the 2d of July and +about 8 o'clock reached Elk River ford. The stream was for the time +truly an impassable torrent, and all hope of crossing by the +Winchester ford had to be abandoned. Deeming that further effort +should be made, however, under guidance of Card, I turned the head of +my column in the direction of Alisona, marching up the river and +nearly parallel with it till I came to Rock Creek. With a little +delay we got across Rock Creek, which was also much swollen, and +finding a short distance above its mouth a ford on Elk River that +Card said was practicable, I determined to attempt it: Some of the +enemy's cavalry were guarding this ford, but after a sharp little +skirmish my battalion of cavalry crossed and took up a strong +position on the other bank. The stream was very high and the current +very swift, the water, tumbling along over its rocky bed in an +immense volume, but still it was fordable for infantry if means could +be devised by which the men could keep their feet. A cable was +stretched across just below the ford as a lifeline for the weaker +ones, and then the men of the entire division having secured their +ammunition by placing the cartridge-boxes on their shoulders, the +column pushed cheerfully into the rushing current. The men as they +entered the water joined each other in sets of four in a close +embrace, which enabled them to retain a foothold and successfully +resist the force of the flood. When they were across I turned the +column down the left bank of Elk River, and driving the enemy from +some slight works near Estelle Springs, regained the Winchester road. + +By this time it was clear that Bragg intended to fall back behind the +Tennessee River, and our only chance of accomplishing anything of +importance was to smash up his rear-guard before it crossed the +Cumberland Mountains, and in pursuance of this idea I was directed to +attack such of his force as was holding on to Winchester. At 4 +o'clock on the morning of July 2 I moved on that town, and when we +got close to it directed my mounted troops to charge a small force of +Confederate cavalry that was picketing their front. The Confederates +resisted but little, and our men went with them in a disorderly chase +through the village to Boiling Fork, a small stream about half a mile +beyond. Here the fleeing pickets, rallying behind a stronger force, +made a stand, and I was directed by McCook to delay till I +ascertained if Davis's division, which was to support me, had made +the crossing of Elk River, and until I could open up communication +with Brannan's division, which was to come in on my left at Decherd. +As soon as I learned that Davis was across I pushed on, but the delay +had permitted the enemy to pull his rear-guard up on the mountain, +and rendered nugatory all further efforts to hurt him materially, our +only returns consisting in forcing him to relinquish a small amount +of transportation and forage at the mouth of the pass just beyond +Cowan, a station on the line of the Nashville and Chattanooga +railroad. + +At Cowan, Colonel Watkins, of the Sixth Kentucky Cavalry, reported to +me with twelve hundred mounted men. Having heard during the night +that the enemy had halted on the mountain near the University--an +educational establishment on the summit--I directed Watkins to make a +reconnoissance and find out the value of the information. He learned +that Wharton's brigade of cavalry was halted at the University to +cover a moderately large force of the enemy's infantry which had not +yet got down the mountain on the other side, so I pushed Watkins out +again on the 5th, supporting him by a brigade of infantry, which I +accompanied myself. We were too late, however, for when we arrived +at the top of the mountain Wharton had disappeared, and though +Watkins pursued to Bridgeport, he was able to do nothing more, and on +his return reported that the last of the enemy had crossed the +Tennessee River and burned the railroad bridge. + +Nothing further could now be done, so I instructed Watkins to rejoin +the division at Cowan, and being greatly fatigued by the hard +campaigning of the previous ten days, I concluded to go back to my +camp in a more comfortable way than on the back of my tired horse. +In his retreat the enemy had not disturbed the railway track at all, +and as we had captured a hand-car at Cowan, I thought I would have it +brought up to the station near the University to carry me down the +mountain to my camp, and, desiring company, I persuasively invited +Colonel Frank T. Sherman to ride with me. I sent for the car by a +courier, and for a long time patiently awaited its arrival, in fact, +until all the returning troops had passed us, but still it did not +come. Thinking it somewhat risky to remain at the station without +protection, Sherman and myself started our horses to Cowan by our +orderlies, and set out on foot to meet the car, trudging along down +the track in momentary expectation of falling in with our private +conveyance. We had not gone very far before night overtook us, and +we then began to realize the dangers surrounding us, for there we +were alone and helpless, tramping on in the darkness over an unknown +railroad track in the enemy's country, liable on the one hand to go +tumbling through some bridge or trestle, and on the other, to +possible capture or death at the hands of the guerrillas then +infesting these mountains. Just after dark we came to a little cabin +near the track, where we made bold to ask for water, notwithstanding +the fact that to disclose ourselves to the inmates might lead to +fatal consequences. The water was kindly given, but the owner and +his family were very much exercised lest some misfortune might befall +us near their house, so they encouraged us to move on with a frankness +inspired by fear of future trouble to themselves. + +At every turn we eagerly hoped to meet the hand-car, but it never +came, and we jolted on from tie to tie for eleven weary miles, +reaching Cowan after midnight, exhausted and sore in every muscle +from frequent falls on the rough, unballasted road-bed. Inquiry. +developed that the car had been well manned, and started to us as +ordered, and nobody could account for its non-arrival. Further +investigation next day showed, however, that when it reached the foot +of the mountain, where the railroad formed a junction, the improvised +crew, in the belief no doubt that the University was on the main line +instead of near the branch to Tracy City, followed the main stem +until it carried them clear across the range down the Crow Creek +Valley, where the party was captured. + +I had reason to remember for many a day this foolish adventure, for +my sore bones and bruised muscles, caused me physical suffering until +I left the Army of the Cumberland the next spring; but I had still +more reason to feel for my captured men, and on this account I have +never ceased to regret that I so thoughtlessly undertook to rejoin my +troops by rail, instead of sticking to my faithful horse. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +ORDERED TO OCCUPY BRIDGEPORT--A SPY--THE BATTLE OF CHICKAMAUGA +--GENERAL THOMAS--TREATED TO COFFEE--RESULTS OF THE BATTLE. + +The Tullahoma campaign was practically closed by the disappearance of +the enemy from the country north of the Tennessee River. Middle +Tennessee was once more in the possession of the National troops, and +Rosecrans though strongly urged from Washington to continue on, +resisted the pressure until he could repair the Nashville and +Chattanooga railroad, which was of vital importance in supplying his +army from its secondary base at Nashville. As he desired to hold +this road to where it crossed the Tennessee, it was necessary to push +a force beyond the mountains, and after a few days of rest at Cowan +my division was ordered to take station at Stevenson, Alabama, the +junction of the Memphis and Charleston road with the Nashville and +Chattanooga, with instructions to occupy Bridgeport also. + +The enemy had meanwhile concentrated most of his forces at +Chattanooga for the twofold purpose of holding this gateway of the +Cumberland Mountains, and to assume a defensive attitude which would +enable him to take advantage of such circumstances as might arise in +the development of the offensive campaign he knew we must make. The +peculiar topography of the country was much to his advantage, and +while we had a broad river and numerous spurs and ridges of the +Cumberland Mountains to cross at a long distance from our base, he +was backed up on his depots of supply, and connected by interior +lines of railway with the different armies of the Confederacy, so +that he could be speedily reinforced. + +Bridgeport was to be ultimately a sub-depot for storing subsistence +supplies, and one of the points at which our army would cross the +Tennessee, so I occupied it on July 29 with two brigades, retaining +one at Stevenson, however, to protect that railway junction from +raids by way of Caperton's ferry. By the 29th of August a +considerable quantity of supplies had been accumulated, and then +began a general movement of our troops for crossing the river. As +there were not with the army enough pontoons to complete the two +bridges required, I was expected to build one of them of trestles; +and a battalion of the First Michigan Engineers under Colonel Innis +was sent me to help construct the bridge. Early on the 31st I sent +into the neighboring woods about fifteen hundred men with axes and +teams, and by nightfall they had delivered on the riverbank fifteen +hundred logs suitable for a trestle bridge. Flooring had been +shipped to me in advance by rail, but the quantity was insufficient, +and the lack had to be supplied by utilizing planking and +weather-boarding taken from barns and houses in the surrounding +country. The next day Innis's engineers, with the assistance of the +detail that had felled the timber, cut and half-notched the logs, and +put the bridge across; spanning the main channel, which was swimming +deep, with four or five pontoons that had been sent me for this +purpose. On the 2d and 3d of September my division crossed on the +bridge in safety, though we were delayed somewhat because of its +giving way once where the pontoons joined the trestles. We were +followed by a few detachments from other commands, and by nearly +all the transportation of McCook's corps. + +After getting to the south side of the Tennessee River I was ordered +to Valley Head, where McCook's corps was to concentrate. On the 4th +of September I ascended Sand Mountain, but had got only half way +across the plateau, on top, when night came, the march having been a +most toilsome one. The next day we descended to the base, and +encamped near Trenton. On the 10th I arrived at Valley Head, and +climbing Lookout Mountain, encamped on the plateau at Indian Falls. +The following day I went down into Broomtown Valley to Alpine. +The march of McCook's corps from Valley Head to Alpine was in +pursuance of orders directing it to advance on Summerville, the +possession of which place would further threaten the enemy's +communications, it being assumed that Bragg was in full retreat +south, as he had abandoned Chattanooga on the 8th. This assumption +soon proved erroneous, however, and as we, while in Broomtown Valley, +could not communicate directly with Thomas's corps, the scattered +condition of the army began to alarm us all, and McCook abandoned the +advance to Summerville, ordering back to the summit of Lookout +Mountain such of the corps trains as had got down into Broomtown +Valley. + +But before this I had grown uneasy in regard to the disjointed +situation of our army, and, to inform myself of what was going on, +determined to send a spy into the enemy's lines. In passing Valley +Head on the 10th my scout Card, who had been on the lookout for some +one capable to undertake the task, brought me a Union man with whom +he was acquainted, who lived on Sand Mountain, and had been much +persecuted by guerrillas on account of his loyal sentiments. He knew +the country well, and as his loyalty was vouched for I asked him to +go into the enemy's camp, which I believed to be near Lafayette, and, +bring me such information as he could gather. He said such a journey +would be at the risk of his life, and that at best he could not +expect to remain in that section of country if he undertook it, but +that he would run all the chances if I would enable him to emigrate +to the West at the end c f the "job," which I could do by purchasing +the small "bunch" of stock he owned on the mountain. To this I +readily assented, and he started on the delicate undertaking. He +penetrated the enemy's lines with little difficulty, but while +prosecuting his search for information was suspected, and at once +arrested and placed under guard. From this critical situation he +escaped; however, making his way through the enemy's picket-line in +the darkness by crawling on his belly and deceiving the sentinels by +imitating the grunts of the half-wild, sand-colored hogs with which +the country abounded. He succeeded in reaching Rosecrans's +headquarters finally, and there gave the definite information that +Bragg intended to fight, and that he expected to be reinforced by +Longstreet. + +By this time it was clear that Bragg had abandoned Chattanooga with +the sole design of striking us in detail as we followed in pursuit; +and to prevent his achieving this purpose orders came at 12 o'clock, +midnight, for McCook to draw in toward Chattanooga. This could be +done only by recrossing Lookout Mountain, the enemy's army at +Lafayette now interposing between us and Thomas's corps. The +retrograde march began at once. I moved back over the mountain on +the 13th and 14th to Stevens's Mills, and on the 15th and 16th +recrossed through Stevens's Gap, in the Lookout range, and encamped +at its base in McLamore's cove. The march was made with all possible +celerity, for the situation was critical and demanded every exertion. +The ascent and descent of the mountains was extremely exhausting, the +steep grades often rendering it necessary to drag up and let down by +hand both the transportation and artillery. But at last we were in +conjunction with the main army, and my division breathed easier. + +On the 17th I remained in line of battle all day and night in front +of McLamore's cove, the enemy making slight demonstrations against me +from the direction of Lafayette. The main body of the army having +bodily moved to the left meanwhile, I followed it on the 18th, +encamping at Pond Spring. On the 19th I resumed the march to the +left and went into line of battle at Crawfish Springs to cover our +right and rear. Immediately after forming this line, I again became +isolated by the general movement to the left, and in consequence was +directed to advance and hold the ford of Chickamauga Creek at Lee and +Gordon's Mills, thus coming into close communication with the balance +of our forces. I moved into this position rapidly, being compelled, +though, first to drive back the enemy's cavalry skirmishers, who, +having crossed to the west side of the creek, annoyed the right flank +of my column a good deal while en route. + +Upon arrival at Lee and Gordon's Mills I found the ford over +Chickamauga Creek temporarily uncovered, through the hurried movement +of Wood to the assistance of Davis's division. The enemy was already +present in small force, with the evident intention of taking +permanent possession, but my troops at once actively engaged him and +recovered the ford with some slight losses. Scarcely had this been +done when I was directed to assist Crittenden. Leaving Lytle's +brigade at the ford, I proceeded with Bradley's and Laiboldt's to +help Crittenden, whose main line was formed to the east of the +Chattanooga and Lafayette road, its right trending toward a point on +Chickamauga Creek about a mile and a half north of Lee and Gordon's +Mills. By the time I had joined Crittenden with my two brigades, +Davis had been worsted in an attack Rosecrans had ordered him to make +on the left of that portion of the enemy's line which was located +along the west bank of the Chickamauga, the repulse being so severe +that one of Davis's batteries had to be abandoned. Bradley's brigade +arrived on the ground first and was hastily formed and thrown into +the fight, which up to this moment had been very doubtful, fortune +inclining first to one side, then to the other. Bradley's brigade +went in with steadiness, and charging across an open corn-field that +lay in front of the Lafayette road, recovered Davis's guns and forced +the enemy to retire. Meanwhile Laiboldt's brigade had come on the +scene, and forming it on Bradley's right, I found myself at the end +of the contest holding the ground which was Davis's original +position. It was an ugly fight and my loss was heavy, including +Bradley wounded. The temporary success was cheering, and when +Lytle's brigade joined me a little later I suggested to Crittenden +that we attack, but investigation showed that his troops, having been +engaged all day, were not in condition, so the suggestion could not +be carried out. + +The events of the day had indicated that Bragg's main object was to +turn Rosecrans's left; it was therefore still deemed necessary that +the army should continue its flank movement to the left, so orders +came to draw my troops in toward the widow Glenn's house. By +strengthening the skirmish line and shifting my brigades in +succession from right to left until the point designated was reached, +I was able to effect the withdrawal without much difficulty, calling +in my skirmish line after the main force had retired. + +My command having settled down for the night in this new line I rode +to army headquarters, to learn if possible the expectations for the +morrow and hear the result of the battle in General Thomas's front. +Nearly all the superior officers of the army were at headquarters, +and it struck me that much depression prevailed, notwithstanding the +fact that the enemy's attempts during the day to turn our left flank +and also envelop our right had been unsuccessful. It was now +positively known, through prisoners and otherwise, that Bragg had +been reinforced to such an extent as to make him materially outnumber +us, consequently there was much apprehension for the future. + +The necessity of protecting our left was most apparent, and the next +day the drifting in that direction was to be continued. This +movement in the presence of the enemy, who at all points was actively +seeking an opportunity to penetrate our line and interpose a column +between its right and left, was most dangerous. But the necessity +for shifting the army to the left was obvious, hence only the method +by which it was undertaken is open to question. The move was made by +the flank in the face of an exultant foe superior in numbers, and was +a violation of a simple and fundamental military principle. Under +such circumstances columns naturally stretch out into attenuated +lines, organizations become separated, and intervals occur, all of +which we experienced; and had the orders for the movement been +construed properly I doubt if it could have been executed without +serious danger. Necessity knows no law, however, and when all the +circumstances of this battle are fully considered it is possible that +justification may be found for the manoeuvres by which the army was +thus drifted to the left. We were in a bad strait unquestionably, +and under such conditions possibly the exception had to be applied +rather than the rule. + +At daylight on the morning of the 20th a dense fog obscured +everything; consequently both armies were passive so far as fighting +was concerned. Rosecrans took advantage of the inaction to rearrange +his right, and I was pulled back closer to the widow Glenn's house to +a strong position, where I threw together some rails and logs as +barricades, but I was disconnected from the troops on my left by a +considerable interval. Here I awaited the approach of the enemy, but +he did not disturb me, although about 9 o'clock in the forenoon he +had opened on our extreme left with musketry fire and a heavy +cannonade. Two hours later it was discovered by McCook that the +interval between the main army and me was widening, and he ordered me +to send Laiboldt's brigade to occupy a portion of the front that had +been covered by Negley's division. Before getting this brigade into +place, however, two small brigades of Davis's division occupied the +ground, and I directed Laiboldt to form in column of regiments on the +crest of a low ridge in rear of Carlin's brigade, so as to prevent +Davis's right flank from being turned. The enemy was now feeling +Davis strongly, and I was about sending for Lytle's and Bradley's +brigades when I received an order to move these rapidly to the +extreme left of the army to the assistance of General Thomas. I rode +hastily back toward their position, but in the meanwhile, they had +been notified by direct orders from McCook, and were moving out at a +double-quick toward the Lafayette road. By this time the enemy had +assaulted Davis furiously in front and flank, and driven him from his +line, and as the confused mass came back, McCook ordered Laiboldt to +charge by deploying to the front. This he did through Davis's broken +ranks, but failed to check the enemy's heavy lines, and finally +Laiboldt's brigade broke also and fell to the rear. My remaining +troops, headed by Lytle, were now passing along the rear of the +ground where this disaster took place--in column on the road--en +route to Thomas, and as the hundreds of fugitives rushed back, McCook +directed me to throw in Lytle's and Bradley's brigades. This was +hastily done, they being formed to the front under a terrible fire. +Scarcely were they aligned when the same horde of Confederates that +had overwhelmed Davis and Laiboldt poured in upon them a deadly fire +and shivered the two brigades to pieces. We succeeded in rallying +them, however, and by a counter attack regained the ridge that +Laiboldt had been driven from, where we captured the colors of the +Twenty-fourth Alabama. We could not hold the ridge, though, and my +troops were driven back with heavy loss, including General Lytle +killed, past the widow Glenn's house, and till I managed to establish +them in line of battle on a range of low hills behind the Dry Valley +road. + +During these occurrences General Rosecrans passed down the road +behind my line, and sent word that he wished to see me, but affairs +were too critical to admit of my going to him at once, and he rode on +to Chattanooga. It is to be regretted that he did not wait till I +could join him, for the delay would have permitted him to see that +matters were not in quite such bad shape as he supposed; still, there +is no disguising the fact that at this juncture his army was badly +crippled. + +Shortly after my division had rallied on the low hills already +described, I discovered that the enemy, instead of attacking me in +front, was wedging in between my division and the balance of the +army; in short, endeavoring to cut me off from Chattanooga. This +necessitated another retrograde movement, which brought me back to +the southern face of Missionary Ridge, where I was joined by Carlin's +brigade of Davis's division. Still thinking I could join General +Thomas, I rode some distance to the left of my line to look for a way +out, but found that the enemy had intervened so far as to isolate me +effectually. I then determined to march directly to Rossville, and +from there effect a junction with Thomas by the Lafayette road. I +reached Rossville about o'clock in the afternoon, bringing with me +eight guns, forty-six caissons, and a long ammunition train, the +latter having been found in a state of confusion behind the widow +Glenn's when I was being driven back behind the Dry Valley road. + +The head of my column passed through Rossville, appearing upon +Thomas's left about 6 o'clock in the evening, penetrated without any +opposition the right of the enemy's line, and captured several of his +field-hospitals. As soon as I got on the field I informed Thomas of +the presence of my command, and asked for orders. He replied that +his lines were disorganized, and that it would be futile to attack; +that all I could do was to hold on, and aid in covering his +withdrawal to Rossville. + +I accompanied him back to Rossville, and when we reached the skirt of +the little hamlet General Thomas halted and we dismounted. Going +into one of the angles of a worm fence near by I took a rail from the +top and put it through the lower rails at a proper height from the +ground to make a seat, and General Thomas and I sat down while, my +troops were moving by. The General appeared very much exhausted, +seemed to forget what he had stopped for, and said little or nothing +of the incidents of the day. This was the second occasion on which I +had met him in the midst of misfortune, for during the fight in the +cedars at Stone River, when our prospects were most disheartening, we +held a brief conversation respecting the line he was then taking up +for the purpose of helping me. At other times, in periods of +inactivity, I saw but little of him. He impressed me, now as he did +in the cedars, his quiet, unobtrusive: demeanor communicating a +gloomy rather than a hopeful view of the situation. This apparent +depression was due no doubt to the severe trial through which he had +gone in the last forty-eight hours, which, strain had exhausted him +very much both physically and mentally. His success in maintaining +his ground was undoubtedly largely influenced by the fact that +two-thirds of the National forces had been sent to his succor, but his +firm purpose to save the army was the mainstay on which all relied +after Rosecrans left the field. As the command was getting pretty +well past, I rose to go in order to put my troops into camp. This +aroused the General, when, remarking that he had a little flask of +brandy in his saddle-holster, he added that he had just stopped for +the purpose of offering me a drink, as he knew I must be very tired. +He requested one of his staff-officers to get the flask, and after +taking a sip himself, passed it to me. Refreshed by the brandy, I +mounted and rode off to supervise the encamping of my division, by no +means an easy task considering the darkness, and the confusion that +existed among the troops that had preceded us into Rossville. + +This done, I lay down at the foot of a tree, with my saddle for a +pillow, and saddle-blanket for a cover. Some soldiers near me having +built a fire, were making coffee, and I guess I must have been +looking on wistfully, for in a little while they brought me a +tin-cupful of the coffee and a small piece of hard bread, which I +relished keenly, it being the first food that had passed my lips +since the night before. I was very tired, very hungry, and much +discouraged by what had taken place since morning. I had been +obliged to fight my command under the most disadvantageous +circumstances, disconnected, without supports, without even +opportunity to form in line of battle, and at one time contending +against four divisions of the enemy. In this battle of Chickamauga, +out of an effective strength Of 4,000 bayonets, I had lost 1,517 +officers and men, including two brigade commanders. This was not +satisfactory indeed, it was most depressing--and then there was much +confusion prevailing around Rossville; and, this condition of things +doubtless increasing my gloomy reflections, it did not seem to me +that the outlook for the next day was at all auspicious, unless the +enemy was slow to improve his present advantage. Exhaustion soon +quieted all forebodings, though, and I fell into a sound sleep, from +which I was not aroused till daylight. + +On the morning of the 21st the enemy failed to advance, and his +inaction gave us the opportunity for getting the broken and +disorganized army into shape. It took a large part of the day to +accomplish this, and the chances of complete victory would have been +greatly in Bragg's favor if he could have attacked us vigorously at +this time. But he had been badly hurt in the two days' conflict, and +his inactivity on the 21st showed that he too had to go through the +process of reorganization. Indeed, his crippled condition began to +show itself the preceding evening, and I have always thought that, +had General Thomas held on and attacked the Confederate right and +rear from where I made the junction with him on the Lafayette road, +the field of Chickamauga would have been relinquished to us; but it +was fated to be otherwise. + +Rosecrans, McCook, and Crittenden passed out of the battle when they +went back to Chattanooga, and their absence was discouraging to all +aware of it. Doubtless this had much to do with Thomas's final +withdrawal, thus leaving the field to the enemy, though at an immense +cost in killed and wounded. The night of the 21st the army moved +back from Rossville, and my division, as the rearguard of the +Twentieth Corps, got within our lines at Chattanooga about 8 o'clock +the morning of the 22d. Our unmolested retirement from Rossville +lent additional force to the belief that the enemy had been badly +injured, and further impressed me with the conviction that we might +have held on. Indeed, the battle of Chickamauga was somewhat like +that of Stone River, victory resting with the side that had the grit +to defer longest its relinquishment of the field. + +The manoeuvres by which Rosecrans had carried his army over the +Cumberland Mountains, crossed the Tennessee River, and possessed +himself of Chattanooga, merit the highest commendation up to the +abandonment of this town by Bragg on the 8th of September; but I have +always fancied that that evacuation made Rosecrans over-confident, +and led him to think that he could force Bragg south as far as Rome. +After the Union army passed the river and Chattanooga fell into our +hands; we still kept pressing the enemy's communications, and the +configuration of the country necessitated more or less isolation of +the different corps. McCook's corps of three divisions had crossed +two difficult ridges--Sand and Lookout mountains--to Alpine in +Broomtown Valley with intentions against Summerville. Thomas's corps +had marched by the way of Stevens's Gap toward Lafayette, which he +expected to occupy. Crittenden had passed through Chattanooga, at +first directing his march an Ringgold. Thus the corps of the army +were not in conjunction, and between McCook and Thomas there +intervened a positive and aggressive obstacle in the shape of Bragg's +army concentrating and awaiting reinforcement at Lafayette. Under +these circumstances Bragg could have taken the different corps in +detail, and it is strange that he did not, even before receiving his +reinforcements, turn on McCook in Broomtown Valley and destroy him. + +Intelligence that Bragg would give battle began to come to us from +various sources as early as the 10th of September, and on the 11th +McCook found that he could not communicate with Thomas by the direct +road through Broomtown Valley; but we did not begin closing in toward +Chattanooga till the 13th, and even then the Twentieth Corps had +before it the certainty of many delays that must necessarily result +from the circuitous and difficult mountain roads which we would be +obliged to follow. Had the different corps, beginning with McCook's, +been drawn in toward Chattanooga between the 8th and 12th of +September, the objective point of the campaign would have remained in +our hands without the battle of Chickamauga, but, as has been seen, +this was not done. McCook was almost constantly on the march day and +night between the 13th and the 19th, ascending and descending +mountains, his men worried and wearied, so that when they appeared on +the battle-field, their fatigued condition operated greatly against +their efficiency. This delay in concentration was also the original +cause of the continuous shifting toward our left to the support of +Thomas, by which manoeuvre Rosecrans endeavored to protect his +communications with Chattanooga, and out of which grew the intervals +that offered such tempting opportunities to Bragg. In addition to +all this, much transpired on the field of battle tending to bring +about disaster. There did not seem to be any well-defined plan of +action in the fighting; and this led to much independence of judgment +in construing orders among some of the subordinate generals. It also +gave rise to much license in issuing orders: too many people were +giving important directions, affecting the whole army, without +authority from its head. In view, therefore, of all the errors that +were committed from the time Chattanooga fell into our hands after +our first crossing the Tennessee, it was fortunate that the Union +defeat was not more complete, that it left in the enemy's possession +not much more than the barren results arising from the simple holding +of the ground on which the engagement was fought. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +AT CHATTANOOGA--THE ENEMY FORTIFIES LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN AND MISSIONARY +RIDGE--REORGANIZING THE ARMY--REMOVAL OF GENERAL ROSECRANS +--PUNISHMENT OF DESERTERS--GRANT AT CHATTANOOGA--THE FIGHT ON LOOKOUT +MOUNTAIN--A BRAVE COLOR-BEARER--BATTLE OF MISSIONARY RIDGE. + +By 9 o'clock on the morning of September 22 my command took up a +position within the heavy line of intrenchments at Chattanooga, the +greater part of which defenses had been thrown up since the army +commenced arriving there the day before. The enemy, having now +somewhat recovered from the shock of the recent battle, followed +carefully, and soon invested us close into our lines with a parallel +system of rifle-pits. He also began at once to erect permanent lines +of earthworks on Missionary Ridge and to establish himself strongly +on Lookout Mountain. He then sent Wheeler's cavalry north of the +Tennessee, and, aided greatly by the configuration of the ground, +held us in a state of partial siege, which serious rains might +convert into a complete investment. The occupation of Lookout +Mountain broke our direct communication with Bridgeport--our +sub-depot--and forced us to bring supplies by way of the Sequatchie +Valley and Waldron's Ridge of the Cumberland Mountains, over a road +most difficult even in the summer season, but now liable to be +rendered impassable by autumn rains. The distance to Bridgeport by +this circuitous route was sixty miles, and the numerous passes, +coves, and small valleys through which the road ran offered tempting +opportunities, for the destruction of trains, and the enemy was not +slow to take advantage of them. Indeed, the situation was not +promising, and General Rosecrans himself, in communicating with the +President the day succeeding the battle of Chickamauga, expressed +doubts of his ability to hold the gateway of the Cumberland +Mountains. + +The position taken up by my troops inside the lines of Chattanooga +was near the old iron-works, under the shadow of Lookout Mountain. +Here we were exposed to a continual fire from the enemy's batteries +for many days, but as the men were well covered by secure though +simple intrenchments, but little damage was done. My own +headquarters were established on the grounds of Mr. William +Crutchfield, a resident of the place, whose devotion to the Union +cause knew no bounds, and who rendered me--and, in fact, at one time +or another, nearly every general officer in the Army of the +Cumberland--invaluable service in the way of information about the +Confederate army. My headquarters camp frequently received shots +from the point of Lookout Mountain also, but fortunately no +casualties resulted from this plunging fire, though, I am free to +confess, at first our nerves were often upset by the whirring of +twenty-pounder shells dropped inconsiderately into our camp at +untimely hours of the night. + +In a few days rain began to fall, and the mountain roads by which our +supplies came were fast growing impracticable. Each succeeding train +of wagons took longer to make the trip from Bridgeport, and the draft +mules were dying by the hundreds. The artillery horses would soon go +too, and there was every prospect that later the troops would starve +unless something could be done. Luckily for my division, a company +of the Second Kentucky Cavalry had attached itself to my +headquarters, and, though there without authority, had been left +undisturbed in view of a coming reorganization of the army incidental +to the removal of McCook and Crittenden from the command of their +respective corps, a measure that had been determined upon immediately +after the battle of Chickamauga. Desiring to remain with me, Captain +Lowell H. Thickstun, commanding this company, was ready for any duty +I might find, for him, so I ordered him into the Sequatchie Valley +for the purpose of collecting supplies for my troops, and sent my +scout, Card along to guide him to the best locations. The company +hid itself away in a deep cove in the upper end of the valley, and by +keeping very quiet and paying for everything it took from the people, +in a few days was enabled to send me large quantities of corn for my +animals and food for the officers and men, which greatly supplemented +the scanty supplies we were getting from the sub-depot at Bridgeport. +In this way I carried men and animals through our beleaguerment in +pretty fair condition, and of the turkeys, chickens, ducks, and eggs +sent in for the messes of my officers we often had enough to divide +liberally among those at different headquarters. Wheeler's cavalry +never discovered my detached company, yet the chances of its capture +were not small, sometimes giving much uneasiness; still, I concluded +it was better to run all risks than to let the horses die of +starvation in Chattanooga. Later, after the battle of Missionary +Ridge, when I started to Knoxville, the company joined me in +excellent shape, bringing with it an abundance of food, including a +small herd of beef cattle. + +The whole time my line remained near the iron-mills the shelling from +Lookout was kept up, the screeching shots inquisitively asking in +their well-known way, "Where are you? Where are you?" but it is +strange to see how readily, soldiers can become accustomed to the +sound of dangerous missiles under circumstances of familiarity, and +this case was no exception to the rule. Few casualties occurred, and +soon contempt took the place of nervousness, and as we could not +reply in kind on account of the elevation required for our guns, the +men responded by jeers and imprecations whenever a shell fell into +their camp. + +Meantime, orders having been issued for the organization of the army, +additional troops were attached to my command, and it became the +Second Division of the Fourth Army Corps, to which Major-General +Gordon Granger was assigned as commander. This necessitated a change +of position of the division, and I moved to ground behind our works, +with my right resting on Fort Negley and my left extending well over +toward Fort Wood, my front being parallel to Missionary Ridge. My +division was now composed of twenty-five regiments, classified into +brigades and demi-brigades, the former commanded by Brigadier-General +G. D. Wagner, Colonel C. G. Harker, and Colonel F. T. Sherman; the +latter, by Colonels Laiboldt, Miller, Wood, Walworth, and Opdyke. +The demi-brigade was an awkward invention of Granger's; but at this +time it was necessitated--perhaps by the depleted condition of our +regiments, which compelled the massing of a great number of +regimental organizations into a division to give it weight and force. + +On October 16, 1863, General Grant had been assigned to the command +of the "Military Division of the Mississippi," a geographical area +which embraced the Departments of the Ohio, the Cumberland, and the +Tennessee, thus effecting a consolidation of divided commands which +might have been introduced most profitably at an earlier date. The +same order that assigned General Grant relieved General Rosecrans, +and placed General Thomas in command of the Army of the Cumberland. +At the time of the reception of the order, Rosecrans was busy with +preparations for a movement to open the direct road to Bridgeport +--having received in the interval, since we came back to Chattanooga, +considerable reinforcement by the arrival in his department of the +Eleventh and Twelfth corps, under General Hooker, from the Army of +the Potomac. With this force Rosecrans had already strengthened +certain important points on the railroad between Nashville and +Stevenson, and given orders to Hooker to concentrate at Bridgeport +such portions of his command as were available, and to hold them in +readiness to advance toward Chattanooga. + +On the 19th of October, after turning the command over to Thomas, +General Rosecrans quietly slipped away from the army. He submitted +uncomplainingly to his removal, and modestly left us without fuss or +demonstration; ever maintaining, though, that the battle of +Chickamauga was in effect a victory, as it had ensured us, he said, +the retention of Chattanooga. When his departure became known +deep and almost universal regret was expressed, for he was +enthusiastically esteemed and loved by the Army of the Cumberland, +from the day he assumed command of it until he left it, +notwithstanding the censure poured upon him after the battle of +Chickamauga. + +The new position to which my division had been moved, in consequence +of the reorganization, required little additional labor to strengthen +it, and the routine of fatigue duty and drills was continued as +before, its monotony occasionally broken by the excitement of an +expected attack, or by amusements of various kinds that were +calculated to keep the men in good spirits. Toward this result much +was contributed by Mr. James E. Murdock, the actor, who came down +from the North to recover the body of his son, killed at Chickamauga, +and was quartered with me for the greater part of the time he was +obliged to await the successful conclusion of his sad mission. He +spent days, and even weeks, going about through the division giving +recitations before the camp-fires, and in improvised chapels, which +the men had constructed from refuse lumber and canvas. Suiting his +selections to the occasion, he never failed to excite intense +interest in the breasts of all present, and when circumstances +finally separated him from us, all felt that a debt of gratitude was +due him that could never be paid. The pleasure he gave, and the +confident feeling that was now arising from expected reinforcements, +was darkened, however, by one sad incident. Three men of my division +had deserted their colors at the beginning of the siege and made +their way north. They were soon arrested, and were brought back to +stand trial for the worst offense that can be committed by a soldier, +convicted of the crime, and ordered to be shot. To make the example +effective I paraded the whole division for the execution, and on the +13th of November, in the presence of their former comrades, the +culprits were sent, in accordance with the terms of their sentence, +to render their account to the Almighty. It was the saddest +spectacle I ever witnessed, but there could be no evasion, no +mitigation of the full letter of the law; its timely enforcement was +but justice to the brave spirits who had yet to fight the rebellion +to the end. + +General Grant arrived at Chattanooga on October 23, and began at once +to carry out the plans that had been formed for opening the shorter +or river road to Bridgeport. This object was successfully +accomplished by the moving of Hooker's command to Rankin's and +Brown's ferries in concert with a force from the Army of the +Cumberland which was directed on the same points, so by the 27th of +October direct communication with our depots was established. The +four weeks which followed this cheering result were busy with the +work of refitting and preparing for offensive operations as soon as +General Sherman should reach us with his troops from West Tennessee. +During this period of activity the enemy committed the serious fault +of detaching Longstreet's corps--sending it to aid in the siege of +Knoxville in East Tennessee--an error which has no justification +whatever, unless it be based on the presumption that it was +absolutely necessary that Longstreet should ultimately rejoin Lee's +army in Virginia by way of Knoxville and Lynchburg, with a chance of +picking up Burnside en route. Thus depleted, Bragg still held +Missionary Ridge in strong force, but that part of his line which +extended across the intervening valley to the northerly point of. +Lookout Mountain was much attenuated. + +By the 18th of November General Grant had issued instructions +covering his intended operations. They contemplated that Sherman's +column, which was arriving by the north bank of the Tennessee, should +cross the river on a pontoon bridge just below the mouth of +Chickamauga Creek and carry the northern extremity of Missionary +Ridge as far as the railroad tunnel; that the Army of the Cumberland +--the centre--should co-operate with Sherman; and that Hooker with a +mixed command should continue to hold Lookout Valley and operate on +our extreme right as circumstances might warrant. Sherman crossed on +the 24th to perform his alloted part of the programme, but in the +meantime Grant becoming impressed with the idea that Bragg was +endeavoring to get away, ordered Thomas to make a strong +demonstration in his front, to determine the truth or falsity of the +information that had been received. This task fell to the Fourth +Corps, and at 12 o'clock on the 23d I was notified that Wood's +division would make a reconnoissance to an elevated point in its +front called Orchard Knob, and that I was to support it with my +division and prevent Wood's right flank from being turned by an +advance of the enemy on Moore's road or from the direction of +Rossville. For this duty I marched my division out of the works +about 2 p.m., and took up a position on Bushy Knob. Shortly after we +reached this point Wood's division passed my left flank on its +reconnoissance, and my command, moving in support of it, drove in the +enemy's picket-line. Wood's took possession of Orchard Knob easily, +and mine was halted on a low ridge to the right of the Knob, where I +was directed by General Thomas to cover my front by a strong line of +rifle-pits, and to put in position two batteries of the Fourth +regular artillery that had joined me from the Eleventh Corps. After +dark Wood began to feel uneasy about his right flank, for a gap +existed between it and my left, so I moved in closer to him, taking +up a line where I remained inactive till the 25th, but suffering some +inconvenience from the enemy's shells. + +On the 24th General Sherman made an attack for the purpose of +carrying the north end of Missionary Ridge. His success was not +complete, although at the time it was reported throughout the army to +be so. It had the effect of disconcerting Bragg, however, and caused +him to strengthen his right by withdrawing troops from his left, +which circumstance led Hooker to advance on the northerly face of +Lookout Mountain. At first, with good glasses, we could plainly see +Hooker's troops driving the Confederates up the face of the mountain. +All were soon lost to view in the dense timber, but emerged again on +the open ground, across which the Confederates retreated at a lively +pace, followed by the pursuing line, which was led by a color-bearer, +who, far in advance, was bravely waving on his comrades. The +gallantry of this man elicited much enthusiasm among us all, but as +he was a considerable distance ahead of his comrades I expected to +see his rashness punished at any moment by death or capture. He +finally got quite near the retreating Confederates, when suddenly +they made a dash at him, but he was fully alive to such a move, and +ran back, apparently uninjured, to his friends. About this time a +small squad of men reached the top of Lookout and planted the Stars +and Stripes on its very crest. Just then a cloud settled down on the +mountain, and a heavy bank of fog obscured its whole face. + +After the view was lost the sharp rattle of musketry continued some +time, but practically the fight had been already won by Hooker's men, +the enemy only holding on with a rear-guard to assure his retreat +across Chattanooga Valley to Missionary Ridge. Later we heard very +heavy cannonading, and fearing that Hooker was in trouble I sent a +staff-officer to find out whether he needed assistance, which I +thought could be given by a demonstration toward Rossville. The +officer soon returned with the report that Hooker was all right, that +the cannonading was only a part of a little rear-guard fight, two +sections of artillery making all the noise, the reverberations from +point to point in the adjacent mountains echoing and reechoing till +it seemed that at least fifty guns were engaged. + +On the morning of the 25th of November Bragg's entire army was +holding only the line of Missionary Ridge, and our troops, being now +practically connected from Sherman to Hooker, confronted it with the +Army of the Cumberland in the centre--bowed out along the front of +Wood's division and mine. Early in the day Sherman, with great +determination and persistence, made an attempt to carry the high +ground near the tunnel, first gaining and then losing advantage, but +his attack was not crowned with the success anticipated. Meanwhile +Hooker and Palmer were swinging across Chattanooga Valley, using me +as a pivot for the purpose of crossing Missionary Ridge in the +neighborhood of Rossville. In the early part of the day I had driven +in the Confederate pickets in my front, so as to prolong my line of +battle on that of Wood, the necessity of continuing to refuse my +right having been obviated by the capture of Lookout Mountain and the +advance of Palmer. + +About 2 o'clock orders came to carry the line at the foot of the +ridge, attacking at a signal of six guns. I had few changes or new +dispositions to make. Wagner's brigade, which was next to Wood's +division, was formed in double lines, and Harker's brigade took the +same formation on Wagner's right. Colonel F. T. Sherman's brigade +came on Harker's right, formed in a column of attack, with a front of +three regiments, he having nine. My whole front was covered with a +heavy line of skirmishers. These dispositions made, my right rested +a little distance south of Moore's road, my left joined Wood over +toward Orchard Knob, while my centre was opposite Thurman's house +--the headquarters of General Bragg--on Missionary Ridge. A small +stream of water ran parallel to my front, as far as which the ground +was covered by a thin patch of timber, and beyond the edge of the +timber was an open plain to the foot of Missionary Ridge, varying in +width from four to nine hundred yards. At the foot of the ridge was +the enemy's first line of rifle-pits; at a point midway up its face, +another line, incomplete; and on the crest was a third line, in which +Bragg had massed his artillery. + +The enemy saw we were making dispositions for an attack, and in plain +view of my whole division he prepared himself for resistance, +marching regiments from his left flank with flying colors; and +filling up the spaces not already occupied in his intrenchments. +Seeing the enemy thus strengthening himself, it was plain that we +would have to act quickly if we expected to accomplish much, and I +already began to doubt the feasibility of our remaining in the first +line of rifle-pits when we should have carried them. I discussed the +order with Wagner, Harker, and Sherman, and they were similarly +impressed, so while anxiously awaiting the signal I sent Captain +Ransom of my staff to Granger, who was at Fort Wood, to ascertain if +we were to carry the first line or the ridge beyond. Shortly after +Ransom started the signal guns were fired, and I told my brigade +commanders to go for the ridge. + +Placing myself in front of Harker's brigade, between the line of +battle and the skirmishers, accompanied by only an orderly so as not +to attract the enemy's fire, we moved out. Under a terrible storm of +shot and shell the line pressed forward steadily through the timber, +and as it emerged on the plain took the double-quick and with fixed +bayonets rushed at the enemy's first line. Not a shot was fired from +our line of battle, and as it gained on my skirmishers they melted +into and became one with it, and all three of my brigades went over +the rifle-pits simultaneously. They then lay down on the face of the +ridge, for a breathing-spell and for protection' from the terrible +fire, of canister and musketry pouring over us from the guns on the +crest. At the rifle-pits there had been little use for the bayonet, +for most of the Confederate troops, disconcerted by the sudden rush, +lay close in the ditch and surrendered, though some few fled up the +slope to the next line. The prisoners were directed to move out to +our rear, and as their intrenchments had now come under fire from the +crest, they went with alacrity, and without guard or escort, toward +Chattanooga. + +After a short pause to get breath the ascent of the ridge began, and +I rode, into the ditch of the intrenchments to drive out a few +skulkers who were hiding there. Just at this time I was joined by +Captain Ransom, who, having returned from Granger, told me that we +were to carry only the line at the base, and that in coming back, +when he struck the left of the division, knowing this interpretation +of the order, he in his capacity as an aide-de-camp had directed +Wagner, who was up on the face of the ridge, to return, and that in +consequence Wagner was recalling his men to the base. I could not +bear to order the recall of troops now so gallantly climbing the hill +step by step, and believing we could take it, I immediately rode to +Wagner's brigade and directed it to resume the attack. In the +meantime Harker's and F. T. Sherman's troops were approaching the +partial line of works midway of the ridge, and as I returned to the +centre of their rear, they were being led by many stands of +regimental colors. There seemed to be a rivalry as to which color +should be farthest to the front; first one would go forward a few +feet, then another would come up to it, the color-bearers vying with +one another as to who should be foremost, until finally every +standard was planted on the intermediate works. The enemy's fire +from the crest during the ascent was terrific in the noise made, but +as it was plunging, it over-shot and had little effect on those above +the second line of pits, but was very uncomfortable for those below, +so I deemed it advisable to seek another place, and Wagner's brigade +having reassembled and again pressed up the ridge, I rode up the face +to join my troops. + +As soon as the men saw me, they surged forward and went over the +works on the crest. The parapet of the intrenchment was too high for +my horse to jump, so, riding a short distance to the left, I entered +through a low place in the line. A few Confederates were found +inside, but they turned the butts of their muskets toward me in token +of surrender, for our men were now passing beyond them on both their +flanks. + +The right and right centre of my division gained the summit first, +they being partially sheltered by a depression in the face of the +ridge, the Confederates in their immediate front fleeing down the +southern face. When I crossed the rifle-pits on the top the +Confederates were still holding fast at Bragg's headquarters, and a +battery located there opened fire along the crest; making things most +uncomfortably hot. Seeing the danger to which I was exposed, for I +was mounted, Colonel Joseph Conrad, of the Fifteenth Missouri, ran up +and begged me to dismount. I accepted his excellent advice, and it +probably saved my life; but poor Conrad was punished for his +solicitude by being seriously wounded in the thigh at the moment he +was thus contributing to my safety. + +Wildly cheering, the men advanced along the ridge toward Bragg's +headquarters, and soon drove the Confederates from this last +position, capturing a number of prisoners, among them Breckenridge's +and Bates's adjutant-generals, and the battery that had made such +stout resistance on the crest-two guns which were named "Lady +Breckenridge" and "Lady Buckner" General Bragg himself having barely +time to escape before his headquarters were taken. + +My whole division had now reached the summit, and Wagner and Harker +--the latter slightly wounded--joined me as I was standing in the +battery just secured. The enemy was rapidly retiring, and though +many of his troops, with disorganized wagon-trains and several pieces +of artillery, could be distinctly seen in much confusion about half a +mile distant in the valley below, yet he was covering them with a +pretty well organized line that continued to give us a desultory +fire. Seeing this, I at once directed Wagner and Harker to take up +the pursuit along Moore's road, which led to Chickamauga Station +--Bragg's depot of supply--and as they progressed, I pushed Sherman's +brigade along the road behind them. Wagner and Harker soon overtook +the rearguard, and a slight skirmish caused it to break, permitting +nine guns and a large number of wagons which were endeavoring to get +away in the stampede to fall into our hands. + +About a mile and a half beyond Missionary Ridge, Moore's road passed +over a second ridge or high range of hills, and here the enemy had +determined to make a stand for that purpose, posting eight pieces of +artillery with such supporting force as he could rally. He was +immediately attacked by Harker and Wagner, but the position was +strong, the ridge being rugged and difficult of ascent, and after the +first onset our men recoiled. A staff-officer from Colonel Wood's +demi-brigade informing me at this juncture that that command was too +weak to carry the position in its front, I ordered the Fifteenth +Indiana and the Twenty-Sixth Ohio to advance to Wood's aid, and then +hastening to the front I found his men clinging to the face of the +ridge, contending stubbornly with the rear-guard of the enemy. +Directing Harker to put Opdyke's demi-brigade in on the right, I +informed Wagner that it was necessary to flank the enemy by carrying +the high bluff on our left where the ridge terminated, that I had +designated the Twenty-Sixth Ohio and Fifteenth Indiana for the work, +and that I wished him to join them. + +It was now dusk, but the two regiments engaged in the flanking +movement pushed on to gain the bluff. Just as they reached the crest +of the ridge the moon rose from behind, enlarged by the refraction of +the atmosphere, and as the attacking column passed along the summit +it crossed the moon's disk and disclosed to us below a most +interesting panorama, every figure nearly being thrown out in full +relief. The enemy, now outflanked on left and right, abandoned his +ground, leaving us two pieces of artillery and a number of wagons. +After this ridge was captured I found that no other troops than mine +were pursuing the enemy, so I called a halt lest I might become too +much isolated. Having previously studied the topography of the +country thoroughly, I knew that if I pressed on my line of march +would carry me back to Chickamauga station, where we would be in rear +of the Confederates that had been fighting General Sherman, and that +there was a possibility of capturing them by such action; but I did +not feel warranted in marching there alone, so I rode back to +Missionary Ridge to ask for more troops, and upon arriving there I +found Granger in command, General Thomas having gone back to +Chattanooga. + +Granger was at Braggy's late headquarters in bed. I informed him of +my situation and implored him to follow me up with the Army of the +Cumberland, but he declined, saying that he thought we had done well +enough. I still insisting, he told me finally to push on to the +crossing of Chickamauga Creek, and if I, encountered the enemy he +would order troops to my support. I returned to my division about +12 o'clock at night, got it under way, and reached the crossing, +about half a mile from the station, at 2 o'clock on the morning of +the 26th, and there found the bridge destroyed, but that the creek +was fordable. I did not encounter the enemy in any force, but feared +to go farther without assistance. This I thought I might bring up by +practicing a little deception, so I caused two regiments to simulate +an engagement by opening fire, hoping that this would alarm Granger +and oblige him to respond with troops, but my scheme failed. General +Granger afterward told me that he had heard the volleys, but +suspected their purpose, knowing that they were not occasioned by a +fight, since they were too regular in their delivery. + +I was much disappointed that my pursuit had not been supported, for I +felt that great results were in store for us should the enemy be +vigorously followed. Had the troops under Granger's command been +pushed out with mine when Missionary Ridge was gained, we could have +reached Chickamauga Station by 12 o'clock the night of the 25th; or +had they been sent even later, when I called for them, we could have +got there by daylight and worked incalculable danger to the +Confederates, for the force that had confronted Sherman did not pass +Chickamauga Station in their retreat till after daylight on the +morning of the 26th. + +My course in following so close was dictated by a thorough knowledge +of the topography of the country and a familiarity with its roads, +bypaths, and farm-houses, gained with the assistance of Mr. +Crutchfield; and sure my column was heading in the right direction, +though night had fallen I thought that an active pursuit would almost +certainly complete the destruction of Bragg's army. When General +Grant came by my bivouac at the crossing of Chickamauga Creek on the +26th, he realized what might have been accomplished had the +successful assault on Missionary Ridge been supplemented by vigorous +efforts on the part of some high officers, who were more interested +in gleaning that portion of the battle-field over which my command +had passed than in destroying a panic-stricken enemy. + +Although it cannot be said that the result of the two days' +operations was reached by the methods which General Grant had +indicated in his instructions preceding the battle, yet the general +outcome was unquestionably due to his genius, for the manoeuvring of +Sherman's and Hooker's commands created the opportunity for Thomas's +corps of the Army of the Cumberland to carry the ridge at the centre. +In directing Sherman to attack the north end of the ridge, Grant +disconcerted Bragg--who was thus made to fear the loss of his depot +of supplies at Chickamauga Station--and compelled him to resist +stoutly; and stout resistance to Sherman meant the withdrawal of the +Confederates from Lookout Mountain. While this attack was in process +of execution advantage was taken of it by Hooker in a well-planned +and well-fought battle, but to my mind an unnecessary one, for our +possession of Lookout was the inevitable result that must follow from +Sherman's threatening attitude. The assault on Missionary Ridge by +Granger's and Palmer's corps was not premeditated by Grant, he +directing only the line at its base to be carried, but when this fell +into our hands the situation demanded our getting the one at the top +also. + +I took into the action an effective force of 6,000, and lost 123 +officers and 1,181 men killed and wounded. These casualties speak +louder than words of the character of the fight, and plainly tell +where the enemy struggled most stubbornly for these figures comprise +one-third the casualties of the entire body of Union troops +--Sherman's and all included. My division captured 1,762 prisoners +and, in all, seventeen pieces of artillery. Six of these guns I +turned over with caissons complete; eleven were hauled off the field +and appropriated by an officer of high rank--General Hazen. I have +no disposition to renew the controversy which grew out of this +matter. At the time the occurrence took place I made the charge in a +plain official report, which was accepted as correct by the corps and +army commanders, from General Granger up to General Grant. General +Hazen took no notice of this report then, though well aware of its +existence. Nearly a quarter of a century later, however, he +endeavored to justify his retention of the guns by trying to show +that his brigade was the first to reach the crest of Missionary +Ridge, and that he was therefore entitled to them. This claim of +being the first to mount the ridge is made by other brigades than +Hazen's, with equal if not greater force, so the absurdity of his +deduction is apparent: + +NOTE: In a book published by General Hazen in 1885, he endeavored to +show, by a number of letters from subordinate officers of his +command, written at his solicitation from fifteen to twenty years +after the occurrence, that his brigade was the first to mount +Missionary Ridge, and that it was entitled to possess these guns. +The doubtful character of testimony dimmed by the lapse of many years +has long been conceded, and I am content to let the controversy stand +the test of history, based on the conclusions of General Grant, as he +drew them from official reports made when the circumstances were +fresh in the minds of all. + +General Grant says: "To Sheridan's prompt movement, the Army of the +Cumberland and the nation are indebted for the bulk of the capture of +prisoners, artillery, and small-arms that day. Except for his prompt +pursuit, so much in this way would not have been accomplished." + +General Thomas says: "We captured all their cannon and ammunition +before they could be removed or destroyed. After halting a few +moments to reorganize the troops, who had become somewhat scattered +in the assault of the hill, General Sheridan pushed forward in +pursuit, and drove those in his front who had escaped capture across +Chickamauga Creek." + +REPORT OF COLONEL FRANCIS T. SHERMAN, COMMANDING FIRST BRIGADE: +"When within ten yards of the crest, our men seemed to be thrown +forward as if by some powerful engine, and the old flag was planted +firmly and surely on the last line of works of the enemy, followed by +the men, taking one battery of artillery." + +REPORT OF COLONEL MICHAEL GOODING, TWENTY-SECOND INDIANA: +...."I pushed men up to the second line of works as fast as possible; +on and on, clear to the top, and over the ridge they went, to the +hollow beyond, killing and wounding numbers of the enemy as we +advanced, and leaving the rebel battery in our rear. We captured +great numbers of prisoners, and sent them to the rear without guards, +as we deemed the pursuit of the enemy of greater importance.... +"I cannot give too much praise to Captain Powers, Company "H," +Lieutenant Smith, Company "K," Lieutenant Gooding, Company "A," and +Second Lieutenant Moser, Company "G," for their assistance, and for +the gallant manner in which they encouraged their men up the side of +the mountain, and charging the enemy's works right up to the muzzles +of their guns." + +REPORT OF COLONEL JASON MARSH, SEVENTY-FOURTH ILLINOIS: +...."The first on the enemy's works, and almost simultaneously, were +Lieutenant Clement, Company "A," Captain Stegner, Company "I," +Captain Bacon, Company "G," and Captain Leffingwell, with some of +their men. The enemy was still in considerable force behind their +works; but, for some unaccountable reason, they either fled or +surrendered instantly upon the first few of our men reaching them +--not even trying to defend their battery, which was immediately +captured by Captain Stegner." + +REPORT OF LIEUTENANT-COLONEL PORTER C. OLSON, THIRTY-SIXTH ILLINOIS: +...."In connection with other regiments of this brigade, we assisted +in capturing several pieces of artillery, a number of caissons, and a +great quantity of small-arms." + +REPORT OF COLONEL JOHN Q. LANE: +...."At the house known as Bragg's headquarters, the enemy were +driven from three guns, which fell into our hands." + +REPORT OF BRIGADIER-GENERAL G. D. WAGNER, SECOND BRIGADE: +...."I ordered the command to storm the ridge, bringing up the +Fifteenth Indiana and Ninety-seventh Ohio, which had not yet been +engaged, although suffering from the enemy's artillery. The result +is a matter of history, as we gained the ridge, capturing artillery, +prisoners, and small-arms; to what amount, however, I do not know, as +we pushed on after the enemy as soon as I had re-formed the command. +....Captain Tinney, with his usual gallantry, dashed up the line with +the first troops, and with the aid of an orderly (George Dusenbury, +Fifteenth Indiana), turned the loaded gun of the enemy on his +retreating ranks." + +REPORT OF CAPTAIN BENJAMIN F. HEGLER, FIFTEENTH INDIANA: +...."Our captures amounted to prisoners not counted, representing +many different regiments; several pieces of artillery, and some +wagons." + +REPORT OF LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ELIAS NEFF, FORTIETH INDIANA: +...."As the regiment reached the top of the ridge and swept for. +ward, the right passed through, without stopping to take possession, +the battery at General Bragg's headquarters that had fired so +venomously during the whole contest." + +REPORT OF LIEUTENANT-COLONEL J. MOORE, FIFTY-EIGHTH INDIANA: +...."In passing to the front from Missionary Ridge, we saw several +pieces of artillery which had been abandoned by the enemy, though I +did not leave any one in charge of them." + +REPORT OF MAJOR C, M. HAMMOND, ONE HUNDREDTH ILLINOIS: +...."I immediately organized my regiment, and while so doing +discovered a number of pieces of artillery in a ravine on my left. I +sent Lieutenant Stewart, of Company A, to see if these guns which the +enemy had abandoned could not be turned upon them. He returned and +reported them to be four ten-pound Parrotts and two brass Napoleons; +also that it would require a number of men to place them in position. +I ordered him to report the same to General Wagner, and ask +permission, but before receiving a reply was ordered by you to move +forward my regiment on the left of the Fifty-Eighth Indiana +Volunteers." + +REPORT OF COLONEL CHARLES G. HARKER, THIRD BRIGADE: +...."My right and Colonel Sherman's left interlocked, so to speak, as +we approached the summit, and it was near this point that I saw the +first part of my line gain the crest. This was done by a few brave +men of my own and Colonel Sherman's command driving the enemy from +his intrenchments. The gap thus opened, our men rushed rapidly in, +and the enemy, loth to give up their position, still remained, firing +at my command toward the left, and the battery in front of the house +known as General Bragg's headquarters was still firing at the troops, +and was captured by our men while the gunners were still at their +posts.... +...."We captured and sent to division and corps headquarters 503 +prisoners and a large number of small-arms. In regard to the number +of pieces of artillery, it will probably be difficult to reconcile +the reports of my regimental commanders with the reports of other +regiments and brigades who fought so nobly with my own command, and +who alike are entitled to share the honors and glories of the day. +More anxious to follow the enemy than to appropriate trophies already +secured, we pushed to the front, while the place we occupied on +ascending the hill was soon occupied by other troops, who, I have +learned, claim the artillery as having fallen into their own hands. +It must therefore remain with the division and corps commanders, who +knew the relative position of each brigade and division, to accord to +each the trophies to which they are due. +...."From my personal observation I can claim a battery of six guns +captured by a portion of my brigade." + +REPORT OF COLONEL EMERSON OPDYKE, FIRST DEMI-BRIGADE: +...."My command captured Bragg's headquarters, house, and the six +guns which were near there; one of these I ordered turned upon the +enemy, which was done with effect." + +REPORT OF COLONEL H. C. DUNLAP, THIRD KENTUCKY: +...."The point at which the centre of my regiment reached the crest +was at the stable to the left of the house said to be Bragg's +headquarters, and immediately in front of the road which leads down +the southern slope of the ridge. One piece of the abandoned battery, +was to the left of this point, the remainder to the right, near by." + +REPORT OF LIEUTENANT-COLONEL W. A. BULLITT, SIXTY-FIFTH OHIO: +...."The position in which my regiment found itself was immediately +in front of a battery, which belched forth a stream of canister upon +us with terrible rapidity. In addition to this, the enemy, whenever +driven from other points, rallied around this battery, and defended +it with desperation. It cost a struggle to take it; but we finally +succeeded, and the colors of the Sixty-fifth Ohio were the first +planted upon the yet smoking guns. Captain Smith, of my regiment, +was placed in charge of the captured battery, which consisted of 5 +guns, 3 caissons, and 17 horses." + +REPORT OF CAPTAIN E. P. BATES, ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIFTH OHIO: +...."Perceiving that the ridge across which my regiment extended was +commanded to the very crest by a battery in front, also by those to +right and left, I directed the men to pass up the gorges on either +side. About forty men, with Captain Parks and Lieutenant Stinger, +passed to the left, the balance to the right, and boldly charged on, +till, foremost with those of other regiments, they stood on the +strongest point of the enemy's works, masters alike of his guns and +position.... Captain Parks reports his skirmish-line to have charged +upon and captured one gun, that otherwise would have been hauled +off." + +REPORT OF COLONEL ALLEN BUCKNER, SEVENTY-NINTH ILLINOIS: +...."The right of the regiment rested on the left of the road, where +it crossed the rebel fortification, leading up the hill toward +Bragg's headquarters. We took a right oblique direction through a +peach orchard until arriving at the woods and logs on the side of the +ridge, when I ordered the men to commence firing, which they did with +good effect, and continued it all the way up until the heights were +gained. At this point the left of the regiment was near the right of +the house, and I claim that my officers and men captured two large +brass pieces, literally punching the cannoniers from their guns. +Privates John Fregan and Jasper Patterson, from Company "A," rushed +down the hill, captured one caisson, with a cannonier and six horses, +and brought them back." + +REPORT OF COLONEL J. R. MILES, TWENTY-SEVENTH ILLINOIS: +...."The regiment, without faltering, finally, at about 4.30 P.M., +gained the enemy's works in conjunction with a party of the +Thirty-sixth Illinois, who were immediately on our right. The +regiment, or a portion of it, proceeded to the left, down the ridge, +for nearly or quite a quarter of a mile capturing three or four pieces +of cannon, driving the gunners from them." + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +ORDERED TO RETURN TO CHATTANOOGA--MARCH TO KNOXVILLE--COLLECTING +SUBSISTENCE STORES--A CLEVER STRATAGEM--A BRIDGE OF WAGONS--LOOKING +OUT FOR THE PERSONAL COMFORT OF THE SOLDIERS-A LEAVE OF ABSENCE +--ORDERED TO WASHINGTON--PARTING WITH SHERIDAN'S DIVISION. + +The day after the battle of Missionary Ridge I was ordered in the +evening to return to Chattanooga, and from the limited supply of +stores to be had there outfit my command to march to the relief of +Knoxville, where General Burnside was still holding out against the +besieging forces of General Longstreet. When we left Murfreesboro' +in the preceding June, the men's knapsacks and extra clothing, as +well as all our camp equipage, had been left behind, and these +articles had not yet reached us, so we were poorly prepared for a +winter campaign in the mountains of East Tennessee. There was but +little clothing to be obtained in Chattanooga, and my command +received only a few overcoats and a small supply of India-rubber +ponchos. We could get no shoes, although we stood in great need of +them, for the extra pair with which each man had started out from +Murfreesboro' was now much the worse for wear. The necessity for +succoring Knoxville was urgent, however, so we speedily refitted as +thoroughly as was possible with the limited means at hand. My +division teams were in very fair condition in consequence of the +forage we had procured in the Sequatchie Valley, so I left the train +behind to bring up clothing when any should arrive in Chattanooga. + +Under these circumstances, on the 29th of November the Fourth Corps +(Granger's) took up the line of march for Knoxville, my men carrying +in their haversacks four days' rations, depending for a further +supply of food on a small steamboat loaded with subsistence stores, +which was to proceed up the Tennessee River and keep abreast of the +column. + +Not far from Philadelphia, Tennessee, the columns of General +Sherman's army, which had kept a greater distance from the river than +Granger's corps, so as to be able to subsist on the country, came in +toward our right and the whole relieving force was directed on +Marysville, about fifteen miles southwest of Knoxville. We got to +Marysville December 5, and learned the same day that Longstreet had +shortly before attempted to take Knoxville by a desperate assault, +but signally failing, had raised the siege and retired toward Bean's +Station on the Rutledge, Rogersville, and Bristol road, leading to +Virginia. From Marysville General Sherman's troops returned to +Chattanooga, while Granger's corps continued on toward Knoxville, to +take part in the pursuit of Longstreet. + +Burnside's army was deficient in subsistence, though not to the +extent that we had supposed before leaving Chattanooga. It had eaten +out the country in the immediate vicinity of Knoxville, however; +therefore my division did not cross the Holstein River, but was +required, in order to maintain itself, to proceed to the region of +the French Broad River. To this end I moved to Sevierville, and +making this village my headquarters, the division was spread out over +the French Broad country, between Big Pigeon and Little Pigeon +rivers, where we soon had all the mills in operation, grinding out +plenty of flour and meal. The whole region was rich in provender +of all kinds, and as the people with rare exceptions were +enthusiastically loyal, we in a little while got more than enough +food for ourselves, and by means of flatboats began sending the +surplus down the river to the troops at Knoxville. + +The intense loyalty of this part of Tennessee exceeded that of any +other section I was in during the war. The people could not do too +much to aid the Union cause, and brought us an abundance of +everything needful. The women were especially loyal, and as many of +their sons and husbands, who had been compelled to "refugee" on +account of their loyal sentiments, returned with us, numbers of the +women went into ecstasies of joy when this part of the Union army +appeared among them. So long as we remained in the French Broad +region, we lived on the fat of the land, but unluckily our stay was +to be of short duration, for Longstreet's activity kept the +department commander in a state of constant alarm. + +Soon after getting the mills well running, and when the shipment of +their surplus product down the river by flatboats had begun, I was +ordered to move to Knoxville, on account of demonstrations by +Longstreet from the direction of Blain's crossroads. On arriving at +Knoxville, an inspection of my command, showed that the shoes of many +of the men were entirely worn out, the poor fellows having been +obliged to protect their feet with a sort of moccasin, made from +their blankets or from such other material as they could procure. +About six hundred of the command were in this condition, plainly not +suitably shod to withstand the frequent storms of sleet and snow. +These men I left in Knoxville to await the arrival of my train, which +I now learned was en route from Chattanooga with shoes, overcoats, +and other clothing, and with the rest of the division proceeded to +Strawberry Plains, which we reached the latter part of December. + +Mid-winter was now upon us, and the weather in this mountain region +of East Tennessee was very cold, snow often falling to the depth of +several inches. The thin and scanty clothing of the men afforded +little protection, and while in bivouac their only shelter was the +ponchos with which they had been provided before leaving Chattanooga; +there was not a tent in the command. Hence great suffering resulted, +which I anxiously hoped would be relieved shortly by the arrival of +my train with supplies. In the course of time the wagons reached +Knoxville, but my troops derived little comfort from this fact, for +the train was stopped by General Foster, who had succeeded Burnside +in command of the department, its contents distributed pro rata to +the different organizations of the entire army, and I received but a +small share. This was very disappointing, not to say exasperating, +but I could not complain of unfairness, for every command in the army +was suffering to the same extent as mine, and yet it did seem that a +little forethought and exertion on the part of some of the other +superior officers, whose transportation was in tolerable condition, +might have ameliorated the situation considerably. I sent the train +back at once for more clothing, and on its return, just before +reaching Knoxville, the quartermaster in charge, Captain Philip +Smith, filled the open spaces in the wagons between the bows and load +with fodder and hay, and by this clever stratagem passed it through +the town safe and undisturbed as a forage train. On Smith's arrival +we lost no time in issuing the clothing, and when it had passed into +the hands of the individual soldiers the danger of its appropriation +for general distribution, like the preceding invoice, was very +remote. + +General Foster had decided by this time to move his troops to +Dandridge for the twofold purpose of threatening the enemy's left and +of getting into a locality where we could again gather subsistence +from the French Broad region. Accordingly we began an advance on the +15th of January, the cavalry having preceded us some time before. +The Twenty-third Corps and Wood's division of the Fourth Corps +crossed the Holstein River by a bridge that had been constructed at +Strawberry Plains. My division being higher up the stream, forded +it, the water very deep and bitter cold, being filled with slushy +ice. Marching by way of New Market, I reached Dandridge on the 17th, +and here on my arrival met General Sturgis, then commanding our +cavalry. He was on the eve of setting out to, "whip the enemy's +cavalry," as he said, and wanted me to go along and see him do it. I +declined, however, for being now the senior officer present, Foster, +Parke, and Granger having remained at Knoxville and Strawberry +Plains, their absence left me in command, and it was necessary that I +should make disposition of the infantry when it arrived. As there +were indications of a considerable force of the enemy on the +Russellville road I decided to place the troops in line of battle, so +as to be prepared for any emergency that might arise in the absence +of the senior officers, and I deemed it prudent to supervise +personally the encamping of the men. This disposition necessarily +required that some of the organizations should occupy very +disagreeable ground, but I soon got all satisfactorily posted with +the exception of General Willich, who expressed some discontent at +being placed beyond the shelter of the timber, but accepted the +situation cheerfully when its obvious necessity was pointed out to +him. + +Feeling that all was secure, I returned to my headquarters in the +village with the idea that we were safely established in ease of +attack, and that the men would now have a good rest if left +undisturbed; and plenty to eat, but hardly had I reached my own camp +when a staff-officer came post-haste from Sturgis with the +information that he was being driven back to my lines, despite the +confident invitation to me (in the morning) to go out and witness the +whipping which was to be given to the enemy's cavalry. Riding to the +front, I readily perceived that the information was correct, and I +had to send a brigade of infantry out to help Sturgis, thus relieving +him from a rather serious predicament. Indeed, the enemy was present +in pretty strong force, both cavalry and infantry, and from his +vicious attack on Sturgis it looked very much as though he intended +to bring on a general engagement. + +Under such circumstances I deemed it advisable that the responsible +commanders of the army should be present, and so informed them. My +communication brought Parke and Granger to the front without delay, +but Foster could not come, since the hardships of the winter had +reopened an old wound received during the Mexican War, and brought on +much suffering. By the time Parke and Granger arrived, however, the +enemy, who it turned out was only making a strong demonstration to +learn the object of our movement on Dandridge, seemed satisfied with +the results of his reconnoissance, and began falling back toward +Bull's Gap. Meanwhile Parke and Granger concluded that Dandridge was +an untenable point, and hence decided to withdraw a part of the army +to Strawberry Plains; and the question of supplies again coming up, +it was determined to send the Fourth Corps to the south side of the +French Broad to obtain subsistence, provided we could bridge the +river so that men could get across the deep and icy stream without +suffering. + +I agreed to undertake the construction of a bridge on condition that +each division should send to the ford twenty-five wagons with which +to make it. This being acceded to, Harker's brigade began the work +next morning at a favorable point a few miles down the river. As my +quota of wagons arrived, they were drawn into the stream one after +another by the wheel team, six men in each wagon, and as they +successively reached the other side of the channel the mules were +unhitched, the pole of each wagon run under the hind axle of the one +just in front, and the tailboards used so as to span the slight space +between them. The plan worked well as long as the material lasted, +but no other wagons than my twenty-five coming on the ground, the +work stopped when the bridge was only half constructed. Informed of +the delay and its cause, in sheer desperation I finished the bridge +by taking from my own division all the wagons needed to make up the +deficiency. + +It was late in the afternoon when the work was finished, and I began +putting over one of my brigades; but in the midst of its crossing +word came that Longstreet's army was moving to attack us, which +caused an abandonment of the foraging project, and orders quickly +followed to retire to Strawberry Plains, the retrograde movement to +begin forthwith. I sent to headquarters information of the plight I +was in--baggage and supplies on the bank and wagons in the stream +--begged to know what was to become of them if we were to hurry off at +a moment's notice, and suggested that the movement be delayed until I +could recover my transportation. Receiving in reply no assurances +that I should be relieved from my dilemma--and, in fact, nothing +satisfactory--I determined to take upon myself the responsibility of +remaining on the ground long enough to get my wagons out of the river; +so I sent out a heavy force to watch for the enemy, and with the +remainder of the command went to work to break up the bridge. Before +daylight next morning I had recovered everything without interference +by Longstreet, who, it was afterward ascertained, was preparing to +move east toward Lynchburg instead of marching to attack us; the small +demonstration against Dandridge, being made simply to deceive us as to +his ultimate object. I marched to Strawberry Plains unmolested, and +by taking the route over Bay's Mountain, a shorter one than that +followed by the main body of our troops, reached the point of +rendezvous as soon as the most of the army, for the road it followed +was not only longer, but badly cut up by trains that had recently +passed over it. + +Shortly after getting into camp, the beef contractor came in and +reported that a detachment of the enemy's cavalry had captured my +herd of beef cattle. This caused me much chagrin at first, but the +commissary of my division soon put in an appearance, and assured me +that the loss would not be very disastrous to us nor of much benefit +to the enemy, since the cattle were so poor and weak that they could +not be driven off. A reconnoissance in force verified the +Commissary's statement. From its inability to travel, the herd, +after all efforts to carry it off had proved ineffectual, had been +abandoned by its captors. + +After the troops from Chattanooga arrived in the vicinity of +Knoxville and General Sherman had returned to Chattanooga, the +operations in East Tennessee constituted a series of blunders, +lasting through the entire winter; a state of affairs doubtless due, +in the main, to the fact that the command of the troops was so +frequently changed. Constant shifting of responsibility from one to +another ensued from the date that General Sherman, after assuring +himself that Knoxville was safe, devolved the command on Burnside. +It had already been intimated to Burnside that he was to be relieved, +and in consequence he was inactive and apathetic, confining his +operations to an aimless expedition whose advance extended only as +far as Blain's crossroads, whence it was soon withdrawn. Meanwhile +General Foster had superseded Burnside, but physical disabilities +rendered him incapable of remaining in the field, and then the chief +authority devolved on Parke. By this time the transmission of power +seemed almost a disease; at any rate it was catching, so, while we +were en route to Dandridge, Parke transferred the command to Granger. +The latter next unloaded it on me, and there is no telling what the +final outcome would have been had I not entered a protest against a +further continuance of the practice, which remonstrance brought +Granger to the front at Dandridge. + +While the events just narrated were taking place, General Grant had +made a visit to Knoxville--about the last of December--and arranged +to open the railroad between there and Chattanooga, with a view to +supplying the troops in East Tennessee by rail in the future, instead +of through Cumberland Gap by a tedious line of wagon-trains. In +pursuance of his plan the railroad had already been opened to Loudon, +but here much delay occurred on account of the long time it took to +rebuild the bridge over the Tennessee. Therefore supplies were still +very scarce, and as our animals were now dying in numbers from +starvation, and the men were still on short allowance, it became +necessary that some of the troops east of Knoxville should get nearer +to their depot, and also be in a position to take part in the coming +Georgia campaign, or render assistance to General Thomas, should +General Johnston (who had succeeded in command of the Confederate +army) make any demonstration against Chattanooga. Hence my division +was ordered to take station at Loudon, Tennessee, and I must confess +that we took the road for that point with few regrets, for a general +disgust prevailed regarding our useless marches during the winter. + +At this time my faithful scout Card and his younger brother left me, +with the determination, as I have heretofore related, to avenge their +brother's death. No persuasion could induce Card to remain longer, +for knowing that my division's next operation would be toward +Atlanta, and being ignorant of the country below Dalton, he +recognized and insisted that his services would then become +practically valueless. + +At Loudon, where we arrived January 27, supplies were more plentiful, +and as our tents and extra clothing reached us there in a few days, +every one grew contented and happy. Here a number of my regiments, +whose terms of service were about to expire, went through the process +of "veteranizing," and, notwithstanding the trials and hardships of +the preceding nine months, they re-enlisted almost to a man. + +When everything was set in motion toward recuperating and refitting +my troops, I availed myself of the opportunity during a lull that +then existed to take a short leave of absence--a privilege I had not +indulged in since entering the service in 1853. This leave I spent +in the North with much benefit to my physical condition, for I was +much run down by fatiguing service, and not a little troubled by +intense pain which I at times still suffered from my experience in +the unfortunate hand-car incident on the Cumberland Mountains the +previous July. I returned from leave the latter part of March, +rejoining my division with the expectation that the campaign in that +section would begin as early as April. + +On the 12th of March, 1864, General Grant was assigned to the command +of the armies of the United States, as general-in-chief. He was +already in Washington, whither he had gone to receive his commission +as lieutenant-general. Shortly after his arrival there, he commenced +to rearrange the different commands in the army to suit the plans +which he intended to enter upon in the spring, and out of this grew a +change in my career. Many jealousies and much ill-feeling, the +outgrowth of former campaigns, existed among officers of high grade +in the Army of the Potomac in the winter of 1864, and several general +officers were to be sent elsewhere in consequence. Among these, +General Alfred Pleasonton was to be relieved from the command of the +cavalry, General Grant having expressed to the President +dissatisfaction that so little had hitherto been accomplished by that +arm of the service, and I was selected as chief of the cavalry corps +of the Army of the Potomac, receiving on the night of the 23d of +March from General Thomas at Chattanooga the following telegram: + +"MARCH 23, 1864. +"MAJOR-GENERAL THOMAS, Chattanooga + +"Lieutenant-General Grant directs that Major-General Sheridan +immediately repair to Washington and report to the Adjutant-General +of the Army. + +"H. W. HALLECK, +Major-General, Chief-of-Staff." + + +I was not informed of the purpose for which I was to proceed to +Washington, but I conjectured that it meant a severing of my +relations with the Second Division, Fourth Army Corps. I at once set +about obeying the order, and as but little preparation was necessary, +I started for Chattanooga the next day, without taking any formal +leave of the troops I had so long commanded. I could not do it; the +bond existing between them and me had grown to such depth of +attachment that I feared to trust my emotions in any formal parting +from a body of soldiers who, from our mutual devotion, had long +before lost their official designation, and by general consent within +and without the command were called "Sheridan's Division." When I +took the train at the station the whole command was collected on the +hill-sides around to see me off. They had assembled spontaneously, +officers and men, and as the cars moved out for Chattanooga they +waved me farewell with demonstrations of affection. + +A parting from such friends was indeed to be regretted. They had +never given me any trouble, nor done anything that could bring aught +but honor to themselves. I had confidence in them, and I believe +they had in me. They were ever steady, whether in victory or in +misfortune, and as I tried always to be with them, to put them into +the hottest fire if good could be gained, or save them from +unnecessary loss, as occasion required, they amply repaid all my care +and anxiety, courageously and readily meeting all demands in every +emergency that arose. + +In Kentucky, nearly two years before, my lot had been cast with about +half of the twenty-five regiments of infantry that I was just +leaving, the rest joining me after Chickamauga. It was practically a +new arm of the service to me, for although I was an infantry officer, +yet the only large command which up to that time I had controlled was +composed of cavalry, and most of my experience had been gained in +this arm of the service. I had to study hard to be able to master +all the needs of such a force, to feed and clothe it and guard all +its interests. When undertaking these responsibilities I felt that +if I met them faithfully, recompense would surely come through the +hearty response that soldiers always make to conscientious exertion +on the part of their superiors, and not only that more could be +gained in that way than from the use of any species of influence, but +that the reward would be quicker. Therefore I always tried to look +after their comfort personally; selected their camps, and provided +abundantly for their subsistence, and the road they opened for me +shows that my work was not in vain. I regretted deeply to have to +leave such soldiers, and felt that they were sorry I was going, and +even now I could not, if I would, retain other than the warmest +sentiments of esteem and the tenderest affection for the officers and +men of "Sheridan's Division," Army of the Cumberland. + +On reaching Chattanooga I learned from General Thomas the purpose for +which I had been ordered to Washington. I was to be assigned to the +command of the Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Potomac. The +information staggered me at first, for I knew well the great +responsibilities of such a position; moreover, I was but slightly +acquainted with military operations in Virginia, and then, too, the +higher officers of the Army of the Potomac were little known to me, +so at the moment I felt loth to undergo the trials of the new +position. Indeed, I knew not a soul in Washington except General +Grant and General Halleck, and them but slightly, and no one in +General Meade's army, from the commanding general down, except a few +officers in the lower grades, hardly any of whom I had seen since +graduating at the Military Academy. + +Thus it is not much to be wondered at that General Thomas's +communication momentarily upset me. But there was no help for it, so +after reflecting on the matter a little I concluded to make the best +of the situation. As in Virginia I should be operating in a field +with which I was wholly unfamiliar, and among so many who were +strangers, it seemed to me that it would be advisable to have, as a +chief staff-officer, one who had had service in the East, if an +available man could be found. In weighing all these considerations +in my mind, I fixed upon Captain James W. Forsyth, of the Eighteenth +Infantry, then in the regular brigade at Chattanooga--a dear friend +of mine, who had served in the Army of the Potomac, in the Peninsula +and Antietam campaigns. He at once expressed a desire to accept a +position on my staff, and having obtained by the next day the +necessary authority, he and I started for Washington, accompanied by +Lieutenant T. W. C. Moore, one of my aides, leaving behind Lieutenant +M. V. Sheridan, my other aide, to forward our horses as soon as they +should be sent down to Chattanooga from Loudon, after which he was to +join me. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +AT WASHINGTON--MEETING SECRETARY STANTON--INTERVIEW WITH PRESIDENT +LINCOLN--MADE COMMANDER OF THE CAVALRY CORPS OF THE ARMY OF THE +POTOMAC--ITS OFFICERS--GENERAL MEADE's METHOD OF USING CAVALRY +--OPENING OF THE CAMPAIGN--SPOTTSYLVANIA C. H.--A DIFFERENCE WITH +GENERAL MEADE--PREPARING TO FIGHT STUART'S CAVALRY. + +Accompanied by Captain Forsyth and Lieutenant Moore, I arrived in +Washington on the morning of April, 4, 1864, and stopped at Willard's +Hotel, where, staying temporarily, were many officers of the Army of +the Potomac en route to their commands from leave at the North. +Among all these, however, I was an entire stranger, and I cannot now +recall that I met a single individual whom I had ever before known. + +With very little delay after reaching my hotel I made my way to +General Halleck's headquarters and reported to that officer, having +learned in the meantime that General Grant was absent from the city. +General Halleck talked to me for a few minutes, outlining briefly the +nature and duties of my new command, and the general military +situation in Virginia. When he had finished all he had to say about +these matters, he took me to the office of the Secretary of War, to +present me to Mr. Stanton. During the ceremony of introduction, I +could feel that Mr. Stanton was eying me closely and searchingly, +endeavoring to form some estimate of one about whom he knew +absolutely nothing, and whose career probably had never been called +to his attention until General Grant decided to order me East, after +my name had been suggested by General Halleck in an interview the two +generals had with Mr. Lincoln. I was rather young in appearance +--looking even under than over thirty-three years--but five feet five +inches in height, and thin almost to emaciation, weighing only one +hundred and fifteen pounds. If I had ever possessed any +self-assertion in manner or speech, it certainly vanished in the +presence of the imperious Secretary, whose name at the time was the +synonym of all that was cold and formal. I never learned what Mr. +Stanton's first impressions of me were, and his guarded and rather +calculating manner gave at this time no intimation that they were +either favorable or unfavorable, but his frequent commendation in +after years indicated that I gained his goodwill before the close of +the war, if not when I first came to his notice; and a more intimate +association convinced me that the cold and cruel characteristics +popularly ascribed to him were more mythical than real. + +When the interview with the Secretary was over, I proceeded with +General Halleck to the White House to pay my respects to the +President. Mr. Lincoln received me very cordially, offering both his +hands, and saying that he hoped I would fulfill the expectations of +General Grant in the new command I was about to undertake, adding +that thus far the cavalry of the Army of the Potomac had not done all +it might have done, and wound up our short conversation by quoting +that stale interrogation so prevalent during the early years of the +war, "Who ever saw a dead cavalryman?" His manner did not impress +me, however, that in asking the question he had meant anything beyond +a jest, and I parted from the President convinced that he did not +believe all that the query implied. + +After taking leave I separated from General Halleck, and on returning +to my hotel found there an order from the War Department assigning me +to the command of the Cavalry Corps, Army of the Potomac. The next +morning, April 5, as I took the cars for the headquarters of the Army +of the Potomac, General Grant, who had returned to Washington the +previous night from a visit to his family, came aboard the train on +his way to Culpeper Court House, and on the journey down I learned +among other things that he had wisely determined to continue +personally in the field, associating himself with General Meade's +army; where he could supervise its movements directly, and at the +same time escape the annoyances which, should he remain in +Washington, would surely arise from solicitude for the safety of the +Capital while the campaign was in progress. When we reached Brandy +Station, I left the train and reported to General Meade, who told me +that the headquarters of the Cavalry Corps were some distance back +from the Station, and indicated the general locations of the +different divisions of the corps, also giving me, in the short time I +remained with him, much information regarding their composition. + +I reached the Cavalry Corps headquarters on the evening of April 5, +1864, and the next morning issued orders assuming command. General +Pleasonton had but recently been relieved, and many of his +staff-officers were still on duty at the headquarters awaiting the +arrival of the permanent commander. I resolved to retain the most of +these officers on my staff, and although they were all unknown to me +when I decided on this course, yet I never had reason to regret it, +nor to question the selections made by my predecessor. + +The corps consisted of three cavalry divisions and twelve batteries +of horse artillery. Brigadier-General A. T. A. Torbert was in +command of the First Division, which was composed of three brigades; +Brigadier-General D. McM. Gregg, of the Second, consisting of two +brigades; and Brigadier-General J. H. Wilson was afterward assigned +to command the Third, also comprising two brigades: Captain Robinson, +a veteran soldier of the Mexican war, was chief of artillery, and as +such had a general supervision of that arm, though the batteries, +either as units or in sections, were assigned to the different +divisions in campaign. + +Each one of my division commanders was a soldier by profession. +Torbert graduated from the Military Academy in 1855, and was +commissioned in the infantry, in which arm he saw much service on the +frontier, in Florida, and on the Utah expedition. At the beginning +of hostilities in April, 1861, he was made a colonel of New Jersey +volunteers, and from that position was promoted in the fall of 1862 +to be a brigadier-general, thereafter commanding a brigade of +infantry in the Army of the Potomac till, in the redistribution of +generals, after Grant came to the East, he was assigned to the First +Cavalry Division. + +Gregg graduated in 1855 also, and was appointed to the First +Dragoons, with which regiment, up to the breaking out of the war, he +saw frontier service extending from Fort Union, New Mexico, through +to the Pacific coast, and up into Oregon and Washington Territories, +where I knew him slightly. In the fall of 1861 he became colonel of +the Eighth Pennsylvania Cavalry, and a year later was made a +brigadier-general. He then succeeded to the command of a division of +cavalry, and continued in that position till the close of his +service, at times temporarily commanding the Cavalry Corps. He was +the only division commander I had whose experience had been almost +exclusively derived from the cavalry arm. + +Wilson graduated in 1860 in the Topographical Engineers, and was +first assigned to duty in Oregon, where he remained till July, 1861. +In the fall of that year his active service in the war began, and he +rose from one position to another, in the East and West, till, while +on General Grant's staff, he was made a brigadier-general in the fall +of 1863 in reward for services performed during the Vicksburg +campaign and for engineer duty at Chattanooga preceding the battle of +Missionary Ridge. At my request he was selected to command the Third +Division. General Grant thought highly of him, and, expecting much +from his active mental and physical ability, readily assented to +assign him in place of General Kilpatrick. The only other general +officers in the corps were Brigadier-General Wesley Merritt, +Brigadier-General George A. Custer, and Brigadier-General Henry E. +Davies, each commanding a brigade. + +In a few days after my arrival at Brandy Station I reviewed my new +command, which consisted of about twelve thousand officers and men, +with the same number of horses in passable trim. Many of the general +officers of the army were present at the review, among them Generals +Meade, Hancock, and Sedgwick. Sedgwick being an old dragoon, came to +renew his former associations with mounted troops, and to encourage +me, as he jestingly said, because of the traditional prejudices the +cavalrymen were supposed to hold against being commanded by an +infantry officer. The corps presented a fine appearance at the +review, and so far as the health and equipment of the men were +concerned the showing was good and satisfactory; but the horses were +thin and very much worn down by excessive and, it seemed to me, +unnecessary picket duty, for the cavalry picket-line almost +completely encircled the infantry and artillery camps of the army, +covering a distance, on a continuous line, of nearly sixty miles, +with hardly a mounted Confederate confronting it at any point. From +the very beginning of the war the enemy had shown more wisdom +respecting his cavalry than we. Instead of wasting its strength by a +policy of disintegration he, at an early day, had organized his +mounted force into compact masses, and plainly made it a favorite; +and, as usual, he was now husbanding the strength of his horses by +keeping them to the rear, so that in the spring he could bring them +out in good condition for the impending campaign. + +Before and at the review I took in this situation, and determined to +remedy it if possible; so in due time I sought an interview with +General Meade and informed him that, as the effectiveness of my +command rested mainly on the strength of its horses, I thought the +duty it was then performing was both burdensome and wasteful. I also +gave him my idea as to what the cavalry should do, the main purport +of which was that it ought to be kept concentrated to fight the +enemy's cavalry. Heretofore, the commander of the Cavalry Corps had +been, virtually, but an adjunct at army headquarters--a sort of chief +of cavalry--and my proposition seemed to stagger General Meade not a +little. I knew that it would be difficult to overcome the recognized +custom of using the cavalry for the protection of trains and the +establishment of cordons around the infantry corps, and so far +subordinating its operations to the movements of the main army that +in name only was it a corps at all, but still I thought it my duty to +try. + +At first General Meade would hardly listen to my proposition, for he +was filled with the prejudices that, from the beginning of the war, +had pervaded the army regarding the importance and usefulness of +cavalry, General Scott then predicting that the contest would be +settled by artillery, and thereafter refusing the services of +regiment after regiment of mounted troops. General Meade deemed +cavalry fit for little more than guard and picket duty, and wanted to +know what would protect the transportation trains and artillery +reserve, cover the front of moving infantry columns, and secure his +flanks from intrusion, if my policy were pursued. I told him that if +he would let me use the cavalry as I contemplated, he need have +little solicitude in these respects, for, with a mass of ten thousand +mounted men, it was my belief that I could make it so lively for the +enemy's cavalry that, so far as attacks from it were concerned, the +flanks and rear of the Army of the Potomac would require little or no +defense, and claimed, further, that moving columns of infantry should +take care of their own fronts. I also told him that it was my object +to defeat the enemy's cavalry in a general combat, if possible, and +by such a result establish a feeling of confidence in my own troops +that would enable us after awhile to march where we pleased, for the +purpose of breaking General Lee's communications and destroying the +resources from which his army was supplied. + +The idea as here outlined was contrary to Meade's convictions, for +though at different times since he commanded the Army of the Potomac +considerable bodies of the cavalry had been massed for some special +occasion, yet he had never agreed to the plan as a permanency, and +could not be bent to it now. He gave little encouragement, +therefore, to what I proposed, yet the conversation was immediately +beneficial in one way, for when I laid before him the true condition +of the cavalry, he promptly relieved it from much of the arduous and +harassing picket service it was performing, thus giving me about two +weeks in which to nurse the horses before the campaign opened. + +The interview also disclosed the fact that the cavalry commander +should be, according to General Meade's views, at his headquarters +practically as one of his staff, through whom he would give detailed +directions as, in his judgment, occasion required. Meade's ideas and +mine being so widely divergent, disagreements arose between us later +during the battles of the Wilderness, which lack of concord ended in +some concessions on his part after the movement toward Spottsylvania +Court House began, and although I doubt that his convictions were +ever wholly changed, yet from that date on, in the organization of +the Army of the Potomac, the cavalry corps became more of a compact +body, with the same privileges and responsibilities that attached to +the other corps--conditions that never actually existed before. + +On the 4th of May the Army of the Potomac moved against Lee, who was +occupying a defensive position on the south bank of the Rapidan. +After detailing the various detachments which I was obliged to supply +for escorts and other mounted duty, I crossed the river with an +effective force of about 10,000 troopers. In the interval succeeding +my assignment to the command of the cavalry, I had taken the pains to +study carefully the topography of the country in eastern Virginia, +and felt convinced that, under the policy Meade intended I should +follow, there would be little opportunity for mounted troops to +acquit themselves well in a region so thickly wooded, and traversed +by so many almost parallel streams; but conscious that he would be +compelled sooner or later either to change his mind or partially give +way to the pressure of events, I entered on the campaign with the +loyal determination to aid zealously in all its plans. + +General Lee's army was located in its winter quarters behind +intrenchments that lay along the Rapidan for a distance of about +twenty miles; extending from Barnett's to Morton's ford. The fords +below Morton's were watched by a few small detachments of Confederate +cavalry, the main body of which, however, was encamped below +Hamilton's crossing, where it could draw supplies from the rich +country along the Rappahannock. Only a few brigades of Lee's +infantry guarded the works along the river, the bulk of it being so +situated that it could be thrown to either flank toward which the +Union troops approached. + +General Grant adopted the plan of moving by his left flank, with the +purpose of compelling Lee to come out from behind his intrenchments +along Mine Run and fight on equal terms. Grant knew well the +character of country through which he would have to pass, but he was +confident that the difficulties of operation in the thickly wooded +region of the Wilderness would be counterbalanced by the facility +with which his position would enable him to secure a new base; and by +the fact that as he would thus cover Washington, there would be +little or no necessity for the authorities there to detach from his +force at some inopportune moment for the protection of that city. + +In the move forward two divisions of my cavalry took the advance, +Gregg crossing the Rapidan at Ely's ford and Wilson at Germania ford. +Torbert's division remained in the rear to cover the trains and +reserve artillery, holding from Rapidan Station to Culpeper, and +thence through Stevensburg to the Rappahannock River. Gregg crossed +the Rapidan before daylight, in advance of the Second Corps, and when +the latter reached Ely's ford, he pushed on to Chancellorsville; +Wilson preceded the Fifth Corps to Germania ford, and when it reached +the river he made the crossing and moved rapidly by Wilderness +Tavern, as far as Parker's Store, from which point he sent a heavy +reconnoissance toward Mine Run, the rest of his division bivouacking +in a strong position. I myself proceeded to Chancellorsville and +fixed my headquarters at that place, whereon the 5th I was joined by +Torbert's division. + +Meanwhile, General Meade had crossed the Rapidan and established his +headquarters not far from Germania ford. From that point he was in +direct communication with Wilson, whose original instructions from me +carried him only as far as Parker's Store, but it being found, during +the night of the 4th, that the enemy was apparently unacquainted with +the occurrences of the day, Meade directed Wilson to advance in the +direction of Craig's Meeting House; leaving one regiment to hold +Parker's Store. Wilson with the second brigade encountered Rosser's +brigade of cavalry just beyond the Meeting House, and drove it back +rapidly a distance of about two miles, holding it there till noon, +while his first brigade was halted on the north side of Robinson's +Run near the junction of the Catharpen and Parker's Store roads. + +Up to this time Wilson had heard nothing of the approach of the Fifth +Corps, and the situation becoming threatening, he withdrew the second +brigade to the position occupied by the first, but scarcely had he +done so when he learned that at an early hour in the forenoon the +enemy's infantry had appeared in his rear at Parker's Store and cut +off his communication with General Meade. Surprised at this, he +determined to withdraw to Todd's Tavern, but before his resolution +could be put into execution the Confederates attacked him with a +heavy force, and at the same time began pushing troops down the +Catharpen road. Wilson was now in a perplexing situation, sandwiched +between the Confederates who had cut him off in the rear at Parker's +store and those occupying the Catharpen road, but he extricated his +command by passing it around the latter force, and reached Todd's +Tavern by crossing the Po River at Corbin's bridge. General Meade +discovering that the enemy had interposed at Parker's store between +Wilson and the Fifth Corps, sent me word to go to Wilson's relief, +and this was the first intimation I received that Wilson had been +pushed out so far, but, surmising that he would retire in the +direction of Todd's Tavern I immediately despatched Gregg's division +there to his relief. Just beyond Todd's Tavern Gregg met Wilson, who +was now being followed by the enemy's cavalry. The pursuing force +was soon checked, and then driven back to Shady Grove Church, while +Wilson's troops fell in behind Gregg's line, somewhat the worse for +their morning's adventure. + +When the Army of the Potomac commenced crossing the Rapidan on the +4th, General J. E. B. Stuart, commanding the Confederate cavalry, +began concentrating his command on the right of Lee's infantry, +bringing it from Hamilton's crossing and other points where it had +been wintering. Stuart's force at this date was a little more than +eight thousand men, organized in two divisions, commanded by Generals +Wade Hampton and Fitzhugh Lee. Hampton's division was composed of +three brigades, commanded by Generals Cordon, Young, and Rosser; +Fitzhugh Lee's division comprised three brigades also, Generals W. H. +F. Lee, Lomax, and Wickham commanding them. + +Information of this concentration, and of the additional fact that +the enemy's cavalry about Hamilton's crossing was all being drawn in, +reached me on the 5th, which obviated all necessity for my moving on +that point as I intended at the onset of the campaign. The +responsibility for the safety of our trains and of the left flank of +the army still continued, however, so I made such dispositions of my +troops as to secure these objects by holding the line of the Brock +road beyond the Furnaces, and thence around to Todd's Tavern and +Piney Branch Church. On the 6th, through some false information, +General Meade became alarmed about his left flank, and sent me the +following note: + +"HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, +"May 6, 1864.--1 o'clock P. M. +"MAJOR-GENERAL SHERIDAN, +"Commanding Cavalry Corps + +"Your despatch of 11.45 a.m., received. General Hancock has been +heavily pressed, and his left turned. The major-general commanding +thinks that you had better draw in your cavalry, so as to secure the +protection of the trains. The order requiring an escort for the +wagons to-night has been rescinded. + +"A. A. HUMPHREYS, +"Major-General, Chief-of-Staff." + + +On the morning of the 6th Custer's and Devin's brigades had been +severely engaged at the Furnaces before I received the above note. +They had been most successful in repulsing the enemy's attacks, +however, and I felt that the line taken up could be held; but the +despatch from General Humphreys was alarming, so I drew all the +cavalry close in toward Chancellorsville. It was found later that +Hancock's left had not been turned, and the points thus abandoned had +to be regained at a heavy cost in killed and wounded, to both the +cavalry and the infantry. + +On the 7th of May, under directions from headquarters, Army of the +Potomac, the trains were put in motion to go into park at Piney +Branch Church, in anticipation of the movement that was about to be +made for the possession of Spottsylvania Court House. I felt +confident that the order to move the trains there had been given +without a full understanding of the situation, for Piney Branch +Church was now held by the enemy, a condition which had resulted from +the order withdrawing the cavalry on account of the supposed disaster +to Hancock's left the day before; but I thought the best way to +remedy matters was to hold the trains in the vicinity of Aldrich's +till the ground on which it was intended to park them should be +regained. + +This led to the battle of Todd's Tavern, a spirited fight for the +possession of the crossroads at that point, participated in by the +enemy's cavalry and Gregg's division, and two brigades of Torbert's +division, the latter commanded by Merritt, as Torbert became very ill +on the 6th, and had to be sent to the rear. To gain the objective +point--the crossroads--I directed Gregg to assail the enemy on the +Catharpen road with Irvin Gregg's brigade and drive him over Corbin's +bridge, while Merritt attacked him with the Reserve brigade on the +Spottsylvania road in conjunction with Davies's brigade of Gregg's +division, which was to be put in on the Piney Branch Church road, and +unite with Merritt's left. Davies's and Irvin Gregg's brigades on my +right and left flanks met with some resistance, yet not enough to +deter them from, executing their orders. In front of Merritt the +enemy held on more stubbornly, however, and there ensued an +exceedingly severe and, at times, fluctuating fight. Finally the +Confederates gave way, and we pursued them almost to Spottsylvania +Court House; but deeming it prudent to recall the pursuers about +dark, I encamped Gregg's and Merritt's divisions in the open fields +to the east of Todd's Tavern. + +During the preceding three days the infantry corps of the army had +been engaged in the various conflicts known as the battles of the +Wilderness. The success of the Union troops in those battles had not +been all that was desired, and General Grant now felt that it was +necessary to throw himself on Lee's communications if possible, while +preserving his own intact by prolonging the movement to the left. +Therefore, on the evening of the 7th he determined to shift his whole +army toward Spottsylvania Court House, and initiated the movement by +a night march of the infantry to Todd's Tavern. In view of what was +contemplated, I gave orders to Gregg and Merritt to move at daylight +on the morning of the 8th, for the purpose of gaining possession of +Snell's bridge over the Po River, the former by the crossing at +Corbin's bridge and the latter by the Block House. I also directed +Wilson, who was at Alsop's house, to take possession of Spottsylvania +as early as possible on the morning of the 8th, and then move into +position at Snell's bridge conjointly with the other two divisions. +Wilson's orders remained as I had issued them, so he moved +accordingly and got possession of Spottsylvania, driving the enemy's +cavalry a mile beyond, as will be seen by the following despatch sent +me at 9 A. M. of the 8th: + +"HEADQUARTERS THIRD DIVISION, CAVALRY CORPS, +"ARMY OF THE POTOMAC. +"SPOTTSYLVANIA COURT HOUSE, May 8, 1864 9 A. M. +"LIEUTENANT-COLONEL FORSYTH, CHIEF-OF-STAFF, C. C. + +"Have run the enemy's cavalry a mile from Spottsylvania Court House; +have charged them, and drove them through the village; am fighting +now with a considerable force, supposed to be Lee's division. +Everything all right. + +"J. H. WILSON, +"Brigadier-General Commanding. + + +During the night of the 7th General Meade arrived at Todd's Tavern +and modified the orders I had given Gregg and Merritt, directing +Gregg simply to hold Corbin's bridge, and Merritt to move out in +front of the infantry column marching on the Spottsylvania road. +Merritt proceeded to obey, but in advancing, our cavalry and infantry +became intermingled in the darkness, and much confusion and delay was +the consequence. I had not been duly advised of these changes in +Gregg's and Merritt's orders, and for a time I had fears for the +safety of Wilson, but, while he was preparing to move on to form his +junction with Gregg and Merritt at Snell's bridge, the advance of +Anderson (who was now commanding Longstreet's corps) appeared on the +scene and drove him from Spottsylvania. + +Had Gregg and Merritt been permitted to proceed as they were +originally instructed, it is doubtful whether the battles fought at +Spottsylvania would have occurred, for these two divisions would have +encountered the enemy at the Pa River, and so delayed his march as to +enable our infantry to reach Spottsylvania first, and thus force Lee +to take up a line behind the Po. I had directed Wilson to move from +the left by "the Gate" through Spottsylvania to Snell's bridge, while +Gregg and Merritt were to advance to the same point by Shady Grove +and the Block House. There was nothing to prevent at least a partial +success of these operations; that is to say, the concentration of the +three divisions in front of Snell's bridge, even if we could not +actually have gained it. But both that important point and the +bridge on the Block House road were utterly ignored, and Lee's +approach to Spottsylvania left entirely unobstructed, while three +divisions of cavalry remained practically ineffective by reason of +disjointed and irregular instructions. + +On the morning of the 8th, when I found that such orders had been +given, I made some strong remonstrances against the course that had +been pursued, but it was then too late to carry out the combinations +I had projected the night before, so I proceeded to join Merritt on +the Spottsylvania road. On reaching Merritt I found General Warren +making complaint that the cavalry were obstructing his infantry +column, so I drew Merritt off the road, and the leading division of +the Fifth Corps pushed up to the front. It got into line about 11 +o'clock, and advanced to take the village, but it did not go very far +before it struck Anderson's corps, and was hurled back with heavy +loss. This ended all endeavor to take Spottsylvania that day. + +A little before noon General Meade sent for me, and when I reached +his headquarters I found that his peppery temper had got the better +of his good judgment, he showing a disposition to be unjust, laying +blame here and there for the blunders that had been committed. He +was particularly severe on the cavalry, saying, among other things, +that it had impeded the march of the Fifth Corps by occupying the +Spottsylvania road. I replied that if this were true, he himself had +ordered it there without my knowledge. I also told him that he had +broken up my combinations, exposed Wilson's division to disaster, and +kept Gregg unnecessarily idle, and further, repelled his insinuations +by saying that such disjointed operations as he had been requiring of +the cavalry for the last four days would render the corps inefficient +and useless before long. Meade was very much irritated, and I was +none the less so. One word brought on another, until, finally, I +told him that I could whip Stuart if he (Meade) would only let me, +but since he insisted on giving the cavalry directions without +consulting or even notifying me, he could henceforth command the +Cavalry Corps himself--that I would not give it another order. + +The acrimonious interview ended with this remark, and after I left +him he went to General Grant's headquarters and repeated the +conversation to him, mentioning that I had said that I could whip +Stuart. At this General Grant remarked: "Did he say so? Then let him +go out and do it." This intimation was immediately acted upon by +General Meade, and a little later the following order came to me: + +"HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC +"May 8th, 1864 1 P. M. + +"GENERAL SHERIDAN, +"Commanding Cavalry Corps. + +"The major-general commanding directs you to immediately concentrate +your available mounted force, and with your ammunition trains and +such supply trains as are filled (exclusive of ambulances) proceed +against the enemy's cavalry, and when your supplies are exhausted, +proceed via New Market and Green Bay to Haxall's Landing on the James +River, there communicating with General Butler, procuring supplies +and return to this army. Your dismounted men will be left with the +train here. + +"A. A. HUMPHREYS, +"Major-General, Chief-of-staff." + + +As soon as the above order was received I issued instructions for the +concentration of the three divisions of cavalry at Aldrich's to +prepare for the contemplated expedition. Three days' rations for the +men were distributed, and half rations of grain for one day were +doled out for the horses. I sent for Gregg, Merritt, and Wilson and +communicated the order to them, saying at the same time, "We are +going out to fight Stuart's cavalry in consequence of a suggestion +from me; we will give him a fair, square fight; we are strong, and I +know we can beat him, and in view of my recent representations to +General Meade I shall expect nothing but success." I also indicated +to my division commanders the line of march I should take--moving in +one column around the right flank of Lee's army to get in its rear +--and stated at the same time that it was my intention to fight Stuart +wherever he presented himself, and if possible go through to Haxall's +Landing; but that if Stuart should successfully interpose between us +and that point we would swing back to the Army of the Potomac by +passing around the enemy's left flank by way of Gordonsville. At +first the proposition seemed to surprise the division commanders +somewhat, for hitherto even the boldest, mounted expeditions had been +confined to a hurried ride through the enemy's country, without +purpose of fighting more than enough to escape in case of +molestation, and here and there to destroy a bridge. Our move would +be a challenge to Stuart for a cavalry duel behind Lee's lines, in +his own country, but the advantages which it was reasonable to +anticipate from the plan being quickly perceived, each division +commander entered into its support unhesitatingly, and at once set +about preparing for the march next day. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +THE EXPEDITION STARTS--DESTROYING SUPPLIES--OPENING OF THE FIGHT AT +YELLOW TAVERN--GENERAL CUSTER'S BRILLIANT CHARGE--DEATH OF GENERAL +STUART--REMOVING TORPEDOES--EXCITEMENT IN RICHMOND--A NIGHT MARCH +--ENTERPRISING NEWSBOYS--THE EFFECTS OF STUART'S DEFEAT AND DEATH +--END OF THE FIRST EXPEDITION--ITS GREAT SUCCESS AND BENEFICIAL +RESULTS. + +The expedition which resulted in the battle of Yellow Tavern and the +death of General Stuart started from the vicinity of Aldrich's toward +Fredericksburg early on the morning of May 9, 1864, marching on the +plank-road, Merritt's division leading. When the column reached +Tabernacle Church it headed almost due east to the telegraph road, +and thence down that highway to Thornburg, and from that point +through Childsburg to Anderson's crossing of the North Anna River, it +being my desire to put my command south of that stream if possible, +where it could procure forage before it should be compelled to fight. +The corps moved at a walk, three divisions on the same road, making a +column nearly thirteen miles in length, and marched around the right +flank of the enemy unsuspected until my rear guard had passed +Massaponax Church. Although the column was very long, I preferred to +move it all on one road rather than to attempt combinations for +carrying the divisions to any given point by different routes. +Unless the separate commands in an expedition of this nature are very +prompt in movement, and each fully equal to overcoming at once any +obstacle it may meet, combinations rarely work out as expected; +besides, an engagement was at all times imminent, hence it was +specially necessary to keep the whole force well together. + +As soon as the Ny, Po, and Ta rivers were crossed, each of which +streams would have afforded an excellent defensive line to the enemy, +all anxiety as to our passing around Lee's army was removed, and our +ability to cross the North Anna placed beyond doubt. Meanwhile +General Stuart had discovered what we were about, and he set his +cavalry in motion, sending General Fitzhugh Lee to follow and attack +my rear on the Childsburg road, Stuart himself marching by way of +Davenport's bridge, on the North Anna, toward Beaver Dam Station, +near which place his whole command was directed to unite the next +day. + +My column having passed the Ta River, Stuart attacked its rear with +considerable vigor, in the hope that he could delay my whole force +long enough to permit him to get at least a part of his command in my +front; but this scheme was frustrated by Davies's brigade, which I +directed to fight as a rear-guard, holding on at one position and +then at another along the line of march just enough to deter the +enemy from a too rapid advance. Davies performed this responsible +and trying duty with tact and good judgment, following the main +column steadily as it progressed to the south, and never once +permitting Fitzhugh Lee's advance to encroach far enough to compel a +halt of my main body. About dark Merritt's division crossed the +North Anna at Anderson's ford, while Gregg and Wilson encamped on the +north side, having engaged the enemy, who still hung on my rear up to +a late hour at night. + +After Merritt's division passed the river, Custer's brigade proceeded +on to Beaver Dam Station to cut the Virginia Central railroad. +Before reaching the station he met a small force of the enemy, but +this he speedily drove off, recapturing from it about four hundred +Union prisoners, who had been taken recently in the Wilderness and +were being conducted to Richmond. Custer also destroyed the station, +two locomotives, three trains of cars, ninety wagons, from eight to +ten miles of railroad and telegraph lines, some two hundred thousand +pounds of bacon and other supplies, amounting in all to about a +million and a half of rations, and nearly all they medical stores of +General Lee's army, which had been moved from Orange Court House +either because Lee wished to have them directly in his rear or +because he contemplated falling back to the North Anna. + +On the morning of the 10th Gregg and Wilson, while crossing the North +Anna, were again attacked, but were covered by the division on the +south side of the stream; the passage was effected without much loss, +notwithstanding the approach of Stuart on the south bank from the +direction of Davenport's bridge. The possession of Beaver Dam gave +us an important point, as it opened a way toward Richmond by the +Negro-foot road. It also enabled us to obtain forage for our +well-nigh famished animals, and to prepare for fighting the enemy, +who, I felt sure, would endeavor to interpose between my column and +Richmond. + +Stuart had hardly united his troops near Beaver Dam when he realized +that concentrating there was a mistake, so he began making +dispositions for remedying his error, and while we leisurely took the +Negro-foot toad toward Richmond, he changed his tactics and hauled +off from my rear, urging his horses to the death in order to get in +between Richmond and my column. This he effected about 10 o'clock on +the morning of the 11th, concentrating at Yellow Tavern, six miles +from the city, on the Brook turnpike. His change of tactics left my +march on the 10th practically unmolested, and we quietly encamped +that night on the south bank of the South Anna, near Ground Squirrel +Bridge. Here we procured an abundance of forage, and as the distance +traveled that day had been only fifteen to eighteen miles, men and +horses were able to obtain a good rest during the night. + +At 2 o'clock in the morning, May 11, Davies's brigade of Gregg's +division marched for Ashland to cut the Fredericksburg railroad. +Arriving there before the head of the enemy's column, which had to +pass through this same place to reach Yellow Tavern, Davies drove out +a small force occupying the town, burnt a train of cars and a +locomotive, destroyed the railroad for some distance, and rejoined +the main column at Allen's Station on the Fredericksburg and Richmond +railroad. From Allen's Station the whole command moved on Yellow +Tavern, Merritt in the lead, Wilson following, and Gregg in the rear. + +The appearance of Davies's brigade at Ashland in the morning had had +the effect of further mystifying the enemy as to my intentions; and +while he held it incumbent to place himself between me and Richmond, +yet he was still so uncertain of my movements that he committed the +same fault that he did the first day, when he divided his force and +sent a part to follow me on the Childsburg road. He now divided his +command again, sending a portion to hang upon my rear, while he +proceeded with the rest to Yellow Tavern. This separation not only +materially weakened the force which might have been thrown across my +line of march, but it also enabled me to attack with almost my entire +corps, while occupying the pursuers with a small rearguard. + +By forced marches General Stuart succeeded in reaching Yellow Tavern +ahead of me on May 11; and the presence of, his troops, on the +Ashland and Richmond road becoming known to Merritt as he was +approaching the Brook turnpike, this general pressed forward at once +to the attack. Pushing his division to the front, he soon got +possession of the turnpike and drove the enemy back several hundred +yards to the east of it. This success had the effect of throwing the +head of my column to the east of the pike, and I quickly brought up +Wilson and one of Gregg's brigades to take advantage of the situation +by forming a line of battle on that side or the road. Meanwhile the +enemy, desperate but still confident, poured in a heavy fire from his +line and from a battery which enfiladed the Brook road, and made +Yellow Tavern an uncomfortably hot place. Gibbs's and Devin's +brigades, however, held fast there, while Custer, supported by +Chapman's brigade, attacked the enemy's left and battery in a mounted +charge. + +Custer's charge, with Chapman on his flank and the rest of Wilson's +division sustaining him, was brilliantly executed. Beginning at a +walk, he increased his gait to a trot, and then at full speed rushed +at the enemy. At the same moment the dismounted troops along my +whole front moved forward, and as Custer went through the battery, +capturing two of the guns with their cannoneers and breaking up the +enemy's left, Gibbs and Devin drove his centre and right from the +field. Gregg meanwhile, with equal success, charged the force in his +rear-Gordon's brigadeand the engagement ended by giving us complete +control of the road to Richmond. We captured a number of prisoners, +and the casualties on both sides were quite severe, General Stuart +himself falling mortally wounded, and General James B. Gordon, one of +his brigade commanders, being killed. + +After Custer's charge, the Confederate cavalry was badly broken up, +the main portion of it being driven in a rout toward Ashland and a +small part in the direction of Richmond, which latter force finally +rejoined Fitzhugh Lee near Mechanicsville. A reconnoitring party +being now sent up the Brook turnpike toward the city, dashed across +the South Fork of the Chickahominy, drove a small force from the +enemy's exterior intrenchments and went within them. I followed this +party, and after a little exploration found between the two lines of +works a country road that led across to the pike which runs from +Mechanicsville to Richmond. I thought we could go around within the +outer line of works by this country road across to the Mechanicsville +pike on the south side of the Chickahominy, and encamp the next night +at Fair Oaks; so I determined to make the movement after dark, being +influenced in this to some extent by reports received during the +afternoon from colored people, to the effect that General B. F. +Butler's army had reached a small stream on the south side of the +James, about four miles south of Richmond. If I could succeed in +getting through by this road, not only would I have a shorter line of +march to Haxall's landing, but there was also a possibility that I +could help Butler somewhat by joining him so near Richmond. +Therefore, after making the wounded as comfortable as possible, we +commenced the march about 11 o'clock on the night of the 11th, and +massed the command on the plateau south of the Meadow bridge near +daylight on the 12th. + +The enemy, anticipating that I would march by this route, had planted +torpedoes along it, and many of these exploded as the column passed +over them, killing several horses and wounding a few men, but beyond +this we met with no molestation. The torpedoes were loaded shells +planted on each side of the road, and so connected by wires attached +to friction-tubes in the shells, that when a horse's hoof struck a +wire the shell was exploded by the jerk on the improvised lanyard. +After the loss of several horses and the wounding of some of the men +by these torpedoes, I gave directions to have them removed, if +practicable, so about twenty-five of the prisoners were brought up +and made to get down on their knees, feel for the wires in the +darkness, follow them up and unearth the shells. The prisoners +reported the owner of one of the neighboring houses to be the +principal person who had engaged in planting these shells, and I +therefore directed that some of them be carried and placed in the +cellar of his house, arranged to explode if the enemy's column came +that way, while he and his family were brought off as prisoners and +held till after daylight. + +Meanwhile the most intense excitement prevailed in Richmond. The +Confederates, supposing that their capital was my objective point, +were straining every effort to put it in a state of defense, and had +collected between four and five thousand irregular troops, under +General Bragg, besides bringing up three brigades of infantry from +the force confronting General Butler south of the James River, the +alarm being intensified by the retreat, after the defeat at Yellow +Tavern, of Stuart's cavalry, now under General Fitzhugh Lee, by way +of Ashland to Mechanicsville, on the north side of the Chickahominy, +for falling back in that direction, left me between them and +Richmond. + +Our march during the night of the 11th was very tedious, on account +of the extreme darkness and frequent showers of rain; but at daylight +on the 12th the head of my column, under Wilson, reached the +Mechanicsville pike. Here Wilson, encountering the enemy's works and +batteries manned by General Bragg's troops, endeavored to pass. In +this he failed, and as soon as I was notified that it was +impracticable to reach Fair Oaks by passing between the works and the +Chickahominy, Custer's brigade was directed to make the crossing to +the north side of the Chickahominy, at the Meadow bridge. Custer +moved rapidly for the bridge, but found it destroyed, and that the +enemy's cavalry was posted on the north side, in front of +Mechanicsville. When this information came back, I ordered Merritt +to take his whole division and repair the bridge, instructing him +that the crossing must be made at all hazards; for, in view of an +impending attack by the enemy's infantry in Richmond, it was +necessary that I should have the bridge as a means of egress in case +of serious disaster. + +All the time that Merritt was occupied in this important duty, the +enemy gave great annoyance to the working party by sweeping the +bridge with a section of artillery and a fire from the supporting +troops, so a small force was thrown across to drive them away. +When Merritt had passed two regiments over, they attacked, but +were repulsed. The work on the bridge continued, however, +not-withstanding this discomfiture; and when it was finished, Merritt +crossed nearly all his division, dismounted, and again attacked the +enemy, this time carrying the line, of temporary breastworks, built +with logs and rails, and pursuing his broken troops toward Gaines's +Mills. + +While Merritt was engaged in this affair, the Confederates advanced +from behind their works at Richmond, and attacked Wilson and Gregg. +Wilson's troops were driven back in some confusion at first; but +Gregg, in anticipation of attack, had hidden a heavy line of +dismounted men in a bushy ravine on his front, and when the enemy +marched upon it, with much display and under the eye of the President +of the Confederacy, this concealed line opened a destructive fire +with repeating carbines; and at the same time the batteries of +horse-artillery, under Captain Robinson, joining in the contest, +belched forth shot and shell with fatal effect. The galling fire +caused the enemy to falter, and while still wavering Wilson rallied +his men, and turning some of them against the right flank of the +Confederates, broke their line, and compelled them to withdraw for +security behind the heavy works thrown up for the defense of the city +in 1862. + +By destroying the Meadow bridge and impeding my column on the +Mechanicsville, pike, the enemy thought to corner us completely, for +he still maintained the force in Gregg's rear that had pressed it the +day before; but the repulse of his infantry ended all his hopes of +doing us any serious damage on the limited ground between the +defenses of Richmond and the Chickahominy. He felt certain that on +account of the recent heavy rains we could not cross the Chickahominy +except by the Meadow bridge, and it also seemed clear to him that we +could not pass between the river and his intrenchments; therefore he +hoped to ruin us, or at least compel us to return by the same route +we had taken in coming, in which case we would run into Gordon's +brigade, but the signal repulse of Bragg's infantry dispelled these +illusions. + +Even had it not been our good fortune to defeat him, we could have +crossed the Chickahominy if necessary at several points that were +discovered by scouting parties which, while the engagement was going +on, I had sent out to look up fords. This means of getting out from +the circumscribed plateau I did not wish to use, however, unless +there was no alternative, for I wished to demonstrate to the Cavalry +Corps the impossibility of the enemy's destroying or capturing so +large a body of mounted troops. + +The chances of seriously injuring, us were more favorable to the +enemy this time than ever they were afterward, for with the troops +from Richmond, comprising three brigades of veterans and about five +thousand irregulars on my front and right flank, with Gordon's +cavalry in the rear, and Fitzhugh Lee's cavalry on my left flank, +holding the Chickahominy and Meadow bridge, I was apparently hemmed +in on every side, but relying on the celerity with which mounted +troops could be moved, I felt perfectly confident that the seemingly +perilous situation could be relieved under circumstances even worse +than those then surrounding us. Therefore, instead of endeavoring to +get away without a fight, I concluded that there would be little +difficulty in withdrawing, even should I be beaten, and none whatever +if I defeated the enemy. + +In accordance with this view I accepted battle; and the complete +repulse of the enemy's infantry, which assailed us from his +intrenchments, and of Gordon's cavalry, which pressed Gregg on the +Brook road, ended the contest in our favor. The rest of the day we +remained on the battle-field undisturbed, and our time was spent in +collecting the wounded, burying the dead, grazing the horses, and +reading the Richmond journals, two small newsboys with commendable +enterprise having come within our lines from the Confederate capital +to sell their papers. They were sharp youngsters, and having come +well supplied, they did a thrifty business. When their stock in +trade was all disposed of they wished to return, but they were so +intelligent and observant that I thought their mission involved other +purposes than the mere sale of newspapers, so they were held till we +crossed the Chickahominy and then turned loose. + +After Merritt had crossed the Chickahominy and reached +Mechanicsville, I sent him orders to push on to Gaines's Mills. Near +the latter place he fell in with the enemy's cavalry again, and +sending me word, about 4 o'clock in the afternoon I crossed the +Chickahominy with Wilson and Gregg, but when we overtook Merritt he +had already brushed the Confederates away, and my whole command went +into camp between Walnut Grove and Gaines's Mills. + +The main purposes of the expedition had now been executed. They were +"to break up General Lee's railroad communications, destroy such +depots of supplies as could be found in his rear, and to defeat +General Stuart's cavalry." Many miles of the Virginia Central and of +the Richmond and Fredericksburg railroads were broken up, and +several of the bridges on each burnt. At Beaver Dam, Ashland, and +other places, about two millions of rations had been captured and +destroyed. The most important of all, however, was the defeat of +Stuart. Since the beginning of the war this general had +distinguished himself by his management of the Confederate mounted +force. Under him the cavalry of Lee's army had been nurtured, and +had acquired such prestige that it thought itself well-nigh +invincible; indeed, in the early years of the war it had proved to be +so. This was now dispelled by the successful march we had made in +Lee's rear; and the discomfiture of Stuart at Yellow Tavern had +inflicted a blow from which entire recovery was impossible. + +In its effect on the Confederate cause the defeat of Stuart was most +disheartening, but his death was even a greater calamity, as is +evidenced by the words of a Confederate writer (Cooke), who says: +"Stuart could be ill spared at this critical moment, and General Lee +was plunged into the deepest melancholy at the intelligence of his +death. When it reached him he retired from those around him, and +remained for some time communing with his own heart and memory. When +one of his staff entered and spoke of Stuart, General Lee said: 'I +can scarcely think of him without weeping.'" + +From the camp near Gaines's Mills I resumed the march to Haxall's +Landing, the point on the James River contemplated in my instructions +where I was to obtain supplies from General Butler. We got to the +James on the 14th with all our wounded and a large number of +prisoners, and camped between Haxall's and Shirley. The prisoners, +as well as the captured guns, were turned over to General Butler's +provost-marshal, and our wounded were quickly and kindly cared for by +his surgeons. Ample supplies, also, in the way of forage and +rations, were furnished us by General Butler, and the work of +refitting for our return to the Army of the Potomac was vigorously +pushed. By the 17th all was ready, and having learned by scouting +parties sent in the direction of Richmond and as far as Newmarket +that the enemy's cavalry was returning to Lee's army I started that +evening on my return march, crossing the Chickahominy at Jones's +bridge, and bivouacking on the 19th near Baltimore crossroads. + +My uncertainty of what had happened to the Army of the Potomac in our +absence, and as to where I should find it, made our getting back a +problem somewhat difficult of solution, particularly as I knew that +reinforcements for Lee had come up from the south to Richmond, and +that most likely some of these troops were being held at different +points on the route to intercept my column. Therefore I determined +to pass the Pamunkey River at the White House, and sent to Fort +Monroe for a pontoon-bridge on which to make the crossing. While +waiting for the pontoons I ordered Custer to proceed with his brigade +to Hanover Station, to destroy the railroad bridge over the South +Anna, a little beyond that place; at the same time I sent Gregg and +Wilson to Cold Harbor, to demonstrate in the direction of Richmond as +far as Mechanicsville, so as to cover Custer's movements. Merritt, +with the remaining brigades of his division, holding fast at +Baltimore crossroads to await events. + +After Gregg and Custer had gone, it was discovered that the railroad +bridge over the Pamunkey, near the White House, had been destroyed +but partially--the cross-ties and stringers being burned in places +only--and that it was practicable to repair it sufficiently to carry +us over. In view of this information General Merritt's two brigades +were at once put on the duty of reconstructing the bridge. By +sending mounted parties through the surrounding country, each man of +which would bring in a board or a plank, Merritt soon accumulated +enough lumber for the flooring, and in one day the bridge was made +practicable. On the 22d Gregg, Wilson, and Custer returned. The +latter had gone on his expedition as far as Hanover Station, +destroyed some commissary stores there, and burned two trestle +bridges over Hanover Creek. This done, he deemed it prudent to +retire to Hanovertown. The next morning he again marched to Hanover +Station, and there ascertained that a strong force of the enemy, +consisting of infantry, cavalry, and artillery, was posted at the +South Anna bridges. These troops had gone there from Richmond en +route to reinforce Lee. In the face of this impediment Custer's +mission could not be executed fully, so he returned to Baltimore +crossroads. + +The whole command was drawn in by noon of the 22d, and that day it +crossed the Pamunkey by Merritt's reconstructed bridge, marching to +Ayletts, on the Mattapony River, the same night. Here I learned from +citizens, and from prisoners taken during the day by scouting parties +sent toward Hanover Court House, that Lee had been, forced from his +position near Spottsylvania Court House and compelled to retire to +the line of the North Anna. I then determined to rejoin the Army of +the Potomac at the earliest moment, which I did by making for +Chesterfield Station, where I reported to General Meade on the 24th +of May. + +Our return to Chesterfield ended the first independent expedition the +Cavalry Corps had undertaken since coming under my command, and our +success was commended highly by Generals Grant and Meade, both +realizing that our operations in the rear of Lee had disconcerted and +alarmed that general so much as to aid materially in forcing his +retrograde march, and both acknowledged that, by drawing off the +enemy's cavalry during the past fortnight, we had enabled them to +move the Army of the Potomac and its enormous trains without +molestation in the manoeuvres that had carried it to the North Anna. +Then, too, great quantities of provisions and munitions of war had +been destroyed--stores that the enemy had accumulated at sub-depots +from strained resources and by difficult means; the railroads that +connected Lee with Richmond broken, the most successful cavalry +leader of the South killed, and in addition to all this there had +been inflicted on the Confederate mounted troops the most thorough +defeat that had yet befallen them in Virginia. + +When the expedition set out the Confederate authorities in Richmond +were impressed, and indeed convinced, that my designs contemplated +the capture of that city, and notwithstanding the loss they sustained +in the defeat and death of Stuart, and their repulse the succeeding +day, they drew much comfort from the fact that I had not entered +their capital. Some Confederate writers have continued to hold this +theory and conviction since the war. In this view they were and are +in error. When Stuart was defeated the main purpose of my +instructions had been carried out, and my thoughts then turned to +joining General Butler to get supplies. I believed that I could do +this by cutting across to the Mechanicsville pike and Fair Oaks on +the south side of the Chickahominy, but the failure of Wilson's +column to get possession of the outwork which commanded the pike +necessitated my crossing at Meadow bridge, and then moving by +Mechanicsville and Gaines's Mills instead of by the shorter route. +Moreover, my information regarding General Butler's position was +incorrect, so that even had I been successful in getting to Fair Oaks +by the direct road I should still have gained nothing thereby, for I +should still have been obliged to continue down the James River to +Haxall's. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +GENERAL WILSON'S ADVANCE TOWARD HANOVER COURT HOUSE--CROSSING THE +PAMUNKEY--ENGAGEMENT OF HAWE'S SHOP--FIGHT AT MATADEQUIN CREEK +--CAPTURE OF COLD HARBOR--THE FIGHT TO RETAIN THE PLACE--MOVEMENTS +OF GENERAL WILSON. + +When I rejoined the Army of the Potomac, near Chesterfield Station, +the heavy battles around Spottsylvania had been fought, and the +complicated manoeuvres by which the whole Union force was swung +across the North Anna were in process of execution. In conjunction +with these manoeuvres Wilson's division was sent to the right flank +of the army, where he made a reconnoissance south of the North Anna +as far as Little River, crossing the former stream near Jericho +Mills. Wilson was to operate from day to day on that flank as it +swung to the south, covering to New Castle ferry each advance of the +infantry and the fords left behind on the march. From the 26th to +the 30th these duties kept Wilson constantly occupied, and also +necessitated a considerable dispersion of his force, but by the 31st +he was enabled to get all his division together again, and crossing +to the south side of the Pamunkey at New Castle ferry, he advanced +toward Hanover Court House. Near Dr Pride's house he encountered a +division of the enemy's cavalry under General W. H. F. Lee, and drove +it back across Mechamp's Creek, thus opening communication with the +right of our infantry resting near Phillips's Mills. Just as this +had been done, a little before dark, Wilson received an order from +General Meade directing him to push on toward Richmond until he +encountered the Confederates in such strength that he could no longer +successfully contend against them, and in compliance with this order +occupied Hanover Court House that same day. Resuming his march at +daylight on June 1, he went ahead on the Ashland road while sending +Chapman's brigade up the south bank of the South Anna to destroy the +bridges on that stream. Chapman having succeeded in this work, +Wilson re-united his whole command and endeavored to hold Ashland, +but finding the Confederate cavalry and infantry there in strong +force, he was obliged to withdraw to Dr. Price's house. Here he +learned that the army had gone to the left toward Cold Harbor, so on +the 2d of June he moved to Hawe's Shop. + +While Wilson was operating thus on the right, I had to cover with +Gregg's and Torbert's divisions the crossing of the army over the +Pamunkey River at and near Hanovertown. Torbert having recovered +from the illness which overtook him in the Wilderness, had now +returned to duty. The march to turn the enemy's right began on the +26th. Torbert and Gregg in advance, to secure the crossings of the +Pamunkey and demonstrate in such manner as to deceive the enemy as +much as possible in the movement, the two cavalry divisions being +supported by General D. A. Russell's division of the Sixth Corps. + +To attain this end in the presence of an ever-watchful foe who had +just recently been reinforced in considerable numbers from Richmond +and further south--almost enough to make up the losses he had +sustained in the Wilderness and at Spottsylvania--required the most +vigorous and zealous work on the part of those to whom had been +allotted the task of carrying out the initial manoeuvres. Torbert +started for Taylor's ford on the Pamunkey with directions to +demonstrate heavily at that point till after dark, as if the crossing +was to be made there, and having thus impressed the enemy, he was to +leave a small guard, withdraw quietly, and march to Hanovertown ford, +where the real crossing was to be effected. Meanwhile Gregg marched +to Littlepage's crossing of the Pamunkey, with instructions to make +feints in the same manner as Torbert until after dark, when he was to +retire discreetly, leaving a small force to keep up the +demonstration, and then march rapidly to Hanovertown crossing, taking +with him the pontoon-bridge. + +At the proper hour Russell took up the march and followed the +cavalry. The troops were in motion all night, undergoing the usual +delays incident to night marches, and, early on the morning of the +27th the crossing was made, Custer's brigade of Torbert's division +driving from the ford about one hundred of the enemy's cavalry, and +capturing between thirty and forty prisoners. The remainder of +Torbert's division followed this brigade and advanced to Hanovertown, +where General Gordon's brigade of Confederate cavalry was met. +Torbert attacked this force with Devin's brigade, while he sent +Custer to Hawe's Shop, from which point a road leading to the right +was taken that brought him in rear of the enemy's cavalry; when the +Confederates discovered this manoeuvre, they retired in the direction +of Hanover Court House. Pursuit continued as far as a little stream +called Crump's Creek, and here Torbert was halted, Gregg moving up on +his line meanwhile, and Russell encamping near the crossing of the +river. This completed our task of gaining a foothold south of the +Pamunkey, and on the 28th the main army crossed unharassed and took +up a position behind my line, extending south from the river, with +the Sixth Corps on the right across the Hanover Court House road at +Crump's Creek, the Second Corps on the left of the Sixth, and the +Fifth Corps about two miles in front of Hanovertown, its left +extending to the Tolopotomy. + +There was now much uncertainty in General Grant's mind as to the +enemy's whereabouts, and there were received daily the most +conflicting statements as to the nature of Lee's movements. It +became necessary, therefore, to find out by an actual demonstration +what Lee was doing, and I was required to reconnoitre in the +direction of Mechanicsville. For this purpose I moved Gregg's +division out toward this town by way of Hawe's Shop, and when it had +gone about three-fourths of a mile beyond the Shop the enemy's +cavalry was discovered dismounted and disposed behind a temporary +breastwork of rails and logs. + +This was the first occasion on which, since the battle of Yellow +Tavern, the Confederate troopers had confronted us in large numbers, +their mounted operations, like ours, having been dependent more or +less on the conditions that grew out of the movements in which Lee's +infantry had been engaged since the 14th of May. + +On that date General Lee had foreshadowed his intention of using his +cavalry in connection with the manoeuvres of his infantry by issuing +an order himself, now that Stuart was dead, directing that the "three +divisions of cavalry serving with the army [Lee's] will constitute +separate commands, and will report directly to and receive orders +from the headquarters of the army." The order indicates that since +Stuart's death the Confederate cavalry had been re-organized into +three divisions, that were commanded respectively by General Wade +Hampton, General Fitzhugh Lee, and General W. H. F. Lee, the +additional division organization undoubtedly growing out of the fact, +that General M. C. Butler's brigade of about four thousand men had +joined recently from South Carolina. + +When this force developed in Gregg's front, he attacked the moment +his troops could be dismounted; and the contest became one of +exceeding stubborness, for he found confronting him Hampton's and +Fitzhugh Lee's divisions, supported by what we then supposed to be a +brigade of infantry, but which, it has since been ascertained, was +Butler's brigade of mounted troops; part of them armed with +long-range rifles. The contest between the opposing forces was of +the severest character and continued till late in the evening. The +varying phases of the fight prompted me to reinforce Gregg as much as +possible, so I directed Custer's brigade to report to him, sending, +meanwhile, for the other two brigades of Torbert, but these were not +available at the time--on account of delays which occurred in +relieving them from the line at Crump's Creek--and did not get up +till the fight was over. As soon as Custer joined him, Gregg +vigorously assaulted the Confederate position along his whole front; +and notwithstanding the long-range rifles of the South Carolinians, +who were engaging in their first severe combat it appears, and fought +most desperately, he penetrated their barricades at several points. + +The most determined and obstinate efforts for success were now made +on both sides, as the position at Hawe's Shop had become of very +great importance on account of the designs of both Lee and Grant. +Lee wished to hold this ground while he manoeuvred his army to the +line of the Tolopotomy, where he could cover the roads to Richmond, +while Grant, though first sending me out merely to discover by a +strong reconnoissance the movements of the enemy, saw the value of +the place to cover his new base at the White House, and also to give +us possession of a direct road to Cold Harbor. Hawe's Shop remained +in our possession finally, for late in the evening Custer's brigade +was dismounted and formed in close column in rear of Gregg, and while +it assaulted through an opening near the centre of his line, the +other two brigades advanced and carried the temporary works. The +enemy's dead and many of his wounded fell into our hands; also a +considerable number of prisoners, from whom we learned that +Longstreet's and Ewell's corps were but four miles to the rear. + +The battle was a decidedly severe one, the loss on each side being +heavy in proportion to the number of troops engaged. This fight took +place almost immediately in front of our infantry, which, during the +latter part of the contest, was busily occupied in throwing up +intrenchments. Late in the afternoon I reported to General Meade the +presence of the enemy's infantry, and likewise that Hampton's and +Fitzhugh Lee's divisions were in my front also, and asked, at the +same time; that some of our infantry, which was near at hand, be sent +to my assistance. I could not convince Meade that anything but the +enemy's horse was fighting us, however, and he declined to push out +the foot-troops, who were much wearied by night marches. It has been +ascertained since that Meade's conclusions were correct in so far as +they related to the enemy's infantry; but the five cavalry brigades +far outnumbered my three, and it is to be regretted that so much was +risked in holding a point that commanded the roads to Cold Harbor and +Meadow bridge, when there was at hand a preponderating number of +Union troops which might have been put into action. However, Gregg's +division and Custer's brigade were equal to the situation, all +unaided as they were till dark, when Torbert and Merritt came on the +ground. The contest not only gave us the crossroads, but also +removed our uncertainty regarding Lee's movements, clearly +demonstrating that his army was retiring by its right flank, so that +it might continue to interpose between Grant and the James River; as +well as cover the direct route to Richmond. + +General Lee reported this battle to his Government as a Confederate +victory, but his despatch was sent early in the day, long before the +fight ended, and evidently he could not have known the final result +when he made the announcement, for the fight lasted until dark. +After dark, our own and the Confederate dead having been buried, I +withdrew, and moving to the rear of our infantry, marched all night +and till I reached the vicinity of Old Church, where I had been +instructed to keep a vigilant watch on the enemy with Gregg's and +Torbert's divisions. As soon as I had taken position at Old Church +my pickets were pushed out in the direction of Cold Harbor, and the +fact that the enemy was holding that point in some force was clearly +ascertained. But our occupation of Cold Harbor was of the utmost +importance; indeed, it was absolutely necessary that we should +possess it, to secure our communications with the White House, as +well as to cover the extension of our line to the left toward the +James River. Roads from Bethesda Church, Old Church, and the White +House centred at Cold Harbor, and from there many roads diverged also +toward different crossings of the Chickahominy, which were +indispensable to us. + +The enemy too realized the importance of the place, for as soon as he +found himself compelled to take up the line of the Tolopotomy he +threw a body of troops into Cold Harbor by forced marches, and +followed it up by pushing a part of this force out on the Old Church +road as far as Matadequin Creek, where he established a line of +battle, arranging the front of it parallel to the road along the +south bank of the Pamunkey; this for the purpose of endangering our +trains as they moved back and forth between the army and the White +House. + +Meanwhile I had occupied Old Church and pushed pickets down toward +Cold Harbor. The outposts struck each other just north of Matadequin +Creek, and a spirited fight immediately took place. At first our +pickets were sorely pressed, but Torbert, who was already preparing +to make a reconnoissance, lost no time in reinforcing them on the +north side of the creek with Devin's brigade. The fight then became +general, both sides, dismounted, stubbornly contesting the ground. +Of the Confederates, General Butler's South Carolinians bore the +brunt of the fight, and, strongly posted as they were on the south +bank of the creek, held their ground with the same obstinacy they had +previously shown at Hawe's Shop. Finally, however, Torbert threw +Merritt's and Custer's brigades into the action, and the enemy +retired, we pursuing to within a mile and a half of Cold Harbor and +capturing a number of prisoners. Gregg's division took no part in +the actual fighting, but remained near Old Church observing the roads +on Torberts flanks, one leading toward Bethesda Church on his right, +the other to his left in the direction of the White House. This +latter road Gregg was particularly instructed to keep open, so as to +communicate with General W. F. Smith, who was then debarking his +corps at the White House, and on the morning of the 31st this +general's advance was covered by a brigade which Gregg had sent him +for the purpose. + +Torbert having pursued toward Cold Harbor the troops he fought at +Matadequin Creek, had taken up a position about a mile and a half +from that place, on the Old Church road. The morning of the 31st I +visited him to arrange for his further advance, intending thus to +anticipate an expected attack from Fitzhugh Lee, who was being +reinforced by infantry. I met Torbert at Custer's headquarters, and +found that the two had already been talking over a scheme to capture +Cold Harbor, and when their plan was laid before me it appeared so +plainly feasible that I fully endorsed it, at once giving directions +for its immediate execution, and ordering Gregg to come forward to +Torbert's support with such troops as he could spare from the duty +with which he had been charged. + +Torbert moved out promptly, Merritt's brigade first, followed by +Custer's, on the direct road to Cold Harbor, while Devin's brigade +was detached, and marched by a left-hand road that would bring him in +on the right and rear of the enemy's line, which was posted in front +of the crossroads. Devin was unable to carry his part of the +programme farther than to reach the front of the Confederate right, +and as Merritt came into position to the right of the Old Church road +Torbert was obliged to place a part of Custer's brigade on Merritt's +left so as to connect with Devin. The whole division was now in +line, confronted by Fitzhugh Lee's cavalry, supported by Clingman's +brigade from Hoke's division of infantry; and from the Confederate +breastworks, hastily constructed out of logs, rails, and earth, a +heavy fire was already being poured upon us that it seemed impossible +to withstand. None of Gregg's division had yet arrived, and so +stubborn was the enemy's resistance that I began to doubt our ability +to carry the place before reinforcements came up, but just then +Merritt reported that he could turn the enemy's left, and being +directed to execute his proposition, he carried it to a most +successful issue with the First and Second regular cavalry. Just as +these two regiments passed around the enemy's left and attacked his +rear, the remainder of the division assailed him in front. This +manoeuvre of Merritt's stampeded the Confederates, and the defenses +falling into our hands easily, we pushed ahead on the Bottom's bridge +road three-fourths of a mile beyond Cold Harbor. + +Cold Harbor was now mine, but I was about nine miles away from our +nearest infantry, and had been able to bring up only Davies's brigade +of cavalry, which arrived after the fight. My isolated position +therefore made me a little uneasy. I felt convinced that the enemy +would attempt to regain the place, for it was of as much importance +to him as to us, and the presence of his infantry disclosed that he +fully appreciated this. My uneasiness increased as the day grew +late, for I had learned from prisoners that the balance of Hoke's +division was en route to Cold Harbor, and Kershaw near at hand, +interposing between the Union left near Bethesda Church and my +position. In view of this state of affairs, I notified General Meade +that I had taken Cold Harbor, but could not with safety to my command +hold it, and forthwith gave directions to withdraw during the night. +The last of my troops had scarcely pulled out, however, when I +received a despatch from Meade directing me to hold Cold Harbor at +every hazard. General Grant had expected that a severe battle would +have to be fought before we could obtain possession of the place; and +its capture by our cavalry not being anticipated, no preparation had +been made for its permanent occupancy. No time was to be lost, +therefore, if the advantages which possession of Cold Harbor gave us +were to be improved, so at the same hour that Meade ordered me to +hold the place at all hazards the Sixth Corps was started on a forced +march, by Grant's directions, to aid in that object, and on arrival +to relieve my cavalry. + +The moment Meade's order was received, I directed a reoccupation of +Cold Harbor, and although a large portion of Torbert's command was +already well on its way back to the line we held on the morning of +the 31st, this force speedily retraced its steps, and re-entered the +place before daylight; both our departure and return having been +effected without the enemy being aware of our movements. We now +found that the temporary breastworks of rails and logs which the +Confederates had built were of incalculable benefit to us in +furnishing material with which to establish a line of defense, they +being made available by simply reversing them at some points, or at +others wholly reconstructing them to suit the circumstances of the +ground: The troops, without reserves, were then placed behind our +cover dismounted, boxes of ammunition distributed along the line, and +the order passed along that the place must be held. All this was +done in the darkness, and while we were working away at our cover the +enemy could be distinctly heard from our skirmish-line giving +commands and making preparations to attack. + +Just after daylight on the 1st of June the Confederate infantry under +General Kershaw endeavored to drive us out, advancing against my +right from the Bethesda Church road. In his assault he was permitted +to come close up to our works, and when within short range such afire +was opened on him from our horse-artillery and repeating carbines +that he recoiled in confusion after the first onset; still, he seemed +determined to get the place, and after reorganizing, again attacked; +but the lesson of the first repulse was not without effect, and his +feeble effort proved wholly fruitless. After his second failure we +were left undisturbed, and at 9 A.M. I sent the following despatch to +army headquarters: + +"HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY CORPS, +"ARMY OF THE POTOMAC. +"Cold Harbor, Va., June 1, 1864--9 A.M. + +"MAJOR-GENERAL HUMPHREYS, +"Chief-of-Staff. + +"GENERAL: In obedience to your instructions I am holding Cold Harbor. +I have captured this morning more prisoners; they belong to three +different infantry brigades. The enemy assaulted the right of my +lines this morning, but were handsomely repulsed. I have been very +apprehensive, but General Wright is now coming up. I built slight +works for my men; the enemy came up to them, and were driven back. +General Wright has just arrived. + +"P. H. SHERIDAN, +"Major-General Commanding." + + +About 10 o'clock in the morning the Sixth Corps relieved Torbert and +Davies, having marched all night, and these two generals moving out +toward the Chickahominy covered the left of the infantry line till +Hancock's corps took their place in the afternoon. By this time +Gregg had joined me with his two brigades, and both Torbert and Gregg +were now marched to Prospect Church, from which point I moved them to +a position on the north side of the Chickahominy at Bottom's bridge. +Here the enemy's cavalry confronted us, occupying the south bank of +the stream, with artillery in position at the fords prepared to +dispute our passage; but it was not intended that we should cross; so +Gregg and Torbert lay quiet in camp at Bottom's bridge and at Old +Church without noteworthy event until the 6th of June. + +As before related, Wilson's division struck the enemy's infantry as +well as W. H. F. Lee's cavalry near Ashland on the 1st of June, and +although Chapman destroyed the bridges over the South Anna, which was +his part of the programme, Wilson found it necessary to return to +Price's Store. From this point he continued to cover the right of +the Army of the Potomac, on the 2d of June driving the rear-guard of +the enemy from Hawe's Shop, the scene of the battle of May 28. The +same day he crossed Tolopotomy Creek, and passed around the enemy's +left flank so far that Lee thought his left was turned by a strong +force, and under cover of darkness withdrew from a menacing position +which he was holding in front of the Ninth Corps. This successful +manoeuvre completed, Wilson returned to Hawe's Shop, and on the 4th +went into camp at New Castle ferry, in anticipation of certain +operations of the Cavalry Corps, which were to take place while the +Army of the Potomac was crossing to the south side of the James. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +THE MOVEMENT TO THE JAMES--THE SECOND EXPEDITION--BATTLE OF +TREVILLIAN STATION--DEFEAT OF GENERAL WADE HAMPTON--MALLORY'S +CROSSROADS--SUFFERING OF THE WOUNDED--SECURING THE TRAINS--GENERAL +GREGG'S STUBBORN FIGHT. + +By the 6th of June General Grant again determined to continue the +movement of the army by its left flank to the south bank of the James +River, his unsuccessful attack on the enemy's works near Cold Harbor +having demonstrated that Lee's position north of the Chickahominy +could not be carried by assault with results that would compensate +for the enormous loss of life which must follow; therefore a further +attempt to fight a decisive battle north of Richmond was abandoned. +In carrying the army to the James River the hazardous manoeuvres +would be hampered by many obstacles, such as the thick timber, +underbrush, and troublesome swamps to be met in crossing the +Chickahominy. Besides, Lee held an interior line, from which all the +direct roads to Richmond could be covered with his infantry, leaving +his cavalry free to confront our advance on the south bank of the +Chickahominy as far down as Jones's bridge, and thence around to +Charles City Court House. In view of these difficulties it became +necessary to draw off the bulk of the enemy's cavalry while the +movement to the James was in process of execution, and General Meade +determined to do this by requiring me to proceed with two divisions +as far as Charlottesville to destroy the railroad bridge over the +Rivanna River near that town, the railroad itself from the Rivanna to +Gordonsville, and, if practicable, from Gordonsville back toward +Hanover Junction also. + + +"HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, +"June 5, 1864. 3.30 P. M. + +"MAJOR-GENERAL SHERIDAN, Commanding Cavalry Corps. + +"I am directed by the major-general commanding to furnish the +following instructions for your guidance in the execution of the duty +referred to in the order for movements and changes of position +to-night, a copy of which order accompanies this communication. + +"With two divisions of your corps you will move on the morning of the +7th instant to Charlottesville and destroy the railroad bridge over +the Rivanna near that town; you will then thoroughly destroy the +railroad from that point to Gordonsville, and from Gordonsville +toward Hanover Junction, and to the latter point, if practicable. +The chief engineer, Major Duane, will furnish you a canvas +pontoon-train of eight boats. The chief quartermaster will supply you +with such tools, implements, and materials as you may require for the +destruction of the road. Upon the completion of this duty you will +rejoin this army. + +"A. HUMPHREYS, +"Major-General, Chief-of-Staff." + + +After Meade's instructions reached me they were somewhat modified by +General Grant, who on the same evening had received information that +General Hunter, commanding the troops in West Virginia, had reached +Staunton and engaged with advantage the Confederate commander, +General Jones, near that place. General Grant informed me orally +that he had directed Hunter to advance as far as Charlottesville, +that he expected me to unite with him there, and that the two +commands, after destroying the James River canal and the Virginia +Central road, were to join the Army of the Potomac in the manner +contemplated in my instructions from General Meade; and that in view +of what was anticipated, it would be well to break up as much of the +railroad as possible on my way westward. A copy of his letter to +Hunter comprised my written instructions. A junction with this +general was not contemplated when the expedition was first conceived, +but became an important though not the paramount object after the +reception of the later information. The diversion of the enemy's +cavalry from the south side of the Chickahominy was its main purpose, +for in the presence of such a force as Lee's contracted lines would +now permit him to concentrate behind the Chickahominy, the +difficulties of crossing that stream would be largely increased if he +also had at hand a strong body of horse, to gain the time necessary +for him to oppose the movement at the different crossings with masses +of his infantry. + +The order calling for two divisions for the expedition, I decided to +take Gregg's and Torbert's, leaving Wilson's behind to continue with +the infantry in its march to the James and to receive instructions +directly from, the headquarters of the army. All my dismounted men +had been sent to the White House some days before, and they were +directed to report to Wilson as they could be provided with mounts. + + + +"COLD HARBOR, VA., June 6, 1964. + +"MAJOR-GENERAL D. HUNTER, Commanding Dept West Virginia. + +"General Sheridan leaves here to-morrow morning with instructions to +proceed to Charlottesville, Va., and to commence there the +destruction of the Virginia Central railroad, destroying this way as +much as possible. The complete destruction of this road and of the +canal on James River is of great importance to us. According to the +instructions I sent to General Halleck for your guidance, you will +proceed to Lynchburg and commence there. It would be of great value +to us to get possession of Lynchburg for a single day. But that +point is of so much importance to the enemy, that in attempting to +get it such resistance may be met as to defeat your getting into the +road or canal at all. I see, in looking over the letter to General +Halleck on the subject of your instructions, that it rather indicates +that your route should be from Staunton via Charlottesville. If you +have so understood it, you will be doing just what I want. The +direction I would now give is, that if this letter reaches you in the +valley between Staunton and Lynchburg, you immediately turn east by +the most practicable road until you strike the Lynchburg branch of +the Virginia Central road. From there move eastward along the line +of the road, destroying it completely and thoroughly, until you join +General Sheridan. After the work laid out for General Sheridan and +yourself is thoroughly done, proceed to join the Army of the Potomac +by the route laid out in General Sheridan's instructions. If any +portion of your force, especially your cavalry, is needed back in +your department, you are authorized to send it back. If on receipt +of this you should be near to Lynchburg and deem it practicable to +reach that point, you will exercise your judgment about going there. +If you should be on the railroad between Charlottesville and +Lynchburg, it may be practicable to detach a cavalry force to destroy +the canal. Lose no opportunity to destroy the canal. + +"U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General." + + +Owing to the hard service of the preceding month we had lost many +horses, so the number of dismounted men was large; and my strength +had also been much reduced by killed and wounded during the same +period of activity. The effective mounted force of my two divisions +was therefore much diminished, they mustering only about six thousand +officers and men when concentrated on June 6 at New Castle ferry. +Here they were provided with three days' rations, intended to last +five days, and with two days' grain for the horses. The rations and +forty rounds of ammunition per man were to be carried on the persons +of the troopers, the grain on the pommel of the saddle, and the +reserve ammunition in wagons. One medical wagon and eight ambulances +were also furnished, and one wagon was authorized for each division +and brigade headquarters; enough canvas-covered boats for a small +pontoon-bridge were also provided. + +My instructions permitting latitude in the route I should take, I +decided to march along the north bank of the North Anna River, cross +that stream at Carpenter's ford, strike the Virginia Central railroad +at Trevillian Station, destroy it toward Louisa Court House, march +past Gordonsville, strike the railroad again at Cobham's Station, and +destroy it thence to Charlottesville as we proceeded west. The +success of the last part of this programme would of course depend on +the location of General Hunter when I should arrive in the region +where it would be practicable for us to communicate with each other. + +From my camp at New Castle ferry we crossed the Pamunkey, marched +between Aylett's and Dunkirk on the Mattapony River, and on the 8th +of June encamped at Polecat Station. The next day we resumed the +march along the North Anna--our advance guard skirmishing with a few +mounted men of the enemy, who proved to be irregulars--and bivouacked +on Northeast Creek, near Young's Mills. This day I learned from some +of these irregulars whom we made prisoners that Breckenridge's +division of infantry, en route to the Shenandoah Valley by way of +Gordonsville, was passing slowly up the railroad parallel to me, and +that the enemy's cavalry had left its position on the south side of +the Chickahominy, and was marching on the old Richmond and +Gordonsville road toward Gordonsville, under command of General Wade +Hampton, the information being confirmed by a scouting party sent out +to cut the telegraph wires along the railroad in the night. +Breckenridge had been ordered back to the valley by General Lee as +soon as he heard of Hunter's victory near Staunton, but now that my +expedition had been discovered, the movement of Breckenridge's troops +on the railroad was being timed to correspond with the marches of my +command till Hampton could get more nearly parallel with me. + +On the 10th we resumed the march, passing by Twyman's store, crossing +the North Anna at Carpenter's ford and encamping on the road leading +along the south fork of the North Anna to Trevillian Station. During +the evening and night of the 10th the boldness of the enemy's +scouting parties, with which we had been coming into collision more +or less every day, perceptibly increased, thus indicating the +presence of a large force, and evidencing that his shorter line of +march had enabled him to bring to my front a strong body of cavalry, +although it started from Lee's army nearly two days later than I did +from Grant's. The arrival of this body also permitted Breckenridge +to pass on to Gordonsville, and from there to interpose between +General Hunter and me at either Charlottesville or Waynesboro' as +circumstances might determine. + +On the night of the Loth General Hampton's division camped about +three miles northwest of Trevillian, at a place called Green Spring +Valley and Fitzhugh Lee's division not far from Louisa Court House, +some six miles east of Trevillian. Learning that I was at +Carpenter's ford, Hampton marched his division by way of Trevillian +Station toward Clayton's store, on the road from Trevillian to +Carpenter's ford, intending to attack me at Clayton's. Fitzhugh +Lee's division was to join Hampton at Clayton's store from Louisa +Court House; but on the morning of the 11th the two generals were +separated by several miles. + +At daylight of the 11th my march, to Trevillian Station was resumed +on the direct road to that point, and engaging the enemy's pickets +and advanced parties soon after setting out, we began to drive them +in. Torbert had the lead with Merritt's and Devin's brigades, and as +he pressed back the pickets he came upon the enemy posted behind a +line of barricades in dense timber about three miles from Trevillian. +Meanwhile Custer's brigade had been sent from where we bivouacked, by +a wood road found on our left, to destroy Trevillian Station. In +following this road Custer got to the rear of Hampton's division, +having passed between its right flank and Fitzhugh Lee's division, +which was at the time marching on the road leading from Louisa Court +House to Clayton's store to unite with Hampton. + +Custer, the moment he found himself in Hampton's rear, charged the +led horses, wagons, and caissons found there, getting hold of a vast +number of each, and also of the station itself. The stampede and +havoc wrought by Custer in Hampton's rear compelled him to turn +Rosser's brigade in that direction, and while it attacked Custer on +one side, Fitzhugh Lee's division, which had followed Custer toward +Trevillian, attacked him on the other. There then ensued a desperate +struggle for the possession of the captured property, resulting +finally in its being retaken by the enemy. Indeed, the great number +of horses and vehicles could not be kept on the limited space within +Custer's line, which now formed almost a complete circle; and while +he was endeavoring to remove them to a secure place they, together +with Custer's headquarters wagon and four of his caissons, fell into +the hands of their original owners. + +As soon as the firing told that Custer had struck the enemy's rear, I +directed Torbert to press the line in front of Merritt and Devin, +aided by one brigade of Gregg's division on their left, Gregg's other +brigade in the meantime attacking Fitzhugh Lee on the Louisa Court +House road. The effect of this was to force Hampton back, and his +division was so hard pushed that a portion of it was driven pell-mell +into Custer's lines, leaving there about five hundred prisoners. The +rest of Hampton's men did not rally till they got some distance west +of Trevillian, while, in the meantime, Gregg had driven Fitzhugh Lee +toward Louisa Court House so far that many miles now intervened +between the two Confederate divisions, precluding their union until +about noon the next day, when Fitzhugh Lee effected the junction +after a circuitous march in the night. The defeat of Hampton at the +point where he had determined to resist my further advance, and his +retreat westward, gave me undisturbed possession of the station; and +after destroying the railroad to some extent toward Gordonsville, I +went into camp. + +From prisoners taken during the day, I gathered that General Hunter, +instead of coming toward Charlottesville, as I had reason to expect, +both from the instructions given me and the directions sent him by +General Grant, was in the neighborhood of Lexington--apparently +moving on Lynchburg--and that Breckenridge was at Gordonsville and +Charlottesville. I also heard, from the same source, that Ewell's +corps was on its way to Lynchburg, but this intelligence proved +afterward to be incorrect, for these troops, commanded by General +Early, did not leave Richmond till two days later. + +There was no doubt as to the information about Hunter's general +location, however. He was marching toward Lynchburg, away from +instead of toward me, thus making the junction of our commands beyond +all reasonable probability. So in view of this, I made up my mind to +abandon that part of the scheme, and to return by leisurely marches, +which would keep Hampton's cavalry away from Lee while Grant was +crossing the James River. I was still further influenced to this +course by the burden which was thrown on me in the large number of +wounded--there being about five hundred cases of my own--and the five +hundred prisoners that I would probably be forced to abandon, should +I proceed farther. Besides, the recent battle had reduced my supply +of ammunition to a very small amount--not more than enough for one +more respectable engagement; and as the chances were that I would +have to fight a great deal before I could reach Hunter, now that the +enemy's cavalry and Breckenridge's infantry were between us, the +risks of the undertaking seemed too great to warrant it. + +The morning of June 12 Gregg's division commenced destroying the +railroad to Louisa Court House, and continued the work during the +day, breaking it pretty effectually. While Gregg was thus occupied, +I directed Torbert to make a reconnoissance up the Gordonsville road, +to secure a by-road leading over Mallory's ford, on the North Anna, +to the Catharpen road, as I purposed following that route to +Spottsylvania Court House on my return, and thence via Bowling Green +and Dunkirk to the White House. About a mile beyond Trevillian the +Gordonsville road fork--the left fork leading to Charlottesville--and +about a mile beyond the fork Hampton had taken up and strongly +intrenched a line across both roads, being reinforced by Fitzhugh +Lee, who, as before related, had joined him about noon by a +roundabout march. Torbert soon hotly engaged this line, and by the +impetuosity of his first attack, gained some advantage; but the +appearance of Fitzhugh Lee's troops on the right, and Hampton's +strong resistance in front, rendered futile all efforts to carry the +position; and, although I brought up one of Gregg's brigades to +Torbert's assistance, yet the by-road I coveted was still held by the +enemy when night closed in. + +This engagement, like that off the day before around Trevillian, was +mostly fought dismounted by both sides, as had also been the earlier +fights of the cavalry during the summer in the Wilderness, at Todd's +Tavern, Hawe's Shop, and Matadequin Creek. Indeed, they could hardly +have been fought otherwise than on foot, as there was little chance +for mounted fighting in eastern Virginia, the dense woods, the +armament of both parties, and the practice of barricading making it +impracticable to use the sabre with anything like a large force; and +so with the exception of Yellow Tavern the dismounted method +prevailed in almost every engagement. + +The losses at Mallory's Crossroads were very heavy on both sides. +The character of the fighting, together with the day's results, +demonstrated that it was impossible to make the passage of the North +Anna at Mallory's ford without venturing another battle the next day. +This would consume the little ammunition left, and though we might +gain the road, yet the possibility of having no ammunition whatever +to get back with was too great a hazard, so I gave orders to withdraw +during the night of the 12th. We retired along the same road by +which we had come, taking with us the prisoners, and all of our +wounded who could be moved. Those who could not be transported, some +ninety in number, and all the Confederate wounded in my hands, were +left at Trevillian in hospitals, under charge of one of our surgeons, +with plenty of medical and other stores. + +We recrossed the North Anna at Carpenter's ford the following +morning, and halting there, unsaddled and turned the horses out to +graze, for they were nearly famished, having had neither food nor +water during the preceding forty-eight hours. Late in the afternoon +we saddled up and proceeded to Twyman's Store, while General +Hampton's main body moved down the south bank of the North Anna, with +the purpose of intervening between me and the Army of the Potomac, in +the hope of preventing my return to it; but his movements took no +definite shape beyond watching me, however, till several days later, +near St. Mary's Church, when I was crossing the peninsula to the +James River. + +On the 14th the march was continued, and we reached the Catharpen +road, upon which it was originally intended to move if we had been +able to cross at Mallory's ford, and this conducted me to Shady Grove +Church. The next day we passed over the battle-field of +Spottsylvania Court House. The marks of the recent conflicts about +there were visible on every hand, and in the neighboring houses were +found many Union and Confederate wounded, who had been too severely +hurt to be removed from the field-hospitals at the time of the +battles. Such of our wounded as were able to travel were brought +away. + +On the 16th I marched from Edge Hill on the Ta River through Bowling +Green to Dr. Butler's, on the north side of the Mattapony. When I +arrived here I was unable to ascertain the position of the Army of +the Potomac, and was uncertain whether or not the base at the White +House had been discontinued. I had heard nothing from the army for +nine days except rumors through Southern sources, and under these +circumstances did not like to venture between the Mattapony and +Pamunkey rivers, embarrassed as I was with some four hundred wounded, +five hundred prisoners, and about two thousand negroes that had +joined my column in the hope of obtaining their freedom. I therefore +determined to push down the north bank of the Mattapony far enough to +enable me to send these impediments directly to West Point, where I +anticipated finding some of our gunboats and transports, that could +carry all to the North. Following this plan, we proceeded through +Walkerton to King and Queen Court House, and bivouacked in its +vicinity the night of the 18th. Next day I learned that the depot at +the White House had not yet been broken up entirely, and that +supplies were in store for me there; so after sending the wounded, +prisoners, and negroes to West Point under an escort of two +regiments, I turned back to Dunkirk, on the Mattapony, and crossed to +the south side at a place where the stream was narrow enough to +bridge with my pontoon-boats. + +In returning from Trevillian, as the most of our wounded were hauled +in old buggies, carts, and such other vehicles as could be made +available in the absence of a sufficient number of ambulances, the +suffering was intense, the heat of the season and dusty roads adding +much to the discomfort. Each day we halted many times to dress the +wounds of the injured and to refresh them as much as possible, but +our means for mitigating their distress were limited. The fortitude +and cheerfulness of the poor fellows under such conditions were +remarkable, for no word of complaint was heard. The Confederate +prisoners and colored people being on foot, our marches were +necessarily made short, and with frequent halts also, but they too +suffered considerably from the heat and dust, though at times the +prisoners were relieved by being mounted on the horses of some of our +regiments, the owners meantime marching on foot. Where all the +colored people came from and what started them was inexplicable, but +they began joining us just before we reached Trevillian--men, women, +and children with bundles of all sorts containing their few worldly +goods, and the number increased from day to day until they arrived at +West Point. Probably not one of the poor things had the remotest +idea, when he set out, as to where he would finally land, but to a +man they followed the Yankees in full faith that they would lead to +freedom, no matter what road they took. + +On the morning of the 20th, at an early hour, we resumed our march, +and as the column proceeded sounds of artillery were heard in the +direction of the White House, which fact caused us to quicken the +pace. We had not gone far when despatches from General Abercrombie, +commanding some fragmentary organizations at the White House, +notified me that the place was about to be attacked. I had +previously sent an advance party with orders to move swiftly toward +the cannonading and report to me by couriers the actual condition of +affairs. From this party I soon learned that there was no occasion +to push our jaded animals, since the crisis, if there had been one, +was over and the enemy repulsed, so the increased gait was reduced to +a leisurely march that took us late in the afternoon to the north +bank of the Pamunkey, opposite Abercrombie's camp. When I got to the +river the enemy was holding the bluffs surrounding the White House +farm, having made no effort to penetrate General Abercrombie's line +or do him other hurt than to throw a few shells among the teamsters +there congregated. + +Next day Gregg's division crossed the Pamunkey dismounted, and +Torbert's crossed mounted. As soon as the troops were over, Gregg, +supported by Merritt's brigade, moved out on the road to Tunstall's +Station to attack Hampton, posted an the west side of Black Creek, +Custer's brigade meanwhile moving, mounted, on the road to +Cumberland, and Devin's in like manner on the one to Baltimore +crossroads. This offer of battle was not accepted, however, and +Hampton withdrew from my front, retiring behind the Chickahominy, +where his communications with Lee would be more secure. + +While at the White House I received orders to break up that depot +wholly, and also instructions to move the trains which the Army of +the Potomac had left there across the peninsula to the pontoon-bridge +at Deep Bottom on the James River. These trains amounted to hundreds +of wagons and other vehicles, and knowing full well the dangers which +would attend the difficult problem of getting them over to +Petersburg, I decided to start them with as little delay as +circumstances would permit, and the morning of the 22d sent Torbert's +division ahead to secure Jones's bridge on the Chickahominy, so that +the wagons could be crossed at that point. The trains followed +Torbert, while Gregg's division marched by a road parallel to the one +on which the wagons were moving, and on their right flank, as they +needed to be covered and protected in that direction only. + +The enemy made no effort to attack us while we were moving the trains +that day, and the wagons were all safely parked for the night on the +south side of the Chickahominy, guarded by General Getty, who had +relieved Abercrombie from command of the infantry fragments before we +started off from the White House. + +To secure the crossing at Jones's bridge, Torbert had pushed Devin's +brigade out on the Long Bridge road, on the side of the Chickahominy +where, on the morning of the 23d, he was attacked by Chambliss's +brigade of W. H. F. Lee's division. Devin was driven in some little +distance, but being reinforced by Getty with six companies of colored +troops, he quickly turned the tables on Chambliss and re-established +his picket-posts. From this affair I learned that Chambliss's brigade +was the advance of the Confederate cavalry corps, while Hampton +discovered from it that we were already in possession of the Jones's +bridge crossing of the Chickahominy; and as he was too late to +challenge our passage of the stream at this point he contented +himself with taking up a position that night so as to cover the roads +leading from Long Bridge to Westover, with the purpose of preventing +the trains from following the river road to the pontoon-bridge at +Deep Bottom. + +My instructions required me to cross the trains over the James River +on this pontoon-bridge if practicable, and to reach it I should be +obliged to march through Charles City Court House, and then by +Harrison's Landing and Malvern Hill, the latter point being held by +the enemy. In fact, he held all the ground between Long Bridge on +the Chickahominy and the pontoon-bridge except the Tete de pont at +the crossing. Notwithstanding this I concluded to make the attempt, +for all the delays of ferrying the command and trains would be +avoided if we got through to the bridge; and with this object in view +I moved Torbert's division out on the Charles City road to conduct +the wagons. Just beyond Charles City Court House Torbert encountered +Lomax's brigade, which he drove across Herring Creek on the road to +Westover Church; and reporting the affair to me, I surmised, from the +presence of this force in my front, that Hampton would endeavor to +penetrate to the long column of wagons, so I ordered them to go into +park near Wilcox's landing, and instructed Gregg, whose division had +been marching in the morning along the road leading from Jones's +bridge to St. Mary's Church for the purpose of covering the exposed +flank of the train, to hold fast near the church without fail till +all the transportation had passed Charles City Court House. + +Meanwhile, General Hampton, who had conjectured that I would try to +get the train across the James by the pontoon-bridge at Deep Bottom, +began concentrating all his troops except Lomax's brigade, which was +to confront the head of my column on the river road, in the vicinity +of Nance's Shop. This was discovered by Gregg at an early hour, and +divining this purpose he had prepared to meet it by constructing +hasty cover for his men before receiving my instructions. About 4 +o'clock in the afternoon Hampton got his force in hand, and with +Fitzhugh Lee's division assailed the whole front of Gregg's line, and +his left flank with Chambliss's and Geary's brigades. For two hours +he continued to attack, but made little impression on Gregg--gain at +one point being counterbalanced by failure at another. Because of +the evident strength of Hampton, Gregg had placed all his troops in +line of battle from the first, and on discovery of the enemy's +superior numbers sent message after message to me concerning the +situation, but the messengers never arrived, being either killed or +captured, and I remained in total ignorance till dark of the strait +his division was in. + +Toward night it became clear to Gregg that he could maintain the +unequal contest no longer, and he then decided to retreat, but not +until convinced that the time won had enabled all the trains to pass +Charles City Court House in safety. When he had got all his led +horses fairly on the way, and such of the wounded as could be +transported, he retired by his right flank-in some confusion, it is +true, but stubbornly resisting to Hopewell Church, where Hampton +ceased to press him. + +Gregg's losses were heavy, and he was forced to abandon his dead and +most seriously wounded, but the creditable stand made ensured the +safety of the train, the last wagon of which was now parked at +Wilcox's Landing. His steady, unflinching determination to gain time +for the wagons to get beyond the point of danger was characteristic +of the man, and this was the third occasion on which he had exhibited +a high order of capacity and sound judgment since coming under my +command. The firmness and coolness with which he always met the +responsibilities of a dangerous place were particularly strong points +in Gregg's make-up, and he possessed so much professional though +unpretentious ability, that it is to be regretted he felt obliged a +few months later to quit the service before the close of the war. + +Gregg's fight fully satisfied me that we could not get the trains up +to the pontoon-bridge, for of course Hampton would now throw all his +cavalry in my front, on the river road, where it could be backed up +by Lee's infantry. Meanwhile, General Meade had become assured of +the same thing, and as he was now growing anxious about the fate of +Wilson's division--which, during my absence, had been sent out to +break the enemy's communications south of Petersburg, by destroying +the Southside and Danville railroads--he sent ferryboats to cross me +over the James. During the night of the 24th, and next morning, the +immense train--which ought never to have been left for the cavalry to +escort, after a fatiguing expedition of three weeks--was moved back +through Charles City Court House to Douthard's landing, and there +ferried over the river, followed by my troops in like manner. When +General Hampton discovered this, he moved to Drury's Bluff, and +there, on the morning of the 27th, crossed the James by the +Confederate pontoon-bridge. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +GENERAL WILSON'S RAID--DESTROYING RAILROADS--HIS DISCOMFITURE +--RESULTS OF HIS RAID--REMOUNTS--MOVEMENT TO THE NORTH SIDE OF THE +JAMES--DECEIVING LEE--MY ISOLATED POSITION--ESTIMATE OF HANCOCK +--SUCCESS OF THE CAVALRY--THEIR CONSTANT DUTIES. + +While I was absent on the expedition to Trevillian, the movement of +the Army of the Potomac across the James River was effected, and +Wilson, whom I had left behind for the purpose, was engaged in the +duty of covering its front and rear. Late on the night of June 12 +he, with Chapman's brigade, crossed the Chickahominy at Long Bridge, +in advance of the Fifth Corps, and by 7 o'clock next morning had +driven the enemy's pickets up to White Oak bridge, where he waited +for our infantry. When that came up, he pushed on as far as Riddle's +Shop, but late that evening the Confederate infantry forced him to +withdraw to St. Mary's Church; for early in the morning General Lee +had discovered the movement of our army, and promptly threw this +column of infantry south of the Chickahominy to White Oak Swamp, with +the design of covering Richmond. From St. Mary's Church Wilson +guarded all the roads toward White Oak Swamp and Riddle's Shop, +McIntosh's brigade joining him on the 14th, by way of Long Bridge, as +the rear of the Army of the Potomac passed the Chickahominy. In the +performance of this duty Wilson did not have to fight any engagement +of magnitude, for the bulk of the enemy's cavalry had followed me to +Trevillian. During the 15th and 16th Wilson drew his troops in +toward the James River, and next day crossed it on the pontoon-bridge +and camped on the Blackwater, near Mt. Sinai Church. Here he +remained till the 22d of June--the same day I reached the White House +with Gregg and Torbert--when, under orders from General Meade, he set +out to cut the enemy's communications to the south and southwest of +Petersburg. + +His instructions implied that the breaking up of the Petersburg and +Lynchburg, and Richmond and Danville railroads at Burkeville was the +most important part of his mission, and that when the work of +destruction began, it should be continued till he was driven off by +the enemy. Wilson's force consisted of about 5,500 men, General A. +V. Kautz, with the cavalry of the Army of the James, having joined +him for the expedition. In moving out Wilson crossed the Weldon road +near Ream's Station, first destroying it effectually at that point. +About fourteen miles west of Petersburg he struck the Southside +railroad, and broke it up clear to Burkeville, a distance of thirty +miles. Having destroyed everything at Burkeville Junction, he moved +along the Danville road to Staunton River, completely wrecking about +thirty miles of that line also. At Staunton River he found the +railroad bridge strongly guarded, and seeing that he could not burn +it, he began his return march that night, and reached Nottoway River, +some thirty miles south of Petersburg, at noon of the next day--the +28th. + +In this expedition Wilson was closely followed from the start by +Barringer's brigade of W. H. F. Lee's cavalry, but the operations +were not interfered with materially, his success being signal till he +reached the vicinity of Stony Creek depot on his return. At this +point General Hampton, with his own and Fitzhugh Lee's cavalry, got +between Wilson and the Army of the Potomac, there being behind them +at Ream's Station, at the same time, two brigades of infantry under +General Mahone. A severe battle ensued, resulting in Wilson's +defeat, with the loss of twelve guns and all his wagons. In +consequence of this discomfiture he was obliged to fall back across +the Nottoway River with his own division, and rejoined the army by +way of Peter's bridge on that stream, while Kautz's division, unable +to unite with Wilson after the two commands had become separated in +the fight, made a circuit of the enemy's left, and reached the lines +of our army in the night of the 28th. + +Neither the presence of Hampton's cavalry at Stony Creek depot, nor +the possession of Ream's Station by the Confederate infantry, seems +to have been anticipated by Wilson, for in the report of the +expedition he states: + +"Foreseeing the probability of having to return northward, I wrote to +General Meade the evening before starting that I anticipated no +serious difficulty in executing his orders; but unless General +Sheridan was required to keep Hampton's cavalry engaged, and our +infantry to prevent Lee from making detachments, we should probably +experience great difficulty in rejoining the army. In reply to this +note, General Humphreys, chief-of-staff, informed me it was intended +the Army of the Potomac should cover the Weldon road the next day, +the Southside road the day after, and that Hampton having followed +Sheridan toward Gordonsville, I need not fear any trouble from him." + +I doubt that General Meade's letter of instructions and Wilson's note +of the same evening, warrant what General Wilson here says. It is +true that the Weldon railroad near Ream's Station was not covered by +our infantry, as General Humphreys informed him it would be, but +Wilson is in error when he intimates that he was assured that I would +look after Hampton. I do not think General Meade's instructions are +susceptible of this interpretation. I received no orders requiring +me to detain Hampton. On the contrary, when I arrived at the White +House my instructions required me to break up the depot there, and +then bring the train across the Peninsula as soon as practicable, nor +were these instructions ever modified. I began the duty imposed on +me on the morning of the 23d, totally in the dark as to what was +expected of Wilson, though it seems, from some correspondence between +Generals Grant and Meade, which I never saw till after the war, that +Grant thought Wilson could rely on Hampton's absence from his field +of operations throughout the expedition. + + +"HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, +"June 21, 1864. 9:20 A. M. + +"BRIGADIER-GENERAL WILSON, +"Commanding Third Division Cavalry Corps. + +"The major-general commanding directs that you move your command at +2 A. M. to-morrow, the 22d instant, in execution of the duty assigned +you of destroying certain railroads. Despatches received from the +White House state that Hampton's cavalry was before that place +yesterday evening, and that General Sheridan had also reached there, +hence it is desirable that you should march at the earliest moment. +In passing Petersburg you will endeavor to avoid the observation of +the enemy, and then move by the shortest routes to the intersection +of the Petersburg and Lynchburg, and the Richmond and Danville +railroads, and destroy both these roads to the greatest extent +possible, continuing their destruction until driven from it by such +attacks of the enemy as you can no longer resist. The destruction of +those roads to such an extent that they cannot be used by the enemy +in connection with Richmond during the remainder of the campaign is +an important part of the plan of campaign. The latest information +from Major-General Hunter represents him to be a few miles west of +Lynchburg. He may endeavor to form a junction with this army; you +will communicate with him if practicable, and have delivered to him +verbally the contents of the following copy of a communication from +Lieutenant-General Grant to the major-general commanding this army. +Lieutenant Brooks, who will accompany your expedition part of the +way, should be informed where General Hunter will probably be found. + +"The success of your expedition will depend upon the secrecy with +which it is commenced, and the celerity with which its movements are +conducted; your command will, therefore, have with it the lightest +supplies and smallest number of wheels consistent with the thorough +execution of the duty, the supplies of the section of country you +will operate in being taken into account. Upon the completion of the +work assigned you, you will rejoin this army. + +"The chief quartermaster was directed yesterday to supply you with +the implements and material for the destruction of railroads obtained +for General Sheridan. + +"[Signed] "A. A. HUMPHREYS, +"Major-General, Chief-of-Staff." + + + +"HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY FORCES, +Mount Sinai Church, June 21, 1864--6 P.M. + +"MAJOR-GENERAL HUMPHREYS," +"Chief-of-Staff. +"The instructions of the major-general commanding, of this date, are +received. I shall march in obedience thereto at 2 A. M. to-morrow. +Before starting I would like to know if our infantry forces cover the +Weldon road. + +"I propose striking the Southside road first at Sutherland Station, +or some point in that vicinity, tearing up the track sufficiently to +delay railroad communication ten or twelve hours. At this place I +shall detach a force to strike the Richmond and Danville road, by a +rapid march, at the nearest point, tearing up the track at every +practicable point between there and Burkeville. + +"From Sutherlands I shall move the main body of my command by the +Great road (breaking the railroad at every convenient point) directly +to Burkeville, which, if we succeed in capturing, will afford us the +opportunity of prosecuting our work with great advantage. As soon as +I have made dispositions for communicating with Hunter and done all +the damage possible, I shall move with all possible rapidity for +Danville and Grenboro'. + +"Circumstances must, however, is a great degree control our movements +after leaving Burkeville. + +"If Sheridan will look after Hampton, I apprehend no difficulty, and +hope to be able to do the enemy great damage. The ammunition issued +to my command is very defective. The implements for destroying roads +have not yet arrived, but I learn from General Ingalls that they will +certainly be here early to-morrow. + +"[Signed] J. H. WILSON, +"Brigadier-General Commanding." + + +The moment I received orders from General Meade to go to the relief +of Wilson, I hastened with Torbert and Gregg by way of Prince George +Court House and Lee's Mills to Ream's Station. Here I found the +Sixth Corps, which Meade had pushed out on his left flank immediately +on hearing of Wilson's mishap, but I was too late to render any +material assistance, Wilson having already disappeared, followed by +the enemy. However, I at once sent out parties to gather +information, and soon learned that Wilson had got safe across the +Nottoway at Peter's bridge and was making for the army by way of +Blunt's bridge, on the Blackwater. + +The benefits derived from this expedition, in the destruction of the +Southside and Danville railroads, were considered by General Grant as +equivalent for the losses sustained in Wilson's defeat, for the +wrecking of the railroads and cars was most complete, occasioning at +this, time serious embarrassment to the Confederate Government; but I +doubt if all this compensated for the artillery and prisoners that +fell into the hands of the enemy in the swamps of Hatcher's Run and +Rowanty Creek. Wilson's retreat from the perilous situation at +Ream's station was a most creditable performance--in the face of two +brigades of infantry and three divisions of cavalry--and in the +conduct of the whole expedition the only criticism that can hold +against him is that he placed too much reliance on meeting our +infantry at Ream's station, seeing that uncontrollable circumstances +might, and did, prevent its being there. He ought to have marched on +the 28th by Jarrett's Station to Peter's bridge, on the Nottoway, and +Blunts bridge on the Blackwater, to the rear of the Army of the +Potomac. + +When the safety of Wilson's command was assured, I was ordered back +to Light House Point, where I had gone into camp after crossing the +James River to rest and recruit my command, now very much reduced in +numbers by reason of casualties to both horses and men. It had been +marching and fighting for fifty consecutive days, and the fatiguing +service had told so fearfully on my animals that the number of +dismounted men in the corps was very large. With the exception of +about four hundred horses that I received at the White House, no +animals were furnished to supply the deficiencies which had arisen +from the wearing marches of the past two months until I got to this +camp at Light House Point; here my needs were so obvious that they +could no longer be neglected. + +I remained at Light House Point from the 2d to the 26th of July, +recuperating the cavalry, the intensely warm weather necessitating +almost an entire suspension of hostilities on the part of the Army of +the Potomac. Meanwhile fifteen hundred horses were sent me here, and +these, with the four hundred already mentioned, were all that my +troops received while I held the personal command of the Cavalry +Corps, from April 6 to August 1, 1864. This was not near enough to +mount the whole command, so I disposed the men who could not be +supplied in a dismounted camp. + +By the 26th of July our strength was pretty well restored, and as +General Grant was now contemplating offensive operations for the +purpose of keeping Lee's army occupied around Richmond, and also of +carrying Petersburg by assault if possible, I was directed to move to +the north side of the James River in conjunction with General +Hancock's corps, and, if opportunity offered, to make a second +expedition against the Virginia Central railroad, and again destroy +the bridges on the North Anna, the Little and the South Anna rivers. + +I started out on the afternoon of the 26th and crossed the Appomattox +at Broadway landing. At Deep Bottom I was joined by Kautz's small +division from the Army of the James, and here massed the whole +command, to allow Hancock's corps to take the lead, it crossing to +the north bank of the James River by the bridge below the mouth of +Bailey's Creek. I moved late in the afternoon, so as not to come +within the enemy's view before dark, and after night-fall Hancock's +corps passed me and began crossing the pontoon-bridge about 2 o'clock +in the morning. + +By daylight Hancock was across, the cavalry following. Soon a +portion of his corps attacked the enemy's works on the east side of +Bailey's Creek, and, aided by the cavalry moving on its right, +captured four pieces of artillery. This opened the way for Hancock +to push out his whole corps, and as he advanced by a wheel, with his +left as a pivot, the cavalry joined in the movement, pressing forward +on the New Market and Central or Charles City roads. + +We did not go far before we found the enemy's infantry posted across +these two roads behind a strong line of intrenchments on the west +bank of Bailey's Creek. His videttes in front of Ruffin's house on +the New Market road were soon driven in on their main line, and the +high ground before the house was immediately occupied by Torbert and +Gregg, supported by Kautz's division. By the time the cavalry line +was formed the Confederate General Kershaw, with his own division of +infantry and those of Wilcox and Heath, advanced to attack us. +Directing the most of his troops against the cavalry, which was still +mounted, Kershaw drove it back some distance over the high ground. +When it reached the eastern face of the ridge, however, it was +quickly dismounted, and the men directed to lie down in line of +battle about fifteen yards from the crest, and here the onset of the +enemy was awaited. When Kershaw's men reached the crest such a +severe fire was opened on them, and at such close quarters, that they +could not withstand it, and gave way in disorder. They were followed +across the plain by the cavalry, and lost about two hundred and fifty +prisoners and two battle-flags. The counter attack against the +infantry by Torbert and Gregg re-established our line and gave us the +victory of Darbytown, but it also demonstrated the fact that General +Lee had anticipated the movement around his left flank by +transferring to the north side of the James a large portion of his +infantry and W. H. F. Lee's division of cavalry. + +This development rendered useless any further effort on Hancock's +part or mine to carry out the plan of the expedition, for General +Grant did not intend Hancock to assault the enemy's works unless +there should be found in them but a very thin line of infantry which +could be surprised. In such event, Hancock was to operate so that +the cavalry might turn the Confederates on the Central or Charles +City road, but the continually increasing force of the enemy showed +this to be impracticable. The long front presented by Hancock's +corps and the cavalry deceived General Lee, and he undoubtedly +thought that nearly all of Grant's army had been moved to the north +side of the James River; and to meet the danger he transferred the +most of his own strength to the same side to confront his adversary, +thinning the lines around Petersburg to reinforce those opposing us +on the Central and New Market roads. This was what Grant hoped Lee +would do in case the operations of Hancock and myself became +impracticable, for Grant had an alternative plan for carrying +Petersburg by assault in conjunction with the explosion of a mine +that had been driven under the enemy's works from the front of +Burnside's corps. + +Now that there was no longer a chance for the cavalry to turn the +enemy's left, our attention was directed to keeping up the deception +of Lee, and on the afternoon of the 28th Hancock's corps withdrew to +a line nearer the head of the bridge, the cavalry drawing back to a +position on his right. From now on, all sorts of devices and +stratagems were practiced--anything that would tend to make the +Confederates believe we were being reinforced, while Hancock was +preparing for a rapid return to Petersburg at the proper time. In +order to delude the enemy still more after night-fall of the 28th I +sent one of my divisions to the south side of the James, first +covering the bridgeway with refuse hay to keep the tramp of the horses +from being heard. After daylight the next morning, I marched this +division back again on foot, in full view of the enemy, to create the +impression of a continuous movement large bodies of infantry to the +north side, while the same time Kautz was made to skirmish with the +enemy on our extreme right. These various artifices had the effect +intended, for by the evening of the 29th Lee had transferred all his +infantry to the north bank of the James, except three divisions, and +all his cavalry save one. + +The morning of the 30th had been fixed upon to explode the mine and +assault the enemy's works, so after dark on the evening of the 29th +Hancock hastily but quietly withdrew his corps to the south side to +take part in the engagement which was to succeed the explosion, and I +was directed to follow Hancock. This left me on the north side of +the river confronting two-thirds of Lee's army in a perilous +position, where I could easily be driven into Curl's Neck and my +whole command annihilated. The situation, therefore, was not a +pleasant one to contemplate, but it could not be avoided. Luckily +the enemy did not see fit to attack, and my anxiety was greatly +relieved by getting the whole command safely across the bridge +shortly after daylight, having drawn in the different brigades +successively from my right. By 10 o'clock on the morning of the 30th +my leading division was well over toward the left of our army in +front of Petersburg, marching with the purpose to get around the +enemy's right flank during the operations that were to succeed the +mine explosion, but when I reached General Meade's headquarters I +found that lamentable failure had attended the assault made when the +enemy's works were blown up in the morning. Blunder after blunder +had rendered the assault abortive, and all the opportunities opened +by our expedition to the north side were irretrievably lost, so +General Meade at once arrested the movement of the cavalry. + +In the expedition to Deep Bottom I was under the command of +Major-General Hancock, who, by seniority, was to control my corps as +well as his own until the way was opened for me to get out on the +Virginia Central railroad. If this opportunity was gained, I was to +cut loose and damage Lee's communications with the Shenandoah Valley +in such manner as best suited the conditions, but my return was not to +be jeopardized nor long delayed. This necessitated that Hancock's +line should extend to Bottom's bridge on the Chickahominy. The +enemy's early discovery of the movement and his concentration of +troops on the north side prevented Hancock from accomplishing the +programme laid out for him. Its impracticability was demonstrated +early on the 27th, and Hancock's soldierly instincts told him this the +moment he unexpectedly discovered Kershaw blocking the New Market and +Charles City roads. To Hancock the temptation to assault Kershaw's +position was strong indeed, but if he carried it there would still +remain the dubious problem of holding the line necessary for my safe +return, so with rare judgment he desisted zealously turning to the +alternative proposition--the assault on Petersburg--for more +significant results. This was the only occasion during the war in +which I was associated with Hancock in campaign. Up till then we had +seldom met, and that was the first opportunity I had to observe his +quick apprehension, his physical courage, and the soldierly +personality which had long before established his high reputation. + +On the 1st of August, two days after the mine explosion, I was. +relieved from the personal command of the Cavalry Corps, and ordered +to the Shenandoah Valley, where at a later date Torbert's and +Wilson's divisions joined me. Practically, after I went to the +valley, my command of the Cavalry Corps became supervisory merely. +During the period of my immediate control of the corps, I tried to +carry into effect, as far as possible, the views I had advanced +before and during the opening of the Wilderness campaign, i.e., "that +our cavalry ought to fight the enemy's cavalry, and our infantry the +enemy's infantry"; for there was great danger of breaking the spirit +of the corps if it was to be pitted against the enemy's compact +masses of foot-troops posted behind intrenchments, and unless there +was some adequate tactical or strategical advantage to be gained, +such a use of it would not be justified. Immediately succeeding the +battles of the Wilderness, opportunity offered to put this plan into +execution to some extent, and from that time forward--from the battle +of Yellow Tavern--our success was almost continuous, resulting +finally, before the close of the war, in the nearly total +annihilation of the enemy's cavalry. + +The constant activity of the corps from May 5 till August 1 gave +little opportunity for the various division and brigade commanders to +record its work in detail; so there exists but meagre accounts of the +numerous skirmishes and graver conflicts in which, in addition to the +fights mentioned in this narrative, it engaged. A detailed history +of its performances is not within the province of a work of this +nature; but in review, it can be said, without trespassing on the +reader's time, that the Cavalry Corps led the advance of the Army of +the Potomac into the Wilderness in the memorable campaign of 1864; +that on the expedition by way of Richmond to Haxall's it marked out +the army's line of march to the North Anna; that it again led the +advance to the Tolopotomy, and also to Cold Harbor, holding that +important strategic point at great hazard; and that by the Trevillian +expedition it drew away the enemy's cavalry from the south side of +the Chickahominy, and thereby assisted General Grant materially in +successfully marching to the James River and Petersburg. +Subsequently, Wilson made his march to Staunton bridge, destroying +railroads and supplies of inestimable value, and though this was +neutralized by his disaster near Ream's Station, the temporary +set-back there to one division was soon redeemed by victory over +the Confederate infantry at the battle of Darbytown. + +In the campaign we were almost always on the march, night and day, +often unable to care properly for our wounded, and obliged to bury +our dead where they fell; and innumerable combats attest the part the +cavalry played in Grant's march from the Rapidan to Petersburg. In +nearly all of these our casualties were heavy, particularly so when, +as was often the case, we had to engage the Confederate infantry; but +the enemy returned such a full equivalent in dead and wounded in +every instance, that finally his mounted power, which from the +beginning of the war had been nurtured with a wise appreciation of +its value, was utterly broken. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +GENERAL HUNTER'S SUCCESSFUL MARCH AND SUBSEQUENT RETREAT--GENERAL +JUBAL A. EARLY THREATENS WASHINGTON--CHAMBERSBURG, PA., BURNED +--SELECTED TO OPERATE AGAINST GENERAL EARLY--THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY +--THE CONFEDERATE ARMY. + +When the attempt to take Petersburg in conjunction with the mine +explosion resulted in such a dismal failure, all the operations +contemplated in connection with that project came to a standstill, +and there was every prospect that the intensely hot and sultry +weather would prevent further activity in the Army of the Potomac +till a more propitious season. Just now, however, the conditions +existing in the Shenandoah Valley and along the upper Potomac +demanded the special attention of General Grant, for, notwithstanding +the successful march that Major-General David Hunter had made toward +Lynchburg early in the summer, what he had first gained was +subsequently lost by strategical mistakes, that culminated in +disaster during the retreat he was obliged to make from the vicinity +of Lynchburg to the Kanawha Valley. This route of march uncovered +the lower portion of the Valley of the Shenandoah, and with the +exception of a small force of Union troops under General Franz Sigel +posted aft Martinsburg for the purpose of covering the Baltimore and +Ohio railroad, there was nothing at hand to defend the lower valley. + +The different bodies of Confederates which compelled Hunter's retreat +were under command of General Jubal A. Early, who had been sent to +Lynchburg with Ewell's corps after the defeat of the Confederate +General W. C. Jones near Staunton on the 5th of June, to take command +of the Valley District. When Early had forced Hunter into the +Kanawha region far enough to feel assured that Lynchburg could not +again be threatened from that direction, he united to his own corps +General John C. Breckenridge's infantry division and the cavalry of +Generals J. H. Vaughn, John McCausland. B. T. Johnson, and J. D. +Imboden, which heretofore had been operating in southwest and western +Virginia under General Robert Ransom, Jr., and with the column thus +formed, was ready to turn his attention to the lower Shenandoah +Valley. At Early's suggestion General Lee authorized him to move +north at an opportune moment, cross the upper Potomac into Maryland +and threaten Washington. Indeed, General Lee had foreshadowed such a +course when Early started toward Lynchburg for the purpose of +relieving the pressure in front of Petersburg, but was in some doubt +as to the practicability of the movement later, till persuaded to it +by the representations of Early after that general had driven Hunter +beyond the mountains and found little or nothing opposing except the +small force of Sigel, which he thought he could readily overcome by +celerity of movement. + +By rapid marching Early reached Winchester on the 2d of July, and on +the 4th occupied Martinsburg, driving General Sigel out of that place +the same day that Hunter's troops, after their fatiguing retreat +through the mountains, reached Charlestown, West Virginia. Early was +thus enabled to cross the Potomac without difficulty, when, moving +around Harper's Ferry, through the gaps of the South Mountain, he +found his path unobstructed till he reached the Monocacy, where +Ricketts's division of the Sixth Corps, and some raw troops that had +been collected by General Lew Wallace, met and held the Confederates +till the other reinforcements that had been ordered to the capital +from Petersburg could be brought up. Wallace contested the line of +the Monocacy with obstinacy, but had to retire finally toward +Baltimore. The road was then open to Washington, and Early marched +to the outskirts and began against the capital the demonstrations +which were designed to divert the Army of the Potomac from its main +purpose in front of Petersburg. + +Early's audacity in thus threatening Washington had caused some +concern to the officials in the city, but as the movement was looked +upon by General Grant as a mere foray which could have no decisive +issue, the Administration was not much disturbed till the +Confederates came in close proximity. Then was repeated the alarm +and consternation of two years before, fears for the safety of the +capital being magnified by the confusion and discord existing among +the different generals in Washington and Baltimore; and the imaginary +dangers vanished only with the appearance of General Wright, who, +with the Sixth Corps and one division of the Nineteenth Corps, pushed +out to attack Early as soon as he could get his arriving troops in +hand, but under circumstances that precluded celerity of movement; +and as a consequence the Confederates escaped with little injury, +retiring across the Potomac to Leesburg, unharassed save by some +Union cavalry that had been sent out into Loudoun County by Hunter, +who in the meantime had arrived at Harper's Ferry by the Baltimore +and Ohio railroad. From Leesburg Early retired through Winchester +toward Strasburg, but when the head of his column reached this place +he found that he was being followed by General Crook with the +combined troops of Hunter and Sigel only, Wright having returned to +Washington under orders to rejoin Meade at Petersburg. This +reduction of the pursuing force tempting Early to resume the +offensive, he attacked Crook at Kernstown, and succeeded in +administering such a check as to necessitate this general's retreat +to Martinsburg, and finally to Harper's Ferry. Crook's withdrawal +restored to Early the line of the upper Potomac, so, recrossing this +stream, he advanced again into Maryland, and sending McCausland on to +Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, laid that town in ashes, leaving three +thousand non-combatants without shelter or food. + +When Early fell back from the vicinity of Washington toward +Strasburg, General Grant believed that he would rejoin Lee, but later +manoeuvres of the enemy indicated that Early had given up this idea, +if he ever, entertained it, and intended to remain in the valley, +since it would furnish Lee and himself with subsistence, and also +afford renewed opportunities for threatening Washington. Indeed, the +possession of the Valley of the Shenandoah at this time was of vast +importance to Lee's army, and on every hand there were indications +that the Confederate Government wished to hold it at least until +after the crops could be gathered in to their depots at Lynchburg and +Richmond. Its retention, besides being of great advantage in the +matter of supplies, would also be a menace to the North difficult for +General Grant to explain, and thereby add an element of considerable +benefit to the Confederate cause; so when Early's troops again +appeared at Martinsburg it was necessary for General Grant to +confront them with a force strong enough to put an end to incursions +north of the Potomac, which hitherto had always led to National +discomfiture at some critical juncture, by turning our army in +eastern Virginia from its chief purpose--the destruction of Lee and +the capture of the Confederate capital. + +This second irruption of Early, and his ruthless destruction of +Chambersburg led to many recommendations on the part of General Grant +looking to a speedy elimination of the confusion then existing among +the Union forces along the upper Potomac, but for a time the +authorities at Washington would approve none of his propositions. +The President and Secretary Stanton seemed unwilling to adopt his +suggestions, and one measure which he deemed very important--the +consolidation into a single command of the four geographical +districts into which, to relieve political pressure no doubt, the +territory had been divided--met with serious opposition. Despite +Grant's representations, he could not prevail on the Administration +to approve this measure, but finally the manoeuvres of Early and the +raid to Chambersburg compelled a partial compliance, though Grant had +somewhat circumvented the difficulty already by deciding to appoint a +commander for the forces in the field that were to operate against +Early. + +On the 31st of July General Grant selected me as this commander, and +in obedience to his telegraphic summons I repaired to his +headquarters at City Point. In the interview that followed, he +detailed to me the situation of affairs on the upper Potomac, telling +me that I was to command in the field the troops that were to operate +against Early, but that General Hunter, who was at the head of the +geographical department, would be continued in his position for the +reason that the Administration was reluctant to reconstruct or +consolidate the different districts. After informing me that one +division of the Cavalry Corps would be sent to my new command, he +went on to say that he wanted me to push the enemy as soon as this +division arrived, and if Early retired up the Shenandoah Valley I was +to pursue, but if he crossed the Potomac I was to put myself south of +him and try to compass his destruction. The interview having ended, +I returned to Hancock Station to prepare for my departure, and on the +evening of August 1 I was relieved from immediate duty with the Army +of the Potomac, but not from command of the cavalry as a corps +organization. + +I arrived at Washington on the 4th of August, and the next day +received instructions from General Halleck to report to General Grant +at Monocacy Junction, whither he had gone direct from City Point, in +consequence of a characteristic despatch from the President +indicating his disgust with the confusion, disorder, and helplessness +prevailing along the upper Potomac, and intimating that Grant's +presence there was necessary. + +In company with the Secretary of War I called on the President before +leaving Washington, and during a short conversation Mr. Lincoln +candidly told me that Mr. Stanton had objected to my assignment to +General Hunter's command, because he thought me too young, and that +he himself had concurred with the Secretary; but now, since General +Grant had "ploughed round" the difficulties of the situation by +picking me out to command the "boys in the field," he felt satisfied +with what had been done, and "hoped for the best." Mr. Stanton +remained silent during these remarks, never once indicating whether +he, too, had become reconciled to my selection or not; and although, +after we left the White House, he conversed with me freely in regard +to the campaign I was expected to make, seeking to impress on me the +necessity for success from the political as well as from the military +point of view, yet he utterly ignored the fact that he had taken any +part in disapproving the recommendation of the general-in-chief. + +August 6, I reported to General Grant at the Monocacy, and he there +turned over to me the following instructions, which he had previously +prepared for General Hunter in the expectation that general would +continue to command the department: + +"HEADQUARTERS IN THE FIELD, +"Monocacy Bridge, Md., Aug. 5, 1864. + +"GENERAL: Concentrate all your available force without delay in the +vicinity of Harper's Ferry, leaving only such railroad guards and +garrisons for public property as may be necessary. + +"Use in this concentration the railroad, if by so doing time can be +saved. From Harper's Ferry, if it is found that the enemy has moved +north of the Potomac in large force, push north, following and +attacking him wherever found; following him, if driven south of the +Potomac, as long as it is safe to do so. If it is ascertained that +the enemy has but a small force north of the Potomac, then push south +the main force, detaching, under a competent commander, a sufficient +force to look after the raiders and drive them to their homes. In +detaching such a force, the brigade of cavalry now en route from +Washington via Rockville may be taken into account. + +"There are now on the way to join you three other brigades of the +best of cavalry, numbering at least five thousand men and horses. +These will be instructed, in the absence of further orders, to join +you by the south side of the Potomac. One brigade will probably +start to-morrow. + +"In pushing up the Shenandoah Valley, as it is expected you will have +to go first or last, it is desirable that nothing should be left to +invite the enemy to return. Take all provisions, forage, and stock +wanted for the use of your command. Such as cannot be consumed, +destroy. It is not desirable that the buildings should be destroyed +--they should, rather, be protected; but the people should be informed +that so long as an army can subsist among them recurrences of these +raids must be expected, and we are determined to stop them at all +hazards. + +"Bear in mind, the object is to drive the enemy south; and to do this +you want to keep him always in sight. Be guided in your course by +the course he takes. + +"Make your own arrangements for supplies of all kinds, giving regular +vouchers for such as may be taken from loyal citizens in the country +through which you march. + +"Very respectfully, +"U. S. GRANT, Lieut.-General." + +"Major-General D. HUNTER, +"Commanding Department of West Virginia." + + +When I had read the letter addressed to Hunter, General Grant said I +would be expected to report directly to him, as Hunter had asked that +day to be wholly relieved, not from any chagrin at my assignment to +the control of the active forces of his command, but because he +thought that his fitness for the position he was filling was +distrusted by General Halleck, and he had no wish to cause +embarrassment by remaining where he could but remove me one degree +from the headquarters of the army. The next day Hunter's unselfish +request was complied with, and an order was issued by the President, +consolidating the Middle Department, the Department of Washington, +the Department of the Susquehanna, and the Department of West +Virginia. + +Under this order these four geographical districts constituted the +Middle Military Division, and I was temporarily assigned to command +it. Hunter's men had been bivouacking for some days past in the +vicinity of Monocacy Junction and Frederick, but before General +Grant's instructions were written out, Hunter had conformed to them +by directing the concentration at Halltown, about four miles in front +of Harper's Ferry, of all his force available for field service. +Therefore the different bodies of troops, with the exception of +Averell's cavalry, which had followed McCausland toward Moorefield +after the burning of Chambersburg, were all in motion toward Halltown +on August 6. + +Affairs at Monocacy kept me but an hour or two, and these disposed +of, I continued on to Harper's Ferry by the special train which had +brought me from Washington, that point being intended as my +headquarters while making preparations to advance. The enemy was +occupying Martinsburg, Williamsport, and Shepherdstown at the time; +sending occasional raiding parties into Maryland as far as +Hagerstown. The concentration of my troops at Halltown being an +indication to Early that we intended to renew the offensive, however, +he immediately began counter preparations by drawing in all his +detached columns from the north side of the Potomac, abandoning a +contemplated raid into Maryland, which his success against Crook at +Kernstown had prompted him to project, and otherwise disposing +himself for defense. + +At Harper's Ferry I made my headquarters in the second story of a +small and very dilapidated hotel, and as soon as settled sent for +Lieutenant John R. Meigs, the chief engineer officer of the command, +to study with him the maps of my geographical division. It always +came rather easy to me to learn the geography of a new section, and +its important topographical features as well; therefore I found that, +with the aid of Meigs, who was most intelligent in his profession, +the region in which I was to operate would soon be well fixed in my +mind. Meigs was familiar with every important road and stream, and +with all points worthy of note west of the Blue Ridge, and was +particularly well equipped with knowledge regarding the Shenandoah +Valley, even down to the farmhouses. He imparted with great +readiness what he knew of this, clearly pointing out its +configuration and indicating the strongest points for Confederate +defense, at the same time illustrating scientifically and forcibly +the peculiar disadvantages under which the Union army had hitherto +labored. + +The section that received my closest attention has its northern limit +along the Potomac between McCoy's ferry at the eastern base of the +North Mountain, and Harper's Ferry at the western base of the Blue +Ridge. The southern limit is south of Staunton, on the divide which +separates the waters flowing into the Potomac from those that run to +the James. The western boundary is the eastern slope of the +Alleghany Mountains, the eastern, the Blue Ridge; these two distinct +mountain ranges trending about southwest inclose a stretch of quite +open, undulating country varying in width from the northern to the +southern extremity, and dotted at frequent intervals with patches of +heavy woods: At Martinsburg the valley is about sixty miles broad, +and on an east and west line drawn through Winchester about +forty-five, while at Strasburg it narrows down to about twenty-five. +Just southeast of Strasburg, which is nearly midway between the +eastern and western walls of the valley, rises an abrupt range of +mountains called Massanutten, consisting of several ridges which +extend southward between the North and South Forks of the Shenandoah +River until, losing their identity, they merge into lower but broken +ground between New Market and Harrisonburg. The Massanutten ranges, +with their spurs and hills, divide the Shenandoah Valley into two +valleys, the one next the Blue Ridge being called the Luray, while +that next the North Mountain retains the name of Shenandoah. + +A broad macadamized road, leading south from Williamsport, Maryland, +to Lexington, Virginia, was built at an early day to connect the +interior of the latter State with the Chesapeake and Ohio canal, and +along this road are situated the principal towns and villages of the +Shenandoah Valley, with lateral lines of communication extending to +the mountain ranges on the east and west. The roads running toward +the Blue Ridge are nearly all macadamized, and the principal ones +lead to the railroad system of eastern Virginia through Snicker's, +Ashby's Manassas, Chester, Thornton's Swift Run, Brown's and +Rock-fish gaps, tending to an ultimate centre at Richmond. These gaps +are low and easy, offering little obstruction to the march of an army +coming from eastern Virginia, and thus the Union troops operating west +of the Blue Ridge were always subjected to the perils of a flank +attack; for the Confederates could readily be brought by rail to +Gordonsville and Charlottesville, from which points they could move +with such celerity through the Blue Ridge that, on more than one +occasion, the Shenandoah Valley had been the theatre of Confederate +success, due greatly to the advantage of possessing these interior +lines. + +Nature had been very kind to the valley, making it rich and +productive to an exceptional degree, and though for three years +contending armies had been marching up and down it, the fertile soil +still yielded ample subsistence for Early's men, with a large surplus +for the army of Lee. The ground had long been well cleared of +timber, and the rolling surface presented so few obstacles to the +movement of armies that they could march over the country in any +direction almost as well as on the roads, the creeks and rivers being +everywhere fordable, with little or no difficulty beyond that of +leveling the approaches. + +I had opposing me an army largely composed of troops that had +operated in this region hitherto under "Stonewall" Jackson with +marked success, inflicting defeat on the Union forces almost every +time the two armies had come in contact. These men were now commanded +by a veteran officer of the Confederacy-General Jubal A. Early--whose +past services had so signalized his ability that General Lee +specially selected him to take charge of the Valley District, and, +notwithstanding the misfortunes that befell him later, clung to him +till the end, of the war. The Confederate army at this date was +about twenty thousand strong, and consisted of Early's own corps, +with Generals Rodes, Ramseur, and Gordon commanding its divisions; +the infantry of Breckenridge from southwestern Virginia; three +battalions of artillery; and the cavalry brigades of Vaughn, Johnson, +McCausland, and Imboden. This cavalry was a short time afterward +organized into a division under the command of General Lomax. + +After discovering that my troops were massing in front of Harper's +Ferry, Early lost not a moment in concentrating his in the vicinity +of Martinsburg, in positions from which he could continue to obstruct +the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, and yet be enabled to retire up the +valley under conditions of safety when I should begin an offensive +campaign. + +When I took command of the Army of the Shenandoah its infantry force +comprised the Sixth Corps, one division of the Nineteenth Corps, and +two divisions from West Virginia. The Sixth Corps was commanded +by Major-General Horatio G. Wright; its three divisions by +Brigadier-Generals David A. Russell, Geo. W. Getty, and James B. +Ricketts. The single division of the Nineteenth Corps had for its +immediate chief Brigadier-General William Dwight, the corps being +commanded by Brigadier-General Wm. H. Emory. The troops from West +Virginia were under Brigadier-General George Crook, with Colonels +Joseph Thoburn and Isaac H. Duval as division commanders, and though +in all not more than one fair-sized division, they had been +designated, on account of the department they belonged to, the Army of +West Virginia. General Torbert's division, then arriving from the +Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Potomac, represented the mounted arm +of the service, and in the expectation that Averell would soon join me +with his troopers, I assigned General Torbert as chief of cavalry, and +General Wesley Merritt succeeded to the command of Torbert's division. + +General Wright, the commander of the Sixth Corps, was an officer of +high standing in the Corps of Engineers, and had seen much active +service during the preceding three years. He commanded the +Department of the Ohio throughout the very trying period of the +summer and fall of 1862, and while in that position he, with +other prominent officers, recommended my appointment as a +brigadier-general. In 1863 he rendered valuable service at the battle +of Gettysburg, following which he was assigned to the Sixth Corps, and +commanded it at the capture of the Confederate works at Rappahannock +Station and in the operations at Mine Run. He ranked me as a +major-general of volunteers by nearly a year in date of commission, +but my assignment by the President to the command of the army in the +valley met with Wright's approbation, and, so far as I have ever +known, he never questioned the propriety of the President's action. +The Sixth Corps division commanders, Getty, Russell, and Ricketts, +were all educated soldiers, whose records, beginning with the Mexican +War, had already been illustrated in the war of the rebellion by +distinguished service in the Army of the Potomac. + +General Emory was a veteran, having graduated at the Military Academy +in 1831, the year I was born. In early life he had seen much service +in the Artillery, the Topographical Engineers, and the Cavalry, and +in the war of the rebellion had exhibited the most soldierly +characteristics at Port Hudson and on the Red River campaign. At +this time he had but one division of the Nineteenth Corps present, +which division was well commanded by General Dwight, a volunteer +officer who had risen to the grade of brigadier-general through +constant hard work. Crook was a classmate of mine--at least, we +entered the Military Academy the same year, though he graduated a +year ahead of me. We had known each other as boys before we entered +the army, and later as men, and I placed implicit faith in his +experience and qualifications as a general. + +The transfer of Torbert to the position of chief of cavalry left +Merritt, as I have already said, in command of the First Cavalry +Division. He had been tried in the place before, and from the day he +was selected as one of a number of young men to be appointed general +officers, with the object of giving life to the Cavalry Corps, he +filled the measure of expectation. Custer was one of these young men +too, and though as yet commanding a brigade under Merritt, his +gallant fight at Trevillian Station, as well as a dozen others during +the summer, indicated that he would be equal to the work that was to +fall to him when in a few weeks he should succeed Wilson. But to go +on down the scale of rank, describing the officers who commanded in +the Army of the Shenandoah, would carry me beyond all limit, so I +refrain from the digression with regret that I cannot pay to each his +well-earned tribute. + +The force that I could take with me into the field at this time +numbered about 26,000 men. Within the limits of the geographical +division there was a much greater number of troops than this. +Baltimore, Washington, Harper's Ferry, Hagerstown, Frederick, +Cumberland, and a score of other points; besides the strong +detachments that it took to keep the Baltimore and Ohio railroad open +through the mountains of West Virginia, and escorts for my trains, +absorbed so many men that the column which could be made available +for field operations was small when compared with the showing on +paper. Indeed, it was much less than it ought to have been, but for +me, in the face of the opposition made by different interests +involved, to detach troops from any of the points to which they had +been distributed before I took charge was next to impossible. + +In a few days after my arrival preparations were completed, and I was +ready to make the first move for the possession of the Shenandoah +Valley. For the next five weeks the operations on my part consisted +almost wholly of offensive and defensive manoeuvring for certain +advantages, the enemy confining himself meanwhile to measures +intended to counteract my designs. Upon the advent of Torbert, Early +immediately grew suspicious, and fell back twelve miles south of +Martinsburg, to Bunker Hill and vicinity, where his right flank would +be less exposed, but from which position he could continue to +maintain the break in the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, and push +reconnoitring parties through Smithfield to Charlestown. These +reconnoitring parties exhibited considerable boldness at times, but +since they had no purpose in view save to discover whether or not we +were moving, I did not contest any ground with them except about our +outposts. Indeed, I desired that Early might remain at some point +well to the north till I was fully prepared to throw my army on his +right and rear and force a battle, and hence I abstained from +disturbing him by premature activity, for I thought that if I could +beat him at Winchester, or north of it, there would be far greater +chances of weighty results. I therefore determined to bring my +troops, if it were at all possible to do so, into such a position +near that town as to oblige Early to fight. The sequel proved, +however, that he was accurately informed of all my movements. To +anticipate them, therefore, he began his retreat up the valley the +day that I moved out from Halltown, and consequently was able to +place himself south of Winchester before I could get there. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +MOVING ON GENERAL EARLY--GENERAL GRANT'S LETTER OF INSTRUCTIONS +--DESTROYING THE RESOURCES OF THE VALLEY--REASON FOR THE DESTRUCTION +--WITHDRAWAL TO HALLTOWN--ALARM IN THE NORTH OVER THE RETROGRADE +MOVEMENT--RENEWING THE ADVANCE UP THE VALLEY--GENERAL ANDERSON'S +ATTEMPT TO RETURN TO PETERSBURG--STRENGTH OF THE ARMIES. + +For a clear understanding of the operations which preceded the +victories that resulted in almost annihilating General Early's army +in the Shenandoah Valley, it is necessary to describe in considerable +detail the events that took place prior to the 19th of September. My +army marched from Harper's Ferry on the 10th of August, 1864, General +Torbert with Merritt's division of cavalry moving in advance through +Berryville, going into position near White Post. The Sixth Corps, +under General Wright, moved by way of Charlestown and Summit Point to +Clifton; General Emory, with Dwight's division of the Nineteenth +Corps, marched along the Berryville pike through Berryville to the +left of the position of the Sixth Corps at Clifton; General Crook's +command, moving on the Kabletown road, passed through Kabletown to +the vicinity of Berryville, and went into position on the left of +Dwight's division, while Colonel Lowell, with a detached force of two +small regiments of cavalry, marched to Summit Point; so that on the +night of August 10 my infantry occupied a line stretching from +Clifton to Berryville, with Merritt's cavalry at White Post and +Lowell's at Summit Point. The enemy, as stated before, moved at the +same time from Bunker Hill and vicinity, and stretched his line from +where the Winchester and Potomac railroad crosses Opequon Creek to +the point at which the Berryville and Winchester pike crosses the +same stream, thus occupying the west bank to cover Winchester. + +On the morning of the 11th the Sixth Corps was ordered to move across +the country toward the junction of the Berryville-Winchester pike and +the Opequon, and to take the crossing and hold it, Dwight's division +being directed to move through Berryville on the White Post road for +a mile, then file to the right by heads of regiments at deploying +distances, and carry the crossing of Opequon Creek at a ford about +three-fourths of a mile from the left of the Sixth Corps, while Crook +was instructed to move out on the White Post road, a mile and a half +beyond Berryville, then head to the right and secure the ford about a +mile to the left of Dwight; Torbert's orders were to push Merritt's +division up the Millwood pike toward Winchester, attack any force he +might run against, and ascertain the movements of the Confederate +army; and lastly, Lowell received instructions to close in from +Summit Point on the right of the Sixth Corps. + +My object in securing the fords was to further my march on Winchester +from the southeast, since, from all the information gathered during +the 10th, I still thought Early could be brought to a stand at that +point; but in this I was mistaken, as Torbert's reconnoissance +proved, for on the morning of the 11th, when Merritt had driven the +Confederate cavalry, then covering the Millwood pike west of the +Opequon, off toward Kernstown, he found that their infantry and +artillery were retreating south, up the Valley pike. + +As soon as this information was obtained Torbert moved quickly +through the toll-gate on the Front Royal and Winchester road to +Newtown, to strike the enemy's flank and harass him in his retreat, +Lowell following up through Winchester, on the Valley pike; Crook was +turned to the left and ordered to Stony Point, while Emory and +Wright, marching to the left also, were directed to take post on the +night of the 11th between the Millwood and Front Royal roads, within +supporting distance of Crook. Merritt meeting some of the enemy's +cavalry at the tollgate, drove it in the direction of Newtown till it +got inside the line of Gordon's division of infantry, which had been +thrown out and posted behind barricades to cover the flank of the +main force in its retreat. A portion of Merritt's cavalry attacked +this infantry and drove in its skirmish-line, and though not able to +dislodge Gordon, Merritt held the ground gained till night-fall, when +the Confederate infantry moved off under cover of darkness to Hupp's +Hill, between Strasburg and Cedar Creek. + +The next morning Crook marched from Stony Point to Cedar Creek, Emory +followed with Dwight, and the cavalry moved to the same point by way +of Newtown and the Valley pike, the Sixth Corps following the +cavalry. That night Crook was in position at Cedar Creek, on the +left of the Valley pike, Emory on the right of the pike, the Sixth +Corps on the right of Emory, and the cavalry on the flanks. In the +afternoon a heavy skirmish-line had been thrown forward to the +heights on the south side of Cedar Creek, and a brisk affair with the +enemy's pickets took place, the Confederates occupying with their +main force the heights north of Strasburg. On the morning of the +13th my cavalry went out to reconnoitre toward Strasburg, on the +middle road, about two and a half miles west of the Valley pike, and +discovered that Early's infantry was at Fisher's Hill, where he had +thrown up behind Tumbling Run earthworks extending clear across the +narrow valley between the Massanutten and North mountains. On the +left of these works he had Vaughan's, McCausland's, and Johnson's +brigades of cavalry under General Lomax, who at this time relieved +General Ramseur from the command of the Confederate mounted forces. + +Within the past day or two I had received information that a column +of the enemy was moving up from Culpeper Court House and approaching +Front Royal through Chester Gap, and although the intelligence was +unconfirmed, it caused me much solicitude; for there was strong +probability that such a movement would be made, and any considerable +force advancing through Front Royal toward Winchester could fall upon +my rear and destroy my communication with Harper's Ferry, or, moving +along the base of Massanutten Mountain, could attack my flank in +conjunction with the force at Fisher's Hill without a possibility of +my preventing it. + +Neither Wilson's cavalry nor Grower's infantry had yet joined me, and +the necessities, already explained, which obliged me to hold with +string garrisons Winchester and other points heretofore mentioned. +had so depleted my line of battle strength that I knew the enemy +would outnumber me when Anderson's corps should arrive in the valley. +I deemed it advisable, therefore, to act with extreme caution, so, +with the exception of a cavalry reconnoissance on the 13th, I +remained on the defensive, quietly awaiting developments. In the +evening of that day the enemy's skirmishers withdrew to Tumbling Run, +his main force remaining inactive behind the intrenchments at +Fisher's Hill waiting for the arrival of Anderson. + +The rumors in regard to the force advancing from Culpeper kept +increasing every hour, so on the morning of the 14th I concluded to +send a brigade of cavalry to Front Royal to ascertain definitely what +was up. At the same time I crossed the Sixth Corps to the south side +of Cedar Creek, and occupied the heights near Strasburg. That day I +received from the hands of Colonel Chipman, of the Adjutant-General's +Department, the following despatch, to deliver which he had ridden in +great haste from Washington through Snicker's Gap, escorted by a +regiment of cavalry: + +"CITY POINT, August 12, 1864--9 A. M. + +"MAJOR-GENERAL HALLECK + +"Inform General Sheridan that it is now certain two (2) divisions of +infantry have gone to Early, and some cavalry and twenty (20) pieces +of artillery. This movement commenced last Saturday night. He must +be cautious, and act now on the defensive until movements here force +them to detach to send this way. Early's force, with this increase, +cannot exceed forty thousand men, but this is too much for General +Sheridan to attack. Send General Sheridan the remaining brigade of +the Nineteenth Corps. + +"I have ordered to Washington all the one-hundred-day men. Their +time will soon be out, but for the present they will do to serve in +the defenses. + +"U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General." + + +The despatch explained the movement from Culpeper, and on the morning +of the 15th Merritt's two remaining brigades were sent to Front Royal +to oppose Anderson, and the Sixth Corps withdrawn to the north side +of Cedar Creek, where it would be in a position enabling me either to +confront Anderson or to act defensively, as desired by General Grant. + +To meet the requirements of his instructions I examined the map of +the valley for a defensive line--a position where a smaller number of +troops could hold a larger number--for this information led me to +suppose that Early's force would greatly exceed mine when Anderson's +two divisions of infantry and Fitzhugh Lee's cavalry had joined him. +I could see but one such position, and that was at Halltown, in front +of Harper's Ferry. Subsequent experience convinced me that there was +no other really defensive line in the Shenandoah Valley, for at +almost any other point the open country and its peculiar topography +invites rather than forbids flanking operations. + +This retrograde movement would also enable me to strengthen my +command by Grower's division of the Nineteenth Corps and Wilson's +cavalry, both of which divisions were marching from Washington by way +of Snicker's Gap. + +After fully considering the matter, I determined to move back to +Halltown, carrying out, as I retired, my instructions to destroy all +the forage and subsistence the country afforded. So Emory was +ordered to retire to Winchester on the night of the 15th, and Wright +and Crook to follow through Winchester to Clifton the next night. + +For the cavalry, in this move to the rear, I gave the following +instructions: + +"....In pushing up the Shenandoah Valley, as it is expected you will +have to go first or last, it is desirable that nothing should be left +to invite the enemy to return. Take all provisions, forage, and +stock wanted for the use of your command. Such as cannot be +consumed, destroy. It is not desirable that buildings should be +destroyed--they should, rather, be protected; but the people should +be informed that so long as an army can subsist among them, +recurrences of these raids must be expected, and we are determined to +stop them at all hazards...." [Grant's letter of instructions.] + + +"HEADQUARTERS MIDDLE MILITARY DIVISION, +"Cedar Creek, Va., August 16, 1864. + +"GENERAL: In compliance with instructions of the Lieutenant-General +commanding, you will make the necessary arrangements and give the +necessary orders for the destruction of the wheat and hay south of a +line from Millwood to Winchester and Petticoat Gap. You will seize +all mules, horses, and cattle that may be useful to our army. Loyal +citizens can bring in their claims against the Government for this +necessary destruction. No houses will be burned, and officers in +charge of this delicate but necessary duty must inform the people +that the object is to make this valley untenable for the raiding +parties of the rebel army. + +"Very respectfully, + +"P. H. SHERIDAN, +"Major-General Commanding. + +"BRIGADIER-GENERAL A. T. A. TORBERT, +"Chief of Cavalry, Middle Military Division." + + +During his visit to General Hunter at the Monocacy, General Grant had +not only decided to retain in the Shenandoah Valley a large force +sufficient to defeat Early's army or drive it back to Lee, but he had +furthermore determined to make that sections by the destruction of +its supplies, untenable for continued occupancy by the Confederates. +This would cut off one of Lee's main-stays in the way of subsistence, +and at the same time diminish the number of recruits and conscripts +he received; the valley district while under his control not only +supplying Lee with an abundance of food, but also furnishing him many +men for his regular and irregular forces. Grant's instructions to +destroy the valley began with the letter of August 5 to Hunter, which +was turned over to me, and this was followed at intervals by more +specific directions, all showing the earnestness of his purpose. + + +"CITY POINT, Va., Aug. 16--3:30 P. M., 1864. +"MAJOR-GENERAL SHERIDAN, Winchester, Va.: + +"If you can possibly spare a division of cavalry, send them through +Loudoun County to destroy and carry off the crops, animals, negroes, +and all men under fifty years of age capable of bearing arms. In +this way you will get many of Mosby's men. All male citizens under +fifty can fairly be held as prisoners of war, not as citizen +prisoners. If not already soldiers, they will be made so the moment +the rebel army gets hold of them. + +"U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General." + + + +"HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES, +"CITY POINT, Aug. 21, 1864. + +"MAJOR-GENERAL SHERIDAN, Charlestown, Va.: + +"In stripping Loudoun County of supplies, etc., impress from all +loyal persons so that they may receive pay for what is taken from +them. I am informed by the Assistant Secretary of War that Loudoun +County has a large population of Quakers, who are all favorably +disposed to the Union. These people may be exempted from arrest. + +"U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General." + + + +"HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES +"CITY POINT, Va., Aug. 26,2:30 P. M. 1864. + +"MAJOR-GENERAL SHERIDAN, Halltown, Va.: + +"Telegraphed you that I had good reason for believing that Fitz Lee +had been ordered back here. I now think it likely that all troops +will be ordered back from the valley except what they believe to be +the minimum number to detain you. My reason for supposing this is +based upon the fact that yielding up the Weldon road seems to be a +blow to the enemy he cannot stand. I think I do not overstate the +loss of the enemy in the last two weeks at 10,000 killed and wounded. +We have lost heavily, mostly in captured when the enemy gained +temporary advantages. Watch closely, and if you find this theory +correct, push with all vigor. Give the enemy no rest, and if it is +possible to follow to the Virginia Central road, follow that far. Do +all the damage to railroads and crops you can. Carry off stock of +all descriptions and negroes, so as to prevent further planting. If +the war is to last another year we want the Shenandoah Valley to +remain a barren waste. + +"U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General. + + + +"HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES, +"CITY POINT, Va., Sept. 4,--10 A. M.--1864. + +"MAJOR-GENERAL SHERIDAN, Charlestown, Va.: + +"In cleaning out the arms-bearing community of Loudoun County and the +subsistence for armies, exercise your own judgment as to who should +be exempt from arrest, and as to who should receive pay for their +stock, grain, etc. It is our interest that that county should not be +capable of subsisting a hostile army, and at the same time we want to +inflict as little hardship upon Union men as possible. + +"U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General." + + + +"CITY POINT, Va., Nov. 9, 1864. +"MAJOR-GENERAL SHERIDAN, Cedar Creek, Va.: + +"Do you not think it advisable to notify all citizens living east of +the Blue Ridge to move out north of the Potomac all their stock, +grain, and provisions of every description? There is no doubt about +the necessity of clearing out that country so that it will not +support Mosby's gang. And the question is whether it is not better +that the people should save what they can. So long as the war lasts +they must be prevented from raising another crop, both there and as +high up the valley as we can control. + +"U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General." + + + +He had rightly concluded that it was time to bring the war home to a +people engaged in raising crops from a prolific soil to feed the +country's enemies, and devoting to the Confederacy its best youth. I +endorsed the programme in all its parts, for the stores of meat and +grain that the valley provided, and the men it furnished for Lee's +depleted regiments, were the strongest auxiliaries he possessed in +the whole insurgent section. In war a territory like this is a +factor of great importance, and whichever adversary controls it +permanently reaps all the advantages of its prosperity. Hence, as I +have said, I endorsed Grant's programme, for I do not hold war to +mean simply that lines of men shall engage each other in battle, and +material interests be ignored. This is but a duel, in which one +combatant seeks the other's life; war means much more, and is far +worse than this. Those who rest at home in peace and plenty see but +little of the horrors attending such a duel, and even grow +indifferent to them as the struggle goes on, contenting themselves +with encouraging all who are able-bodied to enlist in the cause, to +fill up the shattered ranks as death thins them. It is another +matter, however, when deprivation and suffering are brought to their +own doors. Then the case appears much graver, for the loss of +property weighs heavy with the most of mankind; heavier often, than +the sacrifices made on the field of battle. Death is popularly +considered the maximum of punishment in war, but it is not; reduction +to poverty brings prayers for peace more surely and more quickly than +does the destruction of human life, as the selfishness of man has +demonstrated in more than one great conflict. + +In the afternoon of the 16th I started back to Winchester, whence I +could better supervise our regressive march. As I was passing +through Newtown, I heard cannonading from the direction of Front +Royal, and on reaching Winchester, Merritt's couriers brought me word +that he had been attacked at the crossing of the Shenandoah by +Kershaw's division of Anderson's corps and two brigades of Fitzhugh +Lee's cavalry, but that the attack had been handsomely repulsed, with +a capture of two battle-flags and three hundred prisoners. This was +an absolute confirmation of the despatch from Grant; and I was now +more than satisfied with the wisdom of my withdrawal. + +At daylight of the 17th Emory moved from Winchester to Berryville, +and the same morning Crook and Wright reached Winchester, having +started from Cedar Creek the day before. From Winchester, Crook and +Wright resumed their march toward Clifton, Wright, who had the rear +guard, getting that day as far as the Berryville crossing of the +Opequon, where he was ordered to remain, while Crook went ahead till +he reached the vicinity of Berryville. On the afternoon of the 17th +Lowell with his two regiments of troopers came into Winchester, where +he was joined by Wilson's mounted division, which had come by a rapid +march from Snicker's ferry. In the mean time Merritt, after his +handsome engagement with Kershaw near Front Royal, had been ordered +back to the neighborhood of White Post, so that my cavalry outposts +now extended from this last point around to the west of Winchester. + +During all these operations the enemy had a signal-station on Three +Top Mountain, almost overhanging Strasburg, from which every movement +made by our troops could be plainly seen; therefore, early on the +morning of the 17th he became aware of the fact that we were retiring +down the valley, and at once made after us, and about sundown drove +Torbert out of Winchester, he having been left there-with Wilson and +Lowell, and the Jersey brigade of the Sixth Corps, to develop the +character of the enemy's pursuit. After a severe skirmish Wilson and +Lowell fell back to Summit Point, and the Jersey brigade joined its +corps at the crossing of the Opequon. This affair demonstrated that +Early's whole army had followed us from Fisher's Hill, in concert +with Anderson and Fitzhugh Lee from Front Royal, and the two columns +joined near Winchester the morning of the 18th. + +That day I moved the Sixth Corps by way of Clifton to Flowing Spring, +two and a half miles west of Charlestown, on the Smithfield pike; and +Emory, with Dwight's and Grower's divisions (Grower's having joined +that morning from Washington), to a position about the same distance +south of Charlestown, on the Berryville pike. Following these +movements, Merritt fell back to Berryville, covering the Berryville +pike crossing of the Opequon, and Wilson was stationed at Summit +Point, whence he held a line along the Opequon as far north as the +bridge at Smithfield. Crook continued to hold on near Clifton until +the next day, and was then moved into place on the left of Emory. + +This line was practically maintained till the 21st, when the enemy, +throwing a heavy force across the Opequon by the bridge at +Smithfield, drove in my cavalry pickets to Summit Point, and followed +up with a rapid advance against the position of the Sixth Corps near +Flowing Spring. A sharp and obstinate skirmish with a heavy +picket-line of the Sixth Corps grew out of this manoeuvre, and +resulted very much in our favor, but the quick withdrawal of the +Confederates left no opportunity for a general engagement. It seems +that General Early thought I had taken position near Summit Point, and +that by moving rapidly around through Smithfield he could fall upon my +rear in concert with an attack in front by Anderson, but the warm +reception given him disclosed his error, for he soon discovered that +my line lay in front of Charlestown instead of where he supposed. + +In the manoeuvre Merritt had been attacked in front of Berryville and +Wilson at Summit Point, the former by cavalry and the latter by +Anderson's infantry. The exposed positions of Merritt and Wilson +necessitated their withdrawal if I was to continue to act on the +defensive; so, after the army had moved back to Halltown the +preceding night, without loss or inconvenience, I called them in and +posted them on the right of the infantry. + +My retrograde move from Strasburg to Halltown caused considerable +alarm in the North, as the public was ignorant of the reasons for it; +and in the excited state of mind then prevailing, it was generally +expected that the reinforced Confederate army would again cross the +Potomac, ravage Maryland and Pennsylvania, and possibly capture +Washington. Mutterings of dissatisfaction reached me from many +sources, and loud calls were made for my removal, but I felt +confident that my course would be justified when the true situation +was understood, for I knew that I was complying with my instructions. +Therefore I paid small heed to the adverse criticisms pouring down +from the North almost every day, being fully convinced that the best +course was to bide my time, and wait till I could get the enemy into +a position from which he could not escape without such serious +misfortune as to have some bearing on the general result of the war. +Indeed, at this time I was hoping that my adversary would renew the +boldness he had exhibited the early part of the month, and strike for +the north side of the Potomac, and wrote to General Grant on the 20th +of August that I had purposely left everything in that direction open +to the enemy. + +On the 22d the Confederates moved to Charlestown and pushed well up +to my position at Halltown. Here for the next three days they +skirmished with my videttes and infantry pickets, Emory and Cook +receiving the main attention; but finding that they could make no +impression, and judging it to be an auspicious time to intensify the +scare in the North, on the 25th of August Early despatched Fitzhugh +Lee's cavalry to Williamsport, and moved all the rest of his army but +Anderson's infantry and McCausland's cavalry to Kerneysville. This +same day there was sharp picket firing along the whole front of my +infantry line, arising, as afterward ascertained, from a heavy +demonstration by Anderson. During this firing I sent Torbert, with +Merritt's and Wilson's divisions, to Kerrteysville, whence he was to +proceed toward Leetown and learn what had become of Fitz. Lee. + +About a mile from Leetown Torbert met a small force of Confederate +cavalry, and soon after encountering it, stumbled on Breckenridge's +corps of infantry on the march, apparently heading for Shepherdstown. +The surprise was mutual, for Torbert expected to meet only the +enemy's cavalry, while the Confederate infantry column was +anticipating an unobstructed march to the Potomac. Torbert attacked +with such vigor as at first to double up the head of Breckenridge's +corps and throw it into confusion, but when the Confederates realized +that they were confronted only by cavalry, Early brought up the whole +of the four infantry divisions engaged in his manoeuvre, and in a +sharp attack pushed Torbert rapidly back. + +All the advantages which Torbert had gained by surprising the enemy +were nullified by this counter-attack, and he was obliged to withdraw +Wilson's division toward my right, to the neighborhood of Duffield's +Station, Merritt drawing back to the same point by way of the +Shepherdstown ford. Custer's brigade becoming isolated after the +fight while assisting the rear guard, was also obliged to retire, +which it did to Shepherdstown and there halted, picketing the river +to Antietam ford. + +When Torbert reported to me the nature of his encounter, and that a +part of Early's infantry was marching to the north, while Fitzhugh +Lee's cavalry had gone toward Martinsburg, I thought that the +Confederate general meditated crossing his cavalry into Maryland, so +I sent Wilson by way of Harper's Ferry to watch his movements from +Boonesboro', and at the same time directed Averell, who had reported +from West Virginia some days before, to take post at Williamsport and +hold the crossing there until he was driven away. I also thought it +possible that Early might cross the Potomac with his whole army, but +the doubts of a movement like this outweighed the probabilities +favoring it. Nevertheless, to meet such a contingency I arranged to +throw my army on his rear should the occasion arise, and deeming my +position at Halltown the most advantageous in which to await +developments, my infantry was retained there. + +If General Early had ever intended to cross the Potomac, Torbert's +discovery of his manoeuvre put an end to his scheme of invasion, for +he well knew that and success he might derive from such a course +would depend on his moving with celerity, and keeping me in ignorance +of his march till it should be well under way; so he settled all the +present uncertainties by retiring with all his troops about +Kerneysville to his old position at Bunker Hill behind the Opequon, +and on the night of the 26th silently withdrew Anderson and +McCausland from my front at Halltown to Stephenson's depot. + +By the 27th all of Early's infantry was in position at Brucetown and +Bunker Hill, his cavalry holding the outposts of Leetown and +Smithfield, and on that day Merritt's division attacked the enemy's +horse at Leetown, and pressed it back through Smithfield to the west +side of the Opequon. This reconnoissance determined definitely that +Early had abandoned the projected movement into Maryland, if he ever +seriously contemplated it; and I marched my infantry out from +Halltown to the front of Charlestown, with the intention of occupying +a line between Clifton and Berryville the moment matters should so +shape themselves that I could do so with advantage. The night of the +28th Wilson joined me near Charlestown from his points of observation +in Maryland, and the next day Averell crossed the Potomac at +Williamsport and advanced to Martinsburg. + +Merritt's possession of Smithfield bridge made Early somewhat uneasy, +since it afforded opportunity for interposing a column between his +right and left flanks, so he concluded to retake the crossing, and, +to this end, on the 29th advanced two divisions of infantry. A +severe fight followed, and Merritt was forced to retire, being driven +through the village toward Charlestown with considerable loss. As +Merritt was nearing my infantry line, I ordered. Ricketts's division +of the Sixth Corps to his relief, and this in a few minutes turned +the tide, the Smithfield crossing of the Opequon being regained, and +afterward held by Lowell's brigade, supported by Ricketts. The next +morning I moved Torbert, with Wilson and Merritt, to Berryville, and +succeeding their occupation of that point there occurred along my +whole line a lull, which lasted until the 3d of September, being +undisturbed except by a combat near Bunker Hill between Averell's +cavalry and a part of McCausland's, supported by Rodes's division of +infantry, in which affair the Confederates were defeated with the +loss of about fifty prisoners and considerable property in the shape +of wagons and beef-cattle. + +Meanwhile Torbert's movement to Berryville had alarmed Early, and as +a counter move on the 2d of September he marched with the bulk of his +army to Summit Point, but while reconnoitring in that region on the +3d he learned of the havoc that Averell was creating in his rear, and +this compelled him to recross to the west side of the Opequon and +mass his troops in the vicinity of Stephenson's depot, whence he +could extend down to Bunker Hill, continue to threaten the Baltimore +and Ohio railroad, and at the same time cover Winchester. + +The same day I was moving my infantry to take up the Clifton-Berryville +line, and that afternoon Wright went into position at Clifton, Crook +occupied Berryville, and Emory's corps came in between them, forming +almost a continuous line. Torbert had moved to White Post meanwhile, +with directions to reconnoitre as far south as the Front Royal Pike. + +My infantry had just got fairly into this position about an hour +before sunset, when along Crook's front a combat took place that at +the time caused me to believe it was Early's purpose to throw a +column between Crook and Torbert, with the intention of isolating the +latter; but the fight really arose from the attempt of General +Anderson to return to Petersburg with Kershaw's division in response +to loud calls from General Lee. Anderson started south on the 3d of +September, and possibly this explains Early's reconnoissance that day +to Summit Point as a covering movement, but his rapid withdrawal left +him in ignorance of my advance, and Anderson marched on heedlessly +toward Berryville, expecting to cross the Blue Ridge through Ashby's +Gap. At Berryville however, he blundered into Crook's lines about +sunset, and a bitter little fight ensued, in which the Confederates +got so much the worst of it that they withdrew toward Winchester. +When General Early received word of this encounter he hurried to +Anderson's assistance with three divisions, but soon perceiving what +was hitherto unknown to him, that my whole army was on a new line, he +decided, after some slight skirmishing, that Anderson must remain at +Winchester until a favorable opportunity offered for him to rejoin +Lee by another route. + +Succeeding the discomfiture of Anderson, some minor operations took +place on the part of, Averell on the right and McIntosh's brigade of +Wilson's division on the left, but from that time until the 19th of +September no engagement of much importance occurred. The line from +Clifton to Berryville was occupied by the Sixth Corps and Grower's +and Dwight's divisions of the Nineteenth, Crook being transferred to +Summit Point, whence I could use him to protect my right flank and my +communication with Harper's Ferry, while the cavalry threatened the +enemy's right flank and line of retreat up the valley. + +The difference of strength between the two armies at this date was +considerably in my favor, but the conditions attending my situation +in a hostile region necessitated so much detached service to protect +trains, and to secure Maryland and Pennsylvania from raids, that my +excess in numbers was almost canceled by these incidental demands +that could not be avoided, and although I knew that I was strong, +yet, in consequence of the injunctions of General Grant, I deemed it +necessary to be very cautious; and the fact that the Presidential +election was impending made me doubly so, the authorities at +Washington having impressed upon me that the defeat of my army might +be followed by the overthrow of the party in power, which event, it +was believed, would at least retard the progress of the war, if, +indeed, it did not lead to the complete abandonment of all coercive +measures. Under circumstances such as these I could not afford to +risk a disaster, to say nothing of the intense disinclination every +soldier has for such results; so, notwithstanding my superior +strength, I determined to take all the time necessary to equip myself +with the fullest information, and then seize an opportunity under +such conditions that I could not well fail of success. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Memoirs of General P. H. 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SHERIDAN, VOLUME 1. + +by Philip Henry Sheridan + + + + +PREFACE + +When, yielding to the solicitations of my friends, I finally decided +to write these Memoirs, the greatest difficulty which confronted me +was that of recounting my share in the many notable events of the +last three decades, in which I played a part, without entering too +fully into the history of these years, and at the same time without +giving to my own acts an unmerited prominence. To what extent I have +overcome this difficulty I must leave the reader to judge. + +In offering this record, penned by my own hand, of the events of my +life, and of my participation in our great struggle for national +existence, human liberty, and political equality, I make no +pretension to literary merit; the importance of the subject-matter of +my narrative is my only claim on the reader's attention. + +Respectfully dedicating this work to my comrades in arms during the +War of the Rebellion, I leave it as a heritage to my children, and as +a source of information for the future historian. + +P. H. SHERIDAN. + +Nonguitt, Mass., August 2, 1888 + + + + +PERSONAL MEMOIRS + +P. H. SHERIDAN. + + + + + + +VOLUME I. + +CHAPTER I. + +ANCESTRY--BIRTH--EARLY EDUCATION--A CLERK IN A GROCERY STORE-- +APPOINTMENT--MONROE SHOES--JOURNEY TO WEST POINT--HAZING--A FISTICUFF +BATTLE--SUSPENDED--RETURNS TO CLERKSHIP--GRADUATION. + +My parents, John and Mary Sheridan, came to America in 1830, having +been induced by the representations of my father's uncle, Thomas +Gainor, then living in Albany, N. Y., to try their fortunes in the +New World: They were born and reared in the County Cavan, Ireland, +where from early manhood my father had tilled a leasehold on the +estate of Cherrymoult; and the sale of this leasehold provided him +with means to seek a new home across the sea. My parents were +blood relations--cousins in the second degree--my mother, whose +maiden name was Minor, having descended from a collateral branch of +my father's family. Before leaving Ireland they had two children, +and on the 6th of March, 1831, the year after their arrival in this +country, I was born, in Albany, N. Y., the third child in a family +which eventually increased to six--four boys and two girls. + +The prospects for gaining a livelihood in Albany did not meet the +expectations which my parents had been led to entertain, so in 1832 +they removed to the West, to establish themselves in the village of +Somerset, in Perry County, Ohio, which section, in the earliest days +of the State; had been colonized from Pennsylvania and Maryland. At +this period the great public works of the Northwest--the canals and +macadamized roads, a result of clamor for internal improvements--were +in course of construction, and my father turned his attention to +them, believing that they offered opportunities for a successful +occupation. Encouraged by a civil engineer named Bassett, who had +taken a fancy to him, he put in bids for a small contract on the +Cumberland Road, known as the "National Road," which was then being +extended west from the Ohio River. A little success in this first +enterprise led him to take up contracting as a business, which he +followed on various canals and macadamized roads then building in +different parts of the State of Ohio, with some good fortune for +awhile, but in 1853 what little means he had saved were swallowed up +--in bankruptcy, caused by the failure of the Sciota and Hocking +Valley Railroad Company, for which he was fulfilling a contract at +the time, and this disaster left him finally only a small farm, just +outside the village of Somerset, where he dwelt until his death in +1875. + +My father's occupation kept him away from home much of the time +during my boyhood, and as a consequence I grew up under the sole +guidance and training of my mother, whose excellent common sense and +clear discernment in every way fitted her for such maternal duties. +When old enough I was sent to the village school, which was taught by +an old-time Irish "master"--one of those itinerant dominies of the +early frontier--who, holding that to spare the rod was to spoil the +child, if unable to detect the real culprit when any offense had been +committed, would consistently apply the switch to the whole school +without discrimination. It must be conceded that by this means he +never failed to catch the guilty mischief-maker. The school-year was +divided into terms of three months, the teacher being paid in each +term a certain sum--three dollars, I think, for each pupil-and having +an additional perquisite in the privilege of boarding around at his +option in the different families to which his scholars belonged. +This feature was more than acceptable to the parents at times, for +how else could they so thoroughly learn all the neighborhood gossip? +But the pupils were in almost unanimous opposition, because Mr. +McNanly's unheralded advent at any one's house resulted frequently in +the discovery that some favorite child had been playing "hookey," +which means (I will say to the uninitiated, if any such there be) +absenting one's self from school without permission, to go on a +fishing or a swimming frolic. Such at least was my experience more +than once, for Mr. McNanly particularly favored my mother's house, +because of a former acquaintanceship in Ireland, and many a time a +comparison of notes proved that I had been in the woods with two +playfellows, named Binckly and Greiner, when the master thought I was +home, ill, and my mother, that I was at school, deeply immersed in +study. However, with these and other delinquencies not uncommon +among boys, I learned at McNanly's school, and a little later, under +a pedagogue named Thorn, a smattering of geography and history, and +explored the mysteries of Pike's Arithmetic and Bullions' English +Grammar, about as far as I could be carried up to the age of +fourteen. This was all the education then bestowed upon me, and +this--with the exception of progressing in some of these branches by +voluntary study, and by practical application in others, supplemented +by a few months of preparation after receiving my appointment as a +cadet--was the extent of my learning on entering the Military +Academy. + +When about fourteen years old I began to do something for myself; Mr. +John Talbot, who kept a country store in the village, employing me to +deal out sugar, coffee, and calico to his customers at the munificent +salary of twenty-four dollars a year. After I had gained a twelve- +months' experience with Mr. Talbot my services began to be sought by, +others, and a Mr. David Whitehead secured them by the offer of sixty +dollars a year--Talbot refusing to increase my pay, but not objecting +to my advancement. A few months later, before my year was up, +another chance to increase my salary came about; Mr. Henry Dittoe, +the enterprising man of the village, offering me one hundred and +twenty dollars a year to take a position in the dry-goods store of +Fink & Dittoe. I laid the matter before Mr. Whitehead, and he +frankly advised me to accept, though he cautioned me that I might +regret it, adding that he was afraid Henry (referring to Mr. Dittoe) +"had too many irons in the fire." His warning in regard to the +enterprising merchant proved a prophecy, for " too many irons in the +fire" brought about Mr. Dittoe's bankruptcy, although this misfortune +did not befall him till long after I had left his service. I am glad +to say, however, that his failure was an exceptionally honest one, +and due more to the fact that he was in advance of his surroundings +than to any other cause. + +I remained with Fink & Dittoe until I entered the Military Academy, +principally in charge of the book-keeping, which was no small work +for one of my years, considering that in those days the entire +business of country stores in the West was conducted on the credit +system; the customers, being mostly farmers, never expecting to pay +till the product of their farms could be brought to market; and even +then usually squared the book-accounts by notes of hand, that were +often slow of collection. + +>From the time I ceased to attend school my employment had +necessitated, to a certain degree, the application of what I had +learned there, and this practical instruction I reinforced somewhat +by doing considerable reading in a general way, until ultimately I +became quite a local authority in history, being frequently chosen as +arbiter in discussions and disputes that arose in the store. The +Mexican War, then going on, furnished, of course, a never-ending +theme for controversy, and although I was too young to enter the +military service when volunteers were mustering in our section, yet +the stirring events of the times so much impressed and absorbed me +that my sole wish was to become a soldier, and my highest aspiration +to go to West Point as a Cadet from my Congressional district. My +chances for this seemed very remote, however, till one day an +opportunity was thrown in my way by the boy who then held the place +failing to pass his examination. When I learned that by this +occurrence a vacancy existed, I wrote to our representative in +Congress, the Hon. Thomas Ritchey, and asked him for the appointment, +reminding him that we had often met in Fink & Dittoe's store, and +that therefore he must know something of my qualifications. He +responded promptly by enclosing my warrant for the class of 1848; so, +notwithstanding the many romances that have been published about the +matter, to Mr. Ritchey, and to him alone, is due all the credit--if +my career justifies that term--of putting me in the United States +Army. + +At once I set about preparing for the examination which precedes +admission to the Military Academy, studying zealously under the +direction of Mr. William Clark; my old teachers, McNanly and Thorn, +having disappeared from Somerset and sought new fields of usefulness. +The intervening months passed rapidly away, and I fear that I did not +make much progress, yet I thought I should be able to pass the +preliminary examination. That which was to follow worried me more +and gave me many sleepless nights; but these would have been less in +number, I fully believe, had it not been for one specification of my, +outfit which the circular that accompanied my appointment demanded. +This requirement was a pair of "Monroe shoes." Now, out in Ohio, +what "Monroe shoes" were was a mystery--not a shoemaker in my section +having so much as an inkling of the construction of the perplexing +things, until finally my eldest brother brought an idea of them from +Baltimore, when it was found that they were a familiar pattern under +another name. + +At length the time for my departure came, and I set out for West +Point, going by way of Cleveland and across Lake Erie to Buffalo. On +the steamer I fell in with another appointee en route to the academy, +David S. Stanley, also from Ohio; and when our acquaintanceship had +ripened somewhat, and we had begun to repose confidence in each +other, I found out that he had no "Monroe shoes," so I deemed myself +just that much ahead of my companion, although my shoes might not +conform exactly to the regulations in Eastern style and finish. At +Buffalo, Stanley and I separated, he going by the Erie Canal and I by +the railroad, since I wanted to gain time on account of commands to +stop in Albany to see my father's uncle. Here I spent a few days, +till Stanley reached Albany, when we journeyed together down the +river to West Point. The examination began a few days after our +arrival, and I soon found myself admitted to the Corps of Cadets, to +date from July 1, 1848, in a class composed of sixty-three members, +many of whom--for example, Stanley, Slocum, Woods, Kautz, and Crook- +-became prominent generals in later years, and commanded divisions, +corps, and armies in the war of the rebellion. + +Quickly following my admission I was broken in by a course of hazing, +with many of the approved methods that the Cadets had handed down +from year to year since the Academy was founded; still, I escaped +excessive persecution, although there were in my day many occurrences +so extreme as to call forth condemnation and an endeavor to suppress +the senseless custom, which an improved civilization has now about +eradicated, not only at West Point, but at other colleges. + +Although I had met the Academic board and come off with fair success, +yet I knew so little of Algebra or any of the higher branches of +mathematics that during my first six months at the Academy I was +discouraged by many misgivings as to the future, for I speedily +learned that at the January examination the class would have to stand +a test much severer than that which had been applied to it on +entering. I resolved to try hard, however, and, besides, good +fortune gave me for a room-mate a Cadet whose education was more +advanced than mine, and whose studious habits and willingness to aid +others benefited me immensely. This room-mate was Henry W. Slocum, +since so signally distinguished in both military and civil capacities +as to win for his name a proud place in the annals of his country. +After taps--that is, when by the regulations of the Academy all the +lights were supposed to be extinguished, and everybody in bed--Slocum +and I would hang a blanket over the one window of our room and +continue our studies--he guiding me around scores of stumbling-blocks +in Algebra and elucidating many knotty points in other branches of +the course with which I was unfamiliar. On account of this +association I went up before the Board in January with less +uneasiness than otherwise would have been the case, and passed the +examination fairly well. When it was over, a self-confidence in my +capacity was established that had not existed hitherto, and at each +succeeding examination I gained a little in order of merit till my +furlough summer came round--that is, when I was half through the +four-year course. + +My furlough in July and August, 1850, was spent at my home in Ohio, +with the exception of a visit or two to other Cadets on furlough in +the State, and at the close of my leave I returned to the Academy in +the full expectation of graduating with my class in 1852. + +A quarrel of a belligerent character in September, ,1851, with Cadet +William R. Terrill, put an end to this anticipation, however, and +threw me back into the class which graduated in 1853. Terrill was a +Cadet Sergeant, and, while my company was forming for parade, having, +given me an order, in what I considered an improper tone, to "dress" +in a certain direction, when I believed I was accurately dressed, I +fancied I had a grievance, and made toward him with a lowered +bayonet, but my better judgment recalled me before actual contact +could take place. Of course Terrill reported me for this, and my ire +was so inflamed by his action that when we next met I attacked him, +and a fisticuff engagement in front of barracks followed, which was +stopped by an officer appearing on the scene. Each of us handed in +an explanation, but mine was unsatisfactory to the authorities, for I +had to admit that I was the assaulting party, and the result was that +I was suspended by the Secretary of War, Mr. Conrad, till August 28, +1852--the Superintendent of the Academy, Captain Brewerton, being +induced to recommend this milder course, he said, by my previous good +conduct. At the time I thought, of course, my suspension a very +unfair punishment, that my conduct was justifiable and the +authorities of the Academy all wrong, but riper experience has led me +to a different conclusion, and as I look back, though the +mortification I then endured was deep and trying, I am convinced that +it was hardly as much as I deserved for such an outrageous breach of +discipline. + +There was no question as to Terrill's irritating tone, but in giving +me the order he was prompted by the duty of his position as a file +closer, and I was not the one to remedy the wrong which I conceived +had been done me, and clearly not justifiable in assuming to correct +him with my own hands. In 1862, when General Buell's army was +assembling at Louisville, Terrill was with it as a brigadier-general +(for, although a Virginian, he had remained loyal), and I then took +the initiative toward a renewal of our acquaintance. Our renewed +friendship was not destined to be of long duration, I am sorry to +say, for a few days later, in the battle of Perryville, while +gallantly fighting for his country, poor Terrill was killed. + +My suspension necessitated my leaving the Academy, and I returned +home in the fall of 1851, much crestfallen. Fortunately, my good +friend Henry Dittoe again gave me employment in keeping the books of +his establishment, and this occupation of my time made the nine +months which were to elapse before I could go back to West Point pass +much more agreeably than they would have done had I been idle. In +August, 1852, I joined the first class at the Academy in accordance +with the order of the War Department, taking my place at the foot of +the class and graduating with it the succeeding June, number thirty- +four in a membership of fifty-two. At the head of this class +graduated James B. McPherson, who was killed in the Atlanta campaign +while commanding the Army of the Tennessee. It also contained such +men as John M. Schofield, who commanded the Army of the Ohio; Joshua +W. Sill, killed as a brigadier in the battle of Stone River; and many +others who, in the war of the rebellion, on one side or the other, +rose to prominence, General John B. Hood being the most distinguished +member of the class among the Confederates. + +At the close of the final examination I made no formal application +for assignment to any particular arm of the service, for I knew that +my standing would not entitle me to one of the existing vacancies, +and that I should be obliged to take a place among the brevet second +lieutenants. When the appointments were made I therefore found +myself attached to the First Infantry, well pleased that I had +surmounted all the difficulties that confront the student at our +national school, and looking forward with pleasant anticipation to +the life before me. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +ORDERED TO FORT DUNCAN, TEXAS--"NORTHERS"--SCOUTING DUTY--HUNTING-- +NEARLY CAUGHT BY THE INDIANS--A PRIMITIVE HABITATION--A BRAVE +DRUMMERBOYS DEATH--A MEXICAN BALL. + +On the 1st day of July, 1853, I was commissioned a brevet second +lieutenant in the First Regiment of United States Infantry, then +stationed in Texas. The company to which I was attached was +quartered at Fort Duncan, a military post on the Rio Grande opposite +the little town of Piedras Negras, on the boundary line between the +United States and the Republic of Mexico. + +After the usual leave of three months following graduation from the +Military Academy I was assigned to temporary duty at Newport +Barracks, a recruiting station and rendezvous for the assignment of +young officers preparatory to joining their regiments. Here I +remained from September, 1853, to March, 1854, when I was ordered to +join my company at Fort Duncan. To comply with this order I +proceeded by steamboat down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers to New +Orleans, thence by steamer across the Gulf of Mexico to Indianola, +Tex., and after landing at that place, continued in a small schooner +through what is called the inside channel on the Gulf coast to Corpus +Christi, the headquarters of Brigadier-General Persifer F. Smith, who +was commanding the Department of Texas. Here I met some of my old +friends from the Military Academy, among them Lieutenant Alfred +Gibbs, who in the last year of the rebellion commanded under me a +brigade of cavalry, and Lieutenant Jerome Napoleon Bonaparte, of the +Mounted Rifles, who resigned in 1854 to accept service in the French +Imperial army, but to most of those about headquarters I was an +entire stranger. Among the latter was Captain Stewart Van Vliet, of +the Quartermaster's Department, now on the retired list. With him I +soon came in frequent contact, and, by reason of his connection with +the Quartermaster's Department, the kindly interest he took in +forwarding my business inaugurated between us--a lasting friendship. + +A day or two after my arrival at Corpus Christi a train of Government +wagons, loaded with subsistence stores and quartermaster's supplies, +started for Laredo, a small town on the Rio Grande below Fort Duncan. +There being no other means of reaching my station I put my small +personal possessions, consisting of a trunk, mattress, two blankets, +and a pillow into one of the heavily loaded wagons and proceeded to +join it, sitting on the boxes or bags of coffee and sugar, as I might +choose. The movement of the train was very slow, as the soil was +soft on the newly made and sandy roads. We progressed but a few +miles on our first day's journey, and in the evening parked our train +at a point where there was no wood, a scant supply of water--and that +of bad quality--but an abundance of grass. There being no +comfortable place to sleep in any of the wagons, filled as they were +to the bows with army supplies, I spread my blankets on the ground +between the wheels of one of them, and awoke in the morning feeling +as fresh and bright as would have been possible if all the comforts +of civilization had been at my command. + +It took our lumbering train many days to reach Laredo, a distance of +about one hundred and sixty miles from Corpus Christi. Each march +was but a repetition of the first day's journey, its monotony +occasionally relieved, though, by the passage of immense flocks of +ducks and geese, and the appearance at intervals of herds of deer, +and sometimes droves of wild cattle, wild horses and mules. The +bands of wild horses I noticed were sometimes led by mules, but +generally by stallions with long wavy manes, and flowing tails which +almost touched the ground. + +We arrived at Laredo during one of those severe storms incident to +that section, which are termed "Northers" from the fact that the +north winds culminate occasionally in cold windstorms, frequently +preceded by heavy rains. Generally the blow lasts for three days, +and the cold becomes intense and piercing. While the sudden +depression of the temperature is most disagreeable, and often causes +great suffering, it is claimed that these "Northers" make the climate +more healthy and endurable. They occur from October to May, and in +addition to the destruction which, through the sudden depression of +the temperature, they bring on the herds in the interior, they are +often of sufficient violence to greatly injure the harbors on the +coast. + +The post near Laredo was called Fort McIntosh, and at this period the +troops stationed there consisted of eight companies of the Fifth +Infantry and two of the First, one of the First Artillery, and three +of the Mounted Rifles. Just before the "Norther" began these troops +had completed a redoubt for the defense of the post, with the +exception of the ditches, but as the parapet was built of sand--the +only material about Laredo which could be obtained for its +construction--the severity of the winds was too much for such a +shifting substance, and the work was entirely blown away early in the +storm. + +I was pleasantly and hospitably welcomed by the officers at the post, +all of whom were living in tents, with no furniture except a cot and +trunk, and an improvised bed for a stranger, when one happened to +come along. After I had been kindly taken in by one of the younger +officers, I reported to the commanding officer, and was informed by +him that he would direct the quartermaster to furnish me, as soon as +convenient, with transportation to Fort Duncan, the station of my +company. + +In the course of a day or two, the quartermaster notified me that a +Government six-mule wagon would be placed at my disposal to proceed +to my destination. No better means offering, I concluded to set out +in this conveyance, and, since it was also to carry a quantity of +quartermaster's property for Fort Duncan, I managed to obtain room +enough for my bed in the limited space between the bows and load, +where I could rest tolerably well, and under cover at night, instead +of sleeping on the ground under the wagon, as I had done on the road +from Corpus Christi to Laredo. + +I reached Fort Duncan in March, 1854., and was kindly received by the +commanding officer of the, regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel Thompson +Morris,and by the captain of my company ("D"), Eugene E. McLean, and +his charming wife the only daughter of General E. V. Sumner, who was +already distinguished in our service, but much better known in after +years in the operations ofthe Army of the Potomac, during its early +campaigns in Virginia. Shortly after joining company "D" I was sent +out on scouting duty with another company of the regiment to Camp La +Pena, about sixty or seventy miles east of Fort Duncan, in a section +of country that had for some time past been subjected to raids by the +Lipan and Comanche Indians. Ournoutpost at La Pena was intended as a +protection against the predatory incursions of these savages, so +almost constant scouting became a daily occupation. This enabled me +soon to become familiar with and make maps of the surrounding +country, and, through constant association with our Mexican guide, to +pick up in a short time quite a smattering of the Spanish language, +which was very useful to one serving on that frontier. + +At that early day western Texas was literally filled with game, and +the region in the immediate vicinity of La Pena contained its full +proportion of deer, antelope, and wild turkeys. The temptation to +hunt was therefore constantly before me, and a desire to indulge in +this pastime, whenever free from the legitimate duty of the camp, +soon took complete possession of me, so expeditions in pursuit of +game were of frequent occurrence. In these expeditions I was always +accompanied by a soldier named Frankman, belonging to " D " company, +who was a fine sportsman, and a butcher by trade. In a short period +I learned from Frankman how to approach and secure the different +species of game, and also how to dress and care for it when killed. +Almost every expedition we made was rewarded with a good supply of +deer, antelope, and wild turkeys, and we furnished the command in +camp with such abundance that it was relieved from the necessity of +drawing its beef ration, much to the discomfiture of the disgruntled +beef contractor. + +The camp at La Pena was on sandy ground, unpleasant for men and +animals, and by my advice it was moved to La Pendencia, not far from +Lake Espantosa. Before removal from our old location, however, early +one bright morning Frankman and I started on one of our customary +expeditions, going down La Pena Creek to a small creek, at the head +of which we had established a hunting rendezvous. After proceeding +along the stream for three or four miles we saw a column of smoke on +the prairie, and supposing it arose from a camp of Mexican rancheros +catching wild horses or wild cattle, and even wild mules, which were +very numerous in that section of country along the Nueces River, we +thought we would join the party and see how much success they were +having, and observe the methods employed in this laborious and +sometimes dangerous vocation. With this object in view, we continued +on until we found it necessary to cross to the other side of the +creek to reach the point indicated by the smoke. Just before +reaching the crossing I discovered moccasin tracks near the water's +edge, and realizing in an instant that the camp we were approaching +might possibly be one of hostile Indians--all Indians in that country +at that time were hostile--Frankman and I backed out silently, and +made eager strides for La Pena, where we had scarcely arrived when +Captain M. E. Van Buren, of the Mounted Rifle regiment, came in with +a small command, and reported that he was out in pursuit of a band of +Comanche Indians, which had been committing depredations up about +Fort Clark, but that he had lost the trail. I immediately informed +him of what had occurred to me during the morning, and that I could +put him on the trail of the Indians he was desirous of punishing. + +We hurriedly supplied with rations his small command of thirteen, +men, and I then conducted him to the point where I had seen the +smoke, and there we found signs indicating it to be the recently +abandoned camp of the Indians he was pursuing, and we also noticed +that prairie rats had formed the principal article of diet at the +meal they had just completed. As they had gone, I could do no more +than put him on the trail made in their departure, which was well +marked; for Indians, when in small parties, and unless pressed, +usually follow each other in single file. Captain Van Buren followed +the trail by Fort Ewell, and well down toward Corpus Christi, day and +night, until the Indians, exhausted and used up, halted, on an open +plain, unsaddled their horses, mounted bareback, and offered battle. +Their number was double that of Van Buren's detachment, but he +attacked them fearlessly, and in the fight was mortally wounded by an +arrow which entered his body in front, just above the sword belt, and +came through the belt behind. The principal chief of the Indians was +killed, and the rest fled. Captain Van Buren's men carried him to +Corpus Christi, where in a few days he died. + +After our removal to La Pendencia a similar pursuit of savages +occurred, but with more fortunate results. Colonel John H. King, now +on the retired list, then a captain in the First Infantry, came to +our camp in pursuit of a marauding band of hostile Indians, and I was +enabled to put him also on the trail. He soon overtook them, and +killing two without loss to himself, the band dispersed like a flock +of quail and left him nothing to follow. He returned to our camp +shortly after, and the few friendly Indian scouts he had with him +held a grand pow-wow and dance over the scalps of the fallen braves. + +Around La Pendencia, as at La Pena, the country abounded in deer, +antelope, wild turkeys, and quail, and we killed enough to supply +abundantly the whole command with the meat portion of the ration. +Some mornings Frankman and I would bring in as many as seven deer, +and our hunting expeditions made me so familiar with the region +between our camp arid Fort Duncan, the headquarters of the regiment, +that I was soon enabled to suggest a more direct route of +communication than the circuitous one then traversed, and in a short +time it was established. + +Up to this time I had been on detached duty, but soon my own company +was ordered into the field to occupy a position on Turkey Creek, +about ten or twelve miles west of the Nueces River, on the road from +San Antonio to Fort Duncan, and I was required to join the company. +Here constant work and scouting were necessary, as our camp was +specially located with reference to protecting from Indian raids the +road running from San Antonio to Fort Duncan, and on to the interior +of Mexico. In those days this road was the great line of travel, and +Mexican caravans were frequently passing over it, to and fro, in such +a disorganized condition as often to invite attack from marauding +Comanches and Lipans. Our time, therefore, was incessantly occupied +in scouting, but our labors were much lightened because they were +directed with intelligence and justice by Captain McLean, whose +agreeable manners and upright methods are still so impressed on my +memory that to this day I look back upon my service with "D" Company +of the First Infantry as among those events which I remember with +most pleasure. + +In this manner my first summer of active field duty passed rapidly +away, and in the fall my company returned to Fort Duncan to go into +winter quarters. These quarters, when constructed, consisted of "A" +tents pitched under a shed improvised by the company. With only +these accommodations I at first lived around as best I could until +the command was quartered, and then, requesting a detail of wagons +from the quartermaster, I went out some thirty miles to get poles to +build a more comfortable habitation for myself. In a few days enough +poles for the construction of a modest residence were secured and +brought in, and then the building of my house began. First, the +poles were cut the proper length, planted in a trench around four +sides of a square of very small proportions, and secured at the top +by string-pieces stretched from one angle to another, in which +half-notches hack been made at proper intervals to receive the +uprights. The poles were then made rigid by strips nailed on +half-way to the ground, giving the sides of the structure firmness, +but the interstices were large and frequent; still, with the aid of +some old condemned paulins obtained from the quartermaster, the walls +were covered and the necessity for chinking obviated. This method of +covering the holes in the side walls also possessed the advantage of +permitting some little light to penetrate to the interior of the +house, and avoided the necessity of constructing a window, for which, +by the way, no glass could have been obtained. Next a good large +fire-place and chimney were built in one corner by means of stones +and mud, and then the roof was put on--a thatched one of prairie +grass. The floor was dirt compactly tamped. + +My furniture was very primitive: a chair or two, with about the same +number of camp stools, a cot, and a rickety old bureau that I +obtained in some way not now remembered. My washstand consisted of a +board about three feet long, resting on legs formed by driving sticks +into the ground until they held it at about the proper height from +the floor. This washstand was the most expensive piece of furniture +I owned, the board having cost me three dollars, and even then I +obtained it as a favor, for lumber on the Rio Grande was so scarce in +those days that to possess even the smallest quantity was to indulge +in great luxury. Indeed, about all that reached the post was what +came in the shape of bacon boxes, and the boards from these were +reserved for coffins in which to bury our dead. + +In this rude habitation I spent a happy winter, and was more +comfortably off than many of the officers, who had built none, but +lived in tents and took the chances of "Northers." During this period +our food was principally the soldier's ration: flour, pickled pork, +nasty bacon--cured in the dust of ground charcoal--and fresh beef, of +which we had a plentiful supply, supplemented with game of various +kinds. The sugar, coffee, and smaller parts of the ration were good, +but we had no vegetables, and the few jars of preserves and some few +vegetables kept by the sutler were too expensive to be indulged in. +So during all the period I lived at Fort Duncan and its sub-camps, +nearly sixteen months, fresh vegetables were practically +unobtainable. To prevent scurvy we used the juice of the maguey +plant, called pulque, and to obtain a supply of this anti-scorbutic I +was often detailed to march the company out about forty miles, cut +the plant, load up two or three wagons with the stalks, and carry +them to camp. Here the juice was extracted by a rude press, and put +in bottles until it fermented and became worse in odor than +sulphureted hydrogen. At reveille roll-call every morning this +fermented liquor was dealt out to the company, and as it was my duty, +in my capacity of subaltern, to attend these roll-calls and see that +the men took their ration of pulque, I always began the duty by +drinking a cup of the repulsive stuff myself. Though hard to +swallow, its well-known specific qualities in the prevention and cure +of scurvy were familiar to all, so every man in the command gulped +down his share notwithstanding its vile taste and odor. + +Considering our isolation, the winter passed very pleasantly to us +all. The post was a large one, its officers congenial, and we had +many enjoyable occasions. Dances, races, and horseback riding filled +in much of the time, and occasional raids from Indians furnished more +serious occupation in the way of a scout now and then. The proximity +of the Indians at times rendered the surrounding country somewhat +dangerous for individuals or small parties at a distance from the +fort; but few thought the savages would come near, so many risks were +doubtless run by various officers, who carried the familiar +six-shooter as their only weapon while out horseback riding, until +suddenly we were awakened to the dangers we had been incurring. + +About mid-winter a party of hostile Lipans made a swoop around and +skirting the garrison, killing a herder--a discharged drummer-boy--in +sight of the flag-staff. Of course great excitement followed. +Captain J. G. Walker, of the Mounted Rifles, immediately started with +his company in pursuit of the Indians, and I was directed to +accompany the command. Not far away we found the body of the boy +filled with arrows, and near him the body of a fine looking young +Indian, whom the lad had undoubtedly killed before he was himself +overpowered. We were not a great distance behind the Indians when +the boy's body was discovered, and having good trailers we gained on +them rapidly, with the prospect of overhauling them, but as soon as +they found we were getting near they headed for the Rio Grande, made +the crossing to the opposite bank, and were in Mexico before we could +overtake them. When on the other side of the boundary they grew very +brave, daring us to come over to fight them, well aware all the time +that the international line prevented us from continuing the pursuit. +So we had to return to the post without reward for our exertion +except the consciousness of having made the best effort we could to +catch the murderers. That night, in company with Lieutenant Thomas +G. Williams, I crossed over the river to the Mexican village of +Piedras Negras, and on going to a house where a large baille, or +dance, was going on we found among those present two of the Indians +we had been chasing. As soon as they saw us they strung their bows +for a fight, and we drew our sixshooters, but the Mexicans quickly +closed in around the Indians and forced them out of the house--or +rude jackal--where the "ball" was being held, and they escaped. We +learned later something about the nature of the fight the drummer had +made, and that his death had cost them dear, for, in addition to the +Indian killed and lying by his side, he had mortally wounded another +and seriously wounded a third, with the three shots that he had +fired. + +At this period I took up the notion of making a study of ornithology, +incited to it possibly by the great number of bright-colored birds +that made their winter homes along the Rio Grande, and I spent many a +leisure hour in catching specimens by means of stick traps, with +which I found little difficulty in securing almost every variety of +the feathered tribes. I made my traps by placing four sticks of a +length suited to the size desired so as to form a square, and +building up on them in log-cabin fashion until the structure came +almost to a point by contraction of the corners. Then the sticks . +were made secure, the trap placed at some secluded spot, and from the +centre to the outside a trench was dug in the ground, and thinly +covered when a depth had been obtained that would leave an aperture +sufficiently large to admit the class of birds desired. Along this +trench seeds and other food were scattered, which the birds soon +discovered, and of course began to eat, unsuspectingly following the +tempting bait through the gallery till they emerged from its farther +end in the centre of the trap, where they contentedly fed till the +food was all gone. Then the fact of imprisonment first presented +itself, and they vainly endeavored to escape through the interstices +of the cage, never once guided by their instinct to return to liberty +through the route by which they had entered. + +Among the different kinds of birds captured in this way, mocking- +birds, blue-birds, robins, meadow larks, quail, and plover were the +most numerous. They seemed to have more voracious appetites than +other varieties, or else they were more unwary, and consequently more +easily caught. A change of station, however, put an end to my +ornithological plans, and activities of other kinds prevented me from +resuming them in after life. + +There were quite a number of young officers at the post during the +winter, and as our relations with the Mexican commandant at Piedras +Negras were most amicable, we were often invited to dances at his +house. He and his hospitable wife and daughter drummed up the female +portion of the elite of Piedras Negras and provided the house, which +was the official as well as the personal residence of the commandant, +while we--the young officers--furnished the music and such +sweetmeats, candies, &c., for the baille as the country would afford. + +We generally danced in a long hall on a hard dirt floor. The girls +sat on one side of the hall, chaperoned by their mothers or some old +duennas, and the men on the other. When the music struck up each man +asked the lady whom his eyes had already selected to dance with him, +and it was not etiquette for her to refuse--no engagements being +allowed before the music began. When the dance, which was generally +a long waltz, was over, he seated his partner, and then went to a +little counter at the end of the room and bought his dulcinea a plate +of the candies and sweetmeats provided. Sometimes she accepted them, +but most generally pointed to her duenna or chaperon behind, who held +up her apron and caught the refreshments as they were slid into it +from the plate. The greatest decorum was maintained at these dances, +primitively as they were conducted; and in a region so completely cut +off from the world, their influence was undoubtedly beneficial to a +considerable degree in softening the rough edges in a half-breed +population. + +The inhabitants of this frontier of Mexico were strongly marked with +Indian characteristics, particularly with those of the Comanche type, +and as the wild Indian blood predominated, few of the physical traits +of the Spaniard remained among them, and outlawry was common. The +Spanish conquerors had left on the northern border only their +graceful manners and their humility before the cross. The sign of +Christianity was prominently placed at all important points on roads +or trails, and especially where any one had been killed; and as the +Comanche Indians, strong and warlike, had devastated northeastern +Mexico in past years, all along the border, on both sides of the Rio +Grande, the murderous effects of their raids were evidenced by +numberless crosses. For more than a century forays had been made on +the settlements and towns by these bloodthirsty savages, and, the +Mexican Government being too weak to afford protection, property was +destroyed, the women and children carried off or ravished, and the +men compelled to look on in an agony of helplessness till relieved by +death. During all this time, however, the forms and ceremonials of +religion, and the polite manners received from the Spaniards, were +retained, and reverence for the emblems of Christianity was always +uppermost in the mind of even the most ignorant. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +ORDERED TO FORT READING, CAL.--A DANGEROUS UNDERTAKING--A RESCUED +SOLDIER--DISCOVERING INDIANS--PRIMITIVE FISHING--A DESERTED +VILLAGE--CAMPING OPPOSITE FORT VANCOUVER. + +In November, 1854, I received my promotion to a second lieutenancy in +the Fourth Infantry, which was stationed in California and Oregon. In +order to join my company at Fort Reading, California, I had to go to +New York as a starting point, and on arrival there, was placed on +duty, in May, 1855, in command of a detachment of recruits at +Bedloe's Island, intended for assignment to the regiments on the +Pacific coast. I think there were on the island (now occupied by the +statue of Liberty Enlightening the World) about three hundred +recruits. For a time I was the only officer with them, but shortly +before we started for California, Lieutenant Francis H. Bates, of the +Fourth Infantry, was placed in command. We embarked for the Pacific +coast in July, 1855, and made the journey without incident via the +Isthmus of Panama, in due time landing our men at Benecia Barracks, +above San Francisco. + +>From this point I proceeded to join my company at Fort Reading, and +on reaching that post, found orders directing me to relieve +Lieutenant John B. Hood--afterward well known as a distinguished +general in the Confederate service. Lieutenant Hood was in command +of the personal mounted escort of Lieutenant R. S. Williamson, who +was charged with the duty of making such explorations and surveys as +would determine the practicability of connecting, by railroad, the +Sacramento Valley in California with the Columbia River in Oregon +Territory, either through the Willamette Valley, or (if this route +should prove to be impracticable) by the valley of the Des Chutes +River near the foot-slopes of the Cascade chain. The survey was +being made in accordance with an act of Congress, which provided both +for ascertaining the must practicable and economical route for a +railroad between the Mississippi River and the Pacific Ocean, and for +military and geographical surveys west of the Mississippi River. + +Fort Reading was the starting-point for this exploring expedition, +and there I arrived some four or five days after the party under +Lieutenant Williamson had begun its march. His personal escort +numbered about sixty mounted men, made up of detachments from +companies of the First Dragoons, under command of Lieutenant Hood, +together with about one hundred men belonging to the Fourth Infantry +arid Third Artillery, commanded by Lieutenant Horatio Gates Gibson, +the present colonel of the Third United States Artillery. Lieutenant +George Crook--now major-general--was the quartermaster and commissary +of subsistence of the expedition. + +The commanding officer at Fort Reading seemed reluctant to let me go +on to relieve Lieutenant Hood, as the country to be passed over was +infested by the Pit River Indians, known to be hostile to white +people and especially to small parties. I was very anxious to +proceed, however, and willing to take the chances; so, consent being +finally obtained, I started with a corporal and two mounted men, +through a wild and uninhabited region, to overtake if possible +Lieutenant Williamson. Being on horseback, and unencumbered by +luggage of any kind except blankets and a little hard bread, coffee +and smoking-tobacco, which were all carried on our riding animals, we +were sanguine of succeeding, for we traversed in one day fully the +distance made in three by Lieutenant Williamson's party on foot. + +The first day we reached the base of Lassan's Butte, where I +determined to spend the night near an isolated cabin, or dugout, that +had been recently constructed by a hardy pioneer. The wind was +blowing a disagreeable gale, which had begun early in the day. This +made it desirable to locate our camp under the best cover we could +find, and I spent some little time in looking about for a +satisfactory place, but nothing better offered than a large fallen +tree, which lay in such a direction that by encamping on its lee side +we would be protected from the fury of the storm. This spot was +therefore fixed upon, and preparation made for spending the night as +comfortably as the circumstances would permit. + +After we had unsaddled I visited the cabin to inquire in regard to +the country ahead, and there found at first only a soldier of +Williamson's party; later the proprietor of the ranch appeared. The +soldier had been left behind by the surveying party on account of +illness, with instructions to make his way back to Fort Reading as +best he could when he recovered. His condition having greatly +improved, however, since he had been left, he now begged me in +beseeching terms to take him along with my party, which I finally +consented to do, provided that if he became unable to keep up with +me, and I should be obliged to abandon him, the responsibility would +be his, not mine. This increased my number to five, and was quite a +reinforcement should we run across any hostile Indians; but it was +also certain to prove an embarrassment should the man again fall ill. + +During the night, notwithstanding the continuance of the storm, I had +a very sound and refreshing sleep behind the protecting log where we +made our camp, and at daylight next morning we resumed our journey, +fortified by a breakfast of coffee and hard bread. I skirted around +the base of Lassan's Butte, thence down Hat Creek, all the time +following the trail made by Lieutenant Williamson's party. About +noon the soldier I had picked up at my first camp gave out, and could +go no farther. As stipulated when I consented to take him along, I +had the right to abandon him, but when it came to the test I could +not make up my mind to do it. Finding a good place not far off the +trail, one of my men volunteered to remain with him until he died; +and we left them there, with a liberal supply of hard bread and +coffee, believing that we would never again see the invalid. My +reinforcement was already gone, and another man with it. + +With my diminished party I resumed the trail and followed it until +about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, when we heard the sound of voices, +and the corporal, thinking we were approaching Lieutenant +Williamson's party, was so overjoyed in anticipation of the junction, +that he wanted to fire his musket as an expression of his delight. +This I prevented his doing, however, and we continued cautiously and +slowly on to develop the source of the sounds in front. We had not +gone far before I discovered that the noise came from a band of Pit +River Indians, who had struck the trail of the surveying expedition, +and were following it up, doubtless with evil intent. Dismounting +from my horse I counted the moccasin tracks to ascertain the number +of Indians, discovered it to be about thirty, and then followed on +behind them cautiously, but with little difficulty, as appearances of +speed on their part indicated that they wished to overtake Lieutenant +Williamson's party, which made them less on the lookout than usual +for any possible pursuers. After following the trail until nearly +sundown, I considered it prudent to stop for the night, and drew off +some little distance, where, concealed in a dense growth of timber, +we made our camp. + +As I had with me now only two men, I felt somewhat nervous, so I +allowed no fires to be built, and in consequence our supper consisted +of hard bread only. I passed an anxious night, but beyond our own +solicitude there was nothing to disturb us, the Indians being too +much interested in overtaking the party in front to seek for victims +in the rear, After a hard-bread breakfast we started again on the +trail, and had proceeded but a short distance when, hearing the +voices of the Indians, we at once slackened our speed so as not to +overtake them. + +Most of the trail on which we traveled during the morning ran over an +exceedingly rough lava formation--a spur of the lava beds often +described during the Modoc war of 1873 so hard and flinty that +Williamson's large command made little impression on its surface, +leaving in fact, only indistinct traces of its line of march. By +care and frequent examinations we managed to follow his route through +without much delay, or discovery by the Indians, and about noon, +owing to the termination of the lava formation, we descended into the +valley of Hat Greek, a little below where it emerges from the second +canon and above its confluence with Pit River. As soon as we reached +the fertile soil of the valley, we found Williamson's trail well +defined, deeply impressed in the soft loam, and coursing through +wild-flowers and luxuriant grass which carpeted the ground on every +hand. + +When we struck this delightful locality we traveled with considerable +speed, and after passing over hill and vale for some distance, the +trail becoming more and more distinct all the time, I suddenly saw in +front of me the Pit River Indians. + +This caused a halt, and having hurriedly re-capped our guns and +six-shooters, thus preparing for the worst, I took a look at the band +through my field-glass. They were a half-mile or more in our front +and numbered about thirty individuals, armed with bows and arrows +only. Observing us they made friendly demonstrations, but I had not +implicit faith in a Pit River Indian at that period of the settlement +of our country, and especially in that wild locality, so after a +"council of war" with the corporal and man, I concluded to advance to +a point about two hundred yards distant from the party, when, relying +on the speed of our horses rather than on the peaceable intentions of +the savages, I hoped to succeed in cutting around them and take the +trail beyond. Being on foot they could not readily catch us, and +inasmuch as their arrows were good for a range of only about sixty +yards, I had no fear of any material damage on that score. + +On reaching the place selected for our flank movement we made a dash +to the left of the trail, through the widest part of the valley, and +ran our horses swiftly by, but I noticed that the Indians did not +seem to be disturbed by the manoeuvre and soon realized that this +indifference was occasioned by the knowledge that we could not cross +Hat Creek, a deep stream with vertical banks, too broad to be leaped +by our horses. We were obliged, therefore, to halt, and the Indians +again made demonstrations of friendship, some of them even getting +into the stream to show that they were at the ford. Thus reassured, +we regained our confidence and boldly crossed the river in the midst +of them. After we had gained the bluff on the other side of the +creek, I looked down into the valley of Pit River, and could plainly +see the camp of the surveying party. Its proximity was the influence +which had doubtless caused the peaceable conduct of the Indians. +Probably the only thing that saved us was their ignorance of our +being in their rear, until we stumbled on them almost within sight of +the large party under Williamson. + +The Pit River Indians were very hostile at that time, and for many +succeeding years their treachery and cruelty brought misfortune and +misery to the white settlers who ventured their lives in search of +home and fortune in the wild and isolated section over which these +savages roamed. Not long after Williamson's party passed through +their country, the Government was compelled to send into it a +considerable force for the purpose of keeping them under control. +The outcome of this was a severe fight--resulting in the loss of a +good many lives--between the hostiles and a party of our troops under +Lieutenant George Crook. It finally ended in the establishment of a +military post in the vicinity of the battle-ground, for the permanent +occupation of the country. + +A great load was lifted from my heart when I found myself so near +Williamson's camp, which I joined August 4, 1855, receiving a warm +welcome from the officers. During the afternoon I relieved +Lieutenant Hood of the command of the personal escort, and he was +ordered to return, with twelve of the mounted men, over the trail I +had followed. I pointed out to him on the map the spot where he +would find the two men left on the roadside, and he was directed to +take them into Fort Reading. They were found without difficulty, and +carried in to the post. The sick man--Duryea--whom I had expected +never to see again, afterward became the hospital steward at Fort +Yamhill, Oregon, when I was stationed there. + +The Indians that I had passed at the ford came to the bluff above the +camp, and arranging themselves in a squatting posture, looked down +upon Williamson's party with longing eyes, in expectation of a feast. +They were a pitiable lot, almost naked, hungry and cadaverous. +Indians are always hungry, but these poor creatures were particularly +so, as their usual supply of food had grown very scarce from one +cause and another. + +In prosperity they mainly subsisted on fish, or game killed with the +bow and arrow. When these sources failed they lived on grasshoppers, +and at this season the grasshopper was their principal food. In +former years salmon were very abundant in the streams of the +Sacramento Valley, and every fall they took great quantities of these +fish and dried them for winter use, but alluvial mining had of late +years defiled the water of the different streams and driven the fish +out. On this account the usual supply of salmon was very limited. +They got some trout high up on the rivers, above the sluices and +rockers of the miners, but this was a precarious source from which to +derive food, as their means of taking the trout were very primitive. +They had neither hooks nor lines, but depended entirely on a +contrivance made from long, slender branches of willow, which grew on +the banks of most of the streams. One of these branches would be +cut, and after sharpening the butt-end to a point, split a certain +distance, and by a wedge the prongs divided sufficiently to admit a +fish between. The Indian fisherman would then slyly put the forked +end in the water over his intended victim, and with a quick dart +firmly wedge him between the prongs. When secured there, the work of +landing him took but a moment. When trout were plentiful this +primitive mode of taking them was quite successful, and I have often +known hundreds of pounds to be caught in this way, but when they were +scarce and suspicious the rude method was not rewarded with good +results. + +The band looking down on us evidently had not had much fish or game +to eat for some time, so when they had made Williamson understand +that they were suffering for food he permitted them to come into +camp, and furnished them with a supply, which they greedily swallowed +as fast as it was placed at their service, regardless of possible +indigestion. When they had eaten all they could hold, their +enjoyment was made complete by the soldiers, who gave them a quantity +of strong plug tobacco. This they smoked incessantly, inhaling all +the smoke, so that none of the effect should be lost. When we +abandoned this camp the next day, the miserable wretches remained in +it and collected the offal about the cooks' fires to feast still +more, piecing out the meal, no doubt, with their staple article of +food--grasshoppers. + +On the morning of August 5 Lieutenant Hood started back to Fort +Reading, and Lieutenant Williamson resumed his march for the Columbia +River. Our course was up Pit River, by the lower and upper canons, +then across to the Klamath Lakes, then east, along their edge to the +upper lake. At the middle Klamath Lake, just after crossing Lost +River and the Natural Bridge, we met a small party of citizens from +Jacksonville, Oregon, looking for hostile Indians who had committed +some depredations in their neighborhood. From them we learned that +the Rogue River Indians in southern Oregon were on the war-path, and +that as the "regular troops up there were of no account, the citizens +had taken matters in hand, and intended cleaning up the hostiles." +They swaggered about our camp, bragged a good deal, cursed the +Indians loudly, and soundly abused the Government for not giving them +better protection. It struck me, however, that they had not worked +very hard to find the hostiles; indeed, it could plainly be seen that +their expedition was a town-meeting sort of affair, and that anxiety +to get safe home was uppermost in their thoughts. The enthusiasm +with which they started had all oozed out, and that night they +marched back to Jacksonville. The next day, at the head of the lake, +we came across an Indian village, and I have often wondered since +what would have been the course pursued by these valiant warriors +from Jacksonville had they gone far enough to get into its vicinity. + +When we reached the village the tepees--made of grass--were all +standing, the fires burning and pots boiling--the pots filled with +camas and tula roots--but not an Indian was to be seen. Williamson +directed that nothing in the village should be disturbed; so guards +were placed over it to carry out his instructions and we went into +camp just a little beyond. We had scarcely established ourselves +when a very old Indian rose up from the high grass some distance off, +and with peaceable signs approached our camp, evidently for the +purpose of learning whether or not our intentions were hostile. +Williamson told him we were friendly; that we had passed through his +village without molesting it, that we had put a guard there to secure +the property his people had abandoned in their fright, and that they +might come back in safety. The old man searchingly eyed everything +around for some little time, and gaining confidence from the +peaceable appearance of the men, who were engaged in putting up the +tents and preparing their evening meal, he concluded to accept our +professions of friendship, and bring his people in. Going out about +half a mile from the village he gave a peculiar yell, at which +between three and four hundred Indians arose simultaneously from the +ground, and in answer to his signal came out of the tall grass like a +swarm of locusts and soon overran our camp in search of food, for +like all Indians they were hungry. They too, proved to be Pit +Rivers, and were not less repulsive than those of their tribe we had +met before. They were aware of the hostilities going on between the +Rogue Rivers and the whites, but claimed that they had not taken any +part in them. I question if they had, but had our party been small, +I fear we should have been received at their village in a very +different manner. + +>From the upper Klamath Lake we marched over the divide and down the +valley of the Des Chutes River to a point opposite the mountains +called the Three Sisters. Here, on September 23, the party divided, +Williamson and I crossing through the crater of the Three Sisters and +along the western slope of the Cascade Range, until we struck the +trail on McKenzie River, which led us into the Willamette Valley not +far from Eugene City. We then marched down the Willamette Valley to +Portland, Oregon, where we arrived October 9, 1855 + +The infantry portion of the command, escorting Lieutenant Henry L. +Abbot, followed farther down the Des Chutes River, to a point +opposite Mount Hood, from which it came into the Willamette Valley +and then marched to Portland. At Portland we all united, and moving +across the point between the Willamette and Columbia rivers, encamped +opposite Fort Vancouver, on the south bank of the latter stream, on +the farm of an old settler named Switzler, who had located there many +years before. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +"OLD RED"--SKILLFUL SHOOTING--YAKIMA--WAR--A LUDICROUS MISTAKE-- +"CUT-MOUTH JOHN'S" ENCOUNTER--FATHER PANDOZA'S MISSION--A SNOW-STORM- +-FAILURE OF THE EXPEDITION. + +Our camp on the Columbia, near Fort Vancouver, was beautifully +situated on a grassy sward close to the great river; and--as little +duty was required of us after so long a journey, amusement of one +kind or another, and an interchange of visits with the officers at +the post, filled in the time acceptably. We had in camp an old +mountaineer guide who had accompanied us on the recent march, and who +had received the sobriquet of "Old Red," on account of the shocky and +tangled mass of red hair and beard, which covered his head and face +so completely that only his eyes could be seen. His eccentricities +constantly supplied us with a variety of amusements. Among the +pastimes he indulged in was one which exhibited his skill with the +rifle, and at the same time protected the camp from the intrusions +and ravages of a drove of razor-backed hogs which belonged to Mr. +Switzler. These hogs were frequent visitors, and very destructive to +our grassy sward, rooting it up in front of our tents and all about +us; in pursuit of bulbous roots and offal from the camp. Old Red +conceived the idea that it would be well to disable the pigs by +shooting off the tips of their snouts, and he proceeded to put his +conception into execution, and continued it daily whenever the hogs +made their appearance. Of course their owner made a row about it; +but when Old Red daily settled for his fun by paying liberally with +gold-dust from some small bottles of the precious metal in his +possession, Switzler readily became contented, and I think even +encouraged the exhibitions--of skill. + +It was at this period (October, 1855) that the Yakima Indian war +broke out, and I was detached from duty with the exploring party and +required by Major Gabriel J. Rains, then commanding the district, to +join an expedition against the Yakimas. They had some time before +killed their agent, and in consequence a force under Major Granville +O. Haller had been sent out from the Dalles of the Columbia to +chastise them; but the expedition had not been successful; in fact, +it had been driven back, losing a number of men and two mountain +howitzers. + +The object of the second expedition was to retrieve this disaster. +The force was composed of a small body of regular troops, and a +regiment of Oregon mounted volunteers under command of Colonel James +W. Nesmith--subsequently for several years United States Senator from +Oregon. The whole force was under the command of Major Rains, Fourth +Infantry, who, in order that he might rank Nesmith, by some +hocus-pocus had been made a brigadier-general, under an appointment +from the Governor of Washington Territory. + +We started from the Dalles October 30, under conditions that were not +conducive to success. The season was late for operations; and worse +still, the command was not in accord with the commanding officer, +because of general belief in his incompetency, and on account of the +fictitious rank he assumed. On the second day out I struck a small +body of Indians with my detachment of dragoons, but was unable to do +them any particular injury beyond getting possession of a large +quantity of their winter food, which their hurried departure +compelled them to abandon. This food consisted principally of dried +salmon-pulverized and packed in sacks made of grass-dried +huckleberries, and dried camas; the latter a bulbous root about the +size of a small onion, which, when roasted and ground, is made into +bread by the Indians and has a taste somewhat like cooked chestnuts. + +Our objective point was Father Pandoza's Mission, in the Yakima +Valley, which could be reached by two different routes, and though +celerity of movement was essential, our commanding officer +"strategically" adopted the longer route, and thus the Indians had +ample opportunity to get away with their horses, cattle, women and +children, and camp property. + +After the encounter which I just now referred to, the command, which +had halted to learn the results of my chase, resumed its march to and +through the Klikitat canon, and into the lower Yakima Valley, in the +direction of the Yakima River. I had charge at the head of the +column as it passed through the canon, and on entering the valley +beyond, saw in the distance five or six Indian scouts, whom I pressed +very closely, until after a run of several miles they escaped across +the Yakima River. + +The soil in the valley was light and dry, and the movement of animals +over it raised great clouds of dust, that rendered it very difficult +to distinguish friend from foe; and as I was now separated from the +main column a considerable distance, I deemed it prudent to call a +halt until we could discover the direction taken by the principal +body of the Indians. We soon learned that they had gone up the +valley, and looking that way, we discovered a column of alkali dust +approaching us, about a mile distant, interposing between my little +detachment and the point where I knew General Rains intended to +encamp for the night. After hastily consulting with Lieutenant +Edward H. Day, of the Third United States Artillery, who was with me, +we both concluded that the dust was caused by a body of the enemy +which had slipped in between us and our main force. There seemed no +alternative left us but to get back to our friends by charging +through these Indians; and as their cloud of dust was much larger +than ours, this appeared a desperate chance. Preparations to charge +were begun, however, but, much to our surprise, before they were +completed the approaching party halted for a moment and then +commenced to retreat. This calmed the throbbing of our hearts, and +with a wild cheer we started in a hot pursuit, that continued for +about two miles, when to our great relief we discovered that we were +driving into Rains's camp a squadron of Nesmith's battalion of Oregon +volunteers that we had mistaken for Indians, and who in turn believed +us to be the enemy. When camp was reached, we all indulged in a +hearty laugh ovor the affair, and at the fright each party had given +the other. The explanations which ensued proved that the squadron of +volunteers had separated from the column at the same time that I had +when we debouched from the canon, and had pursued an intermediate +trail through the hills, which brought it into the valley of the +Yakima at a point higher up the river than where I had struck it. + +Next day we resumed our march up the valley, parallel to the Yakima. +About 1 o'clock we saw a large body of Indians on the opposite side +of the river, and the general commanding made up his mind to cross +and attack them. The stream was cold, deep, and swift, still I +succeeded in passing my dragoons over safely, but had hardly got them +well on the opposite bank when the Indians swooped down upon us. +Dismounting my men, we received the savages with a heavy fire, which +brought them to a halt with some damage and more or less confusion. + +General Rains now became very much excited and alarmed about me, and +endeavored to ford the swift river with his infantry and artillery, +but soon had to abandon the attempt, as three or four of the poor +fellows were swept off their feet and drowned. Meantime Nesmith came +up with his mounted force, crossed over, and joined me. + +The Indians now fell back to a high ridge, on the crest of which they +marched and countermarched, threatening to charge down its face. +Most of them were naked, and as their persons were painted in gaudy +colors and decorated with strips of red flannel, red blankets and gay +war-bonnets, their appearance presented a scene of picturesque +barbarism, fascinating but repulsive. As they numbered about six +hundred, the chances of whipping them did not seem overwhelmingly in +our favor, yet Nesmith and I concluded we would give them a little +fight, provided we could engage them without going beyond the ridge. +But all our efforts were in vain, for as we advanced they retreated, +and as we drew back they reappeared and renewed their parade and +noisy demonstrations, all the time beating their drums and yelling +lustily. They could not be tempted into a fight where we desired it, +however, and as we felt unequal to any pursuit beyond the ridge +without the assistance of the infantry and artillery, we re-crossed +the river and encamped with Rains. It soon became apparent that the +noisy demonstrations of the Indians were intended only as a blind to +cover the escape of their women and children to a place of safety in +the mountains. + +Next morning we took up our march without crossing the river; and as +our route would lead us by the point on the opposite bank where the +Indians had made their picturesque display the day before, they at an +early hour came over to our side, and rapidly moved ahead of us to +some distant hills, leaving in our pathway some of the more +venturesome young braves, who attempted , to retard our advance by +opening fire at long range from favorable places where they lay +concealed. This fire did us little harm, but it had the effect of +making our progress so slow that the patience of every one but +General Rains was well-nigh exhausted. + +About 2 o'clock in the afternoon we arrived well up near the base of +the range of hills, and though it was growing late we still had time +to accomplish something, but our commanding officer decided that it +was best to go into camp, and make a systematic attack next morning. +I proposed that he let me charge with my dragoons through the narrow +canon where the river broke through the range, while the infantry +should charge up the hill and drive the enemy from the top down on +the other side. In this way I thought we might possibly catch some +of the fugitives, but his extreme caution led him to refuse the +suggestion, so we pitched our tents out of range of their desultory +fire, but near enough to observe plainly their menacing and +tantalizing exhibitions of contempt. + +In addition to firing occasionally, they called us all sorts of bad +names, made indecent gestures, and aggravated us, so that between 3 +and 4 o'clock in the afternoon, by an inexplicable concert of action, +and with a serious breach of discipline, a large number of the men +and many of the officers broke en masse from the camp with loud yells +and charged the offending savages. As soon as this mob got within +musket-shot they opened fire on the Indians, who ran down the other +face of the ridge without making the slightest resistance. The hill +was readily taken by this unmilitary proceeding, and no one was hurt +on either side, but as Rains would not permit it to be held, a large +bonfire was lighted on the crest in celebration of the victory, and +then all hands marched back to camp, where they had no sooner arrived +and got settled down than the Indians returned to the summit of the +ridge, seemingly to enjoy the fire that had been so generously built +for their benefit, and with renewed taunts and gestures continued to +insult us. + +Our camp that night was strongly picketed, and when we awoke in the +morning the Indians still occupied their position on the hill. At +daylight we advanced against them, two or three companies of infantry +moving forward to drive them from the summit, while our main column +passed through the canon into the upper Yakima Valley led by my +dragoons, who were not allowed to charge into the gorge, as the +celerity of such a movement might cause the tactical combination to +fail. + +As we passed slowly and cautiously through the canon the Indians ran +rapidly away, and when we reached the farther end they had entirely +disappeared from our front, except one old fellow, whose lame horse +prevented him keeping up with the main body. This presented an +opportunity for gaining results which all thought should not be lost, +so our guide, an Indian named "Cut-mouth John," seized upon it, and +giving hot chase, soon, overtook the poor creature, whom he speedily +killed without much danger to himself, for the fugitive was armed +with only an old Hudson's Bay flint-lock horse-pistol which could not +be discharged. + +"Cut-mouth John's" engagement began and ended all the fighting that +took place on this occasion, and much disappointment and discontent +followed, Nesmith's mounted force and my dragoons being particularly +disgusted because they had not been "given a chance." During the +remainder of the day we cautiously followed the retreating foe, and +late in the evening went into camp a short distance from Father +Pandoza's Mission; where we were to await a small column of troops +under command of Captain Maurice Maloney, of the Fourth Infantry, +that was to join us from Steilicom by way of the Natchez Pass, and +from which no tidings had as yet been received. + +Next morning the first thing I saw when I put my head out from my +blankets was "Cut-mouth John," already mounted and parading himself +through the camp. The scalp of the Indian he had despatched the day +before was tied to the cross-bar of his bridle bit, the hair dangling +almost to the ground, and John was decked out in the sacred vestments +of Father Pandoza, having, long before any one was stiring in camp, +ransacked the log-cabin at the Mission in which the good man had +lived. John was at all times a most repulsive looking individual, a +part of his mouth having been shot away in a fight with Indians near +Walla Walla some years before, in which a Methodist missionary had +been killed; but his revolting personal appearance was now worse than +ever, and the sacrilegious use of Father Pandoza's vestments, coupled +with the ghastly scalp that hung from his bridle, so turned opinion +against him that he was soon captured, dismounted, and his parade +brought to an abrupt close, and I doubt whether he ever after quite +reinstated himself in the good graces of the command. + +In the course of the day nearly all the men visited the Mission, but +as it had been plundered by the Indians at the outbreak of +hostilities, when Father Pandoza was carried off, little of value was +left about it except a considerable herd of pigs, which the father +with great difficulty had succeeded in accumulating from a very small +beginning. The pigs had not been disturbed by the Indians, but the +straggling troops soon disposed of them, and then turned their +attention to the cabbages and potatoes in the garden, with the +intention, no doubt, of dining that day on fresh pork and fresh +vegetables instead of on salt junk and hard bread, which formed their +regular diet on the march. In digging up the potatoes some one +discovered half a keg of powder, which had been buried in the garden +by the good father to prevent the hostile Indians from getting it to +use against the whites. As soon as this was unearthed wild +excitement ensued, and a cry arose that Father Pandoza was the person +who furnished powder to the Indians; that here was the proof; that at +last the mysterious means by which the Indians obtained ammunition +was explained--and a rush was made for the mission building. This was +a comfortable log-house of good size, built by the Indians for a +school and church, and attached to one end was the log-cabin +residence of the priest. Its destruction was a matter of but a few +moments. A large heap of dry wood was quickly collected and piled in +the building, matches applied, and the whole Mission, including the +priest's house, was soon enveloped in flames, and burned to the +ground before the officers in camp became aware of the disgraceful +plundering in which their men were engaged. + +The commanding officer having received no news from Captain Maloney +during the day, Colonel Nesmith and I were ordered to go to his +rescue, as it was concluded that he had been surrounded by Indians in +the Natchez Pass. We started early the next morning, the snow +falling slightly as we set out, and soon arrived at the eastern mouth +of the Natchez Pass. On the way we noticed an abandoned Indian +village, which had evidently not been occupied for some time. As we +proceeded the storm increased, and the snow-fall became deeper and +deeper, until finally our horses could not travel through it. In +consequence we were compelled to give up further efforts to advance, +and obliged to turn back to the abandoned village, where we encamped +for the night. Near night-fall the storm greatly increased, and our +bivouac became most uncomfortable; but spreading my blankets on the +snow and covering them with Indian matting, I turned in and slept +with that soundness and refreshment accorded by nature to one +exhausted by fatigue. When I awoke in the morning I found myself +under about two feet of snow, from which I arose with difficulty, yet +grateful that it had kept me warm during the night. + +After a cup of coffee and a little hard bread, it was decided we +should return to the main camp near the Mission, for we were now +confident that Maloney was delayed by the snow, and safe enough on +the other side of the mountains. At all events he was beyond aid +from us, for the impassable snowdrifts could not be overcome with the +means in our possession. It turned out that our suppositions as to +the cause of his delay were correct. He had met with the same +difficulties that confronted us, and had been compelled to go into +camp. + +Meanwhile valuable time had been lost, and the Indians, with their +families and stock, were well on their way to the Okenagan country, a +region into which we could not penetrate in the winter season. No +other course was therefore left but to complete the dismal failure of +the expedition by returning home, and our commander readily gave the +order to march back to the Dalles by the "short" route over the +Yakima Mountains. + +As the storm was still unabated, it was evident our march home would +be a most difficult one, and it was deemed advisable to start back at +once, lest we should be blocked up in the mountains by the snows for +a period beyond which our provisions would not last. Relying on the +fact that the short route to the Dalles would lead us over the range +at its most depressed point, where it was hoped the depth of snow was +not yet so great as to make the route impassable, we started with +Colonel Nesmith's battalion in advance to break the road, followed by +my dragoons. In the valley we made rapid progress, but when we +reached the mountain every step we took up its side showed the snow +to be growing deeper and deeper. At last Nesmith reached the summit, +and there found a depth of about six feet of snow covering the +plateau in every direction, concealing all signs of the trail so +thoroughly that his guides became bewildered and took the wrong +divide. The moment I arrived at the top my guide--Donald Mc Kay--who +knew perfectly the whole Yakima range, discovered Nesmith's mistake. +Word was sent to bring him back, but as he had already nearly crossed +the plateau, considerable delay occurred before he returned. When he +arrived we began anew the work of breaking a road for the foot troops +behind us, my detachment now in advance. The deep snow made our work +extremely laborious, exhausting men and horses almost to the point of +relinquishing the struggle, but our desperate situation required that +we should get down into the valley beyond, or run the chance of +perishing on the mountain in a storm which seemed unending. About +midnight the column reached the valley, very tired and hungry, but +much elated over its escape. We had spent a day of the most intense +anxiety, especially those who had had the responsibility of keeping +to the right trail, and been charged with the hard work of breaking +the road for the infantry and artillery through such a depth of snow. + +Our main difficulties were now over, and in due time we reached the +Dalles, where almost everyone connected with the expedition voted it +a wretched failure; indeed, General Rains himself could not think +otherwise, but he scattered far and wide blame for the failure of his +combinations. This, of course, led to criminations and +recriminations, which eventuated in charges of incompetency preferred +against him by Captain Edward O. C. Ord, of the Third Artillery. +Rains met the charges with counter-charges against Ord, whom he +accused of purloining Father Pandoza's shoes, when the soldiers in +their fury about the ammunition destroyed the Mission. At the time +of its destruction a rumor of this nature was circulated through +camp, started by some wag, no doubt in jest; for Ord, who was +somewhat eccentric in his habits, and had started on the expedition +rather indifferently shod in carpet-slippers, here came out in a +brand-new pair of shoes. Of course there was no real foundation for +such a report, but Rains was not above small things, as the bringing +of this petty accusation attests. Neither party was ever tried, for +General John E. Wool the department commander, had not at command a +sufficient number of officers of appropriate rank to constitute a +court in the case of Rains, and the charges against Ord were very +properly ignored on account of their trifling character. + +Shortly after the expedition returned to the Dalles, my detachment +was sent down to Fort Vancouver, and I remained at that post during +the winter of 1855-'56, till late in March. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +AN INDIAN CONFEDERATION--MASSACRE AT THE CASCADES OF THE COLUMBIA- +-PLAN TO RELIEVE THE BLOCKHOUSE--A HAZARDOUS FLANK MOVEMENT--A NEW +METHOD OF ESTABLISHING GUILT--EXECUTION OF THE INDIAN MURDERERS. + +The failure of the Haller expedition from lack of a sufficient force, +and of the Rains expedition from the incompetency of its commander, +was a great mortification to the officers and men connected with +them, and, taken together, had a marked effect upon the Indian +situation in Oregon and Washington Territories at that particular +era. Besides, it led to further complications and troubles, for it +had begun to dawn upon the Indians that the whites wanted to come in +and dispossess them of their lands and homes, and the failures of +Haller and Rains fostered the belief with the Indians that they could +successfully resist the pressure of civilization. + +Acting under these influences, the Spokanes, Walla Wallas, Umatillas, +and Nez Perces cast their lot with the hostiles, and all the savage +inhabitants of the region east of the Cascade Range became involved +in a dispute as to whether the Indians or the Government should +possess certain sections of the country, which finally culminated in +the war of 1856. + +Partly to meet the situation that was approaching, the Ninth Infantry +had been sent out from the Atlantic coast to Washington Territory, +and upon its arrival at Fort Vancouver encamped in front of the +officers' quarters, on the beautiful parade-ground of that post, and +set about preparing for the coming campaign. The commander, Colonel +George Wright, who had been promoted to the colonelcy of the regiment +upon its organization the previous year, had seen much active duty +since his graduation over thirty years before, serving with credit in +the Florida and Mexican wars. For the three years previous to his +assignment to the Ninth Infantry he had been stationed on the Pacific +coast, and the experience he had there acquired, added to his +excellent soldierly qualities, was of much benefit in the active +campaigns in which, during the following years, he was to +participate. Subsequently his career was brought to an untimely +close when, nine years after this period, as he was returning to the +scene of his successes, he, in common with many others was drowned by +the wreck of the ill-fated steamer Brother Jonathan. Colonel Wright +took command of the district in place of Rains, and had been at +Vancouver but a short time before he realized that it would be +necessary to fight the confederated tribes east of the Cascade Range +of mountains, in order to disabuse them of the idea that they were +sufficiently strong to cope with the power of the Government. He +therefore at once set about the work of organizing and equipping his +troops for a start in the early spring against the hostile Indians, +intending to make the objective point of his expedition the heart of +the Spokane country on the Upper Columbia River, as the head and +front of the confederation was represented in the person of old +Cammiackan, chief of the Spokanes. + +The regiment moved from Fort Vancouver by boat, March 25, 1856, and +landed at the small town called the Dalles, below the mouth of the +Des Chutes River at the eastern base of the Cascade Range, and just +above where the Columbia River enters those mountains. This +rendezvous was to be the immediate point of departure, and all the +troops composing the expedition were concentrated there. + +On the morning of March 26 the movement began, but the column had +only reached Five Mile Creek when the Yakimas, joined by many young +warriors-free lances from other tribes, made a sudden and unexpected +attack at the Cascades of the Columbia, midway between Vancouver and +the Dalles, killed several citizens, women and children, and took +possession of the Portage by besieging the settlers in their cabins +at the Upper Cascades, and those who sought shelter at the Middle +Cascades in the old military block-house, which had been built some +years before as a place of refuge under just such circumstances. +These points held out, and were not captured, but the landing at the +Lower Cascades fell completely into the hands of the savages. +Straggling settlers from the Lower Cascades made their way down to +Fort Vancouver, distant about thirty-six miles, which they reached +that night; and communicated the condition of affairs. As the +necessity for early relief to the settlers and the re-establishment +of communication with the Dalles were apparent, all the force that +could be spared was ordered out, and in consequence I immediately +received directions to go with my detachment of dragoons, numbering +about forty effective men, to the relief of the middle blockhouse, +which really meant to retake the Cascades. I got ready at once, and +believing that a piece of artillery would be of service to me, asked +for one, but as there proved to be no guns at the post, I should have +been obliged to proceed without one had it not been that the regular +steamer from San Francisco to Portland was lying at the Vancouver +dock unloading military supplies, and the commander, Captain Dall, +supplied me with the steamer's small iron cannon, mounted on a wooden +platform, which he used in firing salutes at different ports on the +arrival and departure of the vessel. Finding at the arsenal a supply +of solid shot that would fit the gun, I had it put upon the steamboat +Belle, employed to carry my command to the scene of operations, and +started up the Columbia River at 2 A.M. on the morning of the 27th. +We reached the Lower Cascades early in the day, where, selecting a +favorable place for the purpose, I disembarked my men and gun on the +north bank of the river, so that I could send back the steamboat to +bring up any volunteer assistance that in the mean time might have +been collected at Vancouver. + +The Columbia River was very high at the time, and the water had +backed up into the slough about the foot of the Lower Cascades to +such a degree that it left me only a narrow neck of firm ground to +advance over toward the point occupied by the Indians. On this neck +of land the hostiles had taken position, as I soon learned by +frequent shots, loud shouting, and much blustering; they, by the most +exasperating yells and indecent exhibitions, daring me to the +contest. + +After getting well in hand everything connected with my little +command, I advanced with five or six men to the edge of a growth of +underbrush to make a reconnoissance. We stole along under cover of +this underbrush until we reached the open ground leading over the +causeway or narrow neck before mentioned, when the enemy opened fire +and killed a soldier near my side by a shot which, just grazing the +bridge of my nose, struck him in the neck, opening an artery and +breaking the spinal cord. He died instantly. The Indians at once +made a rush for the body, but my men in the rear, coming quickly to +the rescue, drove them back; and Captain Doll's gun being now brought +into play, many solid shot were thrown into the jungle where they lay +concealed, with the effect of considerably moderating their +impetuosity. Further skirmishing at long range took place at +intervals during the day, with little gain or loss, however, to +either side, for both parties held positions which could not be +assailed in flank, and only the extreme of rashness in either could +prompt a front attack. My left was protected by the back water +driven into the slough by the high stage of the river, and my right +rested secure on the main stream. Between us was only the narrow +neck of land, to cross which would be certain death. The position of +the Indians was almost the exact counterpart of ours. + +In the evening I sent a report of the situation back to Vancouver by +the steamboat, retaining a large Hudson's Bay bateau which I had +brought up with me. Examining this I found it would carry about +twenty men, and made up my mind that early next morning I would cross +the command to the opposite or south side of the Columbia River, and +make my way up along the mountain base until I arrived abreast the +middle blockhouse, which was still closely besieged, and then at some +favorable point recross to the north bank to its relief, endeavoring +in this manner to pass around and to the rear of the Indians, whose +position confronting me was too strong for a direct attack. This +plan was hazardous, but I believed it could be successfully carried +out if the boat could be taken with me; but should I not be able to +do this I felt that the object contemplated in sending me out would +miserably fail, and the small band cooped up at the block-house would +soon starve or fall a prey to the Indians, so I concluded to risk all +the chances the plan involved. + +On the morning of March 28 the savages were still in my front, and +after giving them some solid shot from Captain Dall's gun we slipped +down to the river-bank, and the detachment crossed by means of the +Hudson's Bay boat, making a landing on the opposite shore at a point +where the south channel of the river, after flowing around Bradford's +Island, joins the main stream. It was then about 9 o'clock, and +everything had thus far proceeded favorably, but examination of the +channel showed that it would be impossible to get the boat up the +rapids along the mainland, and that success could only be assured by +crossing the south channel just below the rapids to the island, along +the shore of which there was every probability we could pull the boat +through the rocks and swift water until the head of the rapids was +reached, from which point to the block-house there was smooth water. +Telling the men of the embarrassment in which I found myself, and +that if I could get enough of them to man the boat and pull it up the +stream by a rope to the shore we would cross to the island and make +the attempt, all volunteered to go, but as ten men seemed sufficient +I selected that number to accompany me. Before starting, however, I +deemed it prudent to find out if possible what was engaging the +attention of the Indians, who had not yet discovered that we had left +their front. I therefore climbed up the side of the abrupt mountain +which skirted the water's edge until I could see across the island. +>From this point I observed the Indians running horse-races and +otherwise enjoying themselves behind the line they had held against +me the day before. The squaws decked out in gay colors, and the men +gaudily dressed in war bonnets, made the scene most attractive, but +as everything looked propitious for the dangerous enterprise in hand +I spent little time watching them. Quickly returning to the boat, I +crossed to the island with my ten men, threw ashore the rope attached +to the bow, and commenced the difficult task of pulling her up the +rapids. We got along slowly at first, but soon striking a camp of +old squaws who had been left on the island for safety, and had not +gone over to the mainland to see the races, we utilized them to our +advantage. With unmistakable threats and signs we made them not only +keep quiet, but also give us much needed assistance in pulling +vigorously on the towrope of our boat. + +I was laboring under a dreadful strain of mental anxiety during all +this time, for had the Indians discovered what we were about, they +could easily have come over to the island in their canoes, and, by +forcing us to take up our arms to repel their attack, doubtless would +have obliged the abandonment of the boat, and that essential adjunct +to the final success of my plan would have gone down the rapids. +Indeed, under such circumstances, it would have been impossible for +ten men to hold out against the two or three hundred Indians; but the +island forming an excellent screen to our movements, we were not +discovered, and when we reached the smooth water at the upper end of +the rapids we quickly crossed over and joined the rest of the men, +who in the meantime had worked their way along the south bank of the +river parallel with us. I felt very grateful to the old squaws for +the assistance they rendered. They worked well under compulsion, and +manifested no disposition to strike for higher wages. Indeed, I was +so much relieved when we had crossed over from the island and joined +the rest of the party, that I mentally thanked the squaws one and +all. I had much difficulty in keeping the men on the main shore from +cheering at our success, but hurriedly taking into the bateau all of +them it could carry, I sent the balance along the southern bank, +where the railroad is now built, until both detachments arrived at a +point opposite the block-house, when, crossing to the north bank, I +landed below the blockhouse some little distance, and returned the +boat for the balance of the men, who joined me in a few minutes. + +When the Indians attacked the people at the Cascades on the 26th, +word was sent to Colonel Wright, who had already got out from the +Dalles a few miles on his expedition to the Spokane country. He +immediately turned his column back, and soon after I had landed and +communicated with the beleaguered block-house the advance of his +command arrived under LieutenantColonel Edward J. Steptoe. I +reported to Steptoe, and related what had occurred during the past +thirty-six hours, gave him a description of the festivities that were +going on at the lower Cascades, and also communicated the +intelligence that the Yakimas had been joined by the Cascade Indians +when the place was first attacked. I also told him it was my belief +that when he pushed down the main shore the latter tribe without +doubt would cross over to the island we had just left, while the +former would take to the mountains. Steptoe coincided with me in +this opinion, and informing me that Lieutenant Alexander Piper would +join my detachment with a mountain' howitzer, directed me to convey +the command to the island and gobble up all who came over to it. + +Lieutenant Piper and I landed on the island with the first boatload, +and after disembarking the howitzer we fired two or three shots to +let the Indians know we had artillery with us, then advanced down the +island with the whole of my command, which had arrived in the mean +time; all of the men were deployed as skirmishers except a small +detachment to operate the howitzer. Near the lower end of the island +we met, as I had anticipated, the entire body of Cascade Indianmen, +women, and children--whose homes were in the vicinity of the +Cascades. They were very much frightened and demoralized at the turn +events had taken, for the Yakimas at the approach of Steptoe had +abandoned them, as predicted, and fled to the mountians. The chief +and head-men said they had had nothing to do with the capture of the +Cascades, with the murder of men at the upper landing, nor with the +massacre of men, women, and children near the block-house, and put +all the blame on the Yakimas and their allies. I did not believe +this, however, and to test the truth of their statement formed them +all in line with their muskets in hand. Going up to the first man on +the right I accused him of having engaged in the massacre, but was +met by a vigorous denial. Putting my forefinger into the muzzle of +his gun, I found unmistakable signs of its having been recently +discharged. My finger was black with the stains of burnt powder, and +holding it up to the Indian, he had nothing more to say in the face +of such positive evidence of his guilt. A further examination proved +that all the guns were in the same condition. Their arms were at +once taken possession of, and leaving a small, force to look after +the women and children and the very old men, so that there could be +no possibility of escape, I arrested thirteen of the principal +miscreants, crossed the river to the lower landing, and placed them +in charge of a strong guard. + +Late in the evening the steamboat, which I had sent back to +Vancouver, returned, bringing to my assistance from Vancouver, +Captain Henry D. Wallen's company of the Fourth Infantry and a +company of volunteers hastily organized at Portland, but as the +Cascades had already been retaken, this reinforcement was too late to +participate in the affair. The volunteers from Portland, however, +were spoiling for a fight, and in the absence of other opportunity +desired to shoot the prisoners I held (who, they alleged, had killed +a man named Seymour), and proceeded to make their arrangements to do +so, only desisting on being informed that the Indians were my +prisoners, subject to the orders of Colonel Wright, and would be +protected to the last by my detachment. Not long afterward Seymour +turned up safe and sound, having fled at the beginning of the attack +on the Cascades, and hid somewhere in the thick underbrush until the +trouble was over, and then made his way back to the settlement. The +next day I turned my prisoners over to Colonel Wright, who had them +marched to the upper landing of the Cascades, where, after a trial by +a military commission, nine of them were sentenced to death and duly +hanged. I did not see them executed, but was afterward informed +that, in the absence of the usual mechanical apparatus used on such +occasions, a tree with a convenient limb under which two empty +barrels were placed, one on top of the other, furnished a rude but +certain substitute. In executing the sentence each Indian in turn +was made to stand on the top barrel, and after the noose was adjusted +the lower barrel was knocked away, and the necessary drop thus +obtained. In this way the whole nine were punished. Just before +death they all acknowledged their guilt by confessing their +participation in the massacre at the block-house, and met their doom +with the usual stoicism of their race. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +MISDIRECTED VENGEANCE--HONORABLE MENTION--CHANGE OF COMMAND--EDUCATED +OXEN--FEEDING THE INDIANS--PURCHASING A BURYING-GROUND--KNOWING RATS. + +While still encamped at the lower landing, some three or four days +after the events last recounted, Mr. Joseph Meek, an old frontiersman +and guide for emigrant trains through the mountains, came down from +the Dalles, on his way to Vancouver, and stopped at my camp to +inquire if an Indian named Spencer and his family had passed down to +Vancouver since my arrival at the Cascades. Spencer, the head of the +family, was a very influential, peaceable Chinook chief, whom Colonel +Wright had taken with him from Fort Vancouver as an interpreter and +mediator with the Spokanes and other hostile tribes, against which +his campaign was directed. He was a good, reliable Indian, and on +leaving Vancouver to join Colonel Wright, took his family along, to +remain with relatives and friends at Fort Dalles until the return of +the expedition. When Wright was compelled to retrace his steps on +account of the capture of the Cascades, this family for some reason +known only to Spencer, was started by him down the river to their +home at Vancouver. + +Meek, on seeing the family leave the Dalles, had some misgivings as +to their safe arrival at their destination, because of the excited +condition of the people about the Cascades; but Spencer seemed to +think that his own peaceable and friendly reputation, which was +widespread, would protect them; so he parted from his wife and +children with little apprehension as to their safety. In reply to +Meek's question, I stated that I had not seen Spencer's family, when +he remarked, "Well, I fear that they are gone up," a phrase used in +that country in early days to mean that they had been killed. I +questioned him closely, to elicit further information, but no more +could be obtained; for Meek, either through ignorance or the usual +taciturnity of his class, did not explain more fully, and when the +steamer that had brought the reinforcement started down the river, he +took passage for Vancouver, to learn definitely if the Indian family +had reached that point. I at once sent to the upper landing, distant +about six miles, to make inquiry in regard to the matter, and in a, +little time my messenger returned with the information that the +family had reached that place the day before, and finding that we had +driven the hostiles off, continued their journey on foot toward my +camp, from which point they expected to go by steamer down the river +to Vancouver. + +Their non-arrival aroused in me suspicions of foul play, so with all +the men I could spare, and accompanied by Lieutenant William T. +Welcker, of the Ordnance Corps--a warm and intimate friend--I went in +search of the family, deploying the men as skirmishers across the +valley, and marching them through the heavy forest where the ground +was covered with fallen timber and dense underbrush, in order that no +point might escape our attention. The search was continued between +the base of the mountain and the river without finding any sign of +Spencer's family, until about 3 o'clock in the afternoon, when we +discovered them between the upper and lower landing, in a small open +space about a mile from the road, all dead--strangled to death with +bits of rope. The party consisted of the mother, two youths, three +girls, and a baby. They had all been killed by white men, who had +probably met the innocent creatures somewhere near the blockhouse, +driven them from the road into the timber, where the cruel murders +were committed without provocation, and for no other purpose than the +gratification of the inordinate hatred of the Indian that has often +existed on the frontier, and which on more than one occasion has +failed to distinguish friend from foe. The bodies lay in a +semicircle, and the bits of rope with which the poor wretches had +been strangled to death were still around their necks. Each piece of +rope--the unwound strand of a heavier piece--was about two feet long, +and encircled the neck of its victim with a single knot, that must +have been drawn tight by the murderers pulling at the ends. As there +had not been quite enough rope to answer for all, the babe was +strangled by means of a red silk handkerchief, taken, doubtless, from +the neck of its mother. It was a distressing sight. A most cruel +outrage had been committed upon unarmed people--our friends and +allies--in a spirit of aimless revenge. The perpetrators were +citizens living near the middle block-house, whose wives and children +had been killed a few days before by the hostiles, but who well knew +that these unoffending creatures had had nothing to do with those +murders. + +In my experience I have been obliged to look upon many cruel scenes +in connection with Indian warfare on the Plains since that day, but +the effect of this dastardly and revolting crime has never been +effaced from my memory. Greater and more atrocious massacres have +been committed often by Indians; their savage nature modifies one's +ideas, however, as to the inhumanity of their acts, but when such +wholesale murder as this is done by whites, and the victims not only +innocent, but helpless, no defense can be made for those who +perpetrated the crime, if they claim to be civilized beings. It is +true the people at the Cascades had suffered much, and that their +wives and children had been murdered before their eyes, but to wreak +vengeance on Spencer's unoffending family, who had walked into their +settlement under the protection of a friendly alliance, was an +unparalleled outrage which nothing can justify or extenuate. With as +little delay as possible after the horrible discovery, I returned to +camp, had boxes made, and next day buried the bodies of these hapless +victims of misdirected vengeance. + +The summary punishment inflicted on the nine Indians, in their trial +and execution, had a most salutary effect on the confederation, and +was the entering wedge to its disintegration; and though Colonel +Wright's campaign continued during the summer and into the early +winter, the subjugation of the allied bands became a comparatively +easy matter after the lesson taught the renegades who were captured +at the Cascades. My detachment did not accompany Colonel Wright, but +remained for some time at the Cascades, and while still there General +Wool came up from San Francisco to take a look into the condition of +things. From his conversation with me in reference to the affair at +the Cascades, I gathered that he was greatly pleased at the service I +had performed, and I afterward found that his report of my conduct +had so favorably impressed General Scott that that distinguished +officer complimented me from the headquarters of the army in general +orders. + +General Wool, while personally supervising matters on the Columbia +River, directed a redistribution to some extent of the troops in the +district, and shortly before his return to San Francisco I was +ordered with my detachment of dragoons to take station on the Grande +Ronde Indian Reservation in Yamhill County, Oregon, about twenty-five +miles southwest of Dayton, and to relieve from duty at that point +Lieutenant William B. Hazen--late brigadier-general and chief signal +officer--who had established a camp there some time before. I +started for my new station on April 21, and marching by way of +Portland and Oregon City, arrived at Hazen's camp April 25. The camp +was located in the Coast range of mountains, on the northeast part of +the reservation, to which last had been added a section of country +that was afterward known as the Siletz reservation. The whole body +of land set aside went under the general name of the "Coast +reservation," from its skirting the Pacific Ocean for some distance +north of Yaquina Bay, and the intention was to establish within its +bounds permanent homes for such Indians as might be removed to it. +In furtherance of this idea, and to relieve northern California and +southwestern Oregon from the roaming, restless bands that kept the +people of those sections in a state of constant turmoil, many of the +different tribes, still under control but liable to take part in +warfare, were removed to the reservation, so that they might be away +from the theatre of hostilities. + +When I arrived I found that the Rogue River Indians had just been +placed upon the reservation, and subsequently the Coquille, Klamath, +Modocs, and remnants of the Chinooks were collected there also, the +home of the latter being in the Willamette Valley. The number all +told amounted to some thousands, scattered over the entire Coast +reservation, but about fifteen hundred were located at the Grande +Ronde under charge of an agent, Mr. John F. Miller, a sensible, +practical man, who left the entire police control to the military, +and attended faithfully to the duty of settling the Indians in the +work of cultivating the soil. + +As the place was to be occupied permanently, Lieutenant Hazen had +begun, before my arrival, the erection of buildings for the shelter +of his command, and I continued the work of constructing the post as +laid out by him. In those days the Government did not provide very +liberally for sheltering its soldiers; and officers and men were +frequently forced to eke out parsimonious appropriations by toilsome +work or go without shelter in most inhospitable regions. Of course +this post was no exception to the general rule, and as all hands were +occupied in its construction, and I the only officer present, I was +kept busily employed in supervising matters, both as commandant and +quartermaster, until July, when Captain D. A. Russell, of the Fourth +Infantry, was ordered to take command, and I was relieved from the +first part of my duties. + +About this time my little detachment parted from me, being ordered to +join a company of the First Dragoons, commanded by Captain Robert +Williams, as it passed up the country from California by way of +Yamhill. I regretted exceedingly to see them go, for their faithful +work and gallant service had endeared every man to me by the +strongest ties. Since I relieved Lieutenant Hood on Pit River, +nearly a twelvemonth before, they had been my constant companions, +and the zeal with which they had responded to every call I made on +them had inspired in my heart a deep affection that years have not +removed. When I relieved Hood--a dragoon officer of their own +regiment--they did not like the change, and I understood that they +somewhat contemptuously expressed this in more ways than one, in +order to try the temper of the new "Leftenant," but appreciative and +unremitting care, together with firm and just discipline, soon +quieted all symptoms of dissatisfaction and overcame all prejudice. +The detachment had been made up of details from the different +companies of the regiment in order to give Williamson a mounted +force, and as it was usual, under such circumstances, for every +company commander to shove into the detail he was called upon to +furnish the most troublesome and insubordinate individuals of his +company, I had some difficulty, when first taking command, in +controlling such a medley of recalcitrants; but by forethought for +them and their wants, and a strict watchfulness for their rights and +comfort, I was able in a short time to make them obedient and the +detachment cohesive. In the past year they had made long and +tiresome marches, forded swift mountain streams, constructed rafts of +logs or bundles of dry reeds to ferry our baggage, swum deep rivers, +marched on foot to save their worn-out and exhausted animals, climbed +mountains, fought Indians, and in all and everything had done the +best they could for the service and their commander. The disaffected +feeling they entertained when I first assumed command soon wore away, +and in its place came a confidence and respect which it gives me the +greatest pleasure to remember, for small though it was, this was my +first cavalry command. They little thought, when we were in the +mountains of California and Oregon--nor did I myself then dream--that +but a few years were to elapse before it would be my lot again to +command dragoons, this time in numbers so vast as of themselves to +compose almost an army. + +Shortly after the arrival of Captain Russell a portion of the Indians +at the Grande Ronde reservation were taken down the coast to the +Siletz reservation, and I was transferred temporarily to Fort +Haskins, on the latter reserve, and assigned to the duty of +completing it and building a blockhouse for the police control of the +Indians placed there. + +While directing this work, I undertook to make a road across the +coast mountains from King's Valley to the Siletz, to shorten the haul +between the two points by a route I had explored. I knew there were +many obstacles in the way, but the gain would be great if we could +overcome them, so I set to work with the enthusiasm of a young path- +finder. The point at which the road was to cross the range was rough +and precipitous, but the principal difficulty in making it would be +from heavy timber on the mountains that had been burned over years +and years before, until nothing was left but limbless trunks of dead +trees--firs and pines--that had fallen from time to time until the +ground was matted with huge logs from five to eight feet in diameter. +These could not be chopped with axes nor sawed by any ordinary means, +therefore we had to burn them into suitable lengths, and drag the +sections to either side of the roadway with from four to six yoke of +oxen. + +The work was both tedious and laborious, but in time perseverance +surmounted all obstacles and the road was finished, though its grades +were very steep. As soon as it was completed, I wished to +demonstrate its value practically, so I started a Government wagon +over it loaded with about fifteen hundred pounds of freight drawn by +six yoke of oxen, and escorted by a small detachment of soldiers. +When it had gone about seven miles the sergeant in charge came back +to the post and reported his inability to get any further. Going out +to the scene of difficulty I found the wagon at the base of a steep +hill, stalled. Taking up a whip myself, I directed the men to lay on +their gads, for each man had supplied himself with a flexible hickory +withe in the early stages of the trip, to start the team, but this +course did not move the wagon nor have much effect on the demoralized +oxen; but following as a last resort an example I heard of on a +former occasion, that brought into use the rough language of the +country, I induced the oxen to move with alacrity, and the wagon and +contents were speedily carried to the summit. The whole trouble was +at once revealed: the oxen had been broken and trained by a man who, +when they were in a pinch, had encouraged them by his frontier +vocabulary, and they could not realize what was expected of them +under extraordinary conditions until they heard familiar and possibly +profanely urgent phrases. I took the wagon to its destination, but +as it was not brought back, even in all the time I was stationed in +that country, I think comment on the success of my road is +unnecessary. + +I spent many happy months at Fort Haskins, remaining there until the +post was nearly completed and its garrison increased by the arrival +of Captain F. T. Dent--a brother-in-law of Captain Ulysses S. Grant-- +with his company of the Fourth Infantry, in April, 1857. In the +summer of 1856, and while I was still on duty there, the Coquille +Indians on the Siletz, and down near the Yaquina Bay, became, on +account of hunger and prospective starvation, very much excited and +exasperated, getting beyond the control of their agent, and even +threatening his life, so a detachment of troops was sent out to set +things to rights, and I took command of it. I took with me most of +the company, and arrived at Yaquina Bay in time to succor the agent, +who for some days had been besieged in a log hut by the Indians and +had almost abandoned hope of rescue. + +Having brought with me over the mountains a few head of beef cattle +for the hungry Indians, without thinking of running any great +personal risk I had six beeves killed some little distance from my +camp, guarding the meat with four Soldiers, whom I was obliged to +post as sentinels around the small area on which the carcasses lay. +The Indians soon formed a circle about the sentinels, and impelled by +starvation, attempted to take the beef before it could be equally +divided. This was of course resisted, when they drew their knives-- +their guns having been previously taken away from them--and some of +the inferior chiefs gave the signal to attack. The principal chief, +Tetootney John, and two other Indians joined me in the centre of the +circle, and protesting that they would die rather than that the +frenzied onslaught should succeed, harangued the Indians until the +rest of the company hastened up from camp and put an end to the +disturbance. I always felt grateful to Tetootney John for his +loyalty on this occasion, and many times afterward aided his family +with a little coffee and sugar, but necessarily surreptitiously, so +as not to heighten the prejudices that his friendly act had aroused +among his Indian comrades. + +The situation at Yaquina Bay did not seem very safe, notwithstanding +the supply of beef we brought; and the possibility that the starving +Indians might break out was ever present, so to anticipate any +further revolt, I called for more troops. The request was complied +with by sending to my assistance the greater part of my own company +("K")from Fort Yamhill. The men, inspired by the urgency of our +situation, marched more than forty miles a day, accomplishing the +whole distance in so short a period, that I doubt if the record has +ever been beaten. When this reinforcement arrived, the Indians saw +the futility of further demonstrations against their agent, who they +seemed to think was responsible for the insufficiency of food, and +managed to exist with the slender rations we could spare and such +indifferent food as they could pick up, until the Indian Department +succeeded in getting up its regular supplies. In the past the poor +things had often been pinched by hunger and neglect, and at times +their only food was rock oysters, clams and crabs. Great quantities +of these shell-fish could be gathered in the bay near at hand, but +the mountain Indians, who had heretofore lived on the flesh of +mammal, did not take kindly to mollusks, and, indeed, ate the shell- +fish only as a last resort. + +Crab catching at night on the Yaquina Bay by the coast Indians was a +very picturesque scene. It was mostly done by the squaws and +children, each equipped with a torch in one hand, and a sharp-pointed +stick in the other to take and lift the fish into baskets slung on +the back to receive them. I have seen at times hundreds of squaws +and children wading about in Yaquina Bay taking crabs in this manner, +and the reflection by the water of the light from the many torches, +with the movements of the Indians while at work, formed a weird and +diverting picture of which we were never tired. + +Not long after the arrival of the additional troops from Yamhill, it +became apparent that the number of men at Yaquina Bay would have to +be reduced, so in view of this necessity, it was deemed advisable to +build a block-house for the better protection of the agents and I +looked about for suitable ground on which to erect it. Nearly all +around the bay the land rose up from the beach very abruptly, and the +only good site that could be found was some level ground used as the +burial-place of the Yaquina Bay Indians--a small band of fish-eating +people who had lived near this point on the coast for ages. They +were a robust lot, of tall and well-shaped figures, and were called +in the Chinook tongue "salt chuck," which means fish-eaters, or +eaters of food from the salt water. Many of the young men and women +were handsome in feature below the forehead, having fine eyes, +aquiline noses and good mouths, but, in conformity with a long- +standing custom, all had flat heads, which gave them a distorted and +hideous appearance, particularly some of the women, who went to the +extreme of fashion and flattened the head to the rear in a sharp +horizontal ridge by confining it between two boards, one running back +from the forehead at an angle of about forty degrees, and the other +up perpendicularly from the back of the neck. When a head had been +shaped artistically the dusky maiden owner was marked as a belle, and +one could become reconciled to it after a time, but when carelessness +and neglect had governed in the adjustment of the boards, there +probably was nothing in the form of a human being on the face of the +earth that appeared so ugly. + +It was the mortuary ground of these Indians that occupied the only +level spot we could get for the block-house. Their dead were buried +in canoes, which rested in the crotches of forked sticks a few feet +above-ground. The graveyard was not large, containing probably from +forty to fifty canoes in a fair state of preservation. According to +the custom of all Indian tribes on the Pacific coast, when one of +their number died all his worldly effects were buried with him, so +that the canoes were filled with old clothes, blankets, pieces of +calico and the like, intended for the use of the departed in the +happy hunting grounds. + +I made known to the Indians that we would have to take this piece of +ground for the blockhouse. They demurred at first, for there is +nothing more painful to an Indian than disturbing his dead, but they +finally consented to hold a council next day on the beach, and thus +come to some definite conclusion. Next morning they all assembled, +and we talked in the Chinook language all day long, until at last +they gave in, consenting, probably, as much because they could not +help themselves, as for any other reason. It was agreed that on the +following day at 12 o'clock, when the tide was going out, I should +take my men and place the canoes in the bay, and let them float out +on the tide across the ocean to the happy hunting-grounds: + +At that day there existed in Oregon in vast numbers a species of +wood-rat, and our inspection of the graveyard showed that the canoes +were thickly infested with them. They were a light gray animal, +larger than the common gray squirrel, with beautiful bushy tails, +which made them strikingly resemble the squirrel, but in cunning and +deviltry they were much ahead of that quick-witted rodent. I have +known them to empty in one night a keg of spikes in the storehouse in +Yamhill, distributing them along the stringers of the building, with +apparently no other purpose than amusement. We anticipated great fun +watching the efforts of these rats to escape the next day when the +canoes should be launched on the ocean, and I therefore forbade any +of the command to visit the graveyard in the interim, lest the rats +should be alarmed. I well knew that they would not be disturbed by +the Indians, who held the sacred spot in awe. When the work of +taking down the canoes and carrying them to the water began, +expectation was on tiptoe, but, strange as it may seem, not a rat was +to be seen. This unexpected development was mystifying. They had +all disappeared; there was not one in any of the canoes, as +investigation proved, for disappointment instigated a most thorough +search. The Indians said the rats understood Chinook, and that as +they had no wish to accompany the dead across the ocean to the happy +hunting-grounds, they took to the woods for safety. However that may +be, I have no doubt that the preceding visits to the burial-ground, +and our long talk of the day before, with the unusual stir and +bustle, had so alarmed the rats that, impelled, by their suspicious +instincts, they fled a danger, the nature of which they could not +anticipate, but which they felt to be none the less real and +impending. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +LEARNING THE CHINOOK LANGUAGE--STRANGE INDIAN CUSTOMS--THEIR DOCTORS- +-SAM PATCH--THE MURDER OF A WOMAN--IN A TIGHT PLACE--SURPRISING THE +INDIANS--CONFLICTING REPORTS OF THE BATTLE OF BULL RUN--SECESSION +QUESTION IN CALIFORNIA--APPOINTED A CAPTAIN--TRANSFERRED TO THE EAST. + +The troubles at the Siletz and Yaquina Bay were settled without +further excitement by the arrival in due time of plenty of food, and +as the buildings, at Fort Haskins were so near completion that my +services as quartermaster were no longer needed, I was ordered to +join my own company at Fort Yamhill, where Captain Russell was still +in command. I returned to that place in May, 1857, and at a period a +little later, in consequence of the close of hostilities in southern +Oregon, the Klamaths and Modocs were sent back to their own country, +to that section in which occurred, in 1873, the disastrous war with +the latter tribe. This reduced considerably the number of Indians at +the Grande Ronde, but as those remaining were still somewhat unruly, +from the fact that many questions requiring adjustment were +constantly arising between the different bands, the agent and the +officers at the post were kept pretty well occupied. Captain Russell +assigned to me the special work of keeping up the police control, and +as I had learned at an early day to speak Chinook (the "court +language" among the coast tribes) almost as well as the Indians +themselves, I was thereby enabled to steer my way successfully on +many critical occasions. + +For some time the most disturbing and most troublesome element we had +was the Rogue River band. For three or four years they had fought +our troops obstinately, and surrendered at the bitter end in the +belief that they were merely overpowered, not conquered. They openly +boasted to the other Indians that they could whip the soldiers, and +that they did not wish to follow the white man's ways, continuing +consistently their wild habits, unmindful of all admonitions. +Indeed, they often destroyed their household utensils, tepees and +clothing, and killed their horses on the graves of the dead, in the +fulfillment of a superstitious custom, which demanded that they +should undergo, while mourning for their kindred, the deepest +privation in a property sense. Everything the loss of which would +make them poor was sacrificed on the graves of their relatives or +distinguished warriors, and as melancholy because of removal from +their old homes caused frequent deaths, there was no lack of occasion +for the sacrifices. The widows and orphans of the dead warriors were +of course the chief mourners, and exhibited their grief in many +peculiar ways. I remember one in particular which was universally +practiced by the near kinsfolk. They would crop their hair very +close, and then cover the head with a sort of hood or plaster of +black pitch, the composition being clay, pulverized charcoal, and the +resinous gum which exudes from the pine-tree. The hood, nearly an +inch in thickness, was worn during a period of mourning that lasted +through the time it would take nature, by the growth of the hair, +actually to lift from the head the heavy covering of pitch after it +had become solidified and hard as stone. It must be admitted that +they underwent considerable discomfort in memory of their relatives. +It took all the influence we could bring to bear to break up these +absurdly superstitious practices, and it looked as if no permanent +improvement could be effected, for as soon as we got them to discard +one, another would be invented. When not allowed to burn down their +tepees or houses, those poor souls who were in a dying condition +would be carried out to the neighboring hillsides just before +dissolution, and there abandoned to their sufferings, with little or +no attention, unless the placing under their heads of a small stick +of wood--with possibly some laudable object, but doubtless great +discomfort to their victim--might be considered such. + +To uproot these senseless and monstrous practices was indeed most +difficult. The most pernicious of all was one which was likely to +bring about tragic results. They believed firmly in a class of +doctors among their people who professed that they could procure the +illness of an individual at will, and that by certain incantations +they could kill or cure the sick person. Their faith in this +superstition was so steadfast that there was no doubting its +sincerity, many indulging at times in the most trying privations, +that their relatives might be saved from death at the hands of the +doctors. I often talked with them on the subject, and tried to +reason them out of the superstitious belief, defying the doctors to +kill me, or even make me ill; but my talks were unavailing, and they +always met my arguments with the remark that I was a white man, of a +race wholly different from the red man, and that that was the reason +the medicine of the doctors would not affect me. These villainous +doctors might be either men or women, and any one of them finding an +Indian ill, at once averred that his influence was the cause, +offering at the same time to cure the invalid for a fee, which +generally amounted to about all the ponies his family possessed. If +the proposition was accepted and the fee paid over, the family, in +case the man died, was to have indemnity through the death of the +doctor, who freely promised that they might take his life in such +event, relying on his chances of getting protection from the furious +relatives by fleeing to the military post till time had so assuaged +their grief that matters could be compromised or settled by a +restoration of a part of the property, when the rascally leeches +could again resume their practice. Of course the services of a +doctor were always accepted when an Indian fell ill; otherwise the +invalid's death would surely ensue, brought about by the evil +influence that was unpropitiated. Latterly it had become quite the +thing, when a patient died, for the doctor to flee to our camp--it +was so convenient and so much safer than elsewhere--and my cellar was +a favorite place of refuge from the infuriated friends of the +deceased. + +Among the most notable of these doctors was an Indian named Sam +Patch, who several times sought asylum in any cellar, and being a +most profound diplomat, managed on each occasion and with little +delay to negotiate a peaceful settlement and go forth in safety to +resume the practice of his nefarious profession. I often hoped he +would be caught before reaching the post, but he seemed to know +intuitively when the time had come to take leg-bail, for his advent +at the garrison generally preceded by but a few hours the death of +some poor dupe. + +Finally these peculiar customs brought about the punishment of a +noted doctress of the Rogue River tribe, a woman who was constantly +working in this professional way, and who had found a victim of such +prominence among the Rogue Rivers that his unlooked for death brought +down on her the wrath of all. She had made him so ill, they +believed, as to bring him to death's door notwithstanding the many +ponies that had been given her to cease the incantations, and it was +the conviction of all that she had finally caused the man's death +from some ulterior and indiscernible motive. His relatives and +friends then immediately set about requiting her with the just +penalties of a perfidious breach of contract. Their threats induced +her instant flight toward my house for the usual protection, but the +enraged friends of the dead man gave hot chase, and overtook the +witch just inside the limits of the garrison, where, on the parade- +ground, in sight of the officers' quarters, and before any one could +interfere, they killed her. There were sixteen men in pursuit of the +doctress, and sixteen gun-shot wounds were found in her body when +examined by the surgeon of the post. The killing of the woman was a +flagrant and defiant outrage committed in the teeth of the military +authority, yet done so quickly that we could not prevent it. This +necessitated severe measures, both to allay the prevailing excitement +and to preclude the recurrence of such acts. The body was cared for, +and delivered to the relatives the next day for burial, after which +Captain Russell directed me to take such steps as would put a stop to +the fanatical usages that had brought about this murderous +occurrence, for it was now seen that if timely measures were not +taken to repress them, similar tragedies would surely follow. + +Knowing all the men of the Rogue River tribe, and speaking fluently +the Chinook tongue, which they all understood, I went down to their +village the following day, after having sent word to the tribe that I +wished to have a council with them. The Indians all met me in +council, as I had desired, and I then told them that the men who had +taken part in shooting the woman would have to be delivered up for +punishment. They were very stiff with me at the interview, and with +all that talent for circumlocution and diplomacy with which the +Indian is lifted, endeavored to evade my demands and delay any +conclusion. But I was very positive, would hear of no compromise +whatever, and demanded that my terms be at once complied with. No +one was with me but a sergeant of my company, named Miller, who held +my horse, and as the chances of an agreement began to grow remote, I +became anxious for our safety. The conversation waxing hot and the +Indians gathering close in around me, I unbuttoned the flap of my +pistol holster, to be ready for any emergency. When the altercation +became most bitter I put my hand to my hip to draw my pistol, but +discovered it was gone--stolen by one of the rascals surrounding me. +Finding myself unarmed, I modified my tone and manner to correspond +with my helpless condition, thus myself assuming the diplomatic side +in the parley, in order to gain time. As soon as an opportunity +offered, and I could, without too much loss of self-respect, and +without damaging my reputation among the Indians, I moved out to +where the sergeant held my horse, mounted, and crossing the Yamhill +River close by, called back in Chinook from the farther bank that +"the sixteen men who killed the woman must be delivered up, and my +six-shooter also." This was responded to by contemptuous laughter, so +I went back to the military post somewhat crestfallen, and made my +report of the turn affairs had taken, inwardly longing for another +chance to bring the rascally Rogue Rivers to terms. + +When I had explained the situation to Captain Russell, he thought +that we could not, under any circumstances, overlook this defiant +conduct of the Indians, since, unless summarily punished, it would +lead to even more serious trouble in the future. I heartily seconded +this proposition, and gladly embracing the opportunity it offered, +suggested that if he would give me another chance, and let me have +the effective force of the garrison, consisting of about fifty men, I +would chastise the Rogue Rivers without fail, and that the next day +was all the time I required to complete arrangements. He gave me the +necessary authority, and I at once set to work to bring about a +better state of discipline on the reservation, and to put an end to +the practices of the medicine men (having also in view the recovery +of my sixshooter and self-respect), by marching to the village and +taking the rebellious Indians by force. + +In the tribe there was an excellent woman called Tighee Mary (Tighee +in Chinook means chief), who by right of inheritance was a kind of +queen of the Rogue Rivers. Fearing that the insubordinate conduct of +the Indians would precipitate further trouble, she came early the +following morning to see me and tell me of the situation Mary +informed me that she had done all in her power to bring the Indians +to reason, but without avail, and that they were determined to fight +rather than deliver up the sixteen men who had engaged in the +shooting. She also apprised me of the fact that they had taken up a +position on the Yamhill River, on the direct road between the post +and village, where, painted and armed for war, they were awaiting +attack. + +On this information I concluded it would be best to march to the +village by a circuitous route instead of directly, as at first +intended, so I had the ferry-boat belonging to the post floated about +a mile and a half down the Yamhill River and there anchored. At 11 +o'clock that night I marched my fifty men, out of the garrison, in a +direction opposite to that of the point held by the Indians, and soon +reached the river at the ferryboat. Here I ferried the party over +with little delay, and marched them along the side of the mountain, +through underbrush and fallen timber, until, just before daylight, I +found that we were immediately in rear of the village, and thence in +rear, also, of the line occupied by the refractory Indians, who were +expecting to meet me on the direct road from the post. Just at break +of day we made a sudden descent upon the village and took its +occupants completely by surprise, even capturing the chief of the +tribe, "Sam," who was dressed in all his war toggery, fully armed and +equipped, in anticipation of a fight on the road where his comrades +were in position. I at once put Sam under guard, giving orders to +kill him instantly if the Indians fired a shot; then forming my line +on the road beyond the edge of the village, in rear of the force +lying in wait for a front attack, we moved forward. When the hostile +party realized that they were completely cut off from the village, +they came out from their stronghold on the river and took up a line +in my front, distant about sixty yards with the apparent intention of +resisting to the last. + +As is usual with Indians when expecting a fight, they were nearly +naked, fantastically painted with blue clay, and hideously arrayed in +war bonnets. They seemed very belligerent, brandishing their muskets +in the air, dancing on one foot, calling us ugly names, and making +such other demonstrations of hostility, that it seemed at first that +nothing short of the total destruction of the party could bring about +the definite settlement that we were bent on. Still, as it was my +desire to bring them under subjection without loss of life, if +possible, I determined to see what result would follow when they +learned that their chief was at our mercy. So, sending Sam under +guard to the front, where he could be seen, informing them that he +would be immediately shot if they fired upon us, and aided by the +cries and lamentations of the women of the village, who deprecated +any hostile action by either party, I soon procured a parley. + +The insubordinate Indians were under command of "Joe," Sam's brother, +who at last sent me word that he wanted to see me, and we met between +our, respective lines. I talked kindly to him, but was firm in my +demand that the men who killed the woman must be given up and my six- +shooter returned. His reply was he did not think it could be done, +but he would consult his people. After the consultation, he returned +and notified me that fifteen would surrender and the six-shooter +would be restored, and further, that we could kill the sixteenth man, +since the tribe wished to get rid of him anyhow, adding that he was a +bad Indian, whose bullet no doubt had given the woman her death +wound. He said that if I assented to this arrangement, he would +require all of his people except the objectionable man to run to the +right of his line at a preconcerted signal. The bad Indian would be +ordered to stand fast on the extreme left, and we could open fire on +him as his comrades fell away to the right. I agreed to the +proposition, and gave Joe fifteen minutes to execute his part of it. +We then returned to our respective forces, and a few minutes later +the fifteen ran to the right flank as agreed upon, and we opened fire +on the one Indian left standing alone, bringing him down in his +tracks severely wounded by a shot through the shoulder. + +While all this was going on, the other bands of the reservation, +several thousand strong, had occupied the surrounding hills for the +purpose of witnessing the fight, for as the Rogue Rivers had been +bragging for some time that they could whip the soldiers, these other +Indians had come out to see it done. The result, however, +disappointed the spectators, and the Rogue Rivers naturally lost +caste. The fifteen men now came in and laid down their arms +(including my six-shooter) in front of us as agreed, but I compelled +them to take the surrendered guns up again and carry them to the +post, where they were deposited in the block-house for future +security. The prisoners were ironed with ball and chain, and made to +work at the post until their rebellious spirit was broken; and the +wounded man was correspondingly punished after he had fully +recovered. An investigation as to why this man had been selected as +the offering by which Joe and his companions expected to gain +immunity, showed that the fellow was really a most worthless +character, whose death even would have been a benefit to the tribe. +Thus it seemed that they had two purposes in view--the one to +propitiate me and get good terms, the other to rid themselves of a +vagabond member of the tribe. + +The punishment of these sixteen Indians by ball and chain ended all +trouble with the Rogue River tribe. The, disturbances arising from +the incantations of the doctors and doctresses, and the practice of +killing horses and burning all worldly property on the graves of +those who died, were completely suppressed, and we made with little +effort a great stride toward the civilization of these crude and +superstitious people, for they now began to recognize the power of +the Government. In their management afterward a course of justice +and mild force was adopted, and unvaryingly applied. They were +compelled to cultivate their land, to attend church, and to send +their children to school. When I saw them, fifteen years later, +transformed into industrious and substantial farmers, with neat +houses, fine cattle, wagons and horses, carrying their grain, eggs, +and butter to market and bringing home flour, coffee, sugar, and +calico in return, I found abundant confirmation of my early opinion +that the most effectual measures for lifting them from a state of +barbarism would be a practical supervision at the outset, coupled +with a firm control and mild discipline. + +In all that was done for these Indians Captain Russell's judgment and +sound, practical ideas were the inspiration. His true manliness, +honest and just methods, together with the warm-hearted interest he +took in all that pertained to matters of duty to his Government, +could not have produced other than the best results, in what position +soever he might have been placed. As all the lovable traits of his +character were constantly manifested, I became most deeply attached +to him, and until the day of his death in 1864, on the battle-field +of Opequan, in front of Winchester, while gallantly leading his +division under my command, my esteem and affection were sustained and +intensified by the same strong bonds that drew me to him in these +early days in Oregon. + +After the events just narrated I continued on duty at the post of +Yamhill, experiencing the usual routine of garrison life without any +incidents of much interest, down to the breaking out of the war of +the rebellion in April, 1861. The news of the firing on Fort Sumter +brought us an excitement which overshadowed all else, and though we +had no officers at the post who sympathized with the rebellion, there +were several in our regiment--the Fourth Infantry--who did, and we +were considerably exercised as to the course they might pursue, but +naturally far more so concerning the disposition that would be made +of the regiment during the conflict. + +In due time orders came for the regiment to go East, and my company +went off, leaving me, however--a second lieutenant--in command of the +post until I should be relieved by Captain James J. Archer, of the +Ninth Infantry, whose company was to take the place of the old +garrison. Captain Archer, with his company of the Ninth, arrived +shortly after, but I had been notified that he intended to go South, +and his conduct was such after reaching the post that I would not +turn over the command to him for fear he might commit some rebellious +act. Thus a more prolonged detention occurred than I had at first +anticipated. Finally the news came that he had tendered his +resignation and been granted a leave of absence for sixty days. On +July 17 he took his departure, but I continued in command till +September 1, when Captain Philip A. Owen, of the Ninth Infantry, +arrived and, taking charge, gave me my release. + +>From the day we received the news of the firing on Sumter until I +started East, about the first of September, 1861, I was deeply +solicitous as to the course of events, and though I felt confident +that in the end the just cause of the Government must triumph, yet +the thoroughly crystallized organization which the Southern +Confederacy quickly exhibited disquieted me very much, for it alone +was evidence that the Southern leaders had long anticipated the +struggle and prepared for it. It was very difficult to obtain direct +intelligence of the progress of the war. Most of the time we were in +the depths of ignorance as to the true condition of affairs, and this +tended to increase our anxiety. Then, too, the accounts of the +conflicts that had taken place were greatly exaggerated by the +Eastern papers, and lost nothing in transition. The news came by the +pony express across the Plains to San Francisco, where it was still +further magnified in republishing, and gained somewhat in Southern +bias. I remember well that when the first reports reached us of, the +battle of Bull Run--that sanguinary engagement--it was stated that +each side had lost forty thousand men in killed and wounded, and none +were reported missing nor as having run away. Week by week these +losses grew less, until they finally shrunk into the hundreds, but +the vivid descriptions of the gory conflict were not toned down +during the whole summer. + +We received our mail at Yamhill only once a week, and then had to +bring it from Portland, Oregon, by express. On the day of the week +that our courier, or messenger, was expected back from Portland, I +would go out early in the morning to a commanding point above the +post, from which I could see a long distance down the road as it ran +through the valley of the Yamhill, and there I would watch with +anxiety for his coming, longing for good news; for, isolated as I had +been through years spent in the wilderness, my patriotism was +untainted by politics, nor had it been disturbed by any discussion of +the questions out of which the war grew, and I hoped for the success +of the Government above all other considerations. I believe I was +also uninfluenced by any thoughts of the promotion that might result +to me from the conflict, but, out of a sincere desire to contribute +as much as I could to the preservation of the Union, I earnestly +wished to be at the seat of war, and feared it might end before I +could get East. In no sense did I anticipate what was to happen to +me afterward, nor that I was to gain any distinction from it. I was +ready to do my duty to the best of my ability wherever I might be +called, and I was young, healthy, insensible to fatigue, and desired +opportunity, but high rank was so distant in our service that not a +dream of its attainment had flitted through my brain. + +During the period running from January to September, 1861, in +consequence of resignations and the addition of some new regiments to +the regular army, I had passed through the grade of first lieutenant +and reached that of captain in the Thirteenth United States Infantry, +of which General W. T. Sherman had recently been made the colonel. +When relieved from further duty at Yamhill by Captain Owen, I left +for the Atlantic coast to join my new regiment. A two days' ride +brought me down to Portland, whence I sailed to San Franciso, and at +that city took passage by steamer for New York via the Isthmus of +Panama, in company with a number of officers who were coming East +under circumstances like my own. + +At this time California was much agitated--on the question of +secession, and the secession element was so strong that considerable +apprehension was felt by the Union people lest the State might be +carried into the Confederacy. As a consequence great distrust +existed in all quarters, and the loyal passengers on the steamer, not +knowing what might occur during our voyage, prepared to meet +emergencies by thoroughly organizing to frustrate any attempt that +might possibly be made to carry us into some Southern port after we +should leave Aspinwall. However, our fears proved groundless; at all +events, no such attempt was made, and we reached New York in safety +in November, 1861. A day or two in New York sufficed to replenish a +most meagre wardrobe, and I then started West to join my new +regiment, stopping a day and a night at the home of my parents in +Ohio, where I had not been since I journeyed from Texas for the +Pacific coast. The headquarters of my regiment were at Jefferson +Barracks, Missouri, to which point I proceeded with no further delay +except a stay in the city of St. Louis long enough to pay my respects +to General H. W. Halleck. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +AUDITING ACCOUNTS--CHIEF QUARTERMASTER AND COMMISSARY OF THE ARMY OF +SOUTHWEST MISSOURI--PREPARING FOR THE PEA RIDGE CAMPAIGN--A +DIFFERENCE WITH GENERAL CURTIS--ORDERED TO THE FRONT--APPOINTED A +COLONEL. + +Some days after I had reached the headquarters of my regiment near +St. Louis, General Halleck sent for me, and when I reported he +informed me that there existed a great deal of confusion regarding +the accounts of some of the disbursing officers in his department, +whose management of its fiscal affairs under his predecessor, General +John C. Fremont, had been very loose; and as the chaotic condition of +things could be relieved only by auditing these accounts, he +therefore had determined to create a board of officers for the +purpose, and intended to make me president of it. The various +transactions in question covered a wide field, for the department +embraced the States of Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, Arkansas, +and all of Kentucky west of the Cumberland River. + +The duty was not distasteful, and I felt that I was qualified to +undertake it, for the accounts to be audited belonged exclusively to +the Quartermaster and Subsistence departments, and by recent +experience I had become familiar with the class of papers that +pertained to those branches of the army. Indeed, it was my +familiarity with such transactions, returns, etc., that probably +caused my selection as president of the board. + +I entered upon the work forthwith, and continued at it until the 26th +of December, 1861. At that date I was relieved from the auditing +board and assigned to duty as Chief Commissary of the Army of +Southwest Missouri, commanded by General Samuel R. Curtis. This army +was then organizing at Rolla, Missouri, for the Pea Ridge campaign, +its strength throughout the campaign being in the aggregate about +fifteen thousand men. + +As soon as I received information of my selection for this position, +I went to General Halleck and requested him to assign me as Chief +Quartermaster also. He was reluctant to do so, saying that I could +not perform both duties, but I soon convinced him that I could do +both better than the one, for I reminded him that as Chief +Quartermaster I should control the transportation, and thus obviate +all possible chances of discord between the two staff departments; a +condition which I deemed essential to success, especially as it was +intended that Curtis's army should mainly subsist on the country. +This argument impressed Halleck, and becoming convinced, he promptly +issued the order making me Chief Quartermaster and Chief Commissary +of Subsistence of the Army of Southwest Missouri, and I started for +Rolla to enter upon the work assigned me. + +Having reported to General Curtis, I quickly learned that his system +of supply was very defective, and the transportation without proper +organization, some of the regiments having forty to fifty wagon each, +and others only three or four. I labored day and night to remedy +these and other defects, and with the help of Captain Michael P. +Small, of the Subsistence Department, who was an invaluable +assistant, soon brought things into shape, putting the transportation +in good working order, giving each regiment its proper quota of +wagons, and turning the surplus into the general supply trains of the +army. In accomplishing this I was several times on the verge of +personal conflict with irate regimental commanders, but Colonel G. M. +Dodge so greatly sustained me with General Curtis by strong moral +support, and by such efficient details from his regiment--the Fourth +Iowa Volunteer Infantry--that I still bear him and it great affection +and lasting gratitude. + +On January 26, 1862, General Curtis's army began its march from Rolla +to Springfield, Missouri, by way of Lebanon. The roads were deep +with mud, and so badly cut up that the supply trains in moving +labored under the most serious difficulties, and were greatly +embarrassed by swollen streams. Under these circumstances many +delays occurred, and when we arrived at Lebanon nearly all the +supplies with which we had started had been consumed, and the work of +feeding the troops off the country had to begin at that point. To +get flour, wheat had to be taken from the stacks, threshed, and sent +to the mills to be ground. Wheat being scarce in this region, corn +as a substitute had to be converted into meal by the same laborious +process. In addition, beef cattle had to be secured for the meat +ration. + +By hard work we soon accumulated a sufficient quantity of flour and +corn meal to justify the resumption of our march on Springfield; at +or near which point the enemy was believed to be awaiting us, and the +order was given to move forward, the commanding general cautioning +me, in the event of disaster, to let no salt fall into General +Price's hands. General Curtis made a hobby of this matter of salt, +believing the enemy was sadly in need of that article, and he +impressed me deeply with his conviction that our cause would be +seriously injured by a loss which would inure so greatly and +peculiarly to the enemy's benefit; but we afterward discovered, when +Price abandoned his position, that about all he left behind was salt. + +When we were within about eight miles of Springfield, General Curtis +decided to put his troops in line of battle for the advance on the +town, and directed me to stretch out my supply trains in a long line +of battle, so that in falling back, in case the troops were repulsed, +he could rally the men on the wagons. I did not like the tactics, +but of course obeyed the order. The line moved on Springfield, and +took the town without resistance, the enemy having fled southward, in +the direction of Pea Ridge, the preceding day. Of course our success +relieved my anxiety about the wagons; but fancy has often pictured +since, the stampede of six mule teams that, had we met with any +reverse, would have taken place over the prairies of southwest +Missouri. + +The army set out in pursuit of Price, but I was left at Springfield +to gather supplies from the surrounding country, by the same means +that had been used at Lebanon, and send them forward. To succeed in +this useful and necessary duty required much hard work. To procure +the grain and to run the mills in the country, replacing the +machinery where parts had been carried away, or changing the +principle and running the mills on some different plan when +necessary, and finally forward the product to the army, made a task +that taxed the energy of all engaged in it. Yet, having at command a +very skillful corps of millwrights, machinists, and millers, detailed +principally from the Fourth Iowa and Thirty-sixth Illinois volunteer +regiments, we soon got matters in shape, and were able to send such +large quantities of flour and meal to the front, that only the bacon +and small parts of the ration had to be brought forward from our +depot at Rolla. When things were well systematized, I went forward +myself to expedite the delivery of supplies, and joined the army at +Cross Hollows, just south of Pea Ridge. + +Finding everything working well at Cross Hollows, I returned to +Springfield in a few days to continue the labor of collecting +supplies. On my way back I put the mills at Cassville in good order +to grind the grain in that vicinity, and perfected there a plan for +the general supply from the neighboring district of both the men and +animals of the army, so that there should, be no chance of a failure +of the campaign from bad roads or disaster to my trains. Springfield +thus became the centre of the entire supply section. + +Just after my return to Springfield the battle of Pea Ridge was +fought. The success of the Union troops in this battle was +considerable, and while not of sufficient magnitude to affect the +general cause materially, it was decisive as to that particular +campaign, and resulted in driving all organized Confederate forces +out of the State of Missouri. After Pea Ridge was won, certain +efforts were made to deprive Curtis of the credit due him for the +victory; but, no matter what merit belonged to individual commanders, +I was always convinced that Curtis was deserving of the highest +commendation, not only for the skill displayed on the field, but for +a zeal and daring in campaign which was not often exhibited at that +early period of the war. Especially should this credit be awarded +him, when we consider the difficulties under which he labored, how he +was hampered in having to depend on a sparsely settled country for +the subsistence of his troops. In the reports of the battle that +came to Springfield, much glory was claimed for some other general +officers, but as I had control of the telegraph line from Springfield +east, I detained all despatches until General Curtis had sent in his +official report. He thus had the opportunity of communicating with +his superior in advance of some of his vain subordinates, who would +have laid claim to the credit of the battle had I not thwarted them +by this summary means. + +Not long afterward came the culmination of a little difference that +had arisen between General Curtis and me, brought about, I have since +sometimes thought, by an assistant quartermaster from Iowa, whom I +had on duty with me at Springfield. He coveted my place, and finally +succeeded in getting it. He had been an unsuccessful banker in Iowa, +and early in the war obtained an appointment as assistant +quartermaster of volunteers with the rank of captain. As chief +quartermaster of the army in Missouri, there would be opportunities +for the recuperation of his fortunes which would not offer to one in +a subordinate place; so to gain this position he doubtless intrigued +for it while under my eye, and Curtis was induced to give it to him +as soon as I was relieved. His career as my successor, as well as in +other capacities in which he was permitted to act during the war, was +to say the least not savory. The war over he turned up in Chicago as +president of a bank, which he wrecked; and he finally landed in the +penitentiary for stealing a large sum of money from the United States +Treasury at Washington while employed there as a clerk. The chances +that this man's rascality would be discovered were much less when +chief of the departments of transportation and supply of an army than +they afterward proved to be in the Treasury. I had in my possession +at all times large sums of money for the needs of the army, and among +other purposes for which these funds were to be disbursed was the +purchase of horses and mules. Certain officers and men more devoted +to gain than to the performance of duty (a few such are always to be +found in armies) quickly learned this, and determined to profit by +it. Consequently they began a regular system of stealing horses from +the people of the country and proffering them to me for purchase. It +took but a little time to discover this roguery, and when I became +satisfied of their knavery I brought it to a sudden close by seizing +the horses as captured property, branding them U. S., and refusing to +pay for them. General Curtis, misled by the misrepresentations that +had been made, and without fully knowing the circumstances, or +realizing to what a base and demoralizing state of things this course +was inevitably tending, practically ordered me to make the Payments, +and I refused. The immediate result of this disobedience was a +court-martial to try me; and knowing that my usefulness in that army +was gone, no matter what the outcome of the trial might be, I asked +General Halleck to relieve me from duty with General Curtis and order +me to St. Louis. This was promptly done, and as my connection with +the Army of Southwest Missouri was thus severed before the court +could be convened, my case never came to trial. The man referred to +as being the cause of this condition of affairs was appointed by +General Curtis to succeed me. I turned over to the former all the +funds and property for which I was responsible, also the branded +horses and mules stolen from the people of the country, requiring +receipts for everything. I heard afterward that some of the blooded +stock of southwest Missouri made its way to Iowa in an unaccountable +manner, but whether the administration of my successor was +responsible for it or not I am unable to say. + +On my arrival at St. Louis I felt somewhat forlorn and disheartened +at the turn affairs had taken. I did not know where I should be +assigned, nor what I should be required to do, but these +uncertainties were dispelled in a few days by General Halleck, who, +being much pressed by the Governors of some of the Western States to +disburse money in their sections, sent me out into the Northwest with +a sort of roving commission to purchase horses for the use of the +army. I went to Madison and Racine, Wis., at which places I bought +two hundred horses, which were shipped to St. Louis. At Chicago I +bought two hundred more, and as the prices paid at the latter point +showed that Illinois was the cheapest market--it at that time +producing a surplus over home demands--I determined to make Chicago +the centre of my operations. + +While occupied in this way at Chicago the battle of Shiloh took +place, and the desire for active service with troops became uppermost +in my thoughts, so I returned to St. Louis to see if I could not get +into the field. General Halleck having gone down to the Shiloh +battle-field, I reported to his Assistant Adjutant-General, Colonel +John C. Kelton, and told him of my anxiety to take a hand in active +field-service, adding that I did not wish to join my regiment, which +was still organizing and recruiting at Jefferson Barracks, for I felt +confident I could be more useful elsewhere. Kelton knew that the +purchasing duty was but temporary, and that on its completion, +probably at no distant date, I should have to join my company at the +barracks; so, realizing the inactivity to which that situation of +affairs would subject me, he decided to assume the responsibility of +sending me to report to General Halleck at Shiloh, and gave me an +order to that effect. + +This I consider the turning-point in my military career, and shall +always feel grateful to Colonel Kelton for his kindly act which so +greatly influenced my future. My desire to join the army at Shiloh +had now taken possession of me, and I was bent on getting there by +the first means available. Learning that a hospital-boat under +charge of Dr. Hough was preparing to start for Pittsburg Landing, I +obtained the Doctor's consent to take passage on it, and on the +evening of April 15, I left St. Louis for the scene of military +operations in northeastern Mississippi. + +At Pittsburg Landing I reported to General Halleck, who, after some +slight delay, assigned me to duty as an assistant to Colonel George +Thom, of the topographical engineers. Colonel Thom put me at the +work of getting the trains up from the landing, which involved the +repair of roads for that purpose by corduroying the marshy places. +This was rough, hard work, without much chance of reward, but it, was +near the field of active operations, and I determined to do the best +I could at it till opportunity for something better might arise. + +General Halleck did not know much about taking care of himself in the +field. His camp arrangements were wholly inadequate, and in +consequence he and all the officers about him were subjected to much +unnecessary discomfort and annoyance. Someone suggested to him to +appoint me quartermaster for his headquarters, with a view to +systematizing the establishment and remedying the defects complained +of, and I was consequently assigned to this duty. Shortly after this +assignment I had the satisfaction of knowing that General Halleck was +delighted with the improvements made at headquarters, both in camp +outfit and transportation, and in administration generally. My +popularity grew as the improvements increased, but one trifling +incident came near marring it. There was some hitch about getting +fresh beef for General Halleck's mess, and as by this time everybody +had come to look to me for anything and everything in the way of +comfort, Colonel Joe McKibben brought an order from the General for +me to get fresh beef for the headquarters mess. I was not caterer +for this mess, nor did I belong to it even, so I refused point-blank. +McKibben, disliking to report my disobedience, undertook persuasion, +and brought Colonel Thom to see me to aid in his negotiations, but I +would not give in, so McKibben in the kindness of his heart rode +several miles in order to procure the beef himself, and thus save me +from the dire results which be thought would follow should Halleck +get wind of such downright insubordination. The next day I was made +Commissary of Subsistence for the headquarters in addition to my +other duties, and as this brought me into the line of fresh beef, +General Halleck had no cause thereafter to complain of a scarcity of +that article in his mess. + +My stay at General Halleck's headquarters was exceedingly agreeable, +and my personal intercourse with officers on duty there was not only +pleasant and instructive, but offered opportunities for improvement +and advancement for which hardly any other post could have afforded +like chances. My special duties did not occupy all my time, and +whenever possible I used to go over to General Sherman's division, +which held the extreme right of our line in the advance on Corinth, +to witness the little engagements occurring there continuously during +the slow progress which the army was then making, the enemy being +forced back but a short distance each day. I knew General Sherman +very well. We came from near the same section of country in Ohio, +and his wife and her family had known me from childhood. I was +always kindly received by the General, and one day he asked me if I +would be willing to accept the colonelcy of a certain Ohio regiment +if he secured the appointment. I gladly told him yes, if General +Halleck would let me go; but I was doomed to disappointment, for in +about a week or so afterward General Sherman informed me that the +Governor of Ohio would not consent, having already decided to appoint +some one else. + +A little later Governor Blair, of Michigan, who was with the army +temporarily in the interest of the troops from his State, and who +just at this time was looking around for a colonel for the Second +Michigan Cavalry, and very anxious to get a regular officer, fixed +upon me as the man. The regiment was then somewhat run down by +losses from sickness, and considerably split into factions growing +out of jealousies engendered by local differences previous to +organization, and the Governor desired to bridge over all these +troubles by giving the regiment a commander who knew nothing about +them. I presume that some one said to the Governor about this time, +"Why don't you get Sheridan?" This, however, is only conjecture. I +really do not know how my name was proposed to him, but I have often +been told since that General Gordon Granger, whom I knew slightly +then, and who had been the former colonel of the regiment, first +suggested the appointment. At all events, on the morning of May 27, +1862, Captain Russell A. Alger--recently Governor of Michigan-- +accompanied by the quartermaster of the regiment, Lieutenant Frank +Walbridge, arrived at General Halleck's headquarters and delivered to +me this telegram: + +(By Telegraph.) +"MILITARY DEPT OF MICHIGAN, +"ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE, +"DETROIT, May 25, 1862. + +GENERAL ORDERS NO. 148. + +"Captain Philip H. Sheridan, U. S. Army, is hereby appointed +Colonel of the Second Regiment Michigan Cavalry, to rank from +this date. + +"Captain Sheridan will immediately assume command of the +regiment. + +"By order of the Commander-in-Chief, +"JNO. ROBERTSON, +"Adjutant-General." + + +I took the order to General Halleck, and said that I would like to +accept, but he was not willing I should do so until the consent of +the War Department could be obtained. I returned to my tent much +disappointed, for in those days, for some unaccountable reason, the +War Department did not favor the appointment of regular officers to +volunteer regiments, and I feared a disapproval at Washington. After +a further consultation with Captain Alger and Lieutenant Walbridge, I +determined to go to the General again and further present the case. +Enlarging on my desire for active service with troops, and urging the +utter lack of such opportunity where I was, I pleaded my cause until +General Halleck finally resolved to take the responsibility of +letting me go without consulting the War Department. When I had +thanked him for the kindness, he said that inasmuch as I was to leave +him, he would inform me that the regiment to which I had just been +appointed was ordered out as part of a column directed to make a raid +to the south of the enemy, then occupying Corinth, and that if I +could turn over my property, it would probably be well for me to join +my command immediately, so that I could go with the expedition. I +returned to my tent, where Alger and Walbridge were still waiting, +and told them of the success of my interview, at the same time +notifying them that I would join the regiment in season to accompany +the expedition of which Halleck had spoken. + +In the course of the afternoon I turned over all my property to my +successor, and about 8 o'clock that evening made my appearance at the +camp of the Second Michigan Cavalry, near Farmington, Mississippi. +The regiment was in a hubbub of excitement making preparations for +the raid, and I had barely time to meet the officers of my command, +and no opportunity at all to see the men, when the trumpet sounded to +horse. Dressed in a coat and trousers of a captain of infantry, but +recast as a colonel of cavalry by a pair of well-worn eagles that +General Granger had kindly given me, I hurriedly placed on my saddle +a haversack, containing some coffee, sugar, bacon, and hard bread, +which had been prepared, and mounting my horse, I reported my +regiment to the brigade commander as ready for duty. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +EXPEDITION TO BOONEVILLE--DESTROYING SUPPLIES--CONFEDERATE +STRAGGLERS--SUCCESS OF THE EXPEDITION--A RECONNOISSANCE--THE +IMPORTANCE OF BODILY SUSTENANCE--THE BATTLE OF BOONEVILLE-- +RECOMMENDED FOR APPOINTMENT AS A BRIGADIER-GENERAL. + +The expedition referred to by General Halleck in his parting +conversation was composed of the Second Michigan and Second Iowa +regiments of cavalry, formed into a brigade under command of Colonel +Washington L. Elliott, of the Second Iowa. It was to start on the +night of the 27th of May at 12 o'clock, and proceed by a circuitous +route through Iuka, Miss., to Booneville, a station on the Mobile and +Ohio Railroad, about twenty-two miles below Corinth, and accomplish +all it could in the way of destroying the enemy's supplies and +cutting his railroad communications. + +The weather in that climate was already warm, guides unobtainable, +and both men and horses suffered much discomfort from the heat, and +fatigue from the many delays growing out of the fact that we were in +almost total ignorance of the roads leading to the point that we +desired to reach. In order that we might go light we carried only +sugar, coffee, and salt, depending on the country for meat and bread. +Both these articles were scarce, but I think we got all there was, +for our advent was so unexpected by the people of the region through +which we passed that, supposing us to be Confederate cavalry, they +often gave us all they had, the women and servants contributing most +freely from their, reserve stores. + +Before reaching Booneville I had the advance, but just as we arrived +on the outskirts of the town the brigade was formed with the Second +Iowa on my right, and the whole force moved forward, right in front, +preceded by skirmishers. Here we encountered the enemy, but forced +him back with little resistance. When we had gained possession of +the station, Colonel Elliott directed me to take the left wing of my +regiment, pass to the south, and destroy a bridge or culvert supposed +to be at a little distance below the town on the Mobile and Ohio +Railroad. The right wing, or other half of the regiment, was to be +held in reserve for my support if necessary. I moved rapidly in the +designated direction till I reached the railroad, and then rode down +it for a mile and a half, but found neither bridge nor culvert. I +then learned that there was no bridge of any importance except the +one at Baldwin, nine miles farther down, but as I was aware, from +information recently received, that it was defended by three +regiments and a battery, I concluded that I could best accomplish the +purpose for which I had been detached--crippling the road--by tearing +up the track, bending the rails, and burning the cross-ties. This +was begun with alacrity at four different points, officers and men +vieing with one another in the laborious work of destruction. We had +but few tools, and as the difficulties to overcome were serious, our +progress was slow, until some genius conceived the idea that the +track, rails and ties, might be lifted from its bed bodily, turned +over, and subjected to a high heat; a convenient supply of dry fence- +rails would furnish ample fuel to render the rails useless. In this +way a good deal of the track was effectively broken up, and +communication by rail from Corinth to the south entirely cut off. +While we were still busy in wrecking the road, a dash was made at my +right and rear by a squadron of Confederate cavalry. This was +handsomely met by the reserve under Captain Archibald P. Campbell, of +the Second Michigan, who, dismounting a portion of his command, +received the enemy with such a volley from his Colt's repeating +rifles that the squadron broke and fled in all directions. We were +not molested further, and resumed our work, intending to extend the +break toward Baldwin, but receiving orders from Elliott to return to +Booneville immediately, the men were recalled, and we started to +rejoin the main command. + +In returning to Booneville, I found the railroad track above where I +had struck it blocked by trains that we had thus cut off, and the +woods and fields around the town covered with several thousand +Confederate soldiers. These were mostly convalescents and +disheartened stragglers belonging to General Beauregard's army, and +from them we learned that Corinth was being evacuated. I spent some +little time in an endeavor to get these demoralized men into an open +field, with a view to some future disposition of them; but in the +midst of the undertaking I received another order from Colonel +Elliott to join him at once. The news of the evacuation had also +reached Elliott, and had disclosed a phase of the situation so +different from that under which he had viewed it when we arrived at +Booneville, that he had grown anxious to withdraw, lest we should be +suddenly pounced upon by an overwhelming force from some one of the +columns in retreat. Under such circumstances my prisoners would +prove a decided embarrassment, so I abandoned further attempts to get +them together--not even paroling them, which I thought might have +been done with but little risk. + +In the meantime the captured cars had been fired, and as their +complete destruction was assured by explosions from those containing +ammunition, they needed no further attention, so I withdrew my men +and hastened to join Elliott, taking along some Confederate officers +whom I had retained from among four or five hundred prisoners +captured when making the original dash below the town. + +The losses in my regiment, and, in fact, those of the entire command, +were insignificant. The results of the expedition were important; +the railroad being broken so thoroughly as to cut off all rolling +stock north of Booneville, and to place at the service of General +Halleck's army the cars and locomotives of which the retreating +Confederates were now so much in need. In addition, we burned +twenty-six cars containing ten thousand stand of small arms, three +pieces of artillery, a great quantity of clothing, a heavy supply of +ammunition, and the personal baggage of General Leonidas Polk. A +large number of prisoners, mostly sick and convalescent, also fell +into our hands; but as we could not carry them with ussuch a hurried +departure was an immediate necessity, by reason of our critical +situation--the process of paroling them was not completed, and they +doubtless passed back to active service in the Confederacy, properly +enough unrecognized as prisoners of war by their superiors. + +In returning, the column marched back by another indirect route to +its old camp near Farmington, where we learned that the whole army +had moved into and beyond Corinth, in pursuit of Beauregard, on the +13th of May, the very day we had captured Booneville. Although we +had marched about one hundred and eighty miles in four days, we were +required to take part, of course, in the pursuit of the Confederate +army. So, resting but one night in our old camp, we were early in +the saddle again on the morning of the 2d of June. Marching south +through Corinth, we passed on the 4th of June the scene of our late +raid, viewing with much satisfaction, as we took the road toward +Blackland, the still smoldering embers of the burned trains. + +On the 4th of June I was ordered to proceed with my regiment along +the Blackland road to determine the strength of the enemy in that +direction, as it was thought possible we might capture, by a +concerted movement which General John Pope had suggested to General +Halleck, a portion of Beauregard's rear guard. Pushing the +Confederate scouts rapidly in with a running fire for a mile or more, +while we were approaching a little stream, I hoped to gobble the main +body of the enemy's pickets. I therefore directed the sabre +battalion of the regiment, followed by that portion of it armed with +revolving rifles, to dash forward in column, cut off these videttes +before they could cross the stream, and then gather them in. The +pickets fled hastily, however, and a pell-mell pursuit carried us +over the stream at their heels by a little bridge, with no thought of +halting till we gained a hill on the other side, and suddenly found +ourselves almost in the camp of a strong body of artillery and +infantry. Captain Campbell being in advance, hurriedly dismounted +his battalion for a further forward movement on foot, but it was +readily seen that the enemy was present in such heavy force as almost +to ensure our destruction, and I gave orders for a hasty withdrawal. +We withdrew without loss under cover of thick woods, aided much, +however, by the consternation of the Confederates, who had hardly +recovered from their surprise at our sudden appearance in their camp +before we had again placed the stream between them and us by +recrossing the bridge. The reconnoissance was a success in one way-- +that is, in finding out that the enemy was at the point supposed by, +General Pope; but it also had a tendency to accelerate Beauregard's +retreat, for in a day or two his whole line fell back as far south as +Guntown, thus rendering abortive the plans for bagging a large +portion of his army. + +General Beauregard's evacuation of Corinth and retreat southward were +accomplished in the face of a largely superior force of Union troops, +and he reached the point where he intended to halt for reorganization +without other loss than that sustained in the destruction of the cars +and supplies at Booneville, and the capture of some stragglers and +deserters that fell into our hands while we were pressing his rear +from General Pope's flank. The number of these was quite large, and +indicated that the enemy was considerably demoralized. Under such +circumstances, an energetic and skillfully directed pursuit might not +have made certain the enemy's destruction, but it would largely have +aided in disintegrating his forces, and I never could quite +understand why it was not ordered. The desultory affairs between +rear and advance guards seemed as a general, thing to have no +particular purpose in view beyond finding out where the enemy was, +and when he was found, since no supporting colums were at hand and no +one in supreme control was present to give directions, our +skirmishing was of little avail and brought but small reward. + +A short time subsequent to these occurrences, Colonel Elliott was +made a brigadier-general, and as General Pope appointed him his +Chief-of-Staff, I, on the 11th of June, 1862, fell in command of the +brigade by seniority. For the rest of the month but little of moment +occurred, and we settled down into camp at Booneville on the 26th of +June, in a position which my brigade had been ordered to take up some +twenty miles, in advance of the main army for the purpose of covering +its front. Although but a few days had elapsed from the date of my +appointment as colonel of the Second Michigan to that of my +succeeding to the command of the brigade, I believe I can say with +propriety that I had firmly established myself in the confidence of +the officers and men of the regiment, and won their regard by +thoughtful care. I had striven unceasingly to have them well fed and +well clothed, had personally looked after the selection of their +camps, and had maintained such a discipline as to allay former +irritation. + +Men who march, scout, and fight, and suffer all the hardships that +fall to the lot of soldiers in the field, in order to do vigorous +work must have the best bodily sustenance, and every comfort that can +be provided. I knew from practical experience on the frontier that +my efforts in this direction would not only be appreciated, but +requited by personal affection and gratitude; and, further, that such +exertions would bring the best results to me. Whenever my authority +would permit I saved my command from needless sacrifices and +unnecessary toil; therefore, when hard or daring work was to be done +I expected the heartiest response, and always got it. Soldiers are +averse to seeing their comrades killed without compensating results, +and none realize more quickly than they the blundering that often +takes place on the field of battle. They want some tangible +indemnity for the loss of life, and as victory is an offset the value +of which is manifest, it not only makes them content to shed their +blood, but also furnishes evidence of capacity in those who command +them. My regiment had lost very few men since coming under my +command, but it seemed, in the eyes of all who belonged to it, that +casualties to the enemy and some slight successes for us had repaid +every sacrifice, and in consequence I had gained not only their +confidence as soldiers, but also their esteem and love as men, and to +a degree far beyond what I then realized. + +As soon as the camp of my brigade was pitched at Booneville, I began +to scout in every direction, to obtain a knowledge of the enemy's +whereabouts and learn the ground about me. My standing in drawing at +the Military Academy had never been so high as to warrant the belief +that I could ever prove myself an expert, but a few practical lessons +in that line were impressed on me there, and I had retained enough to +enable me to make rough maps that could be readily understood, and +which would be suitable to replace the erroneous skeleton outlines of +northern Mississippi, with which at this time we were scantily +furnished; so as soon as possible I compiled for the use of myself +and my regimental commanders an information map of the surrounding +country. This map exhibited such details as country roads, streams, +farmhouses, fields, woods, and swamps, and such other topographical +features as would be useful. I must confess that my crude sketch did +not evidence much artistic merit, but it was an improvement on what +we already possessed in the way of details to guide the command, and +this was what I most needed; for it was of the first importance that +in our exposed condition we should be equipped with a thorough +knowledge of the section in which we were operating, so as to be +prepared to encounter an enemy already indicating recovery from the +disorganizing effects of his recent retreat. + +In the immediate vicinity of Booneville the country was covered with +heavy forests, with here and there clearings or intervening fields +that had been devoted to the cultivation of cotton and corn. The +ground was of a low character, typical of northeastern Mississippi, +and abounded in small creeks that went almost totally dry even in +short periods of drought, but became flooded with muddy water under +the outpouring of rain peculiar to a semi-tropical climate. In such +a region there were many chances of our being surprised, especially +by an enemy who knew the country well, and whose ranks were filled +with local guides; and great precautions as well as the fullest +information were necessary to prevent disaster. I therefore +endeavored to familiarize all with our surroundings, but scarcely had +matters begun to shape themselves as I desired when our annihilation +was attempted by a large force of Confederate cavalry. + +On the morning of July 1, 1862, a cavalry command of between five and +six thousand-men, under the Confederate General James R. Chalmers, +advanced on two roads converging near Booneville. The head of the +enemy's column on the Blackland and Booneville road came in contact +with my pickets three miles and a half west of Booneville. These +pickets, under Lieutenant Leonidas S. Scranton, of the Second +Michigan Cavalry, fell back slowly, taking advantage of every tree or +other cover to fire from till they arrived at the point where the +converging roads joined. At this junction there was a strong +position in the protecting timber, and here Scranton made a firm +stand, being reinforced presently by the few men he had out as +pickets on the road to his left, a second company I had sent him from +camp, and subsequently by three companies more, all now commanded by +Captain Campbell. This force was dismounted and formed in line, and +soon developed that the enemy was present in large numbers. Up to +this time Chalmers had shown only the heads of his columns, and we +had doubts as to his purpose, but now that our resistance forced him +to deploy two regiments on the right and left of the road, it became +apparent that he meant business, and that there was no time to lose +in preparing to repel his attack. + +Full information of the situation was immediately sent me, and I +directed Campbell to hold fast, if possible, till I could support +him, but if compelled to retire he was authorized to do so slowly, +taking advantage of every means that fell in his way to prolong the +fighting. Before this I had stationed one battalion of the Second +Iowa in Booneville, but Colonel Edward Hatch, commanding that +regiment, was now directed to leave one company for the protection of +our camp a little to the north of the station, and take the balance +of the Second Iowa, with the battalion in Booneville except two sabre +companies, and form the whole in rear of Captain Campbell, to protect +his flanks and support him by a charge should the enemy break his +dismounted line. + +While these preparations were being made, the Confederates attempted +to drive Campbell from his position by a direct attack through an +open field. In this they failed, however, for our men, reserving +their fire until the enemy came within about thirty yards, then +opened on him with such a shower of bullets from our Colt's rifles +that it soon became too hot for him, and he was repulsed with +considerable loss. Foiled in this move, Chalmers hesitated to attack +again in front, but began overlapping both flanks of Campbell's line +by force of numbers, compelling Campbell to retire toward a strong +position I had selected in his rear for a line on which to make our +main resistance. As soon as the enemy saw this withdrawing he again +charged in front, but was again as gallantly repelled as in the first +assault, although the encounter was for a short time so desperate as +to have the character of a hand-to-hand conflict, several groups of +friend and foe using on each other the butts of their guns. At this +juncture the timely arrival of Colonel Hatch with the Second Iowa +gave a breathing-spell to Campbell, and made the Confederates so +chary of further direct attacks that he was enabled to retire; and at +the same time I found opportunity to make disposition of the +reinforcement to the best advantage possible, placing the Second Iowa +on the left of the new line and strengthening Campbell on its right +with all the men available. + +In view of his numbers, the enemy soon regained confidence in his +ability to overcome us, and in a little while again began his +flanking movements, his right passing around my left flank some +distance, and approaching our camp and transportation, which I had +forbidden to be moved out to the rear. Fearing that he would envelop +us and capture the camp and transportation, I determined to take the +offensive. Remembering a circuitous wood road that I had become +familiar with while making the map heretofore mentioned, I concluded +that the most effective plan would be to pass a small column around +the enemy's left, by way of this road, and strike his rear by a +mounted charge simultaneously with an advance of our main line on his +front. I knew that the attack in rear would be a most hazardous +undertaking, but in the face of such odds as the enemy had the +condition of affairs was most critical, and could be relieved, only +by a bold and radical change in our tactics; so I at once selected +four sabre companies, two from the Second Michigan and two from the +Second Iowa, and placing Captain Alger, of the former regiment, in +command of them, I informed him that I expected of them the quick and +desperate work that is usually imposed on a forlorn hope. + +To carry out the purpose now in view, I instructed Captain Alger to +follow the wood road as it led around the left of the enemy's +advancing forces, to a point where 'it joined the Blackland road, +about three miles from Booneville, and directed him, upon reaching +the Blackland road, to turn up it immediately, and charge the rear of +the enemy's line. Under no circumstances was he to deploy the +battalion, but charge in column right through whatever he came upon, +and report to me in front of Booneville, if at all possible for him +to get there. If he failed to break through the enemy's line, he was +to go ahead as far as he could, and then if any of his men were left, +and he was able to retreat, he was to do so by the same route he had +taken on his way out. To conduct him on this perilous service I sent +along a thin, sallow, tawny-haired Mississippian named Beene, whom I +had employed as a guide and scout a few days before, on account of +his intimate knowledge of the roads, from the public thoroughfares +down to the insignificant by-paths of the neighboring swamps. With +such guidance I felt sure that the column would get to the desired +point without delay, for there was no danger of its being lost or +misled by taking any of the many by-roads which traversed the dense +forests through which it would be obliged to pass. I also informed +Alger that I should take the reserve and join the main line in front +of Booneville for the purpose of making an advance of my whole force, +and that as a signal he must have his men cheer loudly when he struck +the enemy's rear, in order that my attack might be simultaneous with +his. + +I gave him one hour to go around and come back through the enemy, and +when he started I moved to the front with the balance of the reserve, +to put everything I had into the fight. This meant an inestimable +advantage to the enemy in case of our defeat, but our own safety +demanded the hazard. All along our attenuated line the fighting was +now sharp, and the enemy's firing indicated such numerical strength +that fear of disaster to Alger increased my anxiety terribly as the +time set for his cheering arrived and no sound of it was heard. + +Relying, however, on the fact that Beene's knowledge of the roads +would prevent his being led astray, and confident of Alger's +determination to accomplish the purpose for which he set out, as soon +as the hour was up I ordered my whole line forward. Fortunately, +just as this moment a locomotive and two cars loaded with grain for +my horses ran into Booneville from Corinth. I say fortunately, +because it was well known throughout the command that in the morning, +when I first discovered the large numbers of the enemy, I had called +for assistance; and my troops, now thinking that reinforcements had +arrived by rail from Rienzi, where a division of infantry was +encamped, and inspirated by this belief, advanced with renewed +confidence and wild cheering. Meantime I had the engineer of the +locomotive blow his whistle loudly, so that the enemy might also +learn that a train had come; and from the fact that in a few moments +he began to give way before our small force, I thought that this +strategem had some effect. Soon his men broke, and ran in the utmost +disorder over the country in every direction. I found later, +however, that his precipitous retreat was due to the pressure on his +left from the Second Iowa, in concert with the front attack of the +Second Michigan, and the demoralization wrought in his rear by Alger, +who had almost entirely accomplished the purpose of his expedition, +though he had failed to come through, or so near that I could hear +the signal agreed upon before leaving Booneville. + +After Alger had reached and turned up the Blackland road, the first +thing he came across was the Confederate headquarters; the officers +and orderlies about which he captured and sent back some distance to +a farm-house. Continuing on a gallop, he soon struck the rear of the +enemy's line, but was unable to get through; nor did he get near +enough for me to hear his cheering; but as he had made the distance +he was to travel in the time allotted, his attack and mine were +almost coincident, and the enemy, stampeded by the charges in front +and rear, fled toward Blackland, with little or no attempt to capture +Alger's command, which might readily have been done. Alger's +troopers soon rejoined me at Booneville, minus many hats, having +returned by their original route. They had sustained little loss +except a few men wounded and a few temporarily missing. Among these +was Alger himself, who was dragged from his saddle by the limb of a +tree that, in the excitement of the charge, he was unable to flank. +The missing had been dismounted in one way or another, and run over +by the enemy in his flight; but they all turned up later, none the +worse except for a few scratches and bruises. + +My effective strength in this fight was 827 all told, and Alger's +command comprised ninety officers and men. Chalmers's force was +composed of six regiments and two battalions, and though I have been +unable to find any returns from which to verify his actual numbers, +yet, from the statements of prisoners and from information obtained +from citizens along his line of march, it is safe to say that he had +in the action not less than five-thousand men. Our casualties were +not many--forty-one in all. His loss in killed and wounded was +considerable, his most severely wounded--forty men--falling into our +hands, having been left at farm-houses in the vicinity of the +battlefield. + +The victory in the face of such odds was most gratifying, and as it +justified my disinclination--in fact, refusal--to retire from +Booneville without fighting (for the purpose of saving my +transportation, as directed by superior authority when I applied in +the morning for reinforcements), it was to me particularly grateful. +It was also very valuable in, view of the fact that it increased the +confidence between the officers and men of my brigade and me, and +gave us for the balance of the month not only comparative rest, but +entire immunity from the dangers of a renewed effort to gobble my +isolated outpost. In addition to all this, commendation from my +immediate superiors was promptly tendered through oral and written +congratulations; and their satisfaction at the result of the battle +took definite form a few days later, in the following application for +my promotion, when, by an expedition to Ripley, Miss., most valuable +information as to the enemy's location and plans was captured: + + + +"HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE MISSISSIPPI, +"JULY 30, 1862.--3.05 P. M. + +"MAJOR-GENERAL HALLECK, +"Washington, D. C. + +"Brigadiers scarce; good ones scarce. Asboth goes on the month's +leave you gave him ten months since; Granger has temporary command. +The undersigned respectfully beg that you will obtain the promotion +of Sheridan. He is worth his weight in gold. His Ripley expedition +has brought us captured letters of immense value, as well as +prisoners, showing the rebel plans and dispositions, as you will +learn from District Commander. + +"W. S. ROSECRANS, Brigadier-General. +"C. C. SULLIVAN, " " +"G. GRANGER, " " +"W. L. ELLIOTT, " " +"A. ASBOTH, " " + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +IN CAMP NEAR RIENZI--GENERAL GRANGER--A VALUABLE CAPTURE AT RIPLEY-- +RAIDING A CORNFIELD--REPULSING AN ATTACK--PRESENTED WITH THE BLACK +HORSE "RIENZI"--MEETING GENERAL GRANT--APPOINTED A BRIGADIER-GENERAL. + +After the battle of Booneville, it was decided by General Rosecrans, +on the advice of General Granger, that my position at Booneville was +too much exposed, despite the fact that late on the evening of the +fight my force had been increased by the addition of, a battery of +four guns and two companies of infantry, and by the Third Michigan +Cavalry, commanded by Colonel John K. Mizner; so I was directed to +withdraw from my post and go into camp near Rienzi, Mississippi, +where I could equally well cover the roads in front of the army, and +also be near General Asboth's division of infantry, which occupied a +line in rear of the town. This section of country, being higher and +more rolling than that in the neighborhood of Booneville, had many +advantages in the way of better camping-grounds, better grazing and +the like, but I moved with reluctance, because I feared that my +proximity to Asboth would diminish to a certain extent my +independence of command. + +General Asboth was a tall, spare, handsome man, with gray mustache +and a fierce look. He was an educated soldier, of unquestioned +courage, but the responsibilities of outpost duty bore rather heavily +on him, and he kept all hands in a state of constant worry in +anticipation of imaginary attacks. His ideas of discipline were not +very rigid either, and as by this time there had been introduced into +my brigade some better methods than those obtaining when it first +fell to my command, I feared the effect should he, have any control +over it, or meddle with its internal affairs. However, there was +nothing to do but to move to the place designated, but General +Granger, who still commanded the cavalry division to which the +brigade belonged, so arranged matters with General Rosecrans, who had +succeeded to the command of the Army of the Mississippi, that my +independence was to be undisturbed, except in case of a general +attack by the enemy. + +We went into camp near Rienzi, July 22, sending back to the general +field-hospital at Tuscumbia Springs all our sick--a considerable +number--stricken down by the malarial influences around Booneville. +In a few days the fine grazing arid abundance of grain for our +exhausted horses brought about their recuperation; and the many large +open fields in the vicinity gave opportunity for drills and parades, +which were much needed. I turned my attention to those disciplinary +measures which, on account of active work in the field, had been +necessarily neglected since the brigade had arrived at Pittsburg +Landing, in April; and besides, we had been busy in collecting +information by scouting parties and otherwise, in prosecution of the +purpose for which we were covering the main army. + +I kept up an almost daily correspondence with General Granger, +concerning the, information obtained by scouts and reconnoitring +parties, and he came often to Rienzi to see me in relation to this +and other matters. Previously I had not had much personal +association with Granger. While I was at Halleck's headquarters we +met on one or two occasions, and the day I joined the Second Michigan +at Farmington I saw him for a few moments, but, with such slight +exception, our intercourse had been almost exclusively official. He +had suggested my name, I was told, to Governor Blair, when the +Governor was in search of an officer of the regular army to appoint +to the colonelcy of the Second Michigan Cavalry, but his +recommendation must have been mainly based on the favorable opinions +he had heard expressed by General Halleck and by some of the officers +of his staff, rather than from any personal knowledge of my capacity. +Of course I was very grateful for this, but some of his +characteristics did not impress me favorably, and I sometimes wished +the distance between our camps greater. His most serious failing was +an uncontrollable propensity to interfere with and direct the minor +matters relating to the command, the details for which those under +him were alone responsible. Ill-judged meddling in this respect +often led to differences between us, only temporary it is true, but +most harassing to the subordinate, since I was compelled by the +circumstances of the situation not only invariably to yield my own +judgment, but many a time had to play peacemaker--smoothing down +ruffled feelings, that I knew had been excited by Granger's freaky +and spasmodic efforts to correct personally some trifling fault that +ought to have been left to a regimental or company commander to +remedy. Yet with all these small blemishes Granger had many good +qualities, and his big heart was so full of generous impulses and +good motives as to far outbalance his short-comings; and not- +withstanding the friction and occasional acerbity of our official +intercourse, we maintained friendly relations till his death. + +In pursuance of the fatal mistake made by dispersing Halleck's forces +after the fall of Corinth, General Don Carlos Buell's Army of the +Ohio had been started some time before on its march eastward toward +Chattanooga; and as this movement would be followed of course by a +manoeuvre on the part of the enemy, now at Tupelo under General +Braxton Bragg, either to meet Buell or frustrate his designs by some +counter-operation, I was expected to furnish, by scouting and all +other means available, information as to what was going on within the +Confederate lines. To do the work required, necessitated an increase +of my command, and the Seventh Kansas Cavalry was therefore added to +it, and my picket-line extended so as to cover from Jacinto +southwesterly to a point midway between Rienzi and Booneville, and +then northwesterly to the Hatchie River. Skirmishes between outposts +on this line were of frequent occurrence, with small results to +either side, but they were somewhat annoying, particularly in the +direction of Ripley, where the enemy maintained a considerable +outpost. Deciding to cripple if not capture this outpost, on the +evening of July 27, I sent out an expedition under Colonel Hatch, +which drove the enemy from the town of Ripley and took a few +prisoners, but the most valuable prize was in the shape of a package +of thirty-two private letters, the partial reading of which disclosed +to me the positive transfer from Mississippi of most of Bragg's army, +for the purpose of counteracting Buell's operations in northern +Alabama and East Tennessee. This decisive evidence was of the utmost +importance, and without taking time to read all the letters, I +forwarded them to General Granger July 28, in a despatch which +stated: "I deem it necessary to send them at once; the enemy is +moving in large force on Chattanooga." Other than this the results +of the expedition were few; and the enemy, having fled from Ripley +with but slight resistance, accompanied by almost all the +inhabitants, re-occupied the place next day after our people had +quitted it, and resumed in due time his annoying attacks on our +outposts, both sides trying to achieve something whenever occasion +offered. + +The prevalence of a severe drought had resulted in drying up many of +the streams within the enemy's lines, and, in consequence, he was +obliged to shift his camps often, and send his beef-cattle and mules +near his outposts for water. My scouts kept me well posted in regard +to the movements of both camps and herds; and a favorable opportunity +presenting itself, I sent an expedition on August 14 to gather in +some animals located on Twenty-Mile Creek, a stream always supplied +with water from a source of never-failing, springs. Our side met +with complete success in this instance, and when the expedition +returned, we were all made happy by an abundance of fresh beef, and +by some two hundred captured mules, that we thus added to our trains +at a time when draft animals were much needed. + +Rations for the men were now supplied in fair quantities, and the +only thing required to make us wholly contented was plenty of grain +for our animals. Because of the large number of troops then in West +Tennessee and about Corinth, the indifferent railroad leading down +from Columbus, Ky., was taxed to its utmost capacity to transport +supplies. The quantity of grain received at Corinth from the north +was therefore limited, and before reaching the different outposts, by +passing through intermediate depots of supply, it had dwindled to +insignificance. I had hopes, however, that this condition of things +might be ameliorated before long by gathering a good supply of corn +that was ripening in the neighborhood, and would soon, I thought, be +sufficiently hard to feed to my animals. Not far from my +headquarters there was a particularly fine field, which, with this +end in view, I had carefully protected through the milky stage, to +the evident disappointment of both Asboth's men and mine. They bore +the prohibition well while it affected only themselves, but the trial +was too great when it came to denying their horses; and men whose +discipline kept faith with my guards during the roasting-ear period +now fell from grace. Their horses were growing thin, and few could +withstand the mute appeals of their suffering pets; so at night the +corn, because of individual foraging, kept stealthily and steadily +vanishing, until the field was soon fringed with only earless stalks. +The disappearance was noticed, and the guard increased, but still the +quantity of corn continued to grow less, the more honest troopers +bemoaning the loss, and questioning the honor of those to whose +safekeeping it had been entrusted. Finally, doubtless under the +apprehension that through their irregularities the corn would all +disappear and find its way to the horses in accordance with the +stealthy enterprise of their owners, a general raid was made on the +field in broad daylight, and though the guard drove off the +marauders, I must admit that its efforts to keep them back were so +unsuccessful that my hopes for an equal distribution of the crop were +quickly blasted. One look at the field told that it had been swept +clean of its grain. Of course a great row occurred as to who was to +blame, and many arrests and trials took place, but there had been +such an interchanging of cap numbers and other insignia that it was +next to impossible to identify the guilty, and so much crimination +and acrimony grew out of the affair that it was deemed best to drop +the whole matter. + +On August 27 about half of the command was absent reconnoitring, I +having sent it south toward Tupelo, in the hope of obtaining some +definite information regarding a movement to Holly Springs of the +remainder of the Confederate army, under General Price, when about +mid-day I was suddenly aroused by excited cries and sounds of firing, +and I saw in a moment that the enemy was in my camp. He had come in +on my right flank from the direction of the Hatchie River, pell-mell +with our picket-post stationed about three miles out on the Ripley +road. The whole force of the enemy comprised about eight hundred, +but only his advance entered with my pickets, whom he had charged and +badly stampeded, without, on their part, the pretense of a fight in +behalf of those whom it was their duty to protect until proper +dispositions for defense could be made. The day was excessively hot, +one of those sultry debilitating days that had caused the suspending +of all military exercises; and as most of the men were lounging or +sleeping in their tents, we were literally caught napping. The alarm +spread instantly through the camp, and in a moment the command turned +out for action, somewhat in deshabille it is true, but none the less +effective, for every man had grabbed his rifle and cartridge-box at +the first alarm. Aided by a few shots from Captain Henry Hescock's +battery, we soon drove the intruders from our camp in about the same +disorder in which they had broken in on us. By this time Colonel +Hatch and Colonel Albert L. Lee had mounted two battalions each, and +I moved them out at a lively pace in pursuit, followed by a section +of the battery. No halt was called till we came upon the enemy's +main body, under Colonel Faulkner, drawn up in line of battle near +Newland's store. Opening on him with the two pieces of artillery, I +hurriedly formed line confronting him, and quickly and with but +little resistance drove him in confusion from the field. The sudden +turning of the tables dismayed Faulkner's men, and panic seizing +them, they threw away every loose article of arms or clothing of +which they could dismember themselves, and ran in the wildest +disorder in a mad effort to escape. As the chase went on the panic +increased, the clouds of dust from the road causing an intermingling +of friend and foe. In a little while the affair grew most ludicrous, +Faulkner's hatless and coatless men taking to the woods in such +dispersed order and so demoralized that a good many prisoners were +secured, and those of the enemy who escaped were hunted until dark. +When the recall was sounded, our men came in loaded down with plunder +in the shape of hats, haversacks, blankets, pistols, and shotguns, in +a quantity which amply repaid for the surprise of the morning, but +did not excuse the delinquent commander of our picket-guard, who a +few days later was brought to a realizing sense of his duty by a +court-martial. + +Shortly after this affair Captain Archibald P. Campbell, of the +Second Michigan Cavalry, presented me with the black horse called +Rienzi, since made historical from having been ridden by me in many +battles, conspicuously in the ride from Winchester to Cedar Creek, +which has been celebrated in the poem by T. Buchanan Read. This +horse was of Morgan stock, and then about three years old. He was +jet black, excepting three white feet, sixteen hands high, and +strongly built, with great powers of endurance. He was so active +that he could cover with ease five miles an hour at his natural +walking gait. The gelding had been ridden very seldom; in fact, +Campbell had been unaccustomed to riding till the war broke out, and, +I think, felt some disinclination to mount the fiery colt. Campbell +had an affection for him, however, that never waned, and would often +come to my headquarters to see his favorite, the colt being cared for +there by the regimental farrier, an old man named John Ashley, who +had taken him in charge when leaving Michigan, and had been his groom +ever since. Seeing that I liked the horse--I had ridden him on +several occasions--Campbell presented him to me on one of these +visits, and from that time till the close of the war I rode him +almost continuously, in every campaign and battle in which I took +part, without once finding him overcome by fatigue, though on many +occasions his strength was severely tested by long marches and short +rations. I never observed in him any vicious habit; a nervousness +and restlessness and switch of the tail, when everything about him +was in repose, being the only indication that he might be +untrustworthy. No one but a novice could be deceived by this, +however, for the intelligence evinced in every feature, and his +thoroughbred appearance, were so striking that any person accustomed +to horses could not misunderstand such a noble animal. But Campbell +thought otherwise, at least when the horse was to a certain degree +yet untrained, and could not be pursuaded to ride him; indeed, for +more than a year after he was given to me, Campbell still retained +suspicions of his viciousness, though, along with this mistrust, an +undiminished affection. Although he was several times wounded, this +horse escaped death in action; and living to a ripe old age, died in +1878, attended to the last with all the care and surrounded with +every comfort due the faithful service he had rendered. + +In moving from Corinth east toward Chattanooga, General Buell's army +was much delayed by the requirement that he should repair the Memphis +and Charleston railroad as he progressed. The work of repair obliged +him to march very slowly, and was of but little use when done, for +guerrillas and other bands of Confederates destroyed the road again +as soon as he had passed on. But worst of all, the time thus +consumed gave General Bragg the opportunity to reorganize and +increase his army to such an extent that he was able to contest the +possession of Middle Tennessee and Kentucky. Consequently, the +movement of this army through Tennessee and Kentucky toward the Ohio +River--its objective points being Louisville and Cincinnati--was now +well defined, and had already rendered abortive General Buell's +designs on Chattanooga and East Tennessee. Therefore extraordinary +efforts on the part of the Government became necessary, and the +concentration of National troops at Louisville and Cincinnati to meet +the contingency of Bragg's reaching those points was an obvious +requirement. These troops were drawn from all sections in the West +where it was thought they could be spared, and among others I was +ordered to conduct thither--to Louisville or Cincinnati, as +subsequent developments might demand--my regiment, Hescock's battery, +the Second and Fifteenth Missouri, and the Thirty-sixth and Forty- +fourth Illinois regiments of infantry, known as the "Pea Ridge +Brigade." With this column I marched back to Corinth on the 6th of +September, 1862, for the purpose of getting railroad transportation +to Columbus, Kentucky. + +At Corinth I met General Grant, who by this time had been +reestablished in favor and command somewhat, General Halleck having +departed for Washington to assume command of the army as General-in- +Chief. Before and during the activity which followed his +reinstatement, General Grant had become familiar with my services +through the transmission to Washington of information I had furnished +concerning the enemy's movements, and by reading reports of my fights +and skirmishes in front, and he was loth to let me go. Indeed, he +expressed surprise at seeing me in Corinth, and said he had not +expected me to go; he also plainly showed that he was much hurt at +the inconsiderate way in which his command was being depleted. Since +I was of the opinion that the chief field of usefulness and +opportunity was opening up in Kentucky, I did not wish him to retain +me, which he might have done, and I impressed him with my conviction, +somewhat emphatically, I fear. Our conversation ended with my wish +gratified. I afterward learned that General Granger, whom General +Grant did not fancy, had suggested that I should take to Cincinnati +the main portion of Granger's command--the Pea Ridge Brigade--as well +as the Second Michigan Cavalry, of which I was still colonel. +We started that night, going by rail over the Mobile and Ohio road to +Columbus, Ky., where we embarked on steamboats awaiting us. These +boats were five in number, and making one of them my flag-ship, +expecting that we might come upon certain batteries reported to be +located upon the Kentucky shore of the Ohio, I directed the rest to +follow my lead. Just before reaching Caseyville, the captain of a +tin-clad gunboat that was patrolling the river brought me the +information that the enemy was in strong force at Caseyville, and +expressed a fear that my fleet could not pass his batteries. +Accepting the information as correct, I concluded to capture the +place before trying to pass up the river. Pushing in to the bank as +we neared the town, I got the troops ashore and moved on Caseyville, +in the expectation of a bloody fight, but was agreeably surprised +upon reaching the outskirts of the village by an outpouring of its +inhabitants--men, women, and children--carrying the Stars and +Stripes, and making the most loyal professions. Similar +demonstrations of loyalty had been made to the panic-stricken captain +of the gunboat when he passed down the river, but he did not stay to +ascertain their character, neither by landing nor by inquiry, for he +assumed that on the Kentucky bank of the river there could be no +loyalty. The result mortified the captain intensely; and deeming his +convoy of little further use, he steamed toward Cairo in quest of +other imaginary batteries, while I re-embarked at Caseyville, and +continued up the Ohio undisturbed. About three miles below +Cincinnati I received instructions to halt, and next day I was +ordered by Major-General H. G. Wright to take my troops back to +Louisville, and there assume command of the Pea Ridge Brigade, +composed of the Second and Fifteenth Missouri, Thirty-sixth and +Forty-fourth Illinois infantry, and of such other regiments as might +be sent me in advance of the arrival of General Buell's army. +When I reached Louisville I reported to Major-General William Nelson, +who was sick, and who received me as he lay in bed. He asked me why +I did not wear the shoulder-straps of my rank. I answered that I was +the colonel of the Second Michigan cavalry, and had on my appropriate +shoulder-straps. He replied that I was a brigadier-general for the +Booneville fight, July 1, and that I should wear the shoulder-straps +of that grade. I returned to my command and put it in camp; and as I +had no reluctance to wearing the shoulder-straps of a brigadier- +general, I was not long in procuring a pair, particularly as I was +fortified next day by receiving from Washington official information +of my appointment as a brigadier-general, to date from July 1, 1862, +the day of the battle of Booneville + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +GOOD ADVICE FROM GENERAL NELSON--HIS TRAGIC DEATH--PUTTING LOUISVILLE +IN A STATE OF DEFENSE--ASSIGNED TO THE COMMAND OF THE ELEVENTH +DIVISION--CAPTURE OF CHAPLIN HEIGHTS--BATTLE OF PERRYVILLE--REPORTED +AMONG THE KILLED--A THRILLING INCIDENT--GENERAL BUELL RELIEVED BY +GENERAL ROSECRANS. + +I reported to Major-General Nelson at the Galt House in Louisville, +September 14, 1862, who greeted me in the bluff and hearty fashion of +a sailor--for he had been in the navy till the breaking out of the +war. The new responsibilities that were now to fall upon me by +virtue of increased rank caused in my mind an uneasiness which, I +think, Nelson observed at the interview, and he allayed it by giving +me much good advice, and most valuable information in regard to +affairs in Kentucky, telling me also that he intended I should retain +in my command the Pea Ridge Brigade and Hescock's battery. This +latter assurance relieved me greatly, for I feared the loss of these +troops in the general redistribution which I knew must soon take +place; and being familiar with their valuable service in Missouri, +and having brought them up from Mississippi, I hoped they would +continue with me. He directed me to take position just below the +city with the Pea Ridge Brigade, Hescock's battery, and the Second +Michigan Cavalry, informing me, at the same time, that some of the +new regiments, then arriving under a recent call of the President for +volunteers, would also be assigned to my command. Shortly after the +interview eight new regiments and an additional battery joined me, +thus making good his promise of more troops. + +A few days later came Nelson's tragic end, shocking the whole +country. Those of us in camp outside of the city were startled on +the morning of September 29 by the news that General Jefferson C. +Davis, of the Union Army, had shot General Nelson at the Galt House, +and the wildest rumors in regard to the occurrence came thick and +fast; one to the effect that Nelson was dead, another having it that +he was living and had killed Davis, and still others reflecting on +the loyalty of both, it being supposed by the general public at first +that the difficulty between the two men had grown out of some +political rather than official or personal differences. When the +news came, I rode into the city to the Galt House to learn the +particulars, reaching there about 10 o'clock in the forenoon. Here I +learned that Nelson had been shot by Davis about two hours before, at +the foot of the main stairway leading from the corridor just beyond +the office to the second floor, and that Nelson was already dead. It +was almost as difficult to get reliable particulars of the matter at +the hotel as it had been in my camp, but I gathered that the two men +had met first at an early hour near the counter of the hotel office, +and that an altercation which had begun several days before in +relation to something official was renewed by Davis, who, attempting +to speak to Nelson in regard to the subject-matter of their previous +dispute, was met by an insulting refusal to listen. It now appears +that when Nelson made this offensive remark, Davis threw a small +paper ball that he was nervously rolling between his fingers into +Nelson's face, and that this insult was returned by Nelson slapping +Davis (Killed by a Brother Soldier.--Gen. J. B. Fry.) in the face. +But at the time, exactly what had taken place just before the +shooting was shrouded in mystery by a hundred conflicting stories, +the principal and most credited of which was that Davis had demanded +from Nelson an apology for language used in the original altercation, +and that Nelson's refusal was accompanied by a slap in the face, at +the same moment denouncing Davis as a coward. However this may be, +Nelson, after slapping Davis, moved toward the corridor, from which a +stairway led to the second floor, and just as he was about to ascend, +Davis fired with a pistol that he had obtained from some one near by +after the blow had been struck. The ball entered Nelson's breast +just above the heart, but his great strength enabled him to ascend +the stairway notwithstanding the mortal character of the wound, and +he did not fall till he reached the corridor on the second floor. He +died about half an hour later. The tragedy cast a deep gloom over +all who knew the men, for they both had many warm personal friends; +and affairs at Louisville had hardly recovered as yet from the +confused and discouraging condition which preceded the arrival of +General Buell's army. General Buell reported the killing of Nelson +to the authorities at Washington, and recommended the trial of Davis +by court-martial, but no proceedings were ever instituted against him +in either a civil or military court, so to this day it has not been +determined judicially who was the aggressor. Some months later Davis +was assigned to the command of a division in Buell's army after that +officer had been relieved from its command. + +Two Confederate armies, under General Kirby Smith and General Braxton +Bragg, had penetrated into Kentucky, the one under Smith by the way +of Cumberland Gap, the other and main army under Bragg by way of the +Sequatche Valley, Glasgow, and Mumfordsville. Glasgow was captured +by the enemy on the 17th of September, and as the expectation was +that Buell would reach the place in time to save the town, its loss +created considerable alarm in the North, for fears were now +entertained that Bragg would strike Louisville and capture the city +before Buell could arrive on the ground. It became necessary +therefore to put Louisville in a state of defense, and after the +cordon of principal works had been indicated, my troops threw up in +one night a heavy line of rifle-pits south of the city, from the +Bardstown pike to the river. The apprehended attack by Bragg never +came, however, for in the race that was then going on between him and +Buell on parallel roads, the Army of the Ohio outmarched the +Confederates, its advance arriving at Louisville September 25. + +General Buell immediately set about reorganizing the whole force, and +on September 29 issued an order designating the troops under my +command as the Eleventh Division, Army of the Ohio, and assigning +Brigadier-General J. T. Boyle to command the division, and me to +command one of its brigades. To this I could not object, of course, +for I was a brigadier-general of very recent date, and could hardly +expect more than a brigade. I had learned, however, that at least +one officer to whom a high command had been given--a corps--had not +yet been appointed a general officer by the President, and I +considered it somewhat unfair that I should be relegated to a +brigade, while men who held no commissions at all were being made +chiefs of corps and divisions; so I sought an interview with General +Buell's chief-of-staff, Colonel Fry, and, while not questioning +Buell's good intentions nor his pure motives, insisted that my rights +in the matter should be recognized. That same evening I was assigned +to the command of the Eleventh Division, and began preparing it at +once for a forward movement, which I knew must soon take place in the +resumption of offensive operations by the Army of the Ohio. + +During the interval from September 25 till October 1 there was among +the officers much criticism of General Buell's management of the +recent campaign, which had resulted in his retirement to Louisville; +and he was particularly censured by many for not offering battle to +General Bragg while the two armies were marching parallel to each +other, and so near that an engagement could have been brought on at +any one of several points--notably so at Glasgow, Kentucky, if there +had been a desire to join issue. It was asserted, and by many +conceded, that General Buell had a sufficient force to risk a fight. +He was much blamed for the loss of Mumfordsville also. The capture +of this point, with its garrison, gave Bragg an advantage in the race +toward the Ohio River, which odds would most likely have ensured the +fall of Louisville had they been used with the same energy and skill +that the Confederate commander displayed from Chattanooga to Glasgow; +but something always diverted General Bragg at the supreme moment, +and he failed to utilize the chances falling to him at this time, +for, deflecting his march to the north toward Bardstown, he left open +to Buell the direct road to Louisville by way of Elizabethtown. + +At Bardstown Bragg's army was halted while he endeavored to establish +a Confederate government in Kentucky by arranging for the +installation of a provisional governor at Lexington. Bragg had been +assured that the presence of a Confederate army in Kentucky would so +encourage the secession element that the whole State could be forced +into the rebellion and his army thereby largely increased; but he had +been considerably misled, for he now found that though much latent +sympathy existed for his cause, yet as far as giving active aid was +concerned, the enthusiasm exhibited by the secessionists of Kentucky +in the first year of the war was now replaced by apathy, or at best +by lukewarmness. So the time thus spent in political machinations +was wholly lost to Bragg; and so little reinforcement was added to +his army that it may be said that the recruits gained were not enough +to supply the deficiencies resulting from the recent toilsome marches +of the campaign. + +In the meanwhile Buell had arrived at Louisville, system had been +substituted for the chaos which had previously obtained there, and +orders were issued for an advance upon the enemy with the purpose of +attacking and the hope of destroying him within the limits of the +"blue grass" region, and, failing in that, to drive him from +Kentucky. The army moved October 1, 1862, and my division, now a +part of the Third Corps, commanded by General C. C. Gilbert, marched +directly on Bardstown, where it was thought the enemy would make a +stand, but Bragg's troops retreated toward Perryville, only resisting +sufficiently to enable the forces of General Kirby Smith to be drawn +in closer--they having begun a concentration at Frankfort--so they +could be used in a combined attack on Louisville as soon as the +Confederate commander's political projects were perfected. + +Much time was consumed by Buell's army in its march on Perryville, +but we finally neared it on the evening of October 7. During the +day, Brigadier-General Robert B. Mitchell's division of Gilbert's +corps was in the advance on the Springfield pike, but as the enemy +developed that he was in strong force on the opposite side of a small +stream called Doctor's Creek, a tributary of Chaplin River, my +division was brought up and passed to the front. It was very +difficult to obtain water in this section of Kentucky, as a drought +had prevailed for many weeks, and the troops were suffering so for +water that it became absolutely necessary that we should gain +possession of Doctor's Creek in order to relieve their distress. +Consequently General Gilbert, during the night, directed me to push +beyond Doctor's Creek early the next morning. At daylight on the 8th +I moved out Colonel Dan McCook's brigade and Barnett's battery for +the purpose, but after we had crossed the creek with some slight +skirmishing, I found that we could not hold the ground unless we +carried and occupied a range of hills, called Chaplin Heights, in +front of Chaplin River. As this would project my command in the +direction of Perryville considerably beyond the troops that were on +either flank, I brought up Laiboldt's brigade and Hescock's battery +to strengthen Colonel McCook. Putting both brigades into line we +quickly carried the Heights, much to the surprise of the enemy, I +think, for he did not hold on to the valuable ground as strongly as +he should have done. This success not only ensured us a good supply +of water, but also, later in the day, had an important bearing in the +battle of Perryville. After taking the Heights, I brought up the +rest of my division and intrenched, without much difficulty, by +throwing up a strong line of rifle-pits, although the enemy's +sharpshooters annoyed us enough to make me order Laiboldt's brigade +to drive them in on the main body. This was successfully done in a +few minutes, but in pushing them back to Chaplin River, we discovered +the Confederates forming a line of battle on the opposite bank, with +the apparent purpose of an attack in force, so I withdrew the brigade +to our intrenchments on the crest and there awaited the assault. + +While this skirmishing was going on, General Gilbert--the corps +commander--whose headquarters were located on a hill about a mile +distant to the rear, kept sending me messages by signal not to bring +on an engagement. I replied to each message that I was not bringing +on an engagement, but that the enemy evidently intended to do so, and +that I believed I should shortly be attacked. Soon after returning +to the crest and getting snugly fixed in the rifle-pits, my attention +was called to our left, the high ground we occupied affording me in +that direction an unobstructed view. I then saw General A. McD. +McCook's corps--the First-advancing toward Chaplin River by the +Mackville road, apparently unconscious that the Confederates were +present in force behind the stream. I tried by the use of signal +flags to get information of the situation to these troops, but my +efforts failed, and the leading regiments seemed to approach the +river indifferently prepared to meet the sudden attack that speedily +followed, delivered as it was from the chosen position of the enemy. +The fury of the Confederate assault soon halted this advance force, +and in a short time threw it into confusion, pushed it back a +considerable distance, and ultimately inflicted upon it such loss of +men and guns as to seriously cripple McCook's corps, and prevent for +the whole day further offensive movement on his part, though he +stoutly resisted the enemy's assaults until 4 o'clock in the +afternoon. + +Seeing McCook so fiercely attacked, in order to aid him I advanced +Hescock's battery, supported by six regiments, to a very good +position in front of a belt of timber on my extreme left, where an +enfilading fire could be opened on that portion of the enemy +attacking the right of the First Corps, and also on his batteries +across Chaplin River. But at this juncture he placed two batteries +on my right and began to mass troops behind them, and General +Gilbert, fearing that my intrenched position on the heights might be +carried, directed me to withdraw Hescock and his supports and return +them to the pits. My recall was opportune, for I had no sooner got +back to my original line than the Confederates attacked me furiously, +advancing almost to my intrenchments, notwithstanding that a large +part of the ground over which they had to move was swept by a heavy +fire of canister from both my batteries. Before they had quite +reached us, however, our telling fire made them recoil, and as they +fell back, I directed an advance of my whole division, bringing up my +reserve regiments to occupy the crest of the hills; Colonel William +P. Carlin's brigade of Mitchell's division meanwhile moving forward +on my right to cover that flank. This advance pressed the enemy to +Perryville, but he retired in such good order that we gained nothing +but some favorable ground that enabled me to establish my batteries +in positions where they could again turn their attention to the +Confederates in front of McCook, whose critical condition was shortly +after relieved, however, by a united pressure of Gilbert's corps +against the flank of McCook's assailants, compelling them to retire +behind Chaplin River. + +The battle virtually ended about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, though +more or less desultory firing continued until dark. Considering the +severity of the engagement on McCook's front, and the reverses that +had befallen him, I question if, from that part of the line, much +could have been done toward retrieving the blunders of the day, but +it did seem to me that, had the commander of the army been able to be +present on the field, he could have taken advantage of Bragg's final +repulse, and there would have remained in our hands more than the +barren field. But no attempt was made to do anything more till next +morning, and then we secured little except the enemy's killed and +most severely wounded. + +The operations of my division during the engagement pleased. General +Gilbert very much, and he informed me that he would relax a rigidly +enforced order which General Buell had issued some days before, +sufficiently to permit my trains to come to the front and supply my +almost starving troops with rations. The order in question was one +of those issued, doubtless with a good intent, to secure generally +the safety of our trains, but General Gilbert was not elastic, and on +the march he had construed the order so illiberally that it was next +to impossible to supply the men with food, and they were particularly +short in this respect on the eve of the battle. I had then +endeavored to persuade him to modify his iron-clad interpretation of +the order, but without effect, and the only wagons we could bring up +from the general parks in rear were ambulances and those containing +ammunition. So to gain access to our trains was a great boon, and at +that moment a more welcome result than would have been a complete +victory minus this concession. + +When the battle ceased General Gilbert asked me to join him at +Buell's headquarters, which were a considerable distance to the rear, +so after making some dispositions for the evening I proceeded there +as requested. I arrived just as Buell was about to sit down to his +supper, and noticing that he was lame, then learned that he had been +severely injured by a recent fall from his horse. He kindly invited +me to join him at the table, an invitation which I accepted with +alacrity, enjoying the meal with a relish known only to a very-hungry +man, for I had eaten nothing since morning. Of course the events of +the day were the chief topic of discussion--as they were during my +stay at headquarters--but the conversation indicated that what had +occurred was not fully realized, and I returned to my troops +impressed with the belief that General Buell and his staff-officers +were unconscious of the magnitude of the battle that had just been +fought. + +It had been expected by Buell that he would fight the enemy on the +9th of October, but the Confederates disposed of that proposition by +attacking us on the 8th, thus disarranging a tactical conception +which, with our superior numbers, would doubtless have proved +successful had it not been anticipated by an enterprising foe. +During the battle on the 8th the Second Corps, under General Thomas +L. Crittenden, accompanied by General George H. Thomas, lay idle the +whole day for want of orders, although it was near enough to the +field to take an active part in the fight; and, moreover, a large +part of Gilbert's corps was unengaged during the pressure on McCook. +Had these troops been put in on the enemy's left at any time after he +assaulted McCook, success would have been beyond question; but there +was no one on the ground authorized to take advantage of the +situation, and the battle of Perryville remains in history an example +of lost opportunities. This was due in some measure probably to +General Buell's accident, but is mainly attributable to the fact that +he did not clearly apprehend Bragg's aim, which was to gain time to +withdraw behind Dick's River all the troops he had in Kentucky, for +the Confederate general had no idea of risking the fate of his army +on one general battle at a place or on a day to be chosen by the +Union commander. + +Considering the number of troops actually engaged, the losses to +Buell were severe, amounting to something over five thousand in +killed, wounded, and missing. Among the killed were two brigade +commanders of much promise--General James S. Jackson and General +William R. Terrill. McCook's corps lost twelve guns, some of which +were recovered next day. The enemy's loss in killed and wounded we +never learned, but it must have equalled ours; and about four +thousand prisoners, consisting principally of sick and wounded, fell +into our hands. In the first report of the battle sent North to the +newspapers I was reported among the killed; but I was pleased to +notice, when the papers reached us a few days later, that the error +had been corrected before my obituary could be written. + +The enemy retired from our front the night of the 8th, falling back +on Harrodsburg to form a junction with Kirby Smith, and by taking +this line of retreat opened to us the road to Danville and the chance +for a direct march against his depot of supplies at Bryantsville. We +did not take advantage of this opening, however, and late in the day- +-on the 9th--my division marched in pursuit, in the direction of +Harrodsburg, which was the apex of a triangle having for its base a +line from Perryville to Danville. The pursuit was slow, very slow, +consuming the evening of the 9th and all of the l0th and 11th. By +cutting across the triangle spoken of above, just south of the apex, +I struck the Harrodsburg-Danville road, near Cave Springs, joining +there Gilbert's left division, which had preceded me and marched +through Harrodsburg. Here we again rested until the intention of the +enemy could be divined, and we could learn on which side of Dick's +River he would give us battle. A reconnoissance sent toward the +Dickville crossing developed to a certainty that we should not have +another engagement, however; for it disclosed the fact that Bragg's +army had disappeared toward Camp Dick Robinson, leaving only a small +rear-guard at Danville, which in turn quickly fled in the direction +of Lancaster, after exchanging a few shots with Hescock's battery. + +While this parting salute of deadly projectiles was going on, a +little, daughter of Colonel William J. Landram, whose home was in +Danville, came running out from his house and planted a small +national flag on one of Hescock's guns. The patriotic act was so +brave and touching that it thrilled all who witnessed the scene; and +until the close of the war, when peace separated the surviving +officers and men of the battery, that little flag was protected and +cherished as a memento of the Perryville campaign. + +Pursuit of the enemy was not continued in force beyond Crab Orchard, +but some portions of the army kept at Bragg's heels until he crossed +the Cumberland River, a part of his troops retiring to Tennessee by +way of Cumberland Gap, but the major portion through Somerset. As +the retreat of Bragg transferred the theatre of operations back to +Tennessee, orders were now issued for a concentration of Buell's army +at Bowling Green, with a view to marching it to Nashville, and my +division moved to that point without noteworthy incident. I reached +Bowling Green with a force much reduced by the losses sustained in +the battle of Perryville and by sickness. I had started from +Louisville on October 1 with twelve regiments of infantry--four old +and eight new ones--and two batteries, but many poor fellows, +overcome by fatigue, and diseases induced by the heat, dust, and +drought of the season, had to be left at roadside hospitals. This +was particularly the case with the new regiments, the men of which, +much depressed by homesickness, and not yet inured to campaigning, +fell easy victims to the hardships of war. + +At Bowling Green General Buell was relieved, General W. S. Rosecrans +succeeding him. The army as a whole did not manifest much regret at +the change of commanders, for the campaign from Louisville on was +looked upon generally as a lamentable failure, yet there were many +who still had the utmost confidence in General Buell, and they +repelled with some asperity the reflections cast upon him by his +critics. These admirers held him blameless throughout for the +blunders of the campaign, but the greater number laid every error at +his door, and even went to the absurdity of challenging his loyalty +in a mild way, but they particularly charged incompetency at +Perryville, where McCook's corps was so badly crippled while nearly +30,000 Union troops were idle on the field, or within striking +distance. With these it was no use to argue that Buell's accident +stood in the way of his activity, nor that he did not know that the +action had assumed the proportions of a battle. The physical +disability was denied or contested, but even granting this, his +detractors claimed that it did not excuse his ignorance of the true +condition of the fight, and finally worsted his champions by pointing +out that Bragg's retreat by way of Harrodsburg beyond Dick's River so +jeopardized the Confederate army, that had a skillful and energetic +advance of the Union troops been made, instead of wasting precious +time in slow and unnecessary tactical manoeuvres, the enemy could +have been destroyed before he could quit the State of Kentucky. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +MOVING TO BOWLING GREEN--JAMES CARD, THE SCOUT AND GUIDE--GENERAL +SILL--COLONEL SCHAEFER--COLONEL G. W. ROBERTS--MOVEMENT ON +MURFREESBORO'--OPENING OF THE BATTLE OF STONE RIVER. + +My division had moved from Crab Orchard to Bowling Green by easy +marches, reaching this place November 1. General Rosecrans assumed +command of the department October 30, at Louisville, and joined the +army November 2. There had been much pressure brought to bear on +General Buell to induce him to take measures looking to the occupancy +of East Tennessee, and the clamor to this end from Washington still +continued; but now that Bragg was south of the Cumberland River, in a +position threatening Nashville, which was garrisoned by but a small +force, it was apparent to every one at all conversant with the +situation that a battle would have to be fought somewhere in Middle +Tennessee. So, notwithstanding the pressure from Washington, the +army was soon put in motion for Nashville, and when we arrived there +my division went into camp north of the river, on a plateau just +outside the little town of Edgefield, until the movements of the +enemy should be further developed. + +While in this camp, on the plantation of Mr. Hobson, there came to my +headquarters one morning an East Tennessean named James Card, who +offered to the Union cause his services in any capacity in which they +might be made useful. This offer, and the relation of his personal +history, were given with such sincerity of speech and manner that in +a short time I became convinced of his honesty of purpose. He was a +small, active, busy man, with a determined way about him, and his +countenance indicated great intelligence. He gave minute information +that was of inestimable value to me regarding East and Middle +Tennessee and northern Georgia, for, with a view to the army's future +movements, I was then making a study of the topography of this +region, and posting myself as to Middle Tennessee, for all knew this +would be the scene of active operations whenever the campaign was +resumed. This man, like most of the East Tennesseans whom I had met, +was intensely loyal and patriotic, and the interview led in a few +days to his employment as a scout and guide, and subsequently to the +engaging in the same capacity of two of his brothers, who were good +men; but not quite as active nor so intelligent as he was. Card had +been a colporter, having pedled books, especially religious tracts, +over all Middle and East Tennessee and Georgia, assisted by his +brothers at times, and was therefore thoroughly familiar with these +regions, their roads and inhabitants. He also preached to country +congregations occasionally, when ministers were scarce, and I have no +doubt often performed the functions of family physician in the +mountain district. Thus his opportunities were great; and the loyal +people in every section of the country being well known to him and +his brothers, the three began, at this time, a system of scouting and +investigation which bore its first-fruits in specifically locating +the different divisions of Bragg's army, with statements of their +strength and condition, and all with so much accuracy that I +thereafter felt reasonably sure that I could at all times procure +such knowledge of the enemy's operations as would well equip me for +any contingency that might arise. + +By the middle of November the enemy, having assembled his forces in +Middle Tennessee, showed considerable boldness, and it became +necessary to rearrange the Union lines; so my troops were moved to +the south side of the river, out on the Murfreesboro' pike, to Mill +Creek, distant from Nashville about seven miles. While we were in +camp on Mill Creek the army was reorganized, and General Joshua W. +Sill, at his own request, was assigned to my division, and took +command of Colonel Nicholas Greusel's brigade. My division became at +the same time the Third Division, Right Wing, Fourteenth Army Corps, +its three brigades of four regiments each being respectively +commanded by General Sill, Colonel Frederick Schaefer and Colonel Dan +McCook; but a few days later Colonel George W. Roberts's brigade, +from the garrison at Nashville, was substituted for McCook's. + +General Sill was a classmate of mine at the Military Academy, having +graduated in 1853. On graduating he was appointed to the Ordnance +Corps, and served in that department at various arsenals and ordnance +depots throughout the country till early in 1861, when he resigned to +accept a professorship of mathematics and civil engineering at the +Brooklyn Collegiate and Polytechnic Institute. At the breaking out +of the war he immediately tendered his services to the Government, +and soon rose to the colonelcy of the Thirty-Third Ohio Volunteers, +and afterward to the rank of brigadier-general. I knew him well, and +was glad that he came to my division, though I was very loth to +relieve Colonel Greusel, of the Thirty-Sixth Illinois, who had +already indicated much military skill and bravery, and at the battle +of Perryville had handled his men with the experience of a veteran. +Sill's modesty and courage were exceeded only by a capacity that had +already been demonstrated in many practical ways, and his untimely +death, almost within a month of his joining me, abruptly closed a +career which, had it been prolonged a little more, not only would +have shed additional lustre on his name, but would have been of +marked benefit to his country. + +Colonel Schaefer, of the Second Missouri Infantry, had been absent on +sick-leave during the Kentucky campaign, but about this date he +returned to duty, and by seniority fell in command of the second +brigade. He was of German birth, having come from Baden, where, +prior to 1848, he had been a non-commissioned officer in the service +of his State. He took part as an insurgent in the so-called +revolution which occurred at Baden in that year, and, compelled to +emigrate on the suppression of the insurrection, made his way to this +country and settled in St. Louis. Here the breaking out of the war +found him, and through the personal interest which General Sigel took +in him he was commissioned a colonel of volunteers. He had had a +pretty fair education, a taste for the military profession, and was +of tall and slender build, all of which gave him a student-like +appearance. He was extremely excitable and nervous when anticipating +a crisis, but always calmed down to cool deliberation when the +critical moment came. With such a man I could not be less than well +satisfied, although the officer whom he replaced--Colonel Laiboldt-- +had performed efficient service and shown much capacity in the recent +campaign. + +Colonel G. W. Roberts, of the Forty-Second Illinois Infantry, also +came to me in the reorganization. He was an ideal soldier both in +mind and body. He was young, tall, handsome, brave, and dashing, and +possessed a balance-wheel of such good judgment that in his sphere of +action no occasion could arise from which he would not reap the best +results. But he too was destined to lay, down his life within a few +days, and on the same fatal field. His brigade had been performing +garrison duty in Nashville during the siege of that city while +Buell's army was in Kentucky, but disliking the prospect of +inactivity pending the operations opening before us, Roberts had +requested and obtained a transfer to the army in the field. His +brigade relieved Colonel Dan McCook's, the latter reluctantly joining +the garrison at Nashville, every one in it disappointed and disgusted +that the circumstances existing at this time should necessitate their +relegation to the harassing and tantalizing duty of protecting our +depots and line of supply. + +I was fortunate in having such brigade commanders, and no less +favored in the regimental and battery commanders. They all were not +only patriots, but soldiers, and knowing that discipline must be one +of the most potent factors in bringing to a successful termination, +the mighty contest in which our nation was struggling for existence, +they studied and practiced its methods ceaselessly, inspiring with +the same spirit that pervaded themselves the loyal hearts of their +subordinate officers and men. All worked unremittingly in the camp +at Mill Creek in preparing for the storm, which now plainly indicated +its speedy coming. Drills, parades, scouts, foraging expeditions, +picket and guard duty, made up the course in this school of +instruction, supplemented by frequent changes in the locations of the +different brigades, so that the division could have opportunity to +learn to break camp quickly and to move out promptly on the march. +Foraging expeditions were particularly beneficial in this respect, +and when sent out, though absent sometimes for days, the men went +without tents or knapsacks, equipped with only one blanket and their +arms, ammunition, and rations, to teach them to shift for themselves +with slender means in the event of necessity. The number of +regimental and headquarters wagons was cut down to the lowest +possible figure, and everything made compact by turning into the +supply and ammunition trains of the division all surplus +transportation, and restricting the personal baggage of officers to +the fewest effects possible. + +My own staff also was somewhat reorganized and increased at Mill +Creek, and though it had been perfectly satisfactory before, yet, on +account of the changes of troops that had occurred in the command, I +found it necessary to replace valuable officers in some instances, +and secure additional ones in others. The gathering of information +about the enemy was also industriously pursued, and Card and his +brothers were used constantly on expeditions within the Confederate +lines, frequently visiting Murfreesboro', Sparta, Tullahoma, +Shelbyville, and other points. What they learned was reported to +army headquarters, often orally through me or personally communicated +by Card himself, but much was forwarded in official letters, +beginning with November 24, when I transmitted accurate information +of the concentration of Bragg's main force at Tullahoma. Indeed, +Card kept me so well posted as to every movement of the enemy, not +only with reference to the troops in my immediate front, but also +throughout his whole army, that General Rosecrans placed the most +unreserved reliance on all his statements, and many times used them +to check and correct the reports brought in by his own scouts. + +Slight skirmishes took place frequently during this period, and now +and then heavy demonstrations were made in the neighborhood of +Nolensville by reconnoitring parties from both armies, but none of +these ever grew into a battle. These affairs sprung from the desire +of each side to feel his antagonist, and had little result beyond +emphasizing the fact that behind each line of pickets lay a massed +and powerful army busily preparing for the inevitable conflict and +eager for its opening. So it wore on till the evening of December +25, 1862; then came the order to move forward. + +General Rosecrans, in the reorganization of the army, had assigned +Major-General A. McD. McCook to command the right wing, MajorGeneral +George H. Thomas the centre, and Major-General T. L. Crittenden the +left wing. McCook's wing was made up of three divisions, commanded +in order of rank by Brigadier-General Jeff. C. Davis; Brigadier- +General R. W. Johnson, and Brigadier-General P. H. Sheridan. +Although the corps nomenclature established by General Buell was +dropped, the grand divisions into which he had organized the army at +Louisville were maintained, and, in fact, the conditions established +then remained practically unaltered, with the exception of the +interchange of some brigades, the transfer of a few general officers +from one wing or division to another, and the substitution of General +Thomas for Gilbert as a corps commander. The army was thus compact +and cohesive, undisturbed by discord and unembarrassed by jealousies +of any moment; and it may be said that under a commander who, we +believed, had the energy and skill necessary to direct us to success, +a national confidence in our invincibility made us all keen for a +test of strength with the Confederates. We had not long to wait. + +Early on the morning of December 26, 1862, in a heavy rain, the army +marched, the movement being directed on Murfreesboro', where the +enemy had made some preparation to go into winter-quarters, and to +hold which town it was hoped he would accept battle. General Thomas +moved by the Franklin and Wilson pikes, General Crittenden by the +Murfreesboro' pike, through Lavergne, and General McCook by the +Nolensville pike--Davis's division in advance. As McCook's command +neared Nolensville, I received a message from Davis informing me that +the Confederates were in considerable force, posted on a range of +hills in his front, and requesting me to support him in an attack he +was about to make. When the head of my column arrived at Nolensville +I began massing my troops on the right of the road, and by the time +this formation was nearly completed Davis advanced, but not meeting +with sufficient resistance to demand active assistance from me, he +with his own command carried the hills, capturing one piece of +artillery. This position of the Confederates was a strong one, +defending Knob's Gap, through which the Nolensville and Triune pike +passed. On the 27th Johnson's division, followed by mine, advanced +to Triune, and engaged in a severe skirmish near that place, but my +troops were not called into action, the stand made by the enemy being +only for the purpose of gaining time to draw in his outlying troops, +which done, he retired toward Murfreesboro'. I remained inactive at +Triune during the 28th, but early on the 29th moved out by the Bole +Jack road to the support of, Davis in his advance to Stewart's Creek, +and encamped at Wilkinson's crossroads, from which point to +Murfreesboro', distant about six miles, there was a good turnpike. +The enemy had sullenly resisted the progress of Crittenden and McCook +throughout the preceding three days, and as it was thought probable +that he might offer battle at Stewart's Creek, Thomas, in pursuance +of his original instructions looking to just such a contingency, had +now fallen into the centre by way of the Nolensville crossroads. + +On the morning of the 3oth I had the advance of McCook's corps on the +Wilkinson pike, Roberts's brigade leading. At first only slight +skirmishing took place, but when we came within about three miles of +Murfreesboro' the resistance of the enemy's pickets grew serious, and +a little further on so strong that I had to put in two regiments to +push them back. I succeeded in driving them about half a mile, when +I was directed by McCook to form line of battle and place my +artillery in position so that I could act in concert with Davis's +division, which he wished to post on my right in the general line he +desired to take up. In obedience to these directions I deployed on +the right of, and oblique to the Wilkinson pike, with a front of four +regiments, a second line of four regiments within short supporting +distance, and a reserve of one brigade in column of regiments to the +rear of my centre. All this time the enemy kept up a heavy artillery +and musketry fire on my skirmishers, he occupying, with his +sharpshooters, beyond some open fields, a heavy belt of timber to my +front and right, where it was intended the left of Davis should +finally rest. To gain this point Davis was ordered to swing his +division into it in conjunction with a wheeling movement of my right +brigade, until our continuous line should face nearly due east. This +would give us possession of the timber referred to, and not only rid +us of the annoying fire from the skirmishers screened by it, but also +place us close in to what was now developing as Bragg's line of +battle. The movement was begun about half-past 2, and was +successfully executed, after a stubborn resistance. In this +preliminary affair the enemy had put in one battery of artillery, +which was silenced in a little while, however, by Bush's and +Hescock's guns. By sundown I had taken up my prescribed position, +facing almost east, my left (Roberts's brigade) resting on the +Wilkinson pike, the right (Sill's brigade) in the timber we had just +gained, and the reserve brigade (Schaefer's) to the rear of my +centre, on some rising ground in the edge of a strip of woods behind +Houghtaling's and Hescock's batteries. Davis's division was placed +in position on my right, his troops thrown somewhat to the rear, so +that his line formed nearly a right angle with mine, while Johnson's +division formed in a very exposed position on the right of Davis, +prolonging the general line just across the Franklin pike. + +The centre, under Thomas, had already formed to my left, the right of +Negley's division joining my left in a cedar thicket near the +Wilkinson pike, while Crittenden's corps was posted on the left of +Thomas, his left resting on Stone River, at a point about two miles +and a half from Murfreesboro'. + +The precision that had characterized every manoeuvre of the past +three days, and the exactness with which each corps and division fell +into its allotted place on the evening of the 30th, indicated that at +the outset of the campaign a well-digested plan of operations had +been prepared for us; and although the scheme of the expected battle +was not known to subordinates of my grade, yet all the movements up +to this time had been so successfully and accurately made as to give +much promise for the morrow, and when night fell there was general +anticipation of the best results to the Union army. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +ASSAULT ON OUR RIGHT FLANK--OCCUPYING A NEW POSITION--THE ENEMY +CHECKED--TERRIBLE LOSS OF OFFICERS--AMMUNITION GIVES OUT-- +RECONSTRUCTING THE LINE--COLLECTING THE WOUNDED AND BURYING THE DEAD- +-DEALING WITH COWARDS--RESULTS OF THE VICTORY. + +The enemy under Bragg lay between us and stone River in order of +battle, his general line conforming to the course of that stream. In +my immediate front he appeared to be established in strong force in a +dense cedar wood, just beyond an open valley, which varied from two +hundred to four hundred yards in width, the cedars extending the +entire length of the valley. From the events of the day and evening +of the 3oth, it was apparent that the two armies were in close +proximity, and orders received during the night revealed the fact +that Rosecrans intended to attack by throwing his left on the enemy's +right, with the expectation of driving it in toward Murfreesboro', so +that the right of Crittenden's corps could attack Bragg's centre in +reverse, while Thomas supported Crittenden by a simultaneous front +assault; and from the movements of the enemy at daylight next +morning, it was plainly indicated that Bragg had planned to swing his +left on our right by an exactly similar manoeuvre, get possession of +the railroad and the Nashville pike, and if possible cut us off from +our base at Nashville. The conceptions in the minds of the two +generals were almost identical; but Bragg took the initiative, +beginning his movement about an hour earlier than the time set by +Rosecrans, which gained him an immense advantage in execution in the +earlier stages of the action. + +During the evening of the th, feeling keenly all the solicitude which +attends one in anticipation of a battle, I examined my position with +great care, inspecting its whole length several times to remedy any +defects that might exist, and to let the men see that I was alive to +their interests and advantages. After dark, I went back to the rear +of my reserve brigade, and establishing my headquarters behind the +trunk of a large fallen tree, which would shelter me somewhat from +the cold December wind, lay down beside a small camp-fire to get some +rest. + +At 2 o'clock on the morning of the 31st General Sill came back to me +to report that on his front a continuous movement of infantry and +artillery had been going on all night within the Confederate lines, +and that he was convinced that Bragg was massing on our right with +the purpose of making an attack from that direction early in the +morning. After discussing for a few minutes the probabilities of +such a course on the part of the enemy, I thought McCook should be +made acquainted with what was going on, so Sill and I went back to +see him at his headquarters, not far from the Griscom House, where we +found him sleeping on some straw in the angle of a worm-fence. I +waked him up and communicated the intelligence, and our consequent +impressions. He talked the matter over with us for some little time, +but in view of the offensive-defensive part he was to play in the +coming battle, did not seem to think that there was a necessity for +any further dispositions than had already been taken. He said that +he thought Johnson's division would be able to take care of the +right, and seemed confident that the early assault which was to be +made from Rosecrans's left would anticipate and check the designs +which we presaged. We two then returned to my little camp-fire +behind the log, and as we continued talking of what might be expected +from the indications on the right, and Sill becoming more anxious, I +directed two regiments from the reserve to report to him, that they +might be placed within very short supporting distance of his line. +He then rejoined his brigade, better satisfied, but still adhering to +the belief he had expressed when first making his report. + +Long before dawn my division breakfasted, and was assembled under +arms, the infantry in line, the cannoneers at their pieces, but while +we were thus preparing, all the recent signs of activity in the +enemy's camp were hushed, a death-like stillness prevailing in the +cedars to our front. Shortly after daylight General Hardee opened +the engagement, just as Sill had predicted, by a fierce attack on +Johnson's division, the extreme right of the Union line. Immediate +success attending this assault, Hardee extended the attack gradually +along in front of Davis, hip movement taking the form of a wheel to +the right, the pivot being nearly opposite the left of my division. +Johnson's division soon gave way, and two of Davis's brigades were +forced to fall back with it, though stubbornly resisting the +determined and sweeping onset. + +In the meantime the enemy had also attacked me, advancing across an +old cotton-field in Sill's front in heavy masses, which were +furiously opened upon by Bush's battery from Sill's line, and by +Hescock's and Houghtaling's batteries, which had an oblique fire on +the field from a commanding position in rear of my centre. The +effect of this fire on the advancing column was terrible, but it +continued on till it reached the edge of the timber where Sill's +right lay, when my infantry opened at a range of not over fifty +yards. For a short time the Confederates withstood the fire, but +then wavered, broke, and fell back toward their original line. As +they retired, Sill's brigade followed in a spirited charge, driving +them back across the open ground and behind their intrenchments. In +this charge the gallant Sill was killed; a rifle ball passing through +his upper lip and penetrating the brain. Although this was a heavy +loss, yet the enemy's discomfiture was such as to give us an hour's +time, and as Colonel Greusel, Thirty-sixth Illinois, succeeded to +Sill's command, I directed him, as he took charge, to recall the +brigade to its original position, for the turning-column on my +extreme right was now assuming the most menacing attitude, and it was +urgently necessary to prepare for it. + +When that portion of the enemy driven back by Sill recovered from its +repulse it again advanced to the attack, this time directing its +efforts chiefly upon my extreme right, and the front of Woodruff's +brigade of Davis's division, which brigade still held on in its first +position. In front of my centre the Confederates were again driven +back, but as the assault on Woodruff was in conjunction with an +advance of the column that had forced Johnson to retire, Woodruff was +compelled unfortunately to give way, and two regiments on the right +of my line went with him, till they rallied on the two reserve +regiments which, in anticipation of the enemy's initiatory attack I +had sent to Sill's rear before daylight. + +Both Johnson's and Davis's divisions were now practically gone from +our line, having retired with a loss of all formation, and they were +being closely pursued by the enemy, whose columns were following the +arc of a circle that would ultimately carry him in on my rear. In +consequence of the fact that this state of things would soon subject +me to a fire in reverse, I hastily withdrew Sill's brigade and the +reserve regiments supporting it, and ordered Roberts's brigade, which +at the close of the enemy's second repulse had changed front toward +the south and formed in column of regiments, to cover the withdrawal +by a charge on the Confederates as they came into the timber where my +right had originally rested. Roberts made the charge at the proper +time, and was successful in checking the enemy's advance, thus giving +us a breathing-spell, during which I was able to take up a new +position with Schaefer's and Sill's brigades on the commanding ground +to the rear, where Hescock's and Houghtaling's batteries had been +posted all the morning. + +The general course of this new position was at right angles with my +original line, and it took the shape of an obtuse angle, with my +three batteries at the apex. Davis, and Carlin of his division, +endeavored to rally their men here on my right, but their efforts +were practically unavailing,--though the calm and cool appearance of +Carlin, who at the time was smoking a stumpy pipe, had some effect, +and was in strong contrast to the excited manner of Davis, who seemed +overpowered by the disaster that had befallen his command. But few +could be rallied, however, as the men were badly demoralized, and +most of them fell back beyond the Wilkinson pike, where they +reorganized behind the troops of General Thomas. + +At this juncture the enemy's turning-column began advancing again in +concert with Cheatham's division, and as the extreme left of the +Confederates was directed on Griscom's house, and their right on the +Blanton house, my new position was in danger of envelopment. No hope +of stemming the tide at this point seemed probable, but to gain time +I retained my ground as long as possible, and until, under directions +from General McCook, I moved to the front from my left flank and +attached myself to the right of Negley's division, which up to this +hour had been left almost undisturbed by the enemy in the line it had +taken up the night before. Under a heavy fire we succeeded in this +manoeuvre, Schaefer's brigade marching first, then the batteries, and +Roberts's and Sill's brigades following. When my division arrived on +this new ground, I posted Roberts on Negley's right, with Hescock's +and Bush's guns, the brigade and guns occupying a low rocky ridge of +limestone, which faced them toward Murfreesboro', nearly south. The +rest of my division was aligned facing west, along the edge of a +cedar thicket, the rear rank backed up on the right flank of Roberts, +with Houghtaling's battery in the angle. This presented Sill's and +Schaefer's brigades in an almost opposite direction to the line we +had so confidently taken up the night before, and covered Negley's +rear. The enemy, in the meantime, had continued his wheeling +movement till he occupied the ground that my batteries and reserve +brigade had held in the morning, and I had now so changed my position +that the left brigade of my division approached his intrenchments in +front of Stone River, while Sill's and Schaeffer's brigades, by +facing nearly west, confronted the successful troops that had smashed +in our extreme right. + +I had hardly got straightened out in this last place when I was +attacked by Cheatham's'division, which, notwithstanding the +staggering blows it had previously received from Sill and Roberts, +now again moved forward in conjunction with the wheeling movement +under the immediate command of Hardee. One of the most sanguinary +contests of the day now took place. In fulfillment of Bragg's +original design no doubt, Cheatham's division attacked on my left, +while heavy masses under Hardee, covered by batteries posted on the +high ground formerly occupied by my guns, assaulted my right, the +whole force advancing simultaneously. At the same time the enemy +opened an artillery fire from his intrenchments in front of +Murfreesboro', and it seemed that he was present on every side. My +position was strong, however, located in the edge of a dense cedar +thicket and commanding a slight depression of open ground that lay in +my front. My men were in good spirits too, notwithstanding they had +been a good deal hustled around since daylight, with losses that had +told considerably on their numbers. Only a short distance now +separated the contending lines, and as the batteries on each side +were not much more than two hundred yards apart when the enemy made +his assault, the artillery fire was fearful in its effect on the +ranks of both contestants, the enemy's heavy masses staggering under +the torrent of shell and canister from our batteries, while our lines +were thinned by his ricochetting projectiles, that rebounded again +and again over the thinly covered limestone formation and sped on to +the rear of Negley. But all his efforts to dislodge or destroy us +were futile, and for the first time since daylight General Hardee was +seriously checked in the turning movement he had begun for the +purpose of getting possession of the Nashville pike, and though +reinforced until two-fifths of Bragg's army was now at his command, +yet he met with repulse after repulse, which created great gaps in +his lines and taught him that to overwhelm us was hopeless. + +As the enemy was recoiling from his first attack, I received a +message from Rosecrans telling me that he was making new +dispositions, and directing me to hold on where I was until they were +completed. From this I judged that the existing conditions of the +battle would probably require a sacrifice of my command, so I +informed Roberts and Schaefer that we must be prepared to meet the +demand on us by withstanding the assault of the enemy, no matter what +the outcome. Every energy was therefore bent to the simple holding +of our ground, and as ammunition was getting scarce, instructions +were given throughout the command to have it reserve its fire till +the most effective moment. In a little while came a second and a +third assault, and although they were as daring and furious as the +first, yet in each case the Confederates were repulsed, driven back +in confusion, but not without deadly loss to us, for the noble +Roberts was killed, and Colonel Harrington, of the Twenty-Seventh +Illinois, who succeeded to his brigade, was mortally wounded a few +minutes later. I had now on the death-roll three brigade commanders, +and the loss of subordinate officers and men was appalling, but their +sacrifice had accomplished the desired result; they had not fallen in +vain. Indeed, the bravery and tenacity of my division gave to +Rosecrans the time required to make new dispositions, and exacted +from our foes the highest commendations. + +A lull followed the third fierce assault, and an investigation showed +that, with the exception of a few rounds in my brigade, our +ammunition was entirely exhausted; and while it was apparent that the +enemy was reluctant to renew the conflict in my front, yet I was +satisfied I could not hold on much longer without the danger of +ultimate capture, so I prepared to withdraw as soon as the troops of +Rousseau's division, which had been ordered to take up a line on my +right, came into position. Schaefer's and Sill's brigades being +without a cartridge, I directed them to fix bayonets for a charge, +and await any attempt of the enemy to embarrass my retreat, while +Roberts's brigade, offering such resistance as its small quantity of +ammunition would permit, was pulled slowly in toward the Nashville +pike. Eighty of the horses of Houghtaling's battery having been +killed, an attempt was made to bring his guns back by hand over the +rocky ground, but it could not be done, and we had to abandon them. +Hescock also had lost most of his horses, but all his guns were +saved. Bush's battery lost two pieces, the tangled underbrush in the +dense cedars proving an obstacle to getting them away which his +almost superhuman exertions could not surmount. Thus far the bloody +duel had cost me heavily, one-third of my division being killed or +wounded. I had already three brigade commanders killed; a little +later I lost my fourth--Colonel Schaefer. + +The difficulties of withdrawing were very great, as the ground was +exceptionally rocky, and the growth of cedars almost impenetrable for +wheeled carriages. Retiring sullenly under a heavy fire, while the +general line was reformed to my right and rear, my division was at +length drawn through the cedars and debouched into an open space near +the Murfreesboro' pike, behind the right of Palmer's division. Two +regiments of Sill's brigade, however, on account of the conformation +of the ground, were obliged to fall back from the point where +Woodruff's brigade of Davis's division had rallied after the disaster +of the early morning. The division came out of the cedars with +unbroken ranks, thinned by only its killed and wounded--but few +missing. When we came into the open ground, McCook directed +Roberts's brigade--now commanded by Colonel Luther P. Bradley--to +proceed a short distance to the rear on the Nashville pike, to repel +the enemy's threatening attempt at our communications. Willingly and +cheerfully the brigade again entered the fight under these new +conditions, and although it was supplied with but three or four +cartridges to the man now, it charged gallantly and recaptured two +pieces of artillery which the Union troops had had to abandon at that +point. + +Shortly after we debouched from the cedars I was directed by +Rosecrans to send some aid to the right of General Palmer's division; +and two of Schaefer's regiments, having obtained ammunition, were +pushed up on Palmer's right, accompanied by four of Hescock's guns; +but the advance of the enemy here had already been checked by Palmer, +and only a desultory contest ensued. Rosecrans, whom I now met in +the open ground west of the railroad, behind Palmer, directed that my +command should relieve Wood's division, which was required to fall +back and take up the new line that had been marked out while I was +holding on in the cedars. His usually florid face had lost its ruddy +color, and his anxious eyes told that the disasters of the morning +were testing his powers to the very verge of endurance, but he seemed +fully to comprehend what had befallen us. His firmly set lips and, +the calmness with which his instructions were delivered inspired +confidence in all around him; and expressing approbation of what my +division had done, while deliberately directing it to a new point, he +renewed in us all the hope of final victory, though it must be +admitted that at this phase of the battle the chances lay largely +with the enemy. + +Withdrawing the two regiments and Hescock's battery, that I had +posted on the right of Palmer, I moved as directed by Rosecrans into +the position to the east of the railroad, and formed immediately to +the right of Wood, who was now being attacked all along his front, +but more particularly where his right rested near the railroad. +Under a storm of shot and shell that came in torrents my troops took +up the new ground, advancing through a clump of open timber to Wood's +assistance. Forming in line in front of the timber we poured a +telling fire into the enemy's ranks, which were then attacking across +some cleared fields; but when he discovered additional troops +confronting him, he gave up the attempt to carry Wood's position. It +was here that I lost Schaefer, who was killed instantly, making my +fourth brigade commander dead that day. The enemy in front of Wood +having been checked, our whole line east of the railroad executed +undisturbed its retrograde movement to a position about three hundred +yards to its rear. When I fell back to the edge of the clump of +timber, where when first coming on the ground I had formed to help +Wood, I was ordered by Rosecrans to prepare to make a charge should +the enemy again assault us. In anticipation of this work I massed my +troops in close column. The expected attack never came, however, but +the shot and shell of a furious cannonade told with fatal effect upon +men and officers as they lay on their faces hugging the ground. The +torments of this trying situation were almost unbearable, but it was +obvious to all that it was necessary to have at hand a compact body +of troops to repel any assault the enemy might make pending the +reconstruction of the extreme right of our line, and a silent +determination to stay seemed to take hold of each individual soldier; +nor was this grim silence interrupted throughout the cannonade, +except in one instance, when one of the regiments broke out in a +lusty cheer as a startled rabbit in search of a new hiding-place +safely ran the whole length of the line on the backs of the men. + +While my troops were still lying here, General Rosecrans, with a part +of his staff and a few orderlies, rode out on the rearranged line to +supervise its formation and encourage the men, and in prosecution of +these objects moved around the front of my column of attack, within +range of the batteries that were shelling us so viciously. As he +passed to the open ground on my left, I joined him. The enemy seeing +this mounted party, turned his guns upon it, and his accurate aim was +soon rewarded, for a solid shot carried away the head of Colonel +Garesche, the chief-of-staff, and killed or wounded two or three +orderlies. Garesche's appalling death stunned us all, and a +momentary expression of horror spread over Rosecrans's face; but at +such a time the importance of self-control was vital, and he pursued +his course with an appearance of indifference, which, however, those +immediately about him saw was assumed, for undoubtedly he felt most +deeply the death of his friend and trusted staff-officer. + +No other attacks were made on us to the east of the railroad for the +rest of the afternoon, and just before dark I was directed to +withdraw and take up a position along the west side of the Nashville +pike, on the extreme right of our new line, where Roberts's brigade +and the Seventy-third and Eighty-eighth Illinois had already been +placed by McCook. The day had cost me much anxiety and sadness, and +I was sorely disappointed at the general result, though I could not +be other than pleased at the part taken by my command. The loss of +my brigade commanders--Sill, Roberts, Schaefer, and Harrington-and a +large number of regimental and battery officers, with so many of +their men, struck deep into my heart: My thinned ranks told the +woeful tale of the fierce struggles, indescribable by words, through +which my division had passed since 7 o'clock in the morning; and +this, added to our hungry and exhausted condition, was naturally +disheartening. The men had been made veterans, however, by the +fortunes and misfortunes of the day, and as they went into their new +places still confident of final success, it was plain to see that +they felt a self-confidence inspired by the part they had already +played. + +My headquarters were now established on the Nashville pike, about +three miles and a half from Murfreesboro'; my division being aligned +to the west of the pike, bowed out and facing almost west, Cleburn's +division of the Confederates confronting it. Davis's division was +posted on my right, and Walker's brigade of Thomas's corps, which had +reported to me, took up a line that con nected my left with Johnson's +division. + +Late in the evening General Rosecrans, accompanied by General McCook, +and several other officers whose names I am now unable to recall, +rode by my headquarters on their way to the rear to look for a new +line of battle--on Overall's creek it was said--that would preserve +our communications with Nashville and offer better facilities for +resistance than the one we were now holding. Considerable time had +elapsed when they returned from this exploration and proceeded to +their respective commands, without intimating to me that anything had +been determined upon by the reconnoissance, but a little later it was +rumored through the different headquarters that while the party was +looking for a new position it discovered the enemy's troops moving +toward our right and rear, the head of his columns being conducted in +the darkness by the aid of torches, and that no alternative was left +us but to hold the lines we then occupied. The torches had been seen +unquestionably, and possibly created some alarm at first in the minds +of the reconnoitring party, but it was soon ascertained that the +lights came from a battalion of the Fourth regular cavalry that was +picketing our flank and happened to be starting its bivouac fires at +the moment. The fires and the supposed movements had no weight, +therefore, in deciding the proposition to take up a line at Overall's +creek, but General Rosecrans, fortunately for the army, decided to +remain where he was. Doubtless reflections during his ride caused +him to realize that the enemy must be quite as much crippled as +himself. If it had been decided to fall back to Overall's creek, we +could have withdrawn without much difficulty very likely, but such a +retrograde movement would have left to the enemy the entire battle- +field of Stone River and ultimately compelled our retreat to +Nashville. + +In the night of December 3rd several slight demonstrations were made +on my front, but from the darkness neither party felt the effect of +the other's fire, and when daylight came again the skirmishers and +lines of battle were in about the same position they had taken up the +evening before. Soon after daybreak it became evident that the +conflict was to be renewed, and a little later the enemy resumed the +offensive by an attack along my left front, especially on Walker's +brigade. His attempt was ineffectual, however, and so easily +repulsed as to demonstrate that the desperate character of his +assaults the day before had nearly exhausted his strength. About 3 +o'clock in the afternoon he made another feeble charge on my front, +but our fire from the barricades and rifle-pits soon demoralized his +advancing lines, which fell back in some confusion, thus enabling us +to pick up about a hundred prisoners. From this time till the +evening of January 3 Bragg's left remained in our front, and +continued to show itself at intervals by weak demonstrations, which +we afterward ascertained were directly intended to cover the +desperate assault he made with Breckenridge on the left of Rosecrans, +an assault that really had in view only a defensive purpose, for +unless Bragg dislodged the troops which were now massing in front of +his right he would be obliged to withdraw General Polk's corps behind +Stone River and finally abandon Murfreesboro'. The sequel proved +this to be the case; and the ill-judged assault led by Breckenridge +ending in entire defeat, Bragg retired from Murfreesboro' the night +of January 3. + +General Rosecrans occupied Murfreesboro' on the 4th and 5th, having +gained a costly victory, which was not decisive enough in its +character to greatly affect the general course of the war, though it +somewhat strengthened and increased our hold on Middle Tennessee. +The enemy in retiring did not fall back very far--only behind Duck +River to Shelbyville and Tullahoma--and but little endeavor was made +to follow him. Indeed, we were not in condition to pursue, even if +it had been the intention at the outset of the campaign. + +As soon as possible after the Confederate retreat I went over the +battle-field to collect such of my wounded as had not been carried +off to the South and to bury my dead. In the cedars and on the +ground where I had been so fiercely assaulted when the battle opened, +on the morning of the 31st, evidences of the bloody struggle appeared +on every hand in the form of broken fire-arms, fragments of +accoutrements, and splintered trees. The dead had nearly all been +left unburied, but as there was likelihood of their mutilation by +roving swine, the bodies had mostly been collected in piles at +different points and inclosed by rail fences. The sad duties of +interment and of caring for the wounded were completed by the 5th, +and on the 6th I moved my division three miles, south of +Murfreesboro' on the Shelbyville pike, going into camp on the banks +of Stone River. Here the condition of my command was thoroughly +looked into, and an endeavor made to correct such defects as had been +disclosed by the recent battle. + +During the engagement there had been little straggling, and my list +of missing was small and legitimate; still, it was known that a very +few had shirked their duty, and an example was necessary. Among this +small number were four officers who, it was charged, had abandoned +their colors and regiments. When their guilt was clearly +established, and as soon as an opportunity occurred, I caused the +whole division to be formed in a hollow square, closed in mass, and +had the four officers marched to the centre, where, telling them that +I would not humiliate any officer or soldier by requiring him to +touch their disgraced swords, I compelled them to deliver theirs up +to my colored servant, who also cut from their coats every insignia +of rank. Then, after there had been read to the command an order +from army headquarters dismissing the four from the service, the +scene was brought to a close by drumming the cowards out of camp. It +was a mortifying spectacle, but from that day no officer in that +division ever abandoned his colors. + +My effective force in the battle of Stone River was 4,154 officers +and men. Of this number I lost 1,633 killed, wounded, and missing, +or nearly 40 per cent. In the remaining years of the war, though +often engaged in most severe contests, I never experienced in any of +my commands so high a rate of casualties. The ratio of loss in the +whole of Rosecrans's army was also high, and Bragg's losses were +almost equally great. Rosecrans carried into the action about 42,000 +officers and men. He lost 13,230, or 31 per cent. Bragg's effective +force was 37,800 officers and men; he lost 10,306, or nearly 28 per +cent. + +Though our victory was dearly bought, yet the importance of gaining +the day at any price was very great, particularly when we consider +what might have been the result had not the gallantry of the army and +the manoeuvring during the early disaster saved us from ultimate +defeat. We had started out from Nashville on an offensive campaign, +probably with no intention of going beyond Murfreesboro', in +midwinter, but still with the expectation of delivering a crushing +blow should the enemy accept our challenge to battle. He met us with +a plan of attack almost the counterpart of our own. In the execution +of his plan he had many advantages, not the least of which was his +intimate knowledge of the ground, and he came near destroying us. +Had he done so, Nashville would probably have fallen; at all events, +Kentucky would have been opened again to his incursions, and the +theatre of war very likely transferred once more to the Ohio River. +As the case now stood, however, Nashville was firmly established as a +base for future operations, Kentucky was safe from the possibility of +being again overrun, and Bragg, thrown on the defensive, was +compelled to give his thoughts to the protection of the interior of +the Confederacy and the security of Chattanooga, rather than indulge +in schemes of conquest north of the Cumberland River. While he still +held on in Middle Tennessee his grasp was so much loosened that only +slight effort would be necessary to push him back into Georgia, and +thus give to the mountain region of East Tennessee an opportunity to +prove its loyalty to the, Union. + +The victory quieted the fears of the West and Northwest, destroyed +the hopes of the secession element in Kentucky, renewed the drooping +spirits of the East Tennesseans, and demoralized the disunionists in +Middle Tennessee; yet it was a negative victory so far as concerned +the result on the battle-field. Rosecrans seems to have planned the +battle with the idea that the enemy would continue passive, remain +entirely on the defensive, and that it was necessary only to push +forward our left in order to force the evacuation of Murfreesboro'; +and notwithstanding the fact that on the afternoon of December 30 +McCook received information that the right of Johnson's division. +resting near the Franklin pike, extended only to about the centre of +the Confederate army, it does not appear that attack from that +quarter was at all apprehended by the Union commanders. + +The natural line of retreat of the Confederates was not threatened by +the design of Rosecrans; and Bragg, without risk to his +communications, anticipated it by a counter-attack of like character +from his own left, and demolished his adversary's plan the moment we +were thrown on the defensive. Had Bragg followed up with the spirit +which characterized its beginning the successful attack by Hardee on +our right wing--and there seems no reason why he should not have done +so--the army of Rosecrans still might have got back to Nashville, but +it would have been depleted and demoralized to such a degree as to +unfit it for offensive operations for a long time afterward. Bragg's +intrenchments in front of Stone River were very strong, and there +seems no reason why he should not have used his plain advantage as +explained, but instead he allowed us to gain time, intrench, and +recover a confidence that at first was badly shaken. Finally, to cap +the climax of his errors, he directed Breckenridge to make the +assault from his right flank on January 2, with small chance for +anything but disaster, when the real purpose in view could have been +accomplished without the necessity of any offensive manoeuvre +whatever. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +APPOINTED A MAJOR-GENERAL--THE SECRET EXPEDITION UNDER CARD THE +SCOUT--HIS CAPTURE BY GUERRILLAS--ESCAPE--A REVENGE PARTY--WOMEN +SOLDIERS--A FIGHT WITH SABRES--TULLAHOMA CAMPAIGN--A FOOLISH +ADVENTURE. + +On the 6th of January, 1863, my division settled quietly down in its +camp south of Murfreesboro'. Its exhausted condition after the +terrible experiences of the preceding week required attention. It +needed recuperation, reinforcement, and reorganization, and I set +about these matters without delay, in anticipation of active +operations early in the spring. No forward movement was made for +nearly six months, however, and throughout this period drills, +parades, reconnoissances, and foraging expeditions filled in the time +profitably. In addition to these exercises the construction of +permanent fortifications for the security of Murfreesboro' was +undertaken by General Rosecrans, and large details from my troops +were furnished daily for the work. Much attention was also given to +creating a more perfect system of guard and picket duty-a matter that +had hitherto been somewhat neglected in the army, as its constant +activity had permitted scant opportunity for the development of such +a system. It was at this time that I received my appointment as a +major-general of Volunteers. My promotion had been recommended by +General Rosecrans immediately after the battle of Stone River, but +for some reason it was delayed until April, and though a long time +elapsed between the promise and the performance, my gratification was +extreme. + +My scout, Card, was exceedingly useful while encamped near +Murfreesboro, making several trips to East Tennessee within the +enemy's lines to collect information as to the condition of the loyal +people there, and to encourage them with the hope of early +liberation. He also brought back from each trip very accurate +statements as to the strength and doings of the Confederate army, +fixing almost with certainty its numbers and the locations of its +different divisions, and enabling my engineer-officer--Major +Morhardt--to construct good maps of the country in our front. On +these dangerous excursions Card was always accompanied by one of his +brothers, the other remaining with me to be ready for duty if any +accident occurred to those who had gone out, or in case I wanted to +communicate with them. In this way we kept well posted, although the +intelligence these men brought was almost always secured at the risk +of their lives. + +Early in the spring, before the Tullahoma campaign began, I thought +it would be practicable, by sending out a small secret expedition of +but three or four men, to break the Nashville and Chattanooga +railroad between Chattanooga and the enemy's position at Tullahoma by +burning the bridges in Crow Creek valley from its head to Stevenson, +Alabama, and then the great bridge across the Tennessee River at +Bridgeport. Feeling confident that I could persuade Card to +undertake the perilous duty, I broached the contemplated project to +him, and he at once jumped at the opportunity of thus distinguishing +himself, saying that with one of his brothers and three other loyal +East Tennesseeans, whose services he knew could be enlisted, he felt +sure of carrying out the idea, so I gave him authority to choose his +own assistants. In a few days his men appeared at my headquarters, +and when supplied with money in notes of the State Bank of Tennessee, +current everywhere as gold in those days, the party, composed of +Card, the second brother, and the three East Tennesseeans, started on +their precarious enterprise, their course being directed first toward +the Cumberland Mountains, intending to strike the Nashville and +Chattanooga railroad somewhere above Anderson's station. They +expected to get back in about fifteen days, but I looked for some +knowledge of the progress of their adventure before the expiration of +that period, hoping to hear through Confederate sources prisoners and +the like-of the destruction of the bridges. I waited in patience for +such news, but none came, and as the time Card had allotted himself +passed by, I watched anxiously for his return, for, as there was +scarcely a doubt that the expedition had proved a failure, the fate +of the party became a matter of deep concern to Card's remaining +brother and to me. Finally this brother volunteered to go to his +father's house in East Tennessee to get tidings of the party, and I +consented, for the probabilities were that some of them had made +their way to that point, or at least that some information had +reached there about them. As day after day went by, the time fixed +for this brother's return came round, yet he also remained out; but +some days after the lad was due Card himself turned up accompanied by +the brother he had taken with him, soon explained his delay in +getting back, and gave me the story of his adventures while absent. + +After leaving my camp, his party had followed various byways across +the Cumberland Mountains to Crow Creek Valley, as instructed; but +when nearing the railroad above Anderson's Station, they were +captured by some guerrillas prowling about that vicinity, and being +suspected of disloyalty to the Confederacy, were carried to +Chattanooga and imprisoned as Yankee spies. Their prospects now were +decidedly discouraging, for death stared them in the face. +Fortunately, however, some delays occurred relative to the +disposition that should be made of them, and they, meanwhile, +effected their escape from their jailors by way of one of the prison +windows, from which they managed to displace a bar, and by a skiff, +in the darkness of night, crossed the Tennessee River a little below +Chattanooga. From this point the party made their way back to my +camp, traveling only at night, hiding in the woods by day, and for +food depending on loyal citizens that Card had become acquainted with +when preaching and pedling. + +Card's first inquiry after relating his story was for the youngest +brother, whom he had left with me. I told him what I had done, in my +anxiety about himself, and that more than sufficient time had elapsed +for his brother's return. His reply was: "They have caught him. The +poor fellow is dead." His surmise proved correct; for news soon came +that the poor boy had been captured at his father's house, and +hanged. The blow to Card was a severe one, and so hardened his heart +against the guerrillas in the neighborhood of his father's home--for +he knew they were guilty of his brother's murder--that it was with +difficulty I could persuade him to continue in the employment of the +Government, so determined was he to avenge his brother's death at the +first opportunity. Finally, however, I succeeded in quieting the +almost uncontrollable rage that seemed to possess him, and he +remained with me during the Tullahoma and Chickamauga campaigns; but +when we reached Knoxville the next winter, he took his departure, +informing me that he was going for the bushwhackers who had killed +his brother. A short time after he left me, I saw him at the head of +about thirty well-armed East Tennesseeans--refugees. They were +determined-looking men, seeking revenge for the wrongs and sufferings +that had been put upon them in the last two years, and no doubt +wreaked their vengeance right and left on all who had been in any way +instrumental in persecuting them. + +The feeding of our army from the base at Louisville was attended with +a great many difficulties, as the enemy's cavalry was constantly +breaking the railroad and intercepting our communications on the +Cumberland River at different points that were easily accessible to +his then superior force of troopers. The accumulation of reserve +stores was therefore not an easy task, and to get forage ahead a few +days was well-nigh impossible, unless that brought from the North was +supplemented by what we could gather from the country. Corn was +abundant in the region to the south and southwest of Murfreesboro', +so to make good our deficiences in this respect, I employed a brigade +about once a week in the duty of collecting and bringing in forage, +sending out sometimes as many as a hundred and fifty wagons to haul +the grain which my scouts had previously located. In nearly every +one of these expeditions the enemy was encountered, and the wagons +were usually loaded while the skirmishers kept up a running fire, +Often there would occur a respectable brush, with the loss on each +side of a number of killed and wounded. The officer in direct +command always reported to me personally whatever had happened during +the time he was out--the result of his reconnoissance, so to speak, +for that war the real nature of these excursions--and on one occasion +the colonel in command, Colonel Conrad, of the Fifteenth Missouri, +informed me that he got through without much difficulty; in fact, +that everything had gone all right and been eminently satisfactory, +except that in returning he had been mortified greatly by the conduct +of the two females belonging to the detachment and division train at +my headquarters. These women, he said, had given much annoyance by +getting drunk, and to some extent demoralizing his men. To say that +I was astonished at his statement would be a mild way of putting it, +and had I not known him to be a most upright man and of sound sense, +I should have doubted not only his veracity, but his sanity. +Inquiring who they were and for further details, I was informed that +there certainly were in the command two females, that in some +mysterious manner had attached themselves to the service as soldiers; +that one, an East Tennessee woman, was a teamster in the division +wagon-train and the other a private soldier in a cavalry company +temporarily attached to my headquarters for escort duty. While out +on the foraging expedition these Amazons had secured a supply of +"apple-jack" by some means, got very drunk, and on the return had +fallen into Stone River and been nearly drowned. After they had been +fished from, the water, in the process of resuscitation their sex was +disclosed, though up to this time it appeared to be known only to +each other. The story was straight and the circumstance clear, so, +convinced of Conrad's continued sanity, I directed the provost- +marshal to bring in arrest to my headquarters the two disturbers of +Conrad's peace of mind, After some little search the East Tennessee +woman was found in camp, somewhat the worse for the experiences of +the day before, but awaiting her fate content idly smoking a cob- +pipe. She was brought to me, and put in duress under charge of the +division surgeon until her companion could be secured. To the doctor +she related that the year before she had "refugeed" from East +Tennessee, and on arriving in Louisville assumed men's apparel and +sought and obtained employment as a teamster in the quartermaster's +department. Her features were very large, and so coarse and +masculine was her general appearance that she would readily have +passed as a man, and in her case the deception was no doubt easily +practiced. Next day the "she dragoon" was caught, and proved to be a +rather prepossessing young woman, and though necessarily bronzed and +hardened by exposure, I doubt if, even with these marks of +campaigning, she could have deceived as readily as did her companion. +How the two got acquainted, I never learned, and though they had +joined the army independently of each other, yet an intimacy had +sprung up between them long before the mishaps of the foraging +expedition. They both were forwarded to army headquarters, and, when +provided with clothing suited to their sex, sent back to Nashville, +and thence beyond our lines to Louisville. + +On January 9, by an order from the War Department, the Army of the +Cumberland had been divided into three corps, designated the +Fourteenth, Twentieth, and Twenty-first. This order did not alter +the composition of the former grand divisions, nor change the +commanders, but the new nomenclature was a decided improvement over +the clumsy designations Right Wing, Centre, and Left Wing, which were +well calculated to lead to confusion sometimes. McCook's wing became +the Twentieth Corps, and my division continued of the same +organization, and held the same number as formerly-the Third +Division, Twentieth Corps. My first brigade was now commanded by +Brigadier-General William H. Lytle, the second by Colonel Bernard +Laiboldt, and the third by Colonel Luther P. Bradley. + +On the 4th of March I was directed to move in light marching order +toward Franklin and join General Gordon Granger, to take part in some +operations which he was projecting against General Earl Van Dorn, +then at Spring Hill. Knowing that my line of march would carry me +through a region where forage was plentiful, I took along a large +train of empty wagons, which I determined to fill with corn and send +back to Murfreesboro', believing that I could successfully cover the +train by Minty's brigade of cavalry, which had joined me for the +purpose of aiding in a reconnoissance toward Shelbyville. In +marching the column I placed a regiment of infantry at its head, then +the wagon-train, then a brigade of infantry--masking the cavalry +behind this brigade. The enemy, discovering that the train was with +us, and thinking he could capture it, came boldly out with his, +cavalry to attack. The head of his column came up to the crossroads +at Versailles, but holding him there, I passed the train and infantry +brigade beyond toward Eagleville, and when my cavalry had been thus +unmasked, Minty, followed by the balance of my division, which vas +still behind, charged him with the sabre. Success was immediate and +complete, and pursuit of the routed forces continued through +Unionville, until we fell upon and drove in the Confederate outposts +at Shelbyville. Here the enemy was taken by surprise evidently, +which was most fortunate for us, otherwise the consequences might +have been disastrous. Minty captured in the charge about fifty +prisoners and a few wagons and mules, and thus enabled me to load my +train with corn, and send it back to Murfreesboro' unmolested. In +this little fight the sabre was freely used by both sides, and I do +not believe that during the whole war I again knew of so large a +percentage of wounds by that arm in proportion to the numbers +engaged. + +That night I encamped at Eagleville, and next day reported to Granger +at Franklin, arriving in the midst of much excitement prevailing on +account of the loss of Coburn's brigade, which had been captured the +day before a little distance south of that point, while marching to +form a junction with a column that had been directed on Columbia from +Murfreesboro'. Shortly after Coburn's capture General Granger had +come upon the scene, and the next day he advanced my division and +Minty's troops directly on Spring Hill, with a view to making some +reprisal; but Van Dorn had no intention of accommodating us, and +retired from Spring Hill, offering but little resistance. He +continued to fall back, till finally he got behind Duck River, where +operations against him ceased; for, in consequence of the incessant +rains of the season, the streams had become almost impassable. +Later, I returned by way of Franklin to my old camp at Murfreesboro', +passing over on this march the ground on which the Confederate +General Hood met with such disaster the following year in his attack +on Stanley's corps. + +My command had all returned from the Franklin expedition to +Murfreesboro' and gone into camp on the Salem pike by the latter part +of March, from which time till June it took part in only the little +affairs of outposts occurring every now and then on my own front. In +the meanwhile General Rosecrans had been materially reinforced by the +return of sick and wounded men; his army had become well disciplined, +and was tolerably supplied; and he was repeatedly pressed by the +authorities at Washington to undertake offensive operations. + +During the spring and early summer Rosecrans resisted, with a great +deal of spirit and on various grounds, these frequent urgings, and +out of this grew up an acrimonious correspondence and strained +feeling between him and General Halleck. Early in June, however, +stores had been accumulated and other preparations made for a move +forward, Resecrans seeming to have decided that he could safely risk +an advance, with the prospect of good results. Before finally +deciding, he called upon most of his corps and division commanders +for their opinions on certain propositions which he presented, and +most of them still opposed the projected movement, I among the +number, reasoning that while General Grant was operating against +Vicksburg, it was better to hold Bragg in Middle Tennessee than to +push him so far back into Georgia that interior means of +communication would give the Confederate Government the opportunity +of quickly joining a part of his force to that of General Johnson in +Mississippi. + +At this stage, and in fact prior to it, Rosecrans seemed to manifest +special confidence in me, often discussing his plans with me +independent of the occasions on which he formally referred them for +my views. I recollect that on two different occasions about this +time he unfolded his designs to me in this informal way, outlining +generally how he expected ultimately to force Bragg south of the +Tennessee River, and going into the details of the contemplated move +on Tullahoma. His schemes, to my mind, were not only comprehensive, +but exact, and showed conclusively, what no one doubted then, that +they were original with him. I found in them very little to +criticise unfavorably, if we were to move at all, and Rosecrans +certainly impressed me that he favored an advance at an early day, +though many of his generals were against it until the operations on +the Mississippi River should culminate in something definite. There +was much, fully apparent in the circumstances about his headquarters, +leading to the conviction that Rosecrans originated the Tullahoma +campaign, and the record of his prior performances collaterally +sustains the visible evidence then existing. In my opinion, then, +based on a clear recollection of various occurrences growing out of +our intimacy, he conceived the plan of the Tullahoma campaign and the +one succeeding it; and is therefore entitled to every credit that +attended their execution, no matter what may be claimed for others. + +On the 23d of June Bragg was covering his position north of Duck +River with a front extending from McMinnville, where his cavalry +rested, through Wartrace and Shelbyville to Columbia, his depot being +at Tullahoma. Rosecrans, thinking that Bragg would offer strong +resistance at Shelbyville--which was somewhat protected by a spur of +low mountains or hills, offshoots of the Cumberland Mountains-- +decided to turn that place; consequently, he directed the mass of the +Union army on the enemy's right flank, about Manchester. + +On the 26th of June McCook's corps advanced toward Liberty Gap, my +divisions marching on the Shelbyville pike. I had proceeded but a +few miles when I encountered the enemy's pickets, who fell back to +Christiana, about nine miles from Murfreesboro'. Here I was assailed +pretty wickedly by the enemy's sharpshooters and a section of +artillery, but as I was instructed to do nothing more than cover the +road from Eagleville, over which Brannan's division was to approach +Christiana, I made little reply to this severe annoyance, wishing to +conceal the strength of my force. As soon as the head of Brannan's +column arrived I marched across-country to the left, and encamped +that night at the little town of Millersburg, in the vicinity of +Liberty Gap. I was directed to move from Millersburg, on Hoover's +Gap--a pass in the range of hills already referred to, through which +ran the turnpike from Murfreesboro' to Manchester--but heavy rains +had made the country roads almost impassable, and the last of my +division did not reach Hoover's Gap till the morning of June 27, +after its abandonment by the enemy. Continuing on to Fairfield, the +head of my column met, south of that place, a small force of +Confederate infantry and cavalry, which after a slight skirmish +Laiboldt's brigade drove back toward Wartrace. The next morning I +arrived at Manchester, where I remained quiet for the day. Early on +the 29th I marched by the Lynchburg road for Tullahoma, where the +enemy was believed to be in force, and came into position about six +miles from the town. + +By the 31st the whole army had been concentrated, in spite of many +difficulties, and though, on account of the heavy rains that had +fallen almost incessantly since we left Murfreesboro', its movements +had been slow and somewhat inaccurate, yet the precision with which +it took up a line of battle for an attack on Tullahoma showed that +forethought and study had been given to every detail. The enemy had +determined to fall back from Tullahoma at the beginning of the +campaign, however, and as we advanced, his evacuation had so far +progressed that when, on July 1. We reached the earthworks thrown. +up early in the year for the defense of the place, he had almost +wholly disappeared, carrying off all his stores and munitions of war +except some little subsistence and eleven pieces of artillery. A +strong rearguard remained to cover the retreat, and on my front the +usual encounters between advancing and retreating forces took place. +Just before reaching the intrenchments on the Lynchburg road, I came +upon an open space that was covered by a network of fallen trees and +underbrush, which had been slashed all along in front of the enemy's +earthworks. This made our progress very difficult, but I shortly +became satisfied that there were only a few of the enemy within the +works, so moving a battalion of cavalry that had joined me the day +before down the road as rapidly as the obstructions would permit, the +Confederate pickets quickly departed, and we gained possession of the +town. Three siege guns, four caissons, a few stores, and a small +number of prisoners fell into my hands. + +That same evening orders were issued to the army to push on from +Tullahoma in pursuit, for, as it was thought that we might not be +able to cross Elk River on account of its swollen condition, we could +do the enemy some damage by keeping close as possible at his heels. +I marched on the Winchester road at 3 o'clock on the 2d of July and +about 8 o'clock reached Elk River ford. The stream was for the time +truly an impassable torrent, and all hope of crossing by the +Winchester ford had to be abandoned. Deeming that further effort +should be made, however, under guidance of Card, I turned the head of +my column in the direction of Alisona, marching up the river and +nearly parallel with it till I came to Rock Creek. With a little +delay we got across Rock Creek, which was also much swollen, and +finding a short distance above its mouth a ford on Elk River that +Card said was practicable, I determined to attempt it: Some of the +enemy's cavalry were guarding this ford, but after a sharp little +skirmish my battalion of cavalry crossed and took up a strong +position on the other bank. The stream was very high and the current +very swift, the water , tumbling along over its rocky bed in an +immense volume, but still it was fordable for infantry if means could +be devised by which the men could keep their feet. A cable was +stretched across just below the ford as a lifeline for the weaker +ones, and then the men of the entire division having secured their +ammunition by placing the cartridge-boxes on their shoulders, the +column pushed cheerfully into the rushing current. The men as they +entered the water joined each other in sets of four in a close +embrace, which enabled them to retain a foothold and successfully +resist the force of the flood. When they were across I turned the +column down the left bank of Elk River, and driving the enemy from +some slight works near Estelle Springs, regained the Winchester road. + +By this time it was clear that Bragg intended to fall back behind the +Tennessee River, and our only chance of accomplishing anything of +importance was to smash up his rear-guard before it crossed the +Cumberland Mountains, and in pursuance of this idea I was directed to +attack such of his force as was holding on to Winchester. At 4 +o'clock on the morning of July 2 I moved on that town, and when we +got close to it directed my mounted troops to charge a small force of +Confederate cavalry that was picketing their front. The Confederates +resisted but little, and our men went with them in a disorderly chase +through the village to Boiling Fork, a small stream about half a mile +beyond. Here the fleeing pickets, rallying behind a stronger force, +made a stand, and I was directed by McCook to delay till I +ascertained if Davis's division, which was to support me, had made +the crossing of Elk River, and until I could open up communication +with Brannan's division, which was to come in on my left at Decherd. +As soon as I learned that Davis was across I pushed on, but the delay +had permitted the enemy to pull his rear-guard up on the mountain, +and rendered nugatory all further efforts to hurt him materially, our +only returns consisting in forcing him to relinquish a small amount +of transportation and forage at the mouth of the pass just beyond +Cowan, a station on the line of the Nashville and Chattanooga +railroad. + +At Cowan, Colonel Watkins, of the Sixth Kentucky Cavalry, reported to +me with twelve hundred mounted men. Having heard during the night +that the enemy had halted on the mountain near the University--an +educational establishment on the summit--I directed Watkins to make a +reconnoissance and find out the value of the information. He learned +that Wharton's brigade of cavalry was halted at the University to +cover a moderately large force of the enemy's infantry which had not +yet got down the mountain on the other side, so I pushed Watkins out +again on the 5th, supporting him by a brigade of infantry, which I +accompanied myself. We were too late, however, for when we arrived +at the top of the mountain Wharton had disappeared, and though +Watkins pursued to Bridgeport, he was able to do nothing more, and on +his return reported that the last of the enemy had crossed the +Tennessee River and burned the railroad bridge. + +Nothing further could now be done, so I instructed Watkins to rejoin +the division at Cowan, and being greatly fatigued by the hard +campaigning of the previous ten days, I concluded to go back to my +camp in a more comfortable way than on the back of my tired horse. +In his retreat the enemy had not disturbed the railway track at all, +and as we had captured a hand-car at Cowan, I thought I would have it +brought up to the station near the University to carry me down the +mountain to my camp, and, desiring company, I persuasively invited +Colonel Frank T. Sherman to ride with me. I sent for the car by a +courier, and for a long time patiently awaited its arrival, in fact, +until all the returning troops had passed us, but still it did not +come. Thinking it somewhat risky to remain at the station without +protection, Sherman and myself started our horses to Cowan by our +orderlies, and set out on foot to meet the car, trudging along down +the track in momentary expectation of falling in with our private +conveyance. We had not gone very far before night overtook us, and +we then began to realize the dangers surrounding us, for there we +were alone and helpless, tramping on in the darkness over an unknown +railroad track in the enemy's country, liable on the one hand to go +tumbling through some bridge or trestle, and on the other, to +possible capture or death at the hands of the guerrillas then +infesting these mountains. Just after dark we came to a little cabin +near the track, where we made bold to ask for water, notwithstanding +the fact that to disclose ourselves to the inmates might lead to +fatal consequences. The water was kindly given, but the owner and +his family were very much exercised lest some misfortune might befall +us near their house, and be charged to them, so they encouraged us to +move on with a frankness inspired by fear of future trouble to +themselves. + +At every turn we eagerly hoped to meet the hand-car, but it never +came, and we jolted on from tie to tie for eleven weary miles, +reaching Cowan after midnight, exhausted and sore in every muscle +from frequent falls on the rough, unballasted road-bed. Inquiry. +developed that the car had been well manned, and started to us as +ordered, and nobody could account for its non-arrival. Further +investigation next day showed, however, that when it reached the foot +of the mountain, where the railroad formed a junction, the improvised +crew, in the belief no doubt that the University was on the main line +instead of near the branch to Tracy City, followed the main stem +until it carried them clear across the range down the Crow Creek +Valley, where the party was captured. + +I had reason to remember for many a day this foolish adventure, for +my sore bones and bruised muscles, caused me physical suffering until +I left the Army of the Cumberland the next spring; but I had still +more reason to feel for my captured men, and on this account I have +never ceased to regret that I so thoughtlessly undertook to rejoin my +troops by rail, instead of sticking to my faithful horse. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +ORDERED TO OCCUPY BRIDGEPORT--A SPY--THE BATTLE OF CHICKAMAUGA-- +GENERAL THOMAS--TREATED TO COFFEE--RESULTS OF THE BATTLE. + +The Tullahoma campaign was practically closed by the disappearance of +the enemy from the country north of the Tennessee River. Middle +Tennessee was once more in the possession of the National troops, and +Rosecrans though strongly urged from Washington to continue on, +resisted the pressure until he could repair the Nashville and +Chattanooga railroad, which was of vital importance in supplying his +army from its secondary base at Nashville. As he desired to hold +this road to where it crossed the Tennessee, it was necessary to push +a force beyond the mountains, and after a few days of rest at Cowan +my division was ordered to take station at Stevenson, Alabama, the +junction of the Memphis and Charleston road with the Nashville and +Chattanooga, with instructions to occupy Bridgeport also. + +The enemy had meanwhile concentrated most of his forces at +Chattanooga for the twofold purpose of holding this gateway of the +Cumberland Mountains, and to assume a defensive attitude which would +enable him to take advantage of such circumstances as might arise in +the development of the offensive campaign he knew we must make. The +peculiar topography of the country was much to his advantage, and +while we had a broad river and numerous spurs and ridges of the +Cumberland Mountains to cross at a long distance from our base, he +was backed up on his depots of supply, and connected by interior +lines of railway with the different armies of the Confederacy, so +that he could be speedily reinforced. + +Bridgeport was to be ultimately a sub-depot for storing subsistence +supplies, and one of the points at which our army would cross the +Tennessee, so I occupied it on July 29 with two brigades, retaining +one at Stevenson, however, to protect that railway junction from +raids by way of Caperton's ferry. By the 29th of August a +considerable quantity of supplies had been accumulated, and then +began a general movement of our troops for crossing the river. As +there were not with the army enough pontoons to complete the two +bridges required, I was expected to build one of them of trestles; +and a battalion of the First Michigan Engineers under Colonel Innis +was sent me to help construct the bridge. Early on the 3ist I sent +into the neighboring woods about fifteen hundred men with axes and +teams, and by nightfall they had delivered on the riverbank fifteen +hundred logs suitable for a trestle bridge. Flooring had been +shipped to me in advance by rail, but the quantity was insufficient, +and the lack had to be supplied by utilizing planking and weather- +boarding taken from barns and houses in the surrounding country. The +next day Innis's engineers, with the assistance of the detail that +had felled the timber, cut and half-notched the logs, and put the +bridge across; spanning the main channel, which was swimming deep, +with four or five pontoons that had been sent me for this purpose. +On the 2d and 3d of September my division crossed on the bridge in +safety, though we were delayed somewhat because of its giving way +once where the pontoons joined the trestles. We were followed by a +few detachments from other commands, and by nearly all the +transportation of McCook's corps. + +After getting to the south side of the Tennessee River I was ordered +to Valley Head, where McCook's corps was to concentrate. On the 4th +of September I ascended Sand Mountain, but had got only half way +across the plateau, on top, when night came, the march having been a +most toilsome one. The next day we descended to the base, and +encamped near Trenton. On the l0th I arrived at Valley Head, and +climbing Lookout Mountain, encamped on the plateau at Indian Falls. +The following day I went down into Broomtown Valley to Alpine. +The march of McCook's corps from Valley Head to Alpine was in +pursuance of orders directing it to advance on Summerville, the +possession of which place would further threaten the enemy's +communications, it being assumed that Bragg was in full retreat +south, as he had abandoned Chattanooga on the 8th. This assumption +soon proved erroneous, however, and as we, while in Broomtown Valley, +could not communicate directly with Thomas's corps, the scattered +condition of the army began to alarm us all, and McCook abandoned the +advance to Summerville, ordering back to the summit of Lookout +Mountain such of the corps trains as had got down into Broomtown +Valley. + +But before this I had grown uneasy in regard to the disjointed +situation of our army, and, to inform myself of what was going on, +determined to send a spy into the enemy's lines. In passing Valley +Head on the l0th my scout Card, who had been on the lookout for some +one capable to undertake the task, brought me a Union man with whom +he was acquainted, who lived on Sand Mountain, and had been much +persecuted by guerrillas on account of his loyal sentiments. He knew +the country well, and as his loyalty was vouched for I asked him to +go into the enemy's camp, which I believed to be near Lafayette, and, +bring me such information as he could gather. He said such a journey +would be at the risk of his life, and that at best he could not +expect to remain in that section of country if he undertook it, but +that he would run all the chances if I would enable him to emigrate +to the West at the end c f the "job," which I could do by purchasing +the small "bunch" of stock he owned on the mountain. To this I +readily assented, and he started on the delicate undertaking. He +penetrated the enemy's lines with little difficulty, but while +prosecuting his search for information was suspected, and at once +arrested and placed under guard. From this critical situation he +escaped; however, making his way through the enemy's picket-line in +the darkness by crawling on his belly and deceiving the sentinels by +imitating the grunts of the half-wild, sand-colored hogs with which +the country abounded. He succeeded in reaching Rosecrans's +headquarters finally, and there gave the definite information that +Bragg intended to fight, and that he expected to be reinforced by +Longstreet. + +By this time it was clear that Bragg had abandoned Chattanooga with +the sole design of striking us in detail as we followed in pursuit; +and to prevent his achieving this purpose orders came at 12 o'clock, +midnight, for McCook to draw in toward Chattanooga. This could be +done only by recrossing Lookout Mountain, the enemy's army at +Lafayette now interposing between us and Thomas's corps. The +retrograde march began at once. I moved back over the mountain on +the 13th and 14th to Stevens's Mills, and on the 15th and 16th +recrossed through Stevens's Gap, in the Lookout range, and encamped +at its base in McLamore's cove. The march was made with all possible +celerity, for the situation was critical and demanded every exertion. +The ascent and descent of the mountains was extremely exhausting, the +steep grades often rendering it necessary to drag up and let down by +hand both the transportation and artillery. But at last we were in +conjunction with the main army, and my division breathed easier. + +On the 17th I remained in line of battle all day and night in front +of McLamore's cove, the enemy making slight demonstrations against me +from the direction of Lafayette. The main body of the army having +bodily moved to the left meanwhile, I followed it on the 18th, +encamping at Pond Spring. On the 19th I resumed the march to the +left and went into line of battle at Crawfish Springs to cover our +right and rear. Immediately after forming this line, I again became +isolated by the general movement to the left, and in consequence was +directed to advance and hold the ford of Chickamauga Creek at Lee and +Gordon's Mills, thus coming into close communication with the balance +of our forces. I moved into this position rapidly, being compelled, +though, first to drive back the enemy's cavalry skirmishers, who, +having crossed to the west side of the creek, annoyed the right flank +of my column a good deal while en route. + +Upon arrival at Lee and Gordon's Mills I found the ford over +Chickamauga Creek temporarily uncovered, through the hurried movement +of Wood to the assistance of Davis's division. The enemy was already +present in small force, with the evident intention of taking +permanent possession, but my troops at once actively engaged him and +recovered the ford with some slight losses. Scarcely had this been +done when I was directed to assist Crittenden. Leaving Lytle's +brigade at the ford, I proceeded with Bradley's and Laiboldt's to +help Crittenden, whose main line was formed to the east of the +Chattanooga and Lafayette road, its right trending toward a point on +Chickamauga Creek about a mile and a half north of Lee and Gordon's +Mills. By the time I had joined Crittenden with my two brigades, +Davis had been worsted in an attack Rosecrans had ordered him to make +on the left of that portion of the enemy's line which was located +along the west bank of the Chickamauga, the repulse being so severe +that one of Davis's batteries had to be abandoned. Bradley's brigade +arrived on the ground first and was hastily formed and thrown into +the fight, which up to this moment had been very doubtful, fortune +inclining first to one side, then to the other. Bradley's brigade +went in with steadiness, and charging across an open corn-field that +lay in front of the Lafayette road, recovered Davis's guns and forced +the enemy to retire. Meanwhile Laiboldt's brigade had come on the +scene, and forming it on Bradley's right, I found myself at the end +of the contest holding the ground which was Davis's original +position. It was an ugly fight and my loss was heavy, including +Bradley wounded. The temporary success was cheering, and when +Lytle's brigade joined me a little later I suggested to Crittenden +that we attack, but investigation showed that his troops, having been +engaged all day, were not in condition, so the suggestion could not +be carried out. + +The events of the day had indicated that Bragg's main object was to +turn Rosecrans's left; it was therefore still deemed necessary that +the army should continue its flank movement to the left, so orders +came to draw my troops in toward the widow Glenn's house. By +strengthening the skirmish line and shifting my brigades in +succession from right to left until the point designated was reached, +I was able to effect the withdrawal without much difficulty, calling +in my skirmish line after the main force had retired. + +My command having settled down for the night in this new line I rode +to army headquarters, to learn if possible the expectations for the +morrow and hear the result of the battle in General Thomas's front. +Nearly all the superior officers of the army were at headquarters, +and it struck me that much depression prevailed, notwithstanding the +fact that the enemy's attempts during the day to turn our left flank +and also envelop our right had been unsuccessful. It was now +positively known, through prisoners and otherwise, that Bragg had +been reinforced to such an extent as to make him materially outnumber +us, consequently there was much apprehension for the future. + +The necessity of protecting our left was most apparent, and the next +day the drifting in that direction was to be continued. This +movement in the presence of the enemy, who at all points was actively +seeking an opportunity to penetrate our line and interpose a column +between its right and left, was most dangerous. But the necessity +for shifting the army to the left was obvious, hence only the method +by which it was undertaken is open to question. The move was made by +the flank in the face of an exultant foe superior in numbers, and was +a violation of a simple and fundamental military principle. Under +such circumstauces columns naturally stretch out into attenuated +lines, organizations become separated, and intervals occur, all of +which we experienced; and had the orders for the movement been +construed properly I doubt if it could have been executed without +serious danger. Necessity knows no law, however, and when all the +circumstances of this battle are fully considered it is possible that +justification may be found for the manoeuvres by which the army was +thus drifted to the left. We were in a bad strait unquestionably, +and under such conditions possibly the exception had to be applied +rather than the rule. + +At daylight on the morning of the 20th a dense fog obscured +everything; consequently both armies were passive so far as fighting +was concerned. Rosecrans took advantage of the inaction to rearrange +his right, and I was pulled back closer to the widow Glenn's house to +a strong position, where I threw together some rails and logs as +barricades, but I was disconnected from the troops on my left by a +considerable interval. Here I awaited the approach of the enemy, but +he did not disturb me, although about 9 o'clock in the forenoon he +had opened on our extreme left with musketry fire and a heavy +cannonade. Two hours later it was discovered by McCook that the +interval between the main army and me was widening, and he ordered me +to send Laiboldt's brigade to occupy a portion of the front that had +been covered by Negley's division. Before getting this brigade into +place, however, two small brigades of Davis's division occupied the +ground, and I directed Laiboldt to form in column of regiments on the +crest of a low ridge in rear of Carlin's brigade, so as to prevent +Davis's right flank from being turned. The enemy was now feeling +Davis strongly, and I was about sending for Lytle's and Bradley's +brigades when I received an order to move these rapidly to the, +extreme left of the army to the assistance of General Thomas. I rode +hastily back toward their position, but in the meanwhile, they had +been notified by direct orders from McCook, and were moving out at a +double-quick toward the Lafayette road. By this time the enemy had +assaulted Davis furiously in front and flank, and driven him from his +line, and as the confused mass came back, McCook ordered Laiboldt to +charge by deploying to the front. This he did through Davis's broken +ranks, but failed to check the enemy's heavy lines, and finally +Laiboldt's brigade broke also and fell to the rear. My remaining +troops, headed by Lytle, were now passing along the rear of the +ground where this disaster took place--in column on the road--en +route to Thomas, and as the hundreds of fugitives rushed back, McCook +directed me to throw in Lytle's and Bradley's brigades. This was +hastily done, they being formed to the front under a terrible fire. +Scarcely were they aligned when the same horde of Confederates that +had overwhelmed Davis and Laiboldt poured in upon them a deadly fire +and shivered the two brigades to pieces. We succeeded in rallying +them, however, and by a counter attack regained the ridge that +Laiboldt had been driven from, where we captured the colors of the +Twenty-fourth Alabama. We could not hold the ridge, though, and my +troops were driven back with heavy loss, including General Lytle +killed, past the widow Glenn's house, and till I managed to establish +them in line of battle on a range of low hills behind the Dry Valley +road. + +During these occurrences General Rosecrans passed down the road +behind my line, and sent word that he wished to see me, but affairs +were too critical to admit of my going to him at once, and he rode on +to Chattanooga. It is to be regretted that he did not wait till I +could join him, for the delay would have permitted him to see that +matters were not in quite such bad shape as he supposed; still, there +is no disguising the fact that at this juncture his army was badly +crippled. + +Shortly after my division had rallied on the low hills already +described, I discovered that the enemy, instead of attacking me in +front, was wedging in between my division and the balance of the +army; in short, endeavoring to cut me off from Chattanooga. This +necessitated another retrograde movement, which brought me back to +the southern face of Missionary Ridge, where I was joined by Carlin's +brigade of Davis's division. Still thinking I could join General +Thomas, I rode some distance to the left of my line to look for a way +out, but found that the enemy had intervened so far as to isolate me +effectually. I then determined to march directly to Rossville, and +from there effect a junction with Thomas by the Lafayette road. I +reached Rossville about o'clock in the afternoon, bringing with me +eight guns, forty-six caissons, and a long ammunition train, the +latter having been found in a state of confusion behind the widow +Glenn's when I was being driven back behind the Dry Valley road. + +The head of my column passed through Rossville, appearing upon +Thomas's left about 6 o'clock in the evening, penetrated without any +opposition the right of the enemy's line, and captured several of his +field-hospitals. As soon as I got on the field I informed Thomas of +the presence of my command, and asked for orders. He replied that +his lines were disorganized, and that it would be futile to attack; +that all I could do was to hold on, and aid in covering his +withdrawal to Rossville. + +I accompanied him back to Rossville, and when we reached the skirt of +the little hamlet General Thomas halted and we dismounted. Going +into one of the angles of a worm fence near by I took a rail from the +top and put it through the lower rails at a proper height from the +ground to make a seat, and General Thomas and I sat down while, my +troops were moving by. The General appeared very much exhausted, +seemed to forget what he had stopped for, and said little or nothing +of the incidents of the day. This was the second occasion on which I +had met him in the midst of misfortune, for during the fight in the +cedars at Stone River, when our prospects were most disheartening, we +held a brief conversation respecting the line he was then taking up +for the purpose of helping me. At other times, in periods of +inactivity, I saw but little of him. He impressed me, now as he did +in the cedars, his quiet, unobtrusive: demeanor communicating a +gloomy rather than a hopeful view of the situation. This apparent +depression was due no doubt to the severe trial through which he had +gone in the last forty-eight hours, which, strain had exhausted him +very much both physically and mentally. His success in maintaining +his ground was undoubtedly largely influenced by the fact that two- +thirds of the National forces had been sent to his succor, but his +firm purpose to save the army was the mainstay on which all relied +after Rosecrans left the field. As the command was getting pretty +well past, I rose to go in order to put my troops into camp. This +aroused the General, when, remarking that he had a little flask of +brandy in his saddle-holster, he added that he had just stopped for +the purpose of offering me a drink, as he knew I must be very tired. +He requested one of his staff-officers to get the flask, and after +taking a sip himself, passed it to me. Refreshed by the brandy,I +mounted and rode off to supervise the encamping of my division, by no +means an easy task considering the darkness, and the confusion that +existed among the troops that had preceded us into Rossville. + +This done, I lay down at the foot of a tree, with my saddle for a +pillow, and saddle-blanket for a cover. Some soldiers near me having +built a fire, were making coffee, and I guess I must have been +looking on wistfully, for in a little while they brought me a tin- +cupful of the coffee and a small piece of hard bread, which I +relished keenly, it being the first food that had passed my lips +since the night before. I was very tired, very hungry, and much +discouraged by what had taken place since morning. I had been +obliged to fight my command under the most disadvantageous +circumstances, disconnected, without supports, without even +opportunity to form in line of battle, and at one time contending +against four divisions of the enemy. In this battle of Chickamauga, +out of an effective strength Of 4,000 bayonets, I had lost 1,517 +officers and men, including two brigade commanders. This was not +satisfactory indeed, it was most depressing--and then there was much +confusion prevailing around Rossville; and, this condition of things +doubtless increasing my gloomy reflections, it did not seem to me +that the outlook for the next day was at all auspicious, unless the +enemy was slow to improve his present advantage. Exhaustion soon +quieted all forebodings, though, and I fell into a sound sleep, from +which I was not aroused till daylight. + +On the morning of the 21st the enemy failed to advance, and his +inaction gave us the opportunity for getting the broken and +disorganized army into shape. It took a large part of the day to +accomplish this, and the chances of complete victory would have been +greatly in Bragg's favor if he could have attacked us vigorously at +this time. But he had been badly hurt in the two days' conflict, and +his inactivity on the 21st showed that he too had to go through the +process of reorganization. Indeed, his crippled condition began to +show itself the preceding evening, and I have always thought that, +had General Thomas held on and attacked the Confederate right and +rear from where I made the junction with him on the Lafayette road, +the field of Chickamauga would have been relinquished to us; but it +was fated to be otherwise. + +Rosecrans, McCook, and Crittenden passed out of the battle when they +went back to Chattanooga, and their absence was discouraging to all +aware of it. Doubtless this had much to do with Thomas's final +withdrawal, thus leaving the field to the enemy, though at an immense +cost in killed and wounded. The night of the 21st the army moved +back from Rossville, and my division, as the rearguard of the +Twentieth Corps, got within our lines at Chattanooga about 8 o'clock +the morning of the 22d. Our unmolested retirement from Rossville +lent additional force to the belief that the enemy had been badly +injured, and further impressed me with the conviction that we might +have held on. Indeed, the battle of Chickamauga was somewhat like +that of Stone River, victory resting with the side that had the grit +to defer longest its relinquishment of the field. + +The manoeuvres by which Rosecrans had carried his army over the +Cumberland Mountains, crossed the Tennessee River, and possessed +himself of Chattanooga, merit the highest commendation up to the +abandonment of this town by Bragg on the 8th of September; but I have +always fancied that that evacuation made Rosecrans over-confident, +and led him to think that he could force Bragg south as far as Rome. +After the Union army passed the river and Chattanooga fell into our +hands; we still kept pressing the enemy's communications, and the +configuration of the country necessitated more or less isolation of +the different corps. McCook's corps of three divisions had crossed +two difficult ridges--Sand and Lookout mountains--to Alpine in +Broomtown Valley with intentions against Summerville. Thomas's corps +had marched by the way of Stevens's Gap toward Lafayette, which he +expected to occupy. Crittenden had passed through Chattanooga, at +first directing his march an Ringgold. Thus the corps of the army +were not in conjunction, and between McCook and Thomas there +intervened a positive and aggressive obstacle in the shape of Bragg's +army concentrating and awaiting reinforcement at Lafayette. Under +these circumstances Bragg could have taken the different corps in +detail, and it is strange that he did not, even before receiving his +reinforcements, turn on McCook in Broomtown Valley and destroy him. + +Intelligence that Bragg would give battle began to come to us from +various sources as early as the l0th of September, and on the 11th +McCook found that he could not communicate with Thomas by the direct +road through Broomtown Valley; but we did not begin closing in toward +Chattanooga till the 13th, and even then the Twentieth Corps had +before it the certainty of many delays that must necessarily result +from the circuitous and difficult mountain roads which we would be +obliged to follow. Had the different corps, beginning with McCook's, +been drawn in toward Chattanooga between the 8th and 12th of +September, the objective point of the campaign would have remained in +our hands without the battle of Chickamauga, but, as has been seen, +this was not done. McCook was almost constantly on the march day and +night between the 13th and the 19th, ascending and descending +mountains, his men worried and wearied, so that when they appeared on +the battle-field, their fatigued condition operated greatly against +their efficiency. This delay in concentration was also the original +cause of the continuous shifting toward our left to the support of +Thomas, by which manoeuvre Rosecrans endeavored to protect his +communications with Chattanooga, and out of which grew the intervals +that offered such tempting opportunities to Bragg. In addition to +all this, much transpired on the field of battle tending to bring +about disaster. There did not seem to be any well-defined plan of +action in the fighting; and this led to much independence of judgment +in construing orders among some of the subordinate generals. It also +gave rise to much license in issuing orders: too many people were +giving important directions, affecting the whole army, without +authority from its head. In view, therefore, of all the errors that +were committed from the time Chattanooga fell into our hands after +our first crossing the Tennessee, it was fortunate that the Union +defeat was not more complete, that it left in the enemy's possession +not much more than the barren results arising from the simple holding +of the ground on which the engagement was fought. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +AT CHATTANOOGA--THE ENEMY FORTIFIES LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN AND MISSIONARY +RIDGE--REORGANIZING THE ARMY--REMOVAL OF GENERAL ROSECRANS-- +PUNISHMENT OF DESERTERS--GRANT AT CHATTANOOGA--THE FIGHT ON LOOKOUT +MOUNTAIN--A BRAVE COLOR-BEARER--BATTLE OF MISSIONARY RIDGE. + +By 9 o'clock on the morning of September 22 my command took up a +position within the heavy line of intrenchments at Chattanooga, the +greater part of which defenses had been thrown up since the army +commenced arriving there the day before. The enemy, having now +somewhat recovered from the shock of the recent battle, followed +carefully, and soon invested us close into our lines with a parallel +system of rifle-pits. He also began at once to erect permanent lines +of earthworks on Missionary Ridge and to establish himself strongly +on Lookout Mountain. He then sent Wheeler's cavalry north of the +Tennessee, and, aided greatly by the configuration of the ground, +held us in a state of partial siege, which serious rains might +convert into a complete investment. The occupation of Lookout +Mountain broke our direct communication with Bridgeport-our sub- +depot--and forced us to bring supplies by way of the Sequatchie +Valley and Waldron's Ridge of the Cumberland Mountains, over a road +most difficult even in the summer season, but now liable to be +rendered impassable by autumn rains. The distance to Bridgeport by +this circuitous route was sixty miles, and the numerous passes, +coves, and small valleys through which the road ran offered tempting +opportunities, for the destruction of trains, and the enemy was not +slow to take advantage of them. Indeed, the situation was not +promising, and General Rosecrans himself, in communicating with the +President the day succeeding the battle of Chickamauga, expressed +doubts of his ability to hold the gateway of the Cumberland +Mountains. + +The position taken up by my troops inside the lines of Chattanooga +was near the old iron-works, under the shadow of Lookout Mountain. +Here we were exposed to a continual fire from the enemy's batteries +for many days, but as the men were well covered by secure though +simple intrenchments, but little damage was done. My own +headquarters were established on the grounds of Mr. William +Crutchfield, a resident of the place, whose devotion to the Union +cause knew no bounds, and who rendered me--and, in fact, at one time +or another, nearly every general officer in the Army of the +Cumberland--invaluable service in the way of information about the +Confederate army. My headquarters camp frequently received shots +from the point of Lookout Mountain also, but fortunately no +casualties resulted from this plunging fire, though, I am free to +confess, at first our nerves were often upset by the whirring of +twenty-pounder shells dropped inconsiderately into our camp at +untimely hours of the night. + +In a few days rain began to fali, and the mountain roads by which our +supplies came were fast growing impracticable. Each succeeding train +of wagons took longer to make the trip from Bridgeport, and the draft +mules were dying by the hundreds. The artillery horses would soon go +too, and there was every prospect that later the troops would starve +unless something could be done. Luckily for my division, a company +of the Second Kentucky Cavalry had attached itself to my +headquarters, and, though there without authority, had been left +undisturbed in view of a coming reorganization of the army incidental +to the removal of McCook and Crittenden from the command of their +respective corps, a measure that had been determined upon immediately +after the battle of Chickamauga. Desiring to remain with me, Captain +Lowell H. Thickstun, commanding this company, was ready for any duty +I might find, for him, so I ordered him into the Sequatchie Valley +for the purpose of collecting supplies for my troops, and sent my +scout, Card along to guide him to the best locations. The company +hid itself away in a deep cove in the upper end of the valley, and by +keeping very quiet and paying for everything it took from the people, +in a few days was enabled to send me large quantities of corn for my +animals and food for the officers and men, which greatly supplemented +the scanty supplies we were getting from the sub-depot at Bridgeport. +In this way I carried men and animals through our beleaguerment in +pretty fair condition, and of the turkeys, chickens, ducks, and eggs +sent in for the messes of my officers we often had enough to divide +liberally among those at different headquarters. Wheeler's cavalry +never discovered my detached company, yet the chances of its capture +were not small, sometimes giving much uneasiness; still, I concluded +it was better to run all risks than to let the horses die of +starvation in Chattanooga. Later, after the battle of Missionary +Ridge, when I started to Knoxville, the company joined me in +excellent shape, bringing with it an abundance of food, including a +small herd of beef cattle. + +The whole time my line remained near the iron-mills the shelling from +Lookout was kept up, the screeching shots inquisitively asking in +their well-known way, "Where are you? Where are you?" but it is +strange to see how readily, soldiers can become accustomed to the +sound of dangerous missiles under circumstances of familiarity, and +this case was no exception to the rule. Few casualties occurred, and +soon contempt took the place of nervousness, and as we could not +reply in kind on account of the elevation required for our guns, the +men responded by jeers and imprecations whenever a shell fell into +their camp. + +Meantime, orders having been issued for the organization of the army, +additional troops were attached to my command, and it became the +Second Division of the Fourth Army Corps, to which Major-General +Gordon Granger was assigned as commander. This necessitated a change +of position of the division, and I moved to ground behind our works, +with my right resting on Fort Negley and my left extending well over +toward Fort Wood, my front being parallel to Missionary Ridge. My +division was now composed of twenty-five regiments, classified into +brigades and demi-brigades, the former commanded by Brigadier-General +G. D. Wagner, Colonel C. G. Harker, and Colonel F. T. Sherman; the +latter, by Colonels Laiboldt, Miller, Wood, Walworth, and Opdyke. +The demi-brigade was an awkward invention of Granger's; but at this +time it was necessitated--perhaps by the depleted condition of our +regiments, which compelled the massing of a great number of +regimental organizations into a division to give it weight and force. + +On October 16, 1863, General Grant had been assigned to the command +of the "Military Division of the Mississippi," a geographical area +which embraced the Departments of the Ohio, the Cumberland, and the +Tennessee, thus effecting a consolidation of divided commands which +might have been introduced most profitably at an earlier date. The +same order that assigned General Grant relieved General Rosecrans, +and placed General Thomas in command of the Army of the Cumberland. +At the time of the reception of the order, Rosecrans was busy with +preparations for a movement to open the direct road to Bridgeport-- +having received in the interval, since we came back to Chattanooga, +considerable reinforcement by the arrival in his department of the +Eleventh and Twelfth corps, under General Hooker, from the Army of +the Potomac. With this force Rosecrans had already strengthened +certain important points on the railroad between Nashville and +Stevenson, and given orders to Hooker to concentrate at Bridgeport +such portions of his command as were available, and to hold them in +readiness to advance toward Chattanooga. + +On the 19th of October, after turning the command over to Thomas, +General Rosecrans quietly slipped away from the army. He submitted _ +uncomplainingly to his removal, and modestly left us without fuss or +demonstration; ever maintaining, though, that the battle of +Chickamauga was in effect a victory, as it had ensured us, he said, +the retention of Chattanooga. When his departure became known deep +and almost universal regret was expressed, for he was +enthusiastically esteemed and loved by the Army of the Cumberland, +from the day he assumed command of it until he left it, +notwithstanding the censure poured upon him after the battle of +Chickamauga. + +The new position to which my division had been moved, in consequence +of the reorganization, required little additional labor to strengthen +it, and the routine of fatigue duty and drills was continued as +before, its monotony occasionally broken by the excitement of an +expected attack, or by amusements of various kinds that were +calculated to keep the men in good spirits. Toward this result much +was contributed by Mr. James E. Murdock, the actor, who came down +from the North to recover the body of his son, killed at Chickamauga, +and was quartered with me for the greater part of the time he was +obliged to await the successful conclusion of his sad mission. He +spent days, and even weeks, going about through the division giving +recitations before the camp-fires, and in improvised chapels, which +the men had constructed from refuse lumber and canvas. Suiting his +selections to the occasion, he never failed to excite intense +interest in the breasts of all present, and when circumstances +finally separated him from us, all felt that a debt of gratitude was +due him that could never be paid. The pleasure he gave, and the +confident feeling that was now arising from expected reinforcements, +was darkened, however, by one sad incident. Three men of my division +had deserted their colors at the beginning of the siege and made +their way north. They were soon arrested, and were brought back to +stand trial for the worst offense that can be committed by a soldier, +convicted of the crime, and ordered to be shot. To make the example +effective I paraded the whole division for the execution, and on the +13th of November, in the presence of their former comrades, the +culprits were sent, in accordance with the terms of their sentence, +to render their account to the Almighty. It was the saddest +spectacle I ever witnessed, but there could be no evasion, no +mitigation of the full letter of the law; its timely enforcement was +but justice to the brave spirits who had yet to fight the rebellion +to the end. + +General Grant arrived at Chattanooga on October 23, and began at once +to carry out the plans that had been formed for opening the shorter +or river road to Bridgeport. This object was successfully +accomplished by the moving of Hooker's command to Rankin's and +Brown's ferries in concert with a force from the Army of the +Cumberland which was directed on the same points, so by the 27th of +October direct communication with our depots was established. The +four weeks which followed this cheering result were busy with the +work of refitting and preparing for offensive operations as soon as +General Sherman should reach us with his troops from West Tennessee. +During this period of activity the enemy committed the serious fault +of detaching Longstreet's corps--sending it to aid in the siege of +Knoxville in East Tennessee--an error which has no justification +whatever, unless it be based on the presumption that it was +absolutely necessary that Longstreet should ultimately rejoin Lee's +army in Virginia by way of Knoxville and Lynchburg, with a chance of +picking up Burnside en route. Thus depleted, Bragg still held +Missionary Ridge in strong force, but that part of his line which +extended across the intervening valley to the northerly point of. +Lookout Mountain was much attenuated. + +By the 18th of November General Grant had issued instructions +covering his intended operations. They contemplated that Sherman's +column, which was arriving by the north bank of the Tennessee, should +cross the river on a pontoon bridge just below the mouth of +Chickamauga Creek and carry the northern extremity of Missionary +Ridge as far as the railroad tunnel; that the Army of the Cumberland- +-the centre--should co-operate with Sherman; and that Hooker with a +mixed command should continue to hold Lookout Valley and operate on +our extreme right as circumstances might warrant. Sherman crossed on +the 24th to perform his alloted part of the programme, but in the +meantime Grant becoming impressed with the idea that Bragg was +endeavoring to get away, ordered Thomas to make a strong +demonstration in his front, to determine the truth or falsity of the +information that had been received. This task fell to the Fourth +Corps, and at 12 o'clock on the 23d I was notified that Wood's +division would make a reconnoissance to an elevated point in its +front called Orchard Knob, and that I was to support it with my +division and prevent Wood's right flank from being turned by an +advance of the enemy on Moore's road or from the direction of +Rossville. For this duty I marched my division out of the works +about 2 p.m., and took up a position on Bushy Knob. Shortly after we +reached this point Wood's division passed my left flank on its +reconnoissance, and my command, moving in support of it, drove in the +enemy's picket-line. Wood's took possession of Orchard Knob easily, +and mine was halted on a low ridge to the right of the Knob, where I +was directed by General Thomas to cover my front by a strong line of +rifle-pits, and to put in position two batteries of the Fourth +regular artillery that had joined me from the Eleventh Corps. After +dark Wood began to feel uneasy about his right flank, for a gap +existed between it and my left, so I moved in closer to him, taking +up a line where I remained inactive till the 25th, but suffering some +inconvenience from the enemy's shells. + +On the 24th General Sherman made an attack for the purpose of +carrying the north end of Missionary Ridge. His success was not +complete, although at the time it was reported throughout the army to +be so. It had the effect of disconcerting Bragg, however, and caused +him to strengthen his right by withdrawing troops from his left, +which circumstance led Hooker to advance on the northerly face of +Lookout Mountain. At first, with good glasses, we could plainly see +Hooker's troops driving the Confederates up the face of the mountain. +All were soon lost to view in the dense timber, but emerged again on +the open ground, across which the Confederates retreated at a lively +pace, followed by the pursuing line, which was led by a color-bearer, +who, far in advance, was bravely waving on his comrades. The +gallantry of this man elicited much enthusiasm among us all, but as +he was a considerable distance ahead of his comrades I expected to +see his rashness punished at any moment by death or capture. He +finally got quite near the retreating Confederates, when suddenly +they made a dash at him, but he was fully alive to such a move, and +ran back, apparently uninjured, to his friends. About this time a +small squad of men reached the top of Lookout and planted the Stars +and Stripes on its very crest. Just then a cloud settled down on the +mountain, and a heavy bank of fog obscured its whole face. + +After the view was lost the sharp rattle of musketry continued some +time, but practically the fight had been already won by Hooker's men, +the enemy only holding on with a rear-guard to assure his retreat +across Chattanooga Valley to Missionary Ridge. Later we heard very +heavy cannonading, and fearing that Hooker was in trouble I sent a +staff-officer to find out whether he needed assistance, which I +thought could be given by a demonstration toward Rossville. The +officer soon returned with the report that Hooker was all right, that +the cannonading was only a part of a little rear-guard fight, two +sections of artillery making all the noise, the reverberations from +point to point in the adjacent mountains echoing and reechoing till +it seemed that at least fifty guns were engaged. + +On the morning of the 25th of November Bragg's entire army was +holding only the line of Missionary Ridge, and our troops, being now +practically connected from Sherman to Hooker, confronted it with the +Army of the Cumberland in the centre--bowed out along the front of +Wood's division and mine. Early in the day Sherman, with great +determination and persistence, made an attempt to carry the high +ground near the tunnel, first gaining and then losing advantage, but +his attack was not crowned with the success anticipated. Meanwhile +Hooker and Palmer were swinging across Chattanooga Valley, using me +as a pivot for the purpose of crossing Missionary Ridge in the +neighborhood of Rossville. In the early part of the day I had driven +in the Confederate pickets in my front, so as to prolong my line of +battle on that of Wood, the necessity of continuing to refuse my +right having been obviated by the capture of Lookout Mountain and the +advance of Palmer. + +About 2 o'clock orders came to carry the line at the foot of the +ridge, attacking at a signal of six guns. I had few changes or new +dispositions to make. Wagner's brigade, which was next to Wood's +division, was formed in double lines, and Harker's brigade took the +same formation on Wagner's right. Colonel F. T. Sherman's brigade +came on Harker's right, formed in a column of attack, with a front of +three regiments, he having nine. My whole front was covered with a +heavy line of skirmishers. These dispositions made, my right rested +a little distance south of Moore's road, my left joined Wood over +toward Orchard Knob, while my centre was opposite Thurman's house-- +the headquarters of General Bragg--on Missionary Ridge. A small +stream of water ran parallel to my front, as far as which the ground +was covered by a thin patch of timber, and beyond the edge of the +timber was an open plain to the foot of Missionary Ridge, varying in +width from four to nine hundred yards. At the foot of the ridge was +the enemy's first line of rifle-pits; at a point midway up its face, +another line, incomplete; and on the crest was a third line, in which +Bragg had massed his artillery. + +The enemy saw we were making dispositions for an attack, and in plain +view of my whole division he prepared himself for resistance, +marching regiments from his left flank with flying colors; and +filling up the spaces not already occupied in his intrenchments. +Seeing the enemy thus strengthening himself, it was plain that we +would have to act quickly if we expected to accomplish much, and I +already began to doubt the feasibility of our remaining in the first +line of rifle-pits when we should have carried them. I discussed the +order with Wagner, Harker, and Sherman, and they were similarly +impressed, so while anxiously awaiting the signal I sent Captain +Ransom of my staff to Granger, who was at Fort Wood, to ascertain if +we were to carry the first line or the ridge beyond. Shortly after +Ransom started the signal guns were fired, and I told my brigade +commanders to go for the ridge. + +Placing myself in front of Harker's brigade, between the line of +battle and the skirmishers, accompanied by only an orderly so as not +to attract the enemy's fire, we moved out. Under a terrible storm of +shot and shell the line pressed forward steadily through the timber, +and as it emerged on the plain took the double-quick and with fixed +bayonets rushed at the enemy's first line. Not a shot was fired from +our line of battle, and as it gained on my skirmishers they melted +into and became one with it, and all three of my brigades went over +the rifle-pits simultaneously. They then lay down on the face of the +ridge, for a breathing-spell and for protection' from the terrible +fire, of canister and musketry pouring over us from the guns on the +crest. At the rifle-pits there had been little use for the bayonet, +for most of the Confederate troops, disconcerted by the sudden rush, +lay close in the ditch and surrendered, though some few fled up the +slope to the next line. The prisoners were directed to move out to +our rear, and as their intrenchments had now come under fire from the +crest, they went with alacrity, and without guard or escort, toward +Chattanooga. + +After a short pause to get breath the ascent of the ridge began, and +I rode, into the ditch of the intrenchments to drive out a few +skulkers who were hiding there. Just at this time I was joined by +Captain Ransom, who, having returned from Granger, told me that we +were to carry only the line at the base, and that in coming back, +when he struck the left of the division, knowing this interpretation +of the order, he in his capacity as an aide-de-camp had directed +Wagner, who was up on the face of the ridge, to return, and that in +consequence Wagner was recalling his men to the base. I could not +bear to order the recall of troops now so gallantly climbing the hill +step by step, and believing we could take it, I immediately rode to +Wagner's brigade and directed it to resume the attack. In the +meantime Harker's and F. T. Sherman's troops were approaching the +partial line of works midway of the ridge, and as I returned to the +centre of their rear, they were being led by many stands of +regimental colors. There seemed to be a rivalry as to which color +should be farthest to the front; first one would go forward a few +feet, then another would come up to it, the color-bearers vying with +one another as to who should be foremost, until finally every +standard was planted on the intermediate works. The enemy's fire +from the crest during the ascent was terrific in the noise made, but +as it was plunging, it over-shot and had little effect on those above +the second line of pits, but was very uncomfortable for those below, +so I deemed it advisable to seek another place, and Wagner's brigade +having reassembled and again pressed up the ridge, I rode up the face +to join my troops. + +As soon as the men saw me, they surged forward and went over the +works on the crest. The parapet of the intrenchment was too high for +my horse to jump, so, riding a short distance to the left, I entered +through a low place in the line. A few Confederates were found +inside, but they turned the butts of their muskets toward me in token +of surrender, for our men were now passing beyond them on both their +flanks. + +The right and right centre of my division gained the summit first, +they being partially sheltered by a depression in the face of the +ridge, the Confederates in their immediate front fleeing down the +southern face. When I crossed the rifle-pits on the top the +Confederates were still holding fast at Bragg's headquarters, and a +battery located there opened fire along the crest; making things most +uncomfortably hot. Seeing the danger to which I was exposed, for I +was mounted, Colonel Joseph Conrad, of the Fifteenth Missouri, ran up +and begged me to dismount. I accepted his excellent advice, and it +probably saved my life; but poor Conrad was punished for his +solicitude by being seriously wounded in the thigh at the moment he +was thus contributing to my safety. + +Wildly cheering, the men advanced along the ridge toward Bragg's +headquarters, and soon drove the Confederates from this last +position, capturing a number of prisoners, among them Breckenridge's +and Bates's adjutant-generals, and the battery that had made such +stout resistance on the crest-two guns which were named "Lady +Breckenridge" and "Lady Buckner" General Bragg himself having barely +time to escape before his headquarters were taken. + +My whole division had now reached the summit, and Wagner and Harker-- +the latter slightly wounded--joined me as I was standing in the +battery just secured. The enemy was rapidly retiring, and though +many of his troops, with disorganized wagon-trains and several pieces +of artillery, could be distinctly seen in much confusion about half a +mile distant in the valley below, yet he was covering them with a +pretty well organized line that continued to give us a desultory +fire. Seeing this, I at once directed Wagner and Harker to take up +the pursuit along Moore's road, which led to Chickamauga Station-- +Bragg's depot of supply--and as they progressed, I pushed Sherman's +brigade along the road behind them. Wagner and Harker soon overtook +the rearguard, and a slight skirmish caused it to break, permitting +nine guns and a large number of wagons which were endeavoring to get +away in the stampede to fall into our hands. + +About a mile and a half beyond Missionary Ridge, Moore's road passed +over a second ridge or high range of hills, and here the enemy had +determined to make a stand for that purpose, posting eight pieces of +artillery with such supporting force as he could rally. He was +immediately attacked by Harker and Wagner, but the position was +strong, the ridge being rugged and difficult of ascent, and after the +first onset our men recoiled. A staff-officer from Colonel Wood's +demi-brigade informing me at this juncture that that command was too +weak to carry the position in its front, I ordered the Fifteenth +Indiana and the Twenty-Sixth Ohio to advance to Wood's aid, and then +hastening to the front I found his men clinging to the face of the +ridge, contending stubbornly with the rear-guard of the enemy. +Directing Harker to put Opdyke's demi-brigade in on the right, I +informed Wagner that it was necessary to flank the enemy by carrying +the high bluff on our left where the ridge terminated, that I had +designated the Twenty-Sixth Ohio and Fifteenth Indiana for the work, +and that I wished him to join them. + +It was now dusk, but the two regiments engaged in the flanking +movement pushed on to gain the bluff. Just as they reached the crest +of the ridge the moon rose from behind, enlarged by the refraction of +the atmosphere, and as the attacking column passed along the summit +it crossed the moon's disk and disclosed to us below a most +interesting panorama, every figure nearly being thrown out in full +relief. The enemy, now outflanked on left and right, abandoned his +ground, leaving us two pieces of artillery and a number of wagons. +After this ridge was captured I found that no other troops than mine +were pursuing the enemy, so I called a halt lest I might become too +much isolated. Having previously studied the topography of the +country thoroughly, I knew that if I pressed on my line of march +would carry me back to Chickamauga station, where we would be in rear +of the Confederates that had been fighting General Sherman, and that +there was a possibility of capturing them by such action; but I did +not feel warranted in marching there alone, so I rode back to +Missionary Ridge to ask for more troops, and upon arriving there I +found Granger in command, General Thomas having gone back to +Chattanooga. + +Granger was at Braggy's late headquarters in bed. I informed him of +my situation and implored him to follow me up with the Army of the +Cumberland, but he declined, saying that he thought we had done well +enough. I still insisting, he told me finally to push on to the +crossing of Chickamauga Creek, and if I, encountered the enemy he +would order troops to my support. I returned to my division about +12 o'clock at night, got it under way, and reached the crossing, +about half a mile from the station, at 2 o'clock on the morning of +the 26th, and there found the bridge destroyed, but that the creek +was fordable. I did not encounter the enemy in any force, but feared +to go farther without assistance. This I thought I might bring up by +practicing a little deception, so I caused two regiments to simulate +an engagement by opening fire, hoping that this would alarm Granger +and oblige him to respond with troops, but my scheme failed. General +Granger afterward told me that he had heard the volleys, but +suspected their purpose, knowing that they were not occasioned by a +fight, since they were too regular in their delivery. + +I was much disappointed that my pursuit had not been supported, for I +felt that great results were in store for us should the enemy be +vigorously followed. Had the troops under Granger's command been +pushed out with mine when Missionary Ridge was gained, we could have +reached Chickamauga Station by 12 o'clock the night of the 25th; or +had they been sent even later, when I called for them, we could have +got there by daylight and worked incalculable danger to the +Confederates, for the force that had confronted Sherman did not pass +Chickamauga Station in their retreat till after daylight on the +morning of the 26th. + +My course in following so close was dictated by a thorough knowledge +of the topography of the country and a familiarity with its roads, +bypaths, and farm-houses, gained with the assistance of Mr. +Crutchfield; and sure my column was heading in the right direction, +though night had fallen I thought that an active pursuit would almost +certainly complete the destruction of Bragg's army. When General +Grant came by my bivouac at the crossing of Chickamauga Creek on the +26th, he realized what might have been accomplished had the +successful assault on Missionary Ridge been supplemented by vigorous +efforts on the part of some high officers, who were more interested +in gleaning that portion of the battle-field over which my command +had passed than in destroying a panic-stricken enemy. + +Although it cannot be said that the result of the two days' +operations was reached by the methods which General Grant had +indicated in his instructions preceding the battle, yet the general +outcome was unquestionably due to his genius, for the manoeuvring of +Sherman's and Hooker's commands created the opportunity for Thomas's +corps of the Army of the Cumberland to carry the ridge at the centre. +In directing Sherman to attack the north end of the ridge, Grant +disconcerted Bragg--who was thus made to fear the loss of his depot +of supplies at Chickamauga Station--and compelled him to resist +stoutly; and stout resistance to Sherman meant the withdrawal of the +Confederates from Lookout Mountain. While this attack was in process +of execution advantage was taken of it by Hooker in a well-planned +and well-fought battle, but to my mind an unnecessary one, for our +possession of Lookout was the inevitable result that must follow from +Sherman's threatening attitude. The assault on Missionary Ridge by +Granger's and Palmer's corps was not premeditated by Grant, he +directing only the line at its base to be carried, but when this fell +into our hands the situation demanded our getting the one at the top +also. + +I took into the action an effective force of 6,000, and lost 123 +officers and 1,181 men killed and wounded. These casualties speak +louder than words of the character of the fight, and plainly tell +where the enemy struggled most stubbornly for these figures comprise +one-third the casualties of the entire body of Union troops-- +Sherman's and all included. My division captured 1,762 prisoners +and, in all, seventeen pieces of artillery. Six of these guns I +turned over with caissons complete; eleven were hauled off the field +and appropriated by an officer of high rank--General Hazen. I have +no disposition to renew the controversy which grew out of this +matter. At the time the occurrence took place I made the charge in a +plain official report, which was accepted as correct by the corps and +army commanders, from General Granger up to General Grant. General +Hazen took no notice of this report then, though well aware of its +existence. Nearly a quarter of a century later, however, he +endeavored to justify his retention of the guns by trying to show +that his brigade was the first to reach the crest of Missionary +Ridge, and that he was therefore entitled to them. This claim of +being the first to mount the ridge is made by other brigades than +Hazen's, with equal if not greater force, so the absurdity of his +deduction is apparent: + +NOTE: In a book published by General Hazen in 1885, he endeavored to +show, by a number of letters from subordinate officers of his +command, written at his solicitation from fifteen to twenty years +after the occurrence, that his brigade was the first to mount +Missionary Ridge, and that it was entitled to possess these guns. +The doubtful character of testimony dimmed by the lapse of many years +has long been conceded, and I am content to let the controversy stand +the test of history, based on the conclusions of General Grant, as he +drew them from official reports made when the circumstances were +fresh in the minds of all. + +General Grant says: "To Sheridan's prompt movement, the Army of the +Cumberland and the nation are indebted for the bulk of the capture of +prisoners, artillery, and small-arms that day. Except for his prompt +pursuit, so much in this way would not have been accomplished." + +General Thomas says: "We captured all their cannon and ammunition +before they could be removed or destroyed. After halting a few +moments to reorganize the troops, who had become somewhat scattered +in the assault of the hill, General Sheridan pushed forward in +pursuit, and drove those in his front who had escaped capture across +Chickamauga Creek." + +REPORT OF COLONEL FRANCIS T. SHERMAN, COMMANDING FIRST BRIGADE: +"When within ten yards of the crest, our men seemed to be thrown +forward as if by some powerful engine, and the old flag was planted +firmly and surely on the last line of works of the enemy, followed by +the men, taking one battery of artillery." + +REPORT OF COLONEL MICHAEL GOODING, TWENTY-SECOND INDIANA: +...."I pushed men up to the second line of works as fast as possible; +on and on, clear to the top, and over the ridge they went, to the +hollow beyond, killing and wounding numbers of the enemy as we +advanced, and leaving the rebel battery in our rear. We captured +great numbers of prisoners, and sent them to the rear without guards, +as we deemed the pursuit of the enemy of greater importance.... +"I cannot give too much praise to Captain Powers, Company "H," +Lieutenant Smith, Company "K," Lieutenant Gooding, Company "A," and +Second Lieutenant Moser, Company "G," for their assistance, and for +the gallant manner in which they encouraged their men up the side of +the mountain, and charging the enemy's works right up to the muzzles +of their guns." + +REPORT OF COLONEL JASON MARSH, SEVENTY-FOURTH ILLINOIS: +...."The first on the enemy's works, and almost simultaneously, were +Lieutenant Clement, Company "A," Captain Stegner, Company "I," +Captain Bacon, "Company "G," and Captain Leffingwell, with some of +their men. The enemy was still in considerable force behind their +works; but, for some unaccountable reason, they either fled or +surrendered instantly upon the first few of our men reaching them-- +not even trying to defend their battery, which was immediately +captured by Captain Stegner." + +REPORT OF LIEUTENANT-COLONEL PORTER C. OLSON, THIRTY-SIXTH ILLINOIS: +...."In connection with other regiments of this brigade, we assisted +in capturing several pieces of artillery, a number of caissons, and a +great quantity of small-arms." + +REPORT OF COLONEL JOHN Q. LANE: +...."At the house known as Bragg's headquarters, the enemy were +driven from three guns, which fell into our hands." + +REPORT OF BRIGADIER-GENERAL G. D. WAGNER, SECOND BRIGADE: +...."I ordered the command to storm the ridge, bringing up the +Fifteenth Indiana and Ninety-seventh Ohio, which had not yet been +engaged, although suffering from the enemy's artillery. The result +is a matter of history, as we gained the ridge, capturing artillery, +prisoners, and small-arms; to what amount, however, I do not know, as +we pushed on after the enemy as soon as I had re-formed the command . +....Captain Tinney, with his usual gallantry, dashed up the line with +the first troops, and with the aid of an orderly (George Dusenbury, +Fifteenth Indiana), turned the loaded gun of the enemy on his +retreating ranks." + +REPORT OF CAPTAIN BENJAMIN F. HEGLER, FIFTEENTH INDIANA: +...."Our captures amounted to prisoners not counted, representing +many different regiments; several pieces of artillery, and some +wagons." + +REPORT OF LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ELIAS NEFF, FORTIETH INDIANA: +...."As the regiment reached the top of the ridge and swept for. +ward, the right passed through, without stopping to take possession, +the battery at General Bragg's headquarters that had fired so +venomously during the whole contest." + +REPORT OF LIEUTENANT-COLONEL J. MOORE, FIFTY-EIGHTH INDIANA: +...."In passing to the front from Missionary Ridge, we saw several +pieces of artillery which had been abandoned by the enemy, though I +did not leave any one in charge of them." + +REPORT OF MAJOR C, M. HAMMOND, ONE HUNDREDTH ILLINOIS: +...."I immediately organized my regiment, and while so doing +discovered a number of pieces of artillery in a ravine on my left. I +sent Lieutenant Stewart, of Company A, to see if these guns which the +enemy had abandoned could not be turned upon them. He returned and +reported them to be four ten-pound Parrotts and two brass Napoleons; +also that it would require a number of men to place them in position. +I ordered him to report the same to General Wagner, and ask +permission, but before receiving a reply was ordered by you to move +forward my regiment on the left of the Fifty-Eighth Indiana +Volunteers." + +REPORT OF COLONEL CHARLES G. HARKER, THIRD BRIGADE: +...."My right and Colonel Sherman's left interlocked, so to speak, as +we approached the summit, and it was near this point that I saw the +first part of my line gain the crest. This was done by a few brave +men of my own and Colonel Sherman's command driving the enemy from +his intrenchments. The gap thus opened, our men rushed rapidly in, +and the enemy, loth to give up their position, still remained, firing +at my command toward the left, and the battery in front of the house +known as General Bragg's headquarters was still firing at the troops, +and was captured by our men while the gunners were still at their +posts.... +...."We captured and sent to division and corps headquarters 503 +prisoners and a large number of small-arms. In regard to the number +of pieces of artillery, it will probably be difficult to reconcile +the reports of my regimental commanders with the reports of other +regiments and brigades who fought so nobly with my own command, and +who alike are entitled to share the honors and glories of the day. +More anxious to follow the enemy than to appropriate trophies already +secured, we pushed to the front, while the place we occupied on +ascending the hill was soon occupied by other troops, who, I have +learned, claim the artillery as having fallen into their own hands. +It must therefore remain with the division and corps commanders, who +knew the relative position of each brigade and division, to accord to +each the trophies to which they are due. +...."From my personal observation I can claim a battery of six guns +captured by a portion of my brigade." + +REPORT OF COLONEL EMERSON OPDYKE, FIRST DEMI-BRIGADE: +...."My command captured Bragg's headquarters, house, and the six +guns which were near there; one of these I ordered turned upon the +enemy, which was done with effect." + +REPORT OF COLONEL H. C. DUNLAP, THIRD KENTUCKY: +...."The point at which the centre of my regiment reached the crest +was at the stable to the left of the house said to be Bragg's +headquarters, and immediately in front of the road which leads down +the southern slope of the ridge. One piece of the abandoned battery, +was to the left of this point, the remainder to the right, near by." + +REPORT OF LIEUTENANT-COLONEL W. A. BULLITT, SIXTY-FIFTH OHIO: +...."The position in which my regiment found itself was immediately +in front of a battery, which belched forth a stream of canister upon +us with terrible rapidity. In addition to this, the enemy, whenever +driven from other points, rallied around this battery, and defended +it with desperation. It cost a struggle to take it; but we finally +succeeded, and the colors of the Sixty-fifth Ohio were the first +planted upon the yet smoking guns. Captain Smith, of my regiment, +was placed in charge of the captured battery, which consisted of 5 +guns, 3 caissons, and 17 horses." + +REPORT OF CAPTAIN E. P. BATES, ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIFTH OHIO: +...."Perceiving that the ridge across which my regiment extended was +commanded to the very crest by a battery in front, also by those to +right and left, I directed the men to pass up the gorges on either +side. About forty men, with Captain Parks and Lieutenant Stinger, +passed to the left, the balance to the right, and boldly charged on, +till, foremost with those of other regiments, they stood on the +strongest point of the enemy's works, masters alike of his guns and +position.... Captain Parks reports his skirmish-line to have charged +upon and captured one gun, that otherwise would have been hauled +off." + +REPORT OF COLONEL ALLEN BUCKNER, SEVENTY-NINTH ILLINOIS: +...."The right of the regiment rested on the left of the road, where +it crossed the rebel fortification, leading up the hill toward +Bragg's headquarters. We took a right oblique direction through a +peach orchard until arriving at the woods and logs on the side of the +ridge, when I ordered the men to commence firing, which they did with +good effect, and continued it all the way up until the heights were +gained. At this point the left of the regiment was near the right of +the house, and I claim that my officers and men captured two large +brass pieces, literally punching the cannoniers from their guns. +Privates John Fregan and Jasper Patterson, from Company "A," rushed +down the hill, captured one caisson, with a cannonier and six horses, +and brought them back." + +REPORT OF COLONEL J. R. MILES, TWENTY-SEVENTH ILLINOIS: +...."The regiment, without faltering, finally, at about 4.30 P.M., +gained the enemy's works in conjunction with a party of the Thirty- +sixth Illinois, who were immediately on our right. The regiment, or +a portion of it, proceeded to the left, down the ridge, for nearly or +quite a quarter of a mile capturing three or four pieces of cannon, +driving the gunners from them." + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +ORDERED TO RETURN TO CHATTANOOGA--MARCH TO KNOXVILLE--COLLECTING +SUBSISTENCE STORES--A CLEVER STRATAGEM--A BRIDGE OF WAGONS--LOOKING +OUT FOR THE PERSONAL COMFORT OF THE SOLDIERS-A LEAVE OF ABSENCE-- +ORDERED TO WASHINGTON--PARTING WITH SHERIDAN'S DIVISION. + +The day after the battle of Missionary Ridge I was ordered in the +evening to return to Chattanooga, and from the limited supply of +stores to be had there outfit my command to march to the relief of +Knoxville, where General Burnside was still holding out against the +besieging forces of General Longstreet. When we left Murfreesboro' +in the preceding June, the men's knapsacks and extra clothing, as +well as all our camp equipage, had been left behind, and these +articles had not yet reached us, so we were poorly prepared for a +winter campaign in the mountains of East Tennessee. There was but +little clothing to be obtained in Chattanooga, and my command +received only a few overcoats and a small supply of India-rubber +ponchos. We could get no shoes, although we stood in great need of +them, for the extra pair with which each man had started out from +Murfreesboro' was now much the worse for wear. The necessity for +succoring Knoxville was urgent, however, so we speedily refitted as +thoroughly as was possible with the limited means at hand. My +division teams were in very fair condition in consequence of the +forage we had procured in the Sequatchie Valley, so I left the train +behind to bring up clothing when any should arrive in Chattanooga. + +Under these circumstances, on the 29th of November the Fourth Corps +(Granger's) took up the line of march for Knoxville, my men carrying +in their haversacks four days' rations, depending for a further +supply of food on a small steamboat loaded with subsistence stores, +which was to proceed up the Tennessee River and keep abreast of the +column. + +Not far from Philadelphia, Tennessee, the columns of General +Sherman's army, which had kept a greater distance from the river than +Granger's corps, so as to be able to subsist on the country, came in +toward our right and the whole relieving force was directed on +Marysville, about fifteen miles southwest of Knoxville. We got to +Marysville December 5, and learned the same day that Longstreet had +shortly before attempted to take Knoxville by a desperate assault, +but signally failing, had raised the siege and retired toward Bean's +Station on the Rutledge, Rogersville, and Bristol road, leading to +Virginia. From Marysville General Sherman's troops returned to +Chattanooga, while Granger's corps continued on toward Knoxville, to +take part in the pursuit of Longstreet. + +Burnside's army was deficient in subsistence, though not to the +extent that we had supposed before leaving Chattanooga. It had eaten +out the country in the immediate vicinity of Knoxville, however; +therefore my division did not cross the Holstein River, but was +required, in order to maintain itself, to proceed to the region of +the French Broad River. To this end I moved to Sevierville, and +making this village my headquarters, the division was spread out over +the French Broad country, between Big Pigeon and Little Pigeon +rivers, where we soon had all the mills in operation, grinding out +plenty of flour and meal. The whole region was rich in provender of +all kinds, and as the people with rare exceptions were +enthusiastically loyal, we in a little while got more than enough +food for ourselves, and by means of flatboats began sending the +surplus down the river to the troops at Knoxville. + +The intense loyalty of this part of Tennessee exceeded that of any +other section I was in during the war. The people could not do too +much to aid the Union cause, and brought us an abundance of +everything needful. The women were especially loyal, and as many of +their sons and husbands, who had been compelled to "refugee" on +account of their loyal sentiments, returned with us, numbers of the +women went into ecstasies of joy when this part of the Union army +appeared among them. So long as we remained in the French Broad +region, we lived on the fat of the land, but unluckily our stay was +to be of short duration, for Longstreet's activity kept the +department commander in a state of constant alarm. + +Soon after getting the mills well running, and when the shipment of +their surplus product down the river by flatboats had begun, I was +ordered to move to Knoxville, on account of demonstrations by +Longstreet from the direction of Blain's crossroads. On arriving at +Knoxville, an inspection of my command, showed that the shoes of many +of the men were entirely worn out, the poor fellows having been +obliged to protect their feet with a sort of moccasin, made from +their blankets or from such other material as they could procure. +About six hundred of the command were in this condition, plainly not +suitably shod to withstand the frequent storms of sleet and snow. +These men I left in Knoxville to await the arrival of my train, which +I now learned was en route from Chattanooga with shoes, overcoats, +and other clothing, and with the rest of the division proceeded to +Strawberry Plains, which we reached the latter part of December. + +Mid-winter was now upon us, and the weather in this mountain region +of East Tennessee was very cold, snow often falling to the depth of +several inches. The thin and scanty clothing of the men afforded +little protection, and while in bivouac their only shelter was the +ponchos with which they had been provided before leaving Chattanooga; +there was not a tent in the command. Hence great suffering resulted, +which I anxiously hoped would be relieved shortly by the arrival of +my train with supplies. In the course of time the wagons reached +Knoxville, but my troops derived little comfort from this fact, for +the train was stopped by General Foster, who had succeeded Burnside +in command of the department, its contents distributed pro rata to +the different organizations of the entire army, and I received but a +small share. This was very disappointing, not to say exasperating, +but I could not complain of unfairness, for every command in the army +was suffering to the same extent as mine, and yet it did seem that a +little forethought and exertion on the part of some of the other +superior officers, whose transportation was in tolerable condition, +might have ameliorated the situation considerably. I sent the train +back at once for more clothing, and on its return, just before +reaching Knoxville, the quartermaster in charge, Captain Philip +Smith, filled the open spaces in the wagons between the bows and load +with fodder and hay, and by this clever stratagem passed it through +the town safe and undisturbed as a forage train. On Smith's arrival +we lost no time in issuing the clothing, and when it had passed into +the hands of the individual soldiers the danger of its appropriation +for general distribution, like the preceding invoice, was very +remote. + +General Foster had decided by this time to move his troops to +Dandridge for the twofold purpose of threatening the enemy's left and +of getting into a locality where we could again gather subsistence +from the French Broad region. Accordingly we began an advance on the +15th of January, the cavalry having preceded us some time before. +The Twenty-third Corps and Wood's division of the Fourth Corps +crossed the Holstein River by a bridge that had been constructed at +Strawberry Plains. My division being higher up the stream, forded +it, the water very deep and bitter cold, being filled with slushy +ice. Marching by way of New Market, I reached Dandridge on the 17th, +and here on my arrival met General Sturgis, then commanding our +cavalry. He was on the eve of setting out to, "whip the enemy's +cavalry," as he said, and wanted me to go along and see him do it. I +declined, however, for being now the senior officer present, Foster, +Parke, and Granger having remained at Knoxville and Strawberry +Plains, their absence left me in command, and it was necessary that I +should make disposition of the infantry when it arrived. As there +were indications of a considerable force of the enemy on the +Russellville road I decided to place the troops in line of battle, so +as to be prepared for any emergency that might arise in the absence +of the senior officers, and I deemed it prudent to supervise +personally the encamping of the men. This disposition necessarily +required that some of the organizations should occupy very +disagreeable ground, but I soon got all satisfactorily posted with +the exception of General Willich, who expressed some discontent at +being placed beyond the shelter of the timber, but accepted the +situation cheerfully when its obvious necessity was pointed out to +him. + +Feeling that all was secure, I returned to my headquarters in the +village with the idea that we were safely established in ease of +attack, and that the men would now have a good rest if left +undisturbed; and plenty to eat, but hardly had I reached my own camp +when a staff-officer came post-haste from Sturgis with the +information that he was being driven back to my lines, despite the +confident invitation to me (in the morning) to go out and witness the +whipping which was to be given to the enemy's cavalry. Riding to the +front, I readily perceived that the information was correct, and I +had to send a brigade of infantry out to help Sturgis, thus relieving +him from a rather serious predicament. Indeed, the enemy was present +in pretty strong force, both cavalry and infantry, and from his +vicious attack on Sturgis it looked very much as though he intended +to bring on a general engagement. + +Under such circumstances I deemed it advisable that the responsible +commanders of the army should be present, and so informed them. My +communication brought Parke and Granger to the front without delay, +but Foster could not come, since the hardships of the winter had +reopened an old wound received during the Mexican War, and brought on +much suffering. By the time Parke and Granger arrived, however, the +enemy, who it turned out was only making a strong demonstration to +learn the object of our movement on Dandridge, seemed satisfied with +the results of his reconnoissance, and began falling back toward +Bull's Gap. Meanwhile Parke and Granger concluded that Dandridge was +an untenable point, and hence decided to withdraw a part of the army +to Strawberry Plains; and the question of supplies again coming up, +it was determined to send the Fourth Corps to the south side of the +French Broad to obtain subsistence, provided we could bridge the +river so that men could get across the deep and icy stream without +suffering. + +I agreed to undertake the construction of a bridge on condition that +each division should send to the ford twenty-five wagons with which +to make it. This being acceded to, Harker's brigade began the work +next morning at a favorable point a few miles down the river. As my +quota of wagons arrived, they were drawn into the stream one after +another by the wheel team, six men in each wagon, and as they +successively reach°d the other side of the channel the mules were +unhitched, the pole of each wagon run under thre hind axle of the one +just in front, and the tailboards used so as to span the slight space +between them. The plan worked well as long as the material lasted, +but no other wagons than my twenty-five coming on the ground, the +work stopped when the bridge was only half constructed. Informed of +the delay and its cause, in sheer desperation I finished the bridge +by taking from my own division all the wagons needed to make up the +deficiency. + +It was late in the afternoon when the work was finished, and I began +putting over one of my brigades; but in the midst of its crossing +word came that Longstreet's army was moving to attack us, which +caused an abandonment of the foraging project, and orders quickly +followed to retire to Strawberry Plains, the retrograde movement to +begin forthwith. I sent to headquarters information of the plight I +was in--baggage and supplies on the bank and wagons in the stream-- +begged to know what was to become of them if we were to hurry off at +a moment's notice, and suggested that the movement be delayed until I +could recover my transportation. Receiving in reply no assurances +that I should be relieved from my dilemma--and, in fact, nothing +satisfactory--I determined to take upon myself the responsibility of +remaining on the ground long enough to get my wagons out of the +river; so I sent out a heavy force to watch for the enemy, and with +the remainder of the command went to work to break up the bridge. +Before daylight next morning I had recovered everything without +interference by Longstreet, who, it was afterward ascertained, was +preparing to move east toward Lynchburg instead of marching to attack +us; the small demonstration against Dandridge, being made simply to +deceive us as to his ultimate object. I marched to Strawberry Plains +unmolested, and by taking the route over Bay's Mountain, a shorter +one than that followed by the main body of our troops, reached the +point of rendezvous as soon as the most of the army, for the road it +followed was not only longer, but badly cut up by trains that had +recently passed over it. + +Shortly after getting into camp, the beef contractor came in and +reported that a detachment of the enemy's cavalry had captured my +herd of beef cattle. This caused me much chagrin at first, but the +commissary of my division soon put in an appearance, and assured me +that the loss would not be very disastrous to us nor of much benefit +to the enemy, since the cattle were so poor and weak that they could +not be driven off. A reconnoissance in force verified the +Commissary's statement. From its inability to travel, the herd, +after all efforts to carry it off had proved ineffectual, had been +abandoned by its captors. + +After the troops from Chattanooga arrived in the vicinity of +Knoxville and General Sherman had returned to Chattanooga, the +operations in East Tennessee constituted a series of blunders, +lasting through the entire winter; a state of affairs doubtless due, +in the main, to the fact that the command of the troops was so +frequently changed. Constant shifting of responsibility from one to +another ensued from the date that General Sherman, after assuring +himself that Knoxville was safe, devolved the command on Burnside. +It had already been intimated to Burnside that he was to be relieved, +and in consequence he was inactive and apathetic, confining his +operations to an aimless expedition whose advance extended only as +far as Blain's crossroads, whence it was soon withdrawn. Meanwhile +General Foster had superseded Burnside, but physical disabilities +rendered him incapable of remaining in the field, and then the chief +authority devolved on Parke. By this time the transmission of power +seemed almost a disease; at any rate it was catching, so, while we +were en route to Dandridge, Parke transferred the command to Granger. +The latter next unloaded it on me, and there is no telling what the +final outcome would have been had I not entered a protest against a +further continuance of the practice, which remonstrance brought +Granger to the front at Dandridge. + +While the events just narrated were taking place, General Grant had +made a visit to Knoxville--about the last of December--and arranged +to open the railroad between there and Chattanooga, with a view to +supplying the troops in East Tennessee by rail in the future, instead +of through Cumberland Gap by a tedious line of wagon-trains. In +pursuance of his plan the railroad had already been opened to Loudon, +but here much delay occurred on account of the long time it took to +rebuild the bridge over the Tennessee. Therefore supplies were still +very scarce, and as our animals were now dying in numbers from +starvation, and the men were still on short allowance, it became +necessary that some of the troops east of Knoxville should get nearer +to their depot, and also be in a position to take part in the coming +Georgia campaign, or render assistance to General Thomas, should +General Johnston (who had succeeded in command of the Confederate +army) make any demonstration against Chattanooga. Hence my division +was ordered to take station at Loudon, Tennessee, and I must confess +that we took the road for that point with few regrets, for a general +disgust prevailed regarding our useless marches during the winter. + +At this time my faithful scout Card and his younger brother left me, +with the determination, as I have heretofore related, to avenge their +brother's death. No persuasion could induce Card to remain longer, +for knowing that my division's next operation would be toward +Atlanta, and being ignorant of the country below Dalton,. he +recognized and insisted that his services would then become +practically valueless. + +At Loudon, where we arrived January 27, supplies were more plentiful, +and as our tents and extra clothing reached us there in a few days, +every one grew contented and happy. Here a number of my regiments, +whose terms of service were about to expire, went through the process +of "veteranizing," and, notwithstanding the trials and hardships of +the preceding nine months, they re-enlisted almost to a man. + +When everything was set in motion toward recuperating and refitting +my troops, I availed myself of the opportunity during a lull that +then existed to take a short leave of absence--a privilege I had not +indulged in since entering the service in 1853. This leave I spent +in the North with much benefit to my physical condition, for I was +much run down by fatiguing service, and not a little troubled by +intense pain which I at times still suffered from my experience in +the unfortunate hand-car incident on the Cumberland Mountains the +previous July. I returned from leave the latter part of March, +rejoining my division with the expectation that the campaign in that +section would begin as early as April. + +On the 12th of March, 1864, General Grant was assigned to the command +of the armies of the United States, as general-in-chief. He was +already in Washington, whither he had gone to receive his commission +as lieutenant-general. Shortly after his arrival there, he commenced +to rearrange the different commands in the army to suit the plans +which he intended to enter upon in the spring, and out of this grew a +change in my career. Many jealousies and much ill-feeling, the +outgrowth of former campaigns, existed among officers of high grade +in the Army of the Potomac in the winter of 1864, and several general +officers were to be sent elsewhere in consequence. Among these, +General Alfred Pleasonton was to be relieved from the command of the +cavalry, General Grant having expressed to the President +dissatisfaction that so little had hitherto been accomplished by that +arm of the service, and I was selected as chief of the cavalry corps +of the Army of the Potomac, receiving on the night of the 23d of +March from General Thomas at Chattanooga the following telegram: + +"MARCH 23, 1864. +"MAJOR-GENERAL THOMAS, Chattanooga + +"Lieutenant-General Grant directs that Major-General Sheridan +immediately repair to Washington and report to the Adjutant-General +of the Army. + +" H. W. HALLECK, +Major-General, Chief-of-Staff." + + +I was not informed of the purpose for which I was to proceed to +Washington, but I conjectured that it meant a severing of my +relations with the Second Division, Fourth Army Corps. I at once set +about obeying the order, and as but little preparation was necessary, +I started for Chattanooga the next day, without taking any formal +leave of the troops I had so long commanded. I could not do it; the +bond existing between them and me had grown to such depth of +attachment that I feared to trust my emotions in any formal parting +from a body of soldiers who, from our mutual devotion, had long +before lost their official designation, and by general consent within +and without the command were called "Sheridan's Division." When I +took the train at the station the whole command was collected on the +hill-sides around to see me off. They had assembled spontaneously, +officers and men, and as the cars moved out for Chattanooga they +waved me farewell with demonstrations of affection. + +A parting from such friends was indeed to be regretted. They had +never given me any trouble, nor done anything that could bring aught +but honor to themselves. I had confidence in them, and I believe +they had in me. They were ever steady, whether in victory or in +misfortune, and as I tried always to be with them, to put them into +the hottest fire if good could be gained, or save them from +unnecessary loss, as occasion required, they amply repaid all my care +and anxiety, courageously and readily meeting all demands in every +emergency that arose. + +In Kentucky, nearly two years before, my lot had been cast with about +half of the twenty-five regiments of infantry that I was just +leaving, the rest joining me after Chickamauga. It was practically a +new arm of the service to me, for although I was an infantry officer, +yet the only large command which up to that time I had controlled was +composed of cavalry, and most of my experience had been gained in +this arm of the service. I had to study hard to be able to master +all the needs of such a force, to feed and clothe it and guard all +its interests. When undertaking these responsibilities I felt that +if I met them faithfully, recompense would surely come through the +hearty response that soldiers always make to conscientious exertion +on the part of their superiors, and not only that more could be +gained in that way than from the use of any species of influence, but +that the reward would be quicker. Therefore I always tried to look +after their comfort personally; selected their camps, and provided +abundantly for their subsistence, and the road they opened for me +shows that my work was not in vain. I regretted deeply to have to +leave such soldiers, and felt that they were sorry I was going, and +even now I could not, if I would, retain other than the warmest +sentiments of esteem and the tenderest affection for the officers and +men of "Sheridan's Division," Army of the Cumberland. + +On reaching Chattanooga I learned from General Thomas the purpose for +which I had been ordered to Washington. I was to be assigned to the +command of the Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Potomac. The +information staggered me at first, for I knew well the great +responsibilities of such a position; moreover, I was but slightly +acquainted with military operations in Virginia, and then, too, the +higher officers of the Army of the Potomac were little known to me, +so at the moment I felt loth to undergo the trials of the new +position. Indeed, I knew not a soul in Washington except General +Grant and General Halleck, and them but slightly, and no one in +General Meade's army, from the commanding general down, except a few +officers in the lower grades, hardly any of whom I had seen since +graduating at the Military Academy. + +Thus it is not much to be wondered at that General Thomas's +communication momentarily upset me. But there was no help for it, so +after reflecting on the matter a little I concluded to make the best +of the situation. As in Virginia I should be operating in a field +with which I was wholly unfamiliar, and among so many who were +strangers, it seemed to me that it would be advisable to have, as a +chief staff-officer, one who had had service in the East, if an +available man could be found. In weighing all these considerations +in my mind, I fixed upon Captain James W. Forsyth, of the Eighteenth +Infantry, then in the regular brigade at Chattanooga--a dear friend +of mine, who had served in the Army of the Potomac, in the Peninsula +and Antietam campaigns. He at once expressed a desire to accept a +position on my staff, and having obtained by the next day the +necessary authority, he and I started for Washington, accompanied by +Lieutenant T. W. C. Moore, one of my aides, leaving behind Lieutenant +M. V. Sheridan, my other aide, to forward our horses as soon as they +should be sent down to Chattanooga from Loudon, after which he was to +join me. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +AT WASHINGTON--MEETING SECRETARY STANTON--INTERVIEW WITH PRESIDENT +LINCOLN--MADE COMMANDER OF THE CAVALRY CORPS OF THE ARMY OF THE +POTOMAC--ITS OFFICERS--GENERAL MEADE's METHOD OF USING CAVALRY-- +OPENING OF THE CAMPAIGN--SPOTTSYLVANIA C. H.--A DIFFERENCE WITH +GENERAL MEADE--PREPARING TO FIGHT STUART'S CAVALRY. + +Accompanied by Captain Forsyth and Lieutenant Moore, I arrived in +Washington on the morning of April, 4, 1864, and stopped at Willard's +Hotel, where, staying temporarily, were many officers of the Army of +the Potomac en route to their commands from leave at the North. +Among all these, however, I was an entire stranger, and I cannot now +recall that I met a single individual whom I had ever before known. + +With very little delay after reaching my hotel I made my way to +General Halleck's headquarters and reported to that officer, having +learned in the meantime that General Grant was absent from the city. +General Halleck talked to me for a few minutes, outlining briefly the +nature and duties of my new command, and the general military +situation in Virginia. When he had finished all he had to say about +these matters, he took me to the office of the Secretary of War, to +present me to Mr. Stanton. During the ceremony of introduction, I +could feel that Mr. Stanton was eying me closely and searchingly, +endeavoring to form some estimate of one about whom he knew +absolutely nothing, and whose career probably had never been called +to his attention until General Grant decided to order me East, after +my name had been suggested by General Halleck in an interview the two +generals had with Mr. Lincoln. I was rather young in appearance-- +looking even under than over thirty-three years--but five feet five +inches in height, and thin almost to emaciation, weighing only one +hundred and fifteen pounds. If I had ever possessed any self- +assertion in manner or speech, it certainly vanished in the presence +of the imperious Secretary, whose name at the time was the synonym of +all that was cold and formal. I never learned what Mr. Stanton's +first impressions of me were, and his guarded and rather calculating +manner gave at this time no intimation that they were either +favorable or unfavorable, but his frequent commendation in after +years indicated that I gained his goodwill before the close of the +war, if not when I first came to his notice; and a more intimate +association convinced me that the cold and cruel characteristics +popularly ascribed to him were more mythical than real. + +When the interview with the Secretary was over, I proceeded with +General Halleck to the White House to pay my respects to the +President. Mr. Lincoln received me very cordially, offering both his +hands, and saying that he hoped I would fulfill the expectations of +General Grant in the new command I was about to undertake, adding +that thus far the cavalry of the Army of the Potomac had not done all +it might have done, and wound up our short conversation by quoting +that stale interrogation so prevalent during the early years of the +war, "Who ever saw a dead cavalryman?" His manner did not impress +me, however, that in asking the question he had meant anything beyond +a jest, and I parted from the President convinced that he did not +believe all that the query implied. + +After taking leave I separated from General Halleck, and on returning +to my hotel found there an order from the War Department assigning me +to the command of the Cavalry Corps, Army of the Potomac. The next +morning, April 5, as I took the cars for the headquarters of the Army +of the Potomac, General Grant, who had returned to Washington the +previous night from a visit to his family, came aboard the train on +his way to Culpeper Court House, and on the journey down I learned +among other things that he had wisely determined to continue +personally in the field, associating himself with General Meade's +army; where he could supervise its movements directly, and at the +same time escape the annoyances which, should he remain in +Washington, would surely arise from solicitude for the safety of the +Capital while the campaign was in progress. When we reached Brandy +Station, I left the train and reported to General Meade, who told me +that the headquarters of the Cavalry Corps were some distance back +from the Station, and indicated the general locations of the +different divisions of the corps, also giving me, in the short time I +remained with him, much information regarding their composition. + +I reached the Cavalry Corps headquarters on the evening of April 5, +1864, and the next morning issued orders assuming command. General +Pleasonton had but recently been relieved, and many of his staff- +officers were still on duty at the headquarters awaiting the arrival +of the permanent commander. I resolved to retain the most of these +officers on my staff, and although they were all unknown to me when I +decided on this course, yet I never had reason to regret it, nor to +question the selections made by my predecessor. + +The corps consisted of three cavalry divisions and twelve batteries +of horse artillery. Brigadier-General A. T. A. Torbert was in +command of the First Division, which was composed of three brigades; +Brigadier-General D. McM. Gregg, of the Second, consisting of two +brigades; and Brigadier-General J. H. Wilson was afterward assigned +to command the Third, also comprising two brigades: Captain Robinson, +a veteran soldier of the Mexican war, was chief of artillery, and as +such had a general supervision of that arm, though the batteries, +either as units or in sections, were assigned to the different +divisions in campaign. + +Each one of my division commanders was a soldier by profession. +Torbert graduated from the Military Academy in 1855, and was +commissioned in the infantry, in which arm he saw much service on the +frontier, in Florida, and on the Utah expedition. At the beginning +of hostilities in April, 1861, he was made a colonel of New Jersey +volunteers, and from that position was promoted in the fall of 1862 +to be a brigadier-general, thereafter commanding a brigade of +infantry in the Army of the Potomac till, in the redistribution of +generals, after Grant came to the East, he was assigned to the First +Cavalry Division. + +Gregg graduated in 1855 also, and was appointed to the First +Dragoons, with which regiment, up to the breaking out of the war, he +saw frontier service extending from Fort Union, New Mexico, through +to the Pacific coast, and up into Oregon and Washington Territories, +where I knew him slightly. In the fall of 1861 he became colonel of +the Eighth Pennsylvania Cavalry, and a year later was made a +brigadier-general. He then succeeded to the command of a division of +cavalry, and continued in that position till the close of his +service, at times temporarily commanding the Cavalry Corps. He was +the only division commander I had whose experience had been almost +exclusively derived from the cavalry arm. + +Wilson graduated in 1860 in the Topographical Engineers, and was +first assigned to duty in Oregon, where he remained till July, 1861. +In the fall of that year his active service in the war began, and he +rose from one position to another, in the East and West, till, while +on General Grant's staff, he was made a brigadier-general in the fall +of 1863 in reward for services performed during the Vicksburg +campaign and for engineer duty at Chattanooga preceding the battle of +Missionary Ridge. At my request he was selected to command the Third +Division. General Grant thought highly of him, and, expecting much +from his active mental and physical ability, readily assented to +assign him in place of General Kilpatrick. The only other general +officers in the corps were Brigadier-General Wesley Merritt, +Brigadier-General George A. Custer, and Brigadier-General Henry E. +Davies, each commanding a brigade. + +In a few days after my arrival at Brandy Station I reviewed my new +command, which consisted of about twelve thousand officers and men, +with the same number of horses in passable trim. Many of the general +officers of the army were present at the review, among them Generals +Meade, Hancock, and Sedgwick. Sedgwick being an old dragoon, came to +renew his former associations with mounted troops, and to encourage +me, as he jestingly said, because of the traditional prejudices the +cavalrymen were supposed to hold against being commanded by an +infantry officer. The corps presented a fine appearance at the +review, and so far as the health and equipment of the men were +concerned the showing was good and satisfactory; but the horses were +thin and very much worn down by excessive and, it seemed to me, +unnecessary picket duty, for the cavalry picket-line almost +completely encircled the infantry and artillery camps of the army, +covering a distance, on a continuous line, of nearly sixty miles, +with hardly a mounted Confederate confronting it at any point. From +the very beginning of the war the enemy had shown more wisdom +respecting his cavalry than we. Instead of wasting its strength by a +policy of disintegration he, at an early day, had organized his +mounted force into compact masses, and plainly made it a favorite; +and, as usual, he was now husbanding the strength of his horses by +keeping them to the rear, so that in the spring he could bring them +out in good condition for the impending campaign. + +Before and at the review I took in this situation, and determined to +remedy it if possible; so in due time I sought an interview with +General Meade and informed him that, as the effectiveness of my +command rested mainly on the strength of its horses, I thought the +duty it was then performing was both burdensome and wasteful. I also +gave him my idea as to what the cavalry should do, the main purport +of which was that it ought to be kept concentrated to fight the +enemy's cavalry. Heretofore, the commander of the Cavalry Corps had +been, virtually, but an adjunct at army headquarters--a sort of chief +of cavalry--and my proposition seemed to stagger General Meade not a +little. I knew that it would be difficult to overcome the recognized +custom of using the cavalry for the protection of trains and the +establishment of cordons around the infantry corps, and so far +subordinating its operations to the movements of the main army that +in name only was it a corps at all, but still I thought it my duty to +try. + +At first General Meade would hardly listen to my proposition, for he +was filled with the prejudices that, from the beginning of the war, +had pervaded the army regarding the importance and usefulness of +cavalry, General Scott then predicting that the contest would be +settled by artillery, and thereafter refusing the services of +regiment after regiment of mounted troops. General Meade deemed +cavalry fit for little more than guard and picket duty, and wanted to +know what would protect the transportation trains and artillery +reserve, cover the front of moving infantry columns, and secure his +flanks from intrusion, if my policy were pursued. I told him that if +he would let me use the cavalry as I contemplated, he need have +little solicitude in these respects, for, with a mass of ten thousand +mounted men, it was my belief that I could make it so lively for the +enemy's cavalry that, so far as attacks from it were concerned, the +flanks and rear of the Army of the Potomac would require little or no +defense, and claimed, further, that moving columns of infantry should +take care of their own fronts. I also told him that it was my object +to defeat the enemy's cavalry in a general combat, if possible, and +by such a result establish a feeling of confidence in my own troops +that would enable us after awhile to march where we pleased, for the +purpose of breaking General Lee's communications and destroying the +resources from which his army was supplied. + +The idea as here outlined was contrary to Meade's convictions, for +though at different times since he commanded the Army of the Potomac +considerable bodies of the cavalry had been massed for some special +occasion, yet he had never agreed to the plan as a permanency, and +could not be bent to it now. He gave little encouragement, +therefore, to what I proposed, yet the conversation was immediately +beneficial in one way, for when I laid before him the true condition +of the cavalry, he promptly relieved it from much of the arduous and +harassing picket service it was performing, thus giving me about two +weeks in which to nurse the horses before the campaign opened. + +The interview also disclosed the fact that the cavalry commander +should be, according to General Meade's views, at his headquarters +practically as one of his staff, through whom he would give detailed +directions as, in his judgment, occasion required. Meade's ideas and +mine being so widely divergent, disagreements arose between us later +during the battles of the Wilderness, which lack of concord ended in +some concessions on his part after the movement toward Spottsylvania +Court House began, and although I doubt that his convictions were +ever wholly changed, yet from that date on, in the organization of +the Army of the Potomac, the cavalry corps became more of a compact +body, with the same privileges and responsibilities that attached to +the other corps--conditions that never actually existed before. + +On the 4th of May the Army of the Potomac moved against Lee, who was +occupying a defensive position on the south bank of the Rapidan. +After detailing the various detachments which I was obliged to supply +for escorts and other mounted duty, I crossed the river with an +effective force of about 10,000 troopers. In the interval succeeding +my assignment to the command of the cavalry, I had taken the pains to +study carefully the topography of the country in eastern Virginia, +and felt convinced that, under the policy Meade intended I should +follow, there would be little opportunity for mounted troops to +acquit themselves well in a region so thickly wooded, and traversed +by so many almost parallel streams; but conscious that he would be +compelled sooner or later either to change his mind or partially give +way to the pressure of events, I entered on the campaign with the +loyal determination to aid zealously in all its plans. + +General Lee's army was located in its winter quarters behind +intrenchments that lay along the Rapidan for a distance of about +twenty miles; extending from Barnett's to Morton's ford. The fords +below Morton's were watched by a few small detachments of Confederate +cavalry, the main body of which, however, was encamped below +Hamilton's crossing, where it could draw supplies from the rich +country along the Rappahannock. Only a few brigades of Lee's +infantry guarded the works along the river, the bulk of it being so +situated that it could be thrown to either flank toward which the +Union troops approached. + +General Grant adopted the plan of moving by his left flank, with the +purpose of compelling Lee to come out from behind his intrenchments +along Mine Run and fight on equal terms. Grant knew well the +character of country through which he would have to pass, but he was +confident that the difficulties of operation in the thickly wooded +region of the Wilderness would be counterbalanced by the facility +with which his position would enable him to secure a new base; and by +the fact that as he would thus cover Washington, there would be +little or no necessity for the authorities there to detach from his +force at some inopportune moment for the protection of that city. + +In the move forward two divisions of my cavalry took the advance, +Gregg crossing the Rapidan at Ely's ford and Wilson at Germania ford. +Torbert's division remained in the rear to cover the trains and +reserve artillery, holding from Rapidan Station to Culpeper, and +thence through Stevensburg to the Rappahannock River. Gregg crossed +the Rapidan before daylight, in advance of the Second Corps, and when +the latter reached Ely's ford, he pushed on to Chancellorsville; +Wilson preceded the Fifth Corps to Germania ford, and when it reached +the river he made the crossing and moved rapidly by Wilderness +Tavern, as far as Parker's Store, from which point he sent a heavy +reconnoissance toward Mine Run, the rest of his division bivouacking +in a strong position. I myself proceeded to Chancellorsville and +fixed my headquarters at that place, whereon the 5th I was joined by +Torbert's division. + +Meanwhile, General Meade had crossed the Rapidan and established his +headquarters not far from Germania ford. From that point he was in +direct communication with Wilson, whose original instructions from me +carried him only as far as Parker's Store, but it being found, during +the night of the 4th, that the enemy was apparently unacquainted with +the occurrences of the day, Meade directed Wilson to advance in the +direction of Craig's Meeting House; leaving one regiment to hold +Parker's Store. Wilson with the second brigade encountered Rosser's +brigade of cavalry just beyond the Meeting House, and drove it back +rapidly a distance of about two miles, holding it there till noon, +while his first brigade was halted on the north side of Robinson's +Run near the junction of the Catharpen and Parker's Store roads. + +Up to this time Wilson had heard nothing of the approach of the Fifth +Corps, and the situation becoming threatening, he withdrew the second +brigade to the position occupied by the first, but scarcely had he +done so when he learned that at an early hour in the forenoon the +enemy's infantry had appeared in his rear at Parker's Store and cut +off his communication with General Meade. Surprised at this, he +determined to withdraw to Todd's Tavern, but before his resolution +could be put into execution the Confederates attacked him with a +heavy force, and at the same time began pushing troops down the +Catharpen road. Wilson was now in a perplexing situation, sandwiched +between the Confederates who had cut him off in the rear at Parker's +store and those occupying the Catharpen road, but he extricated his +command by passing it around the latter force, and reached Todd's +Tavern by crossing the Po River at Corbin's bridge. General Meade +discovering that the enemy had interposed at Parker's store between +Wilson and the Fifth Corps, sent me word to go to Wilson's relief, +and this was the first intimation I received that Wilson had been +pushed out so far, but, surmising that he would retire in the +direction of Todd's Tavern I immediately despatched Gregg's division +there to his relief. Just beyond Todd's Tavern Gregg met Wilson, who +was now being followed by the enemy's cavalry. The pursuing force +was soon checked, and then driven back to Shady Grove Church, while +Wilson's troops fell in behind Gregg's line, somewhat the worse for +their morning's adventure. + +When the Army of the Potomac commenced crossing the Rapidan on the +4th, General J. E. B. Stuart, commanding the Confederate cavalry, +began concentrating his command on the right of Lee's infantry, +bringing it from Hamilton's crossing and other points where it had +been wintering. Stuart's force at this date was a little more than +eight thousand men, organized in two divisions, commanded by Generals +Wade Hampton and Fitzhugh Lee. Hampton's division was composed of +three brigades, commanded by Generals Cordon, Young, and Rosser; +Fitzhugh Lee's division comprised three brigades also, Generals W. H. +F. Lee, Lomax, and Wickham commanding them. + +Information of this concentration, and of the additional fact that +the enemy's cavalry about Hamilton's crossing was all being drawn in, +reached me on the 5th, which obviated all necessity for my moving on +that point as I intended at the onset of the campaign. The +responsibility for the safety of our trains and of the left flank of +the army still continued, however, so I made such dispositions of my +troops as to secure these objects by holding the line of the Brock +road beyond the Furnaces, and thence around to Todd's Tavern and +Piney Branch Church. On the 6th, through some false information, +General Meade became alarmed about his left flank, and sent me the +following note: + +"HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, +"May 6, 1864.--1 o'clock P. M. +"MAJOR-GENERAL SHERIDAN, +"Commanding Cavalry Corps + +"Your despatch of 11.45 a.m., received. General Hancock has been +heavily pressed, and his left turned. The major-general commanding +thinks that you had better draw in your cavalry, so as to secure the +protection of the trains. The order requiring an escort for the +wagons to-night has been rescinded. + +"A. A. HUMPHREYS, +"Major-General, Chief-of-Staff." + + +On the morning of the 6th Custer's and Devin's brigades had been +severely engaged at the Furnaces before I received the above note. +They had been most successful in repulsing the enemy's attacks, +however, and I felt that the line taken up could be held; but the +despatch from General Humphreys was alarming, so I drew all the +cavalry close in toward Chancellorsville. It was found later that +Hancock's left had not been turned, and the points thus abandoned had +to be regained at a heavy cost in killed and wounded, to both the +cavalry and the infantry. + +On the 7th of May, under directions from headquarters, Army of the +Potomac, the trains were put in motion to go into park at Piney +Branch Church, in anticipation of the movement that was about to be +made for the possession of Spottsylvania Court House. I felt +confident that the order to move the trains there had been given +without a full understanding of the situation, for Piney Branch +Church was now held by the enemy, a condition which had resulted from +the order withdrawing the cavalry on account of the supposed disaster +to Hancock's left the day before; but I thought the best way to +remedy matters was to hold the trains in the vicinity of Aldrich's +till the ground on which it was intended to park them should be +regained. + +This led to the battle of Todd's Tavern, a spirited fight for the +possession of the crossroads at that point, participated in by the +enemy's cavalry and Gregg's division, and two brigades of Torbert's +division, the latter commanded by Merritt, as Torbert became very ill +on the 6th, and had to be sent to the rear. To gain the objective +point--the crossroads--I directed Gregg to assail the enemy on the +Catharpen road with Irvin Gregg's brigade and drive him over Corbin's +bridge, while Merritt attacked him with the Reserve brigade on the +Spottsylvania road in conjunction with Davies's brigade of Gregg's +division, which was to be put in on the Piney Branch Church road, and +unite with Merritt's left. Davies's and Irvin Gregg's brigades on my +right and left flanks met with some resistance, yet not enough to +deter them from, executing their orders. In front of Merritt the +enemy held on more stubbornly, however, and there ensued an +exceedingly severe and, at times, fluctuating fight. Finally the +Confederates gave way, and we pursued them almost to Spottsylvania +Court House; but deeming it prudent to recall the pursuers about +dark, I encamped Gregg's and Merritt's divisions in the open fields +to the east of Todd's Tavern. + +During the preceding three days the infantry corps of the army had +been engaged in the various conflicts known as the battles of the +Wilderness. The success of the Union troops in those battles had not +been all that was desired, and General Grant now felt that it was +necessary to throw himself on Lee's communications if possible, while +preserving his own intact by prolonging the movement to the left. +Therefore, on the evening of the 7th he determined to shift his whole +army toward Spottsylvania Court House, and initiated the movement by +a night march of the infantry to Todd's Tavern. In view of what was +contemplated, I gave orders to Gregg and Merritt to move at daylight +on the morning of the 8th, for the purpose of gaining possession of +Snell's bridge over the Po River, the former by the crossing at +Corbin's bridge and the latter by the Block House. I also directed +Wilson, who was at Alsop's house, to take possession of Spottsylvania +as early as possible on the morning of the 8th, and then move into +position at Snell's bridge conjointly with the other two divisions. +Wilson's orders remained as I had issued them, so he moved +accordingly and got possession of Spottsylvania, driving the enemy's +cavalry a mile beyond, as will be seen by the following despatch sent +me at 9 A. M. of the 8th: + +"HEADQUARTERS THIRD DIVISION, CAVALRY CORPS, +"ARMY OF THE POTOMAC. +"SPOTTSYLVANIA COURT HOUSE, May 8, 1864 9 A. M. +" LIEUTENANT-COLONEL FORSYTH, CHIEF-OF-STAFF, C. C. + +"Have run the enemy's cavalry a mile from Spottsylvania Court House; +have charged them, and drove them through the village; am fighting +now with a considerable force, supposed to be Lee's division. +Everything all right. + +"J. H. WILSON, +"Brigadier-General Commanding. + + +During the night of the 7th General Meade arrived at Todd's Tavern +and modified the orders I had given Gregg and Merritt, directing +Gregg simply to hold Corbin's bridge, and Merritt to move out in +front of the infantry column marching on the Spottsylvania road. +Merritt proceeded to obey, but in advancing, our cavalry and infantry +became intermingled in the darkness, and much confusion and delay was +the consequence. I had not been duly advised of these changes in +Gregg's and Merritt's orders, and for a time I had fears for the +safety of Wilson, but, while he was preparing to move on to form his +junction with Gregg and Merritt at Snell's bridge, the advance of +Anderson (who was now commanding Longstreet's corps) appeared on the +scene and drove him from Spottsylvania. + +Had Gregg and Merritt been permitted to proceed as they were +originally instructed, it is doubtful whether the battles fought at +Spottsylvania would have occurred, for these two divisions would have +encountered the enemy at the Pa River, and so delayed his march as to +enable our infantry to reach Spottsylvania first, and thus force Lee +to take up a line behind the Po. I had directed Wilson to move from +the left by "the Gate" through Spottsylvania to Snell's bridge, while +Gregg and Merritt were to advance to the same point by Shady Grove +and the Block House. There was nothing to prevent at least a partial +success of these operations; that is to say, the concentration of the +three divisions in front of Snell's bridge, even if we could not +actually have gained it. But both that important point and the +bridge on the Block House road were utterly ignored, and Lee's +approach to Spottsylvania left entirely unobstructed, while three +divisions of cavalry remained practically ineffective by reason of +disjointed and irregular instructions. + +On the morning of the 8th, when I found that such orders had been +given, I made some strong remonstrances against the course that had +been pursued, but it was then too late to carry out the combinations +I had projected the night before, so I proceeded to join Merritt on +the Spottsylvania road. On reaching Merritt I found General Warren +making complaint that the cavalry were obstructing his infantry +column, so I drew Merritt off the road, and the leading division of +the Fifth Corps pushed up to the front. It got into line about 11 +o'clock, and advanced to take the village, but it did not go very far +before it struck Anderson's corps, and was hurled back with heavy +loss. This ended all endeavor to take Spottsylvania that day. + +A little before noon General Meade sent for me, and when I reached +his headquarters I found that his peppery temper had got the better +of his good judgment, he showing a disposition to be unjust, laying +blame here and there for the blunders that had been committed. He +was particularly severe on the cavalry, saying, among other things, +that it had impeded the march of the Fifth Corps by occupying the +Spottsylvania road. I replied that if this were true, he himself had +ordered it there without my knowledge. I also told him that he had +broken up my combinations, exposed Wilson's division to disaster, and +kept Gregg unnecessarily idle, and further, repelled his insinuations +by saying that such disjointed operations as he had been requiring of +the cavalry for the last four days would render the corps inefficient +and useless before long. Meade was very much irritated, and I was +none the less so. One word brought on another, until, finally, I +told him that I could whip Stuart if he (Meade) would only let me, +but since he insisted on giving the cavalry directions without +consulting or even notifying me, he could henceforth command the +Cavalry Corps himself--that I would not give it another order. + +The acrimonious interview ended with this remark, and after I left +him he went to General Grant's headquarters and repeated the +conversation to him, mentioning that I had said that I could whip +Stuart. At this General Grant remarked: "Did he say so? Then let him +go out and do it." This intimation was immediately acted upon by +General Meade, and a little later the following order came to me: + +"HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC +"May 8th, 1864 1 P. M. + +"GENERAL SHERIDAN, +"Commanding Cavalry Corps. + +"The major-general commanding directs you to immediately concentrate +your available mounted force, and with your ammunition trains and +such supply trains as are filled (exclusive of ambulances) proceed +against the enemy's cavalry, and when your supplies are exhausted, +proceed via New Market and Green Bay to Haxall's Landing on the James +River, there communicating with General Butler, procuring supplies +and return to this army. Your dismounted men will be left with the +train here. + +"A. A. HUMPHREYS, +"Major-General, Chief-of-staff." + + +As soon as the above order was received I issued instructions for the +concentration of the three divisions of cavalry at Aldrich's to +prepare for the contemplated expedition. Three days' rations for the +men were distributed, and half rations of grain for one day were +doled out for the horses. I sent for Gregg, Merritt, and Wilson and +communicated the order to them, saying at the same time, "We are +going out to fight Stuart's cavalry in consequence of a suggestion +from me; we will give him a fair, square fight; we are strong, and I +know we can beat him, and in view of my recent representations to +General Meade I shall expect nothing but success." I also indicated +to my division commanders the line of march I should take--moving in +one column around the right flank of Lee's army to get in its rear-- +and stated at the same time that it was my intention to fight Stuart +wherever he presented himself, and if possible go through to Haxall's +Landing; but that if Stuart should successfully interpose between us +and that point we would swing back to the Army of the Potomac by +passing around the enemy's left flank by way of Gordonsville. At +first the proposition seemed to surprise the division commanders +somewhat, for hitherto even the boldest, mounted expeditions had been +confined to a hurried ride through the enemy's country, without +purpose of fighting more than enough to escape in case of +molestation, and here and there to destroy a bridge. Our move would +be a challenge to Stuart for a cavalry duel behind Lee's lines, in +his own country, but the advantages which it was reasonable to +anticipate from the plan being quickly perceived, each division +commander entered into its support unhesitatingly, and at once set +about preparing for the march next day. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +THE EXPEDITION STARTS--DESTROYING SUPPLIES--OPENING OF THE FIGHT AT +YELLOW TAVERN--GENERAL CUSTER'S BRILLIANT CHARGE--DEATH OF GENERAL +STUART--REMOVING TORPEDOES--EXCITEMENT IN RICHMOND--A NIGHT MARCH-- +ENTERPRISING NEWSBOYS--THE EFFECTS OF STUART'S DEFEAT AND DEATH--END +OF THE FIRST EXPEDITION--ITS GREAT SUCCESS AND BENEFICIAL RESULTS. + +The expedition which resulted in the battle of Yellow Tavern and the +death of General Stuart started from the vicinity of Aldrich's toward +Fredericksburg early on the morning of May 9, 1864, marching on the +plank-road, Merritt's division leading. When the column reached +Tabernacle Church it headed almost due east to the telegraph road, +and thence down that highway to Thornburg, and from that point +through Childsburg to Anderson's crossing of the North Anna River, it +being my desire to put my command south of that stream if possible, +where it could procure forage before it should be compelled to fight. +The corps moved at a walk, three divisions on the same road, making a +column nearly thirteen miles in length, and marched around the right +flank of the enemy unsuspected until my rear guard , had passed +Massaponax Church. Although the column was very long, I preferred to +move it all on one road rather than to attempt combinations for +carrying the divisions to any given point by different routes. +Unless the separate commands in an expedition of this nature are very +prompt in movement, and each fully equal to overcoming at once any +obstacle it may meet, combinations rarely work out as expected; +besides, an engagement was at all times imminent, hence it was +specially necessary to keep the whole force well together. + +As soon as the Ny, Po, and Ta rivers were crossed, each ,of which +streams would have afforded an excellent defensive line to the enemy, +all anxiety as to our passing around Lee's army was removed, and our +ability to cross the North Anna placed beyond doubt. Meanwhile +General Stuart had discovered what we were about, and he set his +cavalry in motion, sending General Fitzhugh Lee to follow and attack +my rear on the Childsburg road, Stuart himself marching by way of +Davenport's bridge, on the North Anna, toward Beaver Dam Station, +near which place his whole command was directed to unite the next +day. + +My column having passed the Ta River, Stuart attacked its rear with +considerable vigor, in the hope that he could delay my whole force +long enough to permit him to get at least a part of his command in my +front; but this scheme was frustrated by Davies's brigade, which I +directed to fight as a rear-guard, holding on at one position and +then at another along the line of march just enough to deter the +enemy from a too rapid advance. Davies performed this responsible +and trying duty with tact and good judgment, following the main +column steadily as it progressed to the south, and never once +permitting Fitzhugh Lee's advance to encroach far enough to compel a +halt of my main body. About dark Merritt's division crossed the +North Anna at Anderson's ford, while Gregg and Wilson encamped on the +north side, having engaged the enemy, who still hung on my rear up to +a late hour at night. + +After Merritt's division passed the river, Custer's brigade proceeded +on to Beaver Dam Station to cut the Virginia Central railroad. +Before reaching the station he met a small force of the enemy, but +this he speedily drove off, recapturing from it about four hundred +Union prisoners, who had been taken recently in the Wilderness and +were being conducted to Richmond. Custer also destroyed the station, +two locomotives, three trains of cars, ninety wagons, from eight to +ten miles of railroad and telegraph lines, some two hundred thousand +pounds of bacon and other supplies, amounting in all to about a +million and a half of rations, and nearly all they medical stores of +General Lee's army, which had been moved from Orange Court House +either because Lee wished to have them directly in his rear or +because he contemplated falling back to the North Anna. + +On the morning of the l0th Gregg and Wilson, while crossing the North +Anna, were again attacked, but were covered by the division on the +south side of the stream; the passage was effected without much loss, +notwithstanding the approach of Stuart on the south bank from the +direction of Davenport's bridge. The possession of Beaver Dam gave +us an important point, as it opened a way toward Richmond by the +Negro-foot road. It also enabled us to obtain forage for our well- +nigh famished animals, and to prepare for fighting the enemy, who, I +felt sure, would endeavor to interpose between my column and +Richmond. + +Stuart had hardly united his troops near Beaver Dam when he realized +that concentrating there was a mistake, so he began making +dispositions for remedying his error, and while we leisurely took the +Negro-foot toad toward Richmond, he changed his tactics and hauled +off from my rear, urging his horses to the death in order to get in +between Richmond and my column. This he effected about 10 o'clock on +the morning of the 11th, concentrating at Yellow Tavern, six miles +from the city, on the Brook turnpike. His change of tactics left my +march on the l0th practically unmolested, and we quietly encamped +that night on the south bank of the South Anna, near Ground Squirrel +Bridge. Here we procured an abundance of forage, and as the distance +traveled that day had been only fifteen to eighteen miles, men and +horses were able to obtain a good rest during the night. + +At 2 o'clock in the morning, May 11, Davies's brigade of Gregg's +division marched for Ashland to cut the Fredericksburg railroad. +Arriving there before the head of the enemy's column, which had to +pass through this same place to reach Yellow Tavern, Davies drove out +a small force occupying the town, burnt a train of cars and a +locomotive, destroyed the railroad for some distance, and rejoined +the main column at Allen's Station on the Fredericksburg and Richmond +railroad. From Allen's Station the whole command moved on Yellow +Tavern, Merritt in the lead, Wilson following, and Gregg in the rear. + +The appearance of Davies's brigade at Ashland in the morning had had +the effect of further mystifying the enemy as to my intentions; and +while he held it incumbent to place himself between me and Richmond, +yet he was still so uncertain of my movements that he committed the +same fault that he did the first day, when he divided his force and +sent a part to follow me on the Childsburg road. He now divided his +command again, sending a portion to hang upon my rear, while he +proceeded with the rest to Yellow Tavern. This separation not only +materially weakened the force which might have been thrown across my +line of march, but it also enabled me to attack with almost my entire +corps, while occupying the pursuers with a small rearguard. + +By forced marches General Stuart succeeded in reaching Yellow Tavern +ahead of me on May 11; and the presence of, his troops, on the +Ashland and Richmond road becoming known to Merritt as he was +approaching the Brook turnpike, this general pressed forward at once +to the attack. Pushing his division to the front, he soon got +possession of the turnpike and drove the enemy back several hundred +yards to the east of it. This success had the effect of throwing the +head of my column to the east of the pike, and I quickly brought up +Wilson and one of Gregg's brigades to take advantage of the situation +by forming a line of battle on that side or the road. Meanwhile the +enemy, desperate but still confident, poured in a heavy fire from his +line and from a battery which enfiladed the Brook road, and made +Yellow Tavern an uncomfortably hot place. Gibbs's and Devin's +brigades, however, held fast there, while Custer, supported by +Chapman's brigade, attacked the enemy's left and battery in a mounted +charge. + +Custer's charge, with Chapman on his flank and the rest of Wilson's +division sustaining him, was brilliantly executed. Beginning at a +walk, he increased his gait to a trot, and then at full speed rushed +at the enemy. At the same moment the dismounted troops along my +whole front moved forward, and as Custer went through the battery, +capturing two of the guns with their cannoneers and breaking up the +enemy's left, Gibbs and Devin drove his centre and right from the +field. Gregg meanwhile, with equal success, charged the force in his +rear-Gordon's brigadeand the engagement ended by giving us complete +control of the road to Richmond. We captured a number of prisoners, +and the casualties on both sides were quite severe, General Stuart +himself falling mortally wounded, and General James B. Gordon, one of +his brigade commanders, being killed. + +After Custer's charge, the Confederate cavalry was badly broken up, +the main portion of it being driven in a rout toward Ashland and a +small part in the direction of Richmond, which latter force finally +rejoined Fitzhugh Lee near Mechanicsville. A reconnoitring party +being now sent up the Brook turnpike toward the city, dashed across +the South Fork of the Chickahominy, drove a small force from the +enemy's exterior intrenchments and went within them. I followed this +party, and after a little exploration found between the two lines of +works a country road that led across to the pike which runs from +Mechanicsville to Richmond. I thought we could go around within the +outer line of works by this country road across to the Mechanicsville +pike on the south side of the Chickahominy, and encamp the next night +at Fair Oaks; so I determined to make the movement after dark, being +influenced in this to some extent by reports received during the +afternoon from colored people, to the effect that General B. F. +Butler's army had reached a small stream on the south side of the +James, about four miles south of Richmond. If I could succeed in +getting through by this road, not only would I have a shorter line of +march to Haxall's landing, but there was also a possibility that I +could help Butler somewhat by joining him so near Richmond. +Therefore, after making the wounded as comfortable as possible, we +commenced the march about 11 o'clock on the night of the 1lth, and +massed the command on the plateau south of the Meadow bridge near +daylight on the 12th. + +The enemy, anticipating that I would march by this route, had planted +torpedoes along it, and many of these exploded as the column passed +over them, killing several horses and wounding a few men, but beyond +this we met with no molestation. The torpedoes were loaded shells +planted on each side of the road, and so connected by wires attached +to friction-tubes in the shells, that when a horse's hoof struck a +wire the shell was exploded by the jerk on the improvised lanyard. +After the loss of several horses and the wounding of some of the men +by these torpedoes, I gave directions to have them removed, if +practicable, so about twenty-five of the prisoners were brought up +and made to get down on their knees, feel for the wires in the +darkness, follow them up and unearth the shells. The prisoners +reported the owner of one of the neighboring houses to be the +principal person who had engaged in planting these shells, and I +therefore directed that some of them be carried and placed in the +cellar of his house, arranged to explode if the enemy's column came +that way, while he and his family were brought off as prisoners and +held till after daylight. + +Meanwhile the most intense excitement prevailed in Richmond. The +Confederates, supposing that their capital was my objective point, +were straining every effort to put it in a state of defense, and had +collected between four and five thousand irregular troops, under +General Bragg, besides bringing up three brigades of infantry from +the force confronting General Butler south of the James River, the +alarm being intensified by the retreat, after the defeat at Yellow +Tavern, of Stuart's cavalry, now under General Fitzhugh Lee, by way +of Ashland to Mechanicsville, on the north side of the Chickahominy, +for falling back in that direction, left me between them and +Richmond. + +Our march during the night of the 11th was very tedious, on account +of the extreme darkness and frequent showers of rain; but at daylight +on the 12th the head of my column, under Wilson, reached the +Mechanicsville pike. Here Wilson, encountering the enemy's works and +batteries manned by General Bragg's troops, endeavored to pass. In +this he failed, and as soon as I was notified that it was +impracticable to reach Fair Oaks by passing between the works and the +Chickahominy, Custer's brigade was directed to make the crossing to +the north side of the Chickahominy, at the Meadow bridge. Custer +moved rapidly for the bridge, but found it destroyed, and that the +enemy's cavalry was posted on the north side, in front of +Mechanicsville. When this information came back, I ordered Merritt +to take his whole division and repair the bridge, instructing him +that the crossing must be made at all hazards; for, in view of an +impending attack by the enemy's infantry in Richmond, it was +necessary that I should have the bridge as a means of egress in case +of serious disaster. + +All the time that Merritt was occupied in this important duty, the +enemy gave great annoyance to the working party by sweeping the +bridge with a section of artillery and a fire from the supporting +troops, so a small force was thrown across to drive them away. When +Merritt had passed two regiments over, they attacked, but were +repulsed. The work on the, bridge continued, however, not- +withstanding this discomfiture; and when it was finished, Merritt +crossed nearly all his division, dismounted, and again attacked the +enemy, this time carrying the line, of temporary breastworks, built +with logs and rails, and pursuing his broken troops toward Gaines's +Mills. + +While Merritt was engaged in this affair, the Confederates advanced +from behind their works at Richmond, and attacked Wilson and Gregg. +Wilson's troops were driven back in some confusion at first; but +Gregg, in anticipation of attack, had hidden a heavy line of +dismounted men in a bushy ravine on his front, and when the enemy +marched upon it, with much display and under the eye of the President +of the Confederacy, this concealed line opened a destructive fire +with repeating carbines; and at the same time the batteries of horse- +artillery, under Captain Robinson, joining in the contest, belched +forth shot and shell with fatal effect. The galling fire caused the +enemy to falter, and while still wavering Wilson rallied his men, and +turning some of them against the right flank of the Confederates, +broke their line, and compelled them to withdraw for security behind +the heavy works thrown up for the defense of the city in 1862. + +By destroying the Meadow bridge and impeding my column on the +Mechanicsville, pike, the enemy thought to corner us completely, for +he still maintained the force in Gregg's rear that had pressed it the +day before; but the repulse of his infantry ended all his hopes of +doing us any serious damage on the limited ground between the +defenses of Richmond and the Chickahominy. He felt certain that on +account of the recent heavy rains we could not cross the Chickahominy +except by the Meadow bridge, and it also seemed clear to him that we +could not pass between the river and his intrenchments; therefore he +hoped to ruin us, or at least compel us to return by the same route +we had taken in coming, in which case we would run into Gordon's +brigade, but the signal repulse of Bragg's infantry dispelled these +illusions. + +Even had it not been our good fortune to defeat him, we could have +crossed the Chickahominy if necessary at several points that were +discovered by scouting parties which, while the engagement was going +on, I had sent out to look up fords. This means of getting out from +the circumscribed plateau I did not wish to use, however, unless +there was no alternative, for I wished to demonstrate to the Cavalry +Corps the impossibility of the enemy's destroying or capturing so +large a body of mounted troops. + +The chances of seriously injuring, us were more favorable to the +enemy this time than ever they were afterward, for with the troops +from Richmond, comprising three brigades of veterans and about five +thousand irregulars on my front and right flank, with Gordon's +cavalry in the rear, and Fitzhugh Lee's cavalry on my left flank, +holding the Chickahominy and Meadow bridge, I was apparently hemmed +in on every side, but relying on the celerity with which mounted +troops could be moved, I felt perfectly confident that the seemingly +perilous situation could be relieved under circumstances even worse +than those then surrounding us. Therefore, instead of endeavoring to +get away without a fight, I concluded that there would be little +difficulty in withdrawing, even should I be beaten, and none whatever +if I defeated the enemy. + +In accordance with this view I accepted battle; and the complete +repulse of the enemy's infantry, which assailed us from his +intrenchments, and of Gordon's cavalry, which pressed Gregg on the +Brook road, ended the contest in our favor. The rest of the day we +remained on the battle-field undisturbed, and our time was spent in +collecting the wounded, burying the dead, grazing the horses, and +reading the Richmond journals, two small newsboys with commendable +enterprise having come within our lines from the Confederate capital +to sell their papers. They were sharp youngsters, and having come +well supplied, they did a thrifty business. When their stock in +trade was all disposed of they wished to return, but they were so +intelligent and observant that I thought their mission involved other +purposes than the mere sale of newspapers, so they were held till we +crossed the Chickahominy and then turned loose. + +After Merritt had crossed the Chickahominy and reached +Mechanicsville, I sent him orders to push on to Gaines's Mills. Near +the latter place he fell in with the enemy's cavalry again, and +sending me word, about 4 o'clock in the afternoon I crossed the +Chickahominy with Wilson and Gregg, but when we overtook Merritt he +had already brushed the Confederates away, and my whole command went +into camp between Walnut Grove and Gaines's Mills. + +The main purposes of the expedition had now been executed. They were +"to break up General Lee's railroad communications, destroy such +depots of supplies as could be found in his rear, and to defeat +General Stuart's cavalry." Many miles of the Virginia Central and of +the, Richmond and Fredericksburg railroads were broken up, and +several of the bridges on each burnt. At Beaver Dam, Ashland, and +other places, about two millions of rations had been captured and +destroyed. The most important of all, however, was the defeat of +Stuart. Since the beginning of the war this general had +distinguished himself by his management of the Confederate mounted +force. Under him the cavalry of Lee's army had been nurtured, and +had acquired such prestige that it thought itself well-nigh +invincible; indeed, in the early years of the war it had proved to be +so. This was now dispelled by the successful march we had made in +Lee's rear; and the discomfiture of Stuart at Yellow Tavern had +inflicted a blow from which entire recovery was impossible. + +In its effect on the Confederate cause the defeat of Stuart was most +disheartening, but his death was even a greater calamity, as is +evidenced by the words of a Confederate writer (Cooke), who says: +"Stuart could be ill spared at this critical moment, and General Lee +was plunged into the deepest melancholy at the intelligence of his +death. When it reached him he retired from those around him, and +remained for some time communing with his own heart and memory. When +one of his staff entered and spoke of Stuart, General Lee said: 'I +can scarcely think of him without weeping.'" + +>From the camp near Gaines's Mills I resumed the march to Haxall's +Landing, the point on the James River contemplated in my instructions +where I was to obtain supplies from General Butler. We got to the +James on the 14th with all our wounded and a large number of +prisoners, and camped between Haxall's and Shirley. The prisoners, +as well as the captured guns, were turned over to General Butler's +provost-marshal, and our wounded were quickly and kindly cared for by +his surgeons. Ample supplies, also, in the way of forage and +rations, were furnished us by General Butler, and the work of +refitting for our return to the Army of the Potomac was vigorously +pushed. By the 17th all was ready, and having learned by scouting +parties sent in the direction of Richmond and as far as Newmarket +that the enemy's cavalry was returning to Lee's army I started that +evening on my return march, crossing the Chickahominy at Jones's +bridge, and bivouacking on the 19th near Baltimore crossroads. + +My uncertainty of what had happened to the Army of the Potomac in our +absence, and as to where I should find it, made our getting back a +problem somewhat difficult of solution, particularly as I knew that +reinforcements for Lee had come up from the south to Richmond, and +that most likely some of these troops were being held at different +points on the route to intercept my column. Therefore I determined +to pass the Pamunkey River at the White House, and sent to Fort +Monroe for a pontoon-bridge on which to make the crossing. While +waiting for the pontoons I ordered Custer to proceed with his brigade +to Hanover Station, to destroy the railroad bridge over the South +Anna, a little beyond that place; at the same time I sent Gregg and +Wilson to Cold Harbor, to demonstrate in the direction of Richmond as +far as Mechanicsville, so as to cover Custer's movements. Merritt, +with the remaining brigades of his division, holding fast at +Baltimore crossroads to await events. + +After Gregg and Custer had gone, it was discovered that the railroad +bridge over the Pamunkey, near the White House, had been destroyed +but partially--the cross-ties and stringers being burned in places +only--and that it was practicable to repair it sufficiently to carry +us over. In view of this information General Merritt's two brigades +were at once put on the duty of reconstructing the bridge. By +sending mounted parties through the surrounding country, each man of +which would bring in a board or a plank, Merritt soon accumulated +enough lumber for the flooring, and in one day the bridge was made +practicable. On the 22d Gregg, Wilson, and Custer returned. The +latter had gone on his expedition as far as Hanover Station, +destroyed some commissary stores there, and burned two trestle +bridges over Hanover Creek. This done, he deemed it prudent to +retire to Hanovertown. The next morning he again marched to Hanover +Station, and there ascertained that a strong force of the enemy, +consisting of infantry, cavalry, and artillery, was posted at the +South Anna bridges. These troops had gone there from Richmond en +route to reinforce Lee. In the face of this impediment Custer's +mission could not be executed fully, so he returned to Baltimore +crossroads. + +The whole command was drawn in by noon of the 22d, and that day it +crossed the Pamunkey by Merritt's reconstructed bridge, marching to +Ayletts, on the Mattapony River, the same night. Here I learned from +citizens, and from prisoners taken during the day by scouting parties +sent toward Hanover Court House, that Lee had been, forced from his +position near Spottsylvania Court House and compelled to retire to +the line of the North Anna. I then determined to rejoin the Army of +the Potomac at the earliest moment, which I did by making for +Chesterfield Station, where I reported to General Meade on the 24th +of May. + +Our return to Chesterfield ended the first independent expedition the +Cavalry Corps had undertaken since coming under my command, and our +success was commended highly by Generals Grant and Meade, both +realizing that our operations in the rear of Lee had disconcerted and +alarmed that general so much as to aid materially in forcing his +retrograde march, and both acknowledged that, by drawing off the +enemy's cavalry during the past fortnight, we had enabled them to +move the Army of the Potomac and its enormous trains without +molestation in the manoeuvres that had carried it to the North Anna. +Then, too, great quantities of provisions and munitions of war had +been destroyed--stores that the enemy had accumulated at sub-depots +from strained resources and by difficult means; the railroads that +connected Lee with Richmond broken, the most successful cavalry +leader of the South killed, and in addition to all this there had +been inflicted on the Confederate mounted troops the most thorough +defeat that had yet befallen them in Virginia. + +When the expedition set out the Confederate authorities in Richmond +were impressed, and indeed convinced, that my designs contemplated +the capture of that city, and notwithstanding the loss they sustained +in the defeat and death of Stuart, and their repulse the succeeding +day, they drew much comfort from the fact that I had not entered +their capital. Some Confederate writers have continued to hold this +theory and conviction since the war. In this view they were and are +in error. When Stuart was defeated the main purpose of my +instructions had been carried out, and my thoughts then turned to +joining General Butler to get supplies. I believed that I could do +this by cutting across to the Mechanicsville pike and Fair Oaks on +the south side of the Chickahominy, but the failure of Wilson's +column to get possession of the outwork which commanded the pike +necessitated my crossing at Meadow bridge, and then moving by +Mechanicsville and Gaines's Mills instead of by the shorter route. +Moreover, my information regarding General Butler's position was +incorrect, so that even had I been successful in getting to Fair Oaks +by the direct road I should still have gained nothing thereby, for I +should still have been obliged to continue down the James River to +Haxall's. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +GENERAL WILSON'S ADVANCE TOWARD HANOVER COURT HOUSE--CROSSING THE +PAMUNKEY--ENGAGEMENT OF HAWE'S SHOP--FIGHT AT MATADEQUIN CREEK-- +CAPTURE OF COLD HARBOR--THE FIGHT TO RETAIN THE PLACE--MOVEMENTS OF +GENERAL WILSON. + +When I rejoined the Army of the Potomac, near Chesterfield Station, +the heavy battles around Spottsylvania had been fought, and the +complicated manoeuvres by which the whole Union force was swung +across the North Anna were in process of execution. In conjunction +with these manoeuvres Wilson's division was sent to the right flank +of the army, where he made a reconnoissance south of the North Anna +as far as Little River, crossing the former stream near Jericho +Mills. Wilson was to operate from day to day on that flank as it +swung to the south, covering to New Castle ferry each advance of the +infantry and the fords left behind on the march. From the 26th to +the 30th these duties kept Wilson constantly occupied, and also +necessitated a considerable dispersion of his force, but by the 31st +he was enabled to get all his division together again, and crossing +to the south side of the Pamunkey at New Castle ferry, he advanced +toward Hanover Court House. Near Dr Pride's house he encountered a +division of the enemy's cavalry under General W. H. F. Lee, and drove +it back across Mechamp's Creek, thus opening communication with the +right of our infantry resting near Phillips's Mills. Just as this +had been done, a little before dark, Wilson received an order from +General Meade directing him to push on toward Richmond until he +encountered the Confederates in such strength that he could no longer +successfully contend against them, and in compliance with this order +occupied Hanover Court House that same day. Resuming his march at +daylight on June 1, he went ahead on the Ashland road while sending +Chapman's brigade up the south bank of the South Anna to destroy the +bridges on that stream. Chapman having succeeded in this work, +Wilson re-united his whole command and endeavored to hold Ashland, +but finding the Confederate cavalry and infantry there in strong +force, he was obliged to withdraw to Dr. Price's house. Here he +learned that the army had gone to the left toward Cold Harbor, so on +the 2d of June he moved to Hawe's Shop. + +While Wilson was operating thus on the right, I had to cover with +Gregg's and Torbert's divisions the crossing of the army over the +Pamunkey River at and near Hanovertown. Torbert having recovered +from the illness which overtook him in the Wilderness, had now +returned to duty. The march to turn the enemy's right began on the +26th. Torbert and Gregg in advance, to secure the crossings of the +Pamunkey and demonstrate in such manner as to deceive the enemy as +much as possible in the movement, the two cavalry divisions being +supported by General D. A. Russell's division of the Sixth Corps. + +To attain this end in the presence of an ever-watchful foe who had +just recently been reinforced in considerable numbers from Richmond +and further south--almost enough to make up the losses he had +sustained in the Wilderness and at Spottsylvania--required the most +vigorous and zealous work on the part of those to whom had been +allotted the task of carrying out the initial manoeuvres. Torbert +started for Taylor's ford on the Pamunkey with directions to +demonstrate heavily at that point till after dark, as if the crossing +was to be made there, and having thus impressed the enemy, he was to +leave a small guard, withdraw quietly, and march to Hanovertown ford, +where the real crossing was to be effected. Meanwhile Gregg marched +to Littlepage's crossing of the Pamunkey, with instructions to make +feints in the same manner as Torbert until after dark, when he was to +retire discreetly, leaving a small force to keep up the +demonstration, and then march rapidly to Hanovertown crossing, taking +with him the pontoon-bridge. + +At the proper hour Russell took up the march and followed the +cavalry. The troops were in motion all night, undergoing the usual +delays incident to night marches, and, early on the morning of the +27th the crossing was made, Custer's brigade of Torbert's division +driving from the ford about one hundred of the enemy's cavalry, and +capturing between thirty and forty prisoners. The remainder of +Torbert's division followed this brigade and advanced to Hanovertown, +where General Gordon's brigade of Confederate cavalry was met. +Torbert attacked this force with Devin's brigade, while he sent +Custer to Hawe's Shop, from which point a road leading to the right +was taken that brought him in rear of the enemy's cavalry; when the +Confederates discovered this manoeuvre, they retired in the direction +of Hanover Court House. Pursuit continued as far as a little stream +called Crump's Creek, and here Torbert was halted, Gregg moving up on +his line meanwhile, and Russell encamping near the crossing of the +river. This completed our task of gaining a foothold south of the +Pamunkey, and on the 28th the main army crossed unharassed and took +up a position behind my line, extending south from the river, with +the Sixth Corps on the right across the Hanover Court House road at +Crump's Creek, the Second Corps on the left of the Sixth, and the +Fifth Corps about two miles in front of Hanovertown, its left +extending to the Tolopotomy. + +There was now much uncertainty in General Grant's mind as to the +enemy's whereabouts, and there were received daily the most +conflicting statements as to the nature of Lee's movements. It +became necessary, therefore, to find out by an actual demonstration +what Lee was doing, and I was required to reconnoitre in the +direction of Mechanicsville. For this purpose I moved Gregg's +division out toward this town by way of Hawe's Shop, and when it had +gone about three-fourths of a mile beyond the Shop the enemy's +cavalry was discovered dismounted and disposed behind a temporary +breastwork of rails and logs. + +This was the first occasion on which, since the battle of Yellow +Tavern, the Confederate troopers had confronted us in large numbers, +their mounted operations, like ours, having been dependent more or +less on the conditions that grew out of the movements in which Lee's +infantry had been engaged since the 14th of May. + +On that date General Lee had foreshadowed his intention of using his +cavalry in connection with the manoeuvres of his infantry by issuing +an order himself, now that Stuart was dead, directing that the "three +divisions of cavalry serving with the army [Lee's] will constitute +separate commands, and will report directly to and receive orders +from the headquarters of the army." The order indicates that since +Stuart's death the Confederate cavalry had been re-organized into +three divisions, that were commanded respectively by General Wade +Hampton, General Fitzhugh Lee, and General W. H. F. Lee, the +additional division organization undoubtedly growing out of the fact, +that General M. C. Butler's brigade of about four thousand men had +joined recently from South Carolina. + +When this force developed in Gregg's front, he attacked the moment +his troops could be dismounted; and the contest became one of +exceeding stubborness, for he found confronting him Hampton's and +Fitzhugh Lee's divisions, supported by what we then supposed to be a +brigade of infantry, but which, it has since been ascertained, was +Butler's brigade of mounted troops; part of them armed with long- +range rifles. The contest between the opposing forces was of the +severest character and continued till late in the evening. The +varying phases of the fight prompted me to reinforce Gregg as much as +possible, so I directed Custer's brigade to report to him, sending, +meanwhile, for the other two brigades of Torbert, but these were not +available at the time--on account of delays which occurred in +relieving them from the line at Crump's Creek--and did not get up +till the fight was over. As soon as Custer joined him, Gregg +vigorously assaulted the Confederate position along his whole front; +and notwithstanding the long-range rifles of the South Carolinians, +who were engaging in their first severe combat it appears, and fought +most desperately, he penetrated their barricades at several points. + +The most determined and obstinate efforts for success were now made +on both sides, as the position at Hawe's Shop had become of very +great importance on account of the designs of both Lee and Grant. +Lee wished to hold this ground while he manoeuvred his army to the +line of the Tolopotomy, where he could cover the roads to Richmond, +while Grant, though first sending me out merely to discover by a +strong reconnoissance the movements of the enemy, saw the value of +the place to cover his new base at the White House, and also to give +us possession of a direct road to Cold Harbor. Hawe's Shop remained +in our possession finally, for late in the evening Custer's brigade +was dismounted and formed in close column in rear of Gregg, and while +it assaulted through an opening near the centre of his line, the +other two brigades advanced and carried the temporary works. The +enemy's dead and many of his wounded fell into our hands; also a +considerable number of prisoners, from whom we learned that +Longstreet's and Ewell's corps were but four miles to the rear. + +The battle was a decidedly severe one, the loss on each side being +heavy in proportion to the number of troops engaged. This fight took +place almost immediately in front of our infantry, which, during the +latter part of the contest, was busily occupied in throwing up +intrenchments. Late in the afternoon I reported to General Meade the +presence of the enemy's infantry, and likewise that Hampton's and +Fitzhugh Lee's divisions were in my front also, and asked, at the +same time; that some of our infantry, which was near at hand, be sent +to my assistance. I could not convince Meade that anything but the +enemy's horse was fighting us, however, and he declined to push out +the foot-troops, who were much wearied by night marches. It has been +ascertained since that Meade's conclusions were correct in so far as +they related to the enemy's infantry; but the five cavalry brigades +far outnumbered my three, and it is to be regretted that so much was +risked in holding a point that commanded the roads to Cold Harbor and +Meadow bridge, when there was at hand a preponderating number of +Union troops which might have been put into action. However, Gregg's +division and Custer's brigade were equal to the situation, all +unaided as they were till dark, when Torbert and Merritt came on the +ground. The contest not only gave us the crossroads, but also +removed our uncertainty regarding Lee's movements, clearly +demonstrating that his army was retiring by its right flank, so that +it might continue to interpose between Grant and the James River; as +well as cover the direct route to Richmond. + +General Lee reported this battle to his Government as a Confederate +victory, but his despatch was sent early in the day, long before the +fight ended, and evidently he could not have known the final result +when he made the announcement, for the fight lasted until dark. +After dark, our own and the Confederate dead having been buried, I +withdrew, and moving to the rear of our infantry, marched all night +and till I reached the vicinity of Old Church, where I had been +instructed to keep a vigilant watch on the enemy with Gregg's and +Torbert's divisi6ns. As soon as I had taken position at Old Church +my pickets were pushed out in the direction of Cold Harbor, and the +fact that the enemy was holding that point in some force was clearly +ascertained. But our occupation of Cold Harbor was of the utmost +importance; indeed, it was absolutely necessary that we should +possess it, to secure our communications with the White House, as +well as to cover the extension of our line to the left toward the +James River. Roads from Bethesda Church, Old Church, and the White +House centred at Cold Harbor, and from there many roads diverged also +toward different crossings of the Chickahominy, which were +indispensable to us. + +The enemy too realized the importance of the place, for as soon as he +found himself compelled to take up the line of the Tolopotomy he +threw a body of troops into Cold Harbor by forced marches, and +followed it up by pushing a part of this force out on the Old Church +road as far as Matadequin Creek, where he established a line of +battle, arranging the front of it parallel to the road along the +south bank of the Pamunkey; this for the purpose of endangering our +trains as they moved back and forth between the army and the White +House. + +Meanwhile I had occupied Old Church and pushed pickets down toward +Cold Harbor. The outposts struck each other just north of Matadequin +Creek, and a spirited fight immediately took place. At first our +pickets were sorely pressed, but Torbert, who was already preparing +to make a reconnoissance, lost no time in reinforcing them on the +north side of the creek with Devin's brigade. The fight then became +general, both sides, dismounted, stubbornly contesting the ground. +Of the Confederates, General Butler's South Carolinians bore the +brunt of the fight, and, strongly posted as they were on the south +bank of the creek, held their ground with the same obstinacy they had +previously shown at Hawe's Shop. Finally, however, Torbert threw +Merritt's and Custer's brigades into the action, and the enemy +retired, we pursuing to within a mile and a half of Cold Harbor and +capturing a number of prisoners. Gregg's division took no part in +the actual fighting, but remained near Old Church observing the roads +on Torberts flanks, one leading toward Bethesda Church on his right, +the other to his left in the direction of the White House. This +latter road Gregg was particularly instructed to keep open, so as to +communicate with General W. F. Smith, who was then debarking his +corps at the White House, and on the morning of the 3ist this +general's advance was covered by a brigade which Gregg had sent him +for the purpose. + +Torbert having pursued toward Cold Harbor the troops he fought at +Matadequin Creek, had taken up a position about a mile and a half +from that place, on the Old Church road. The morning of the 31st I +visited him to arrange for his further advance, intending thus to +anticipate an expected attack from Fitzhugh Lee, who was being +reinforced by infantry. I met Torbert at Custer's headquarters, and +found that the two had already been talking over a scheme to capture +Cold Harbor, and when their plan was laid before me it appeared so +plainly feasible that I fully endorsed it, at once giving directions +for its immediate execution, and ordering Gregg to come forward to +Torbert's support with such troops as he could spare from the duty +with which he had been charged. + +Torbert moved out promptly, Merritt's brigade first, followed by +Custer's, on the direct road to Cold Harbor, while Devin's brigade +was detached, and marched by a left-hand road that would bring him in +on the right and rear of the enemy's line, which was posted in front +of the crossroads. Devin was unable to carry his part of the +programme farther than to reach the front of the Confederate right, +and as Merritt came into position to the right of the Old Church road +Torbert was obliged to place a part of Custer's brigade on Merritt's +left so as to connect with Devin. The whole division was now in +line, confronted by Fitzhugh Lee's cavalry, supported by Clingman's +brigade from Hoke's division of infantry; and from the Confederate +breastworks, hastily constructed out of logs, rails, and earth, a +heavy fire was already being poured upon us that it seemed impossible +to withstand. None of Gregg's division had yet arrived, and so +stubborn was the enemy's resistance that I began to doubt our ability +to carry the place before reinforcements came up, but just then +Merritt reported that he could turn the enemy's left, and being +directed to execute his proposition, he carried it to a most +successful issue with the First and Second regular cavalry. Just as +these two regiments passed around the enemy's left and attacked his +rear, the remainder of the division assailed him in front. This +manoeuvre of Merritt's stampeded the Confederates, and the defenses +falling into our hands easily, we pushed ahead on the Bottom's bridge +road three-fourths of a mile beyond Cold Harbor. + +Cold Harbor was now mine, but I was about nine miles away from our +nearest infantry, and had been able to bring up only Davies's brigade +of cavalry, which arrived after the fight. My isolated position +therefore made me a little uneasy. I felt convinced that the enemy +would attempt to regain the place, for it was of as much importance +to him as to us, and the presence of his infantry disclosed that he +fully appreciated this. My uneasiness increased as the day grew +late, for I had learned from prisoners that the balance of Hoke's +division was en route to Cold Harbor, and Kershaw near at hand, +interposing between the Union left near Bethesda Church and my +position. In view of this state of affairs, I notified General Meade +that I had taken Cold Harbor, but could not with safety to my command +hold it, and forthwith gave directions to withdraw during the night. +The last of my troops had scarcely pulled out, however, when I +received a despatch from Meade directing me to hold Cold Harbor at +every hazard. General Grant had expected that a severe battle would +have to be fought before we could obtain possession of the place; and +its capture by our cavalry not being anticipated, no preparation had +been made for its permanent occupancy. No time was to be lost, +therefore, if the advantages which possession of Cold Harbor gave us +were to be improved, so at the same hour that Meade ordered me to +hold the place at all hazards the Sixth Corps was started on a forced +march, by Grant's directions, to aid in that object, and on arrival +to relieve my cavalry. + +The moment Meade's order was received, I directed a reoccupation of +Cold Harbor, and although a large portion of Torbert's command was +already well on its way back to the line we held on the morning of +the 31st, this force speedily retraced its steps, and re-entered the +place before daylight; both our departure and return having been +effected without the enemy being aware of our movements. We now +found that the temporary breastworks of rails and logs which the +Confederates had built were of incalculable benefit to us in +furnishing material with which to establish a line of defense, they +being made available by simply reversing them at some points, or at +others wholly reconstructing them to suit the circumstances of the +ground: The troops, without reserves, were then placed behind our +cover dismounted, boxes of ammunition distributed along the line, and +the order passed along that the place must be held. All this was +done in the darkness, and while we were working away at our cover the +enemy could be distinctly heard from our skirmish-line giving +commands and making preparations to attack. + +Just after daylight on the 1st of June the Confederate infantry under +General Kershaw endeavored to drive us out, advancing against my +right from the Bethesda Church road. In his assault he was permitted +to come close up to our works, and when within short range such afire +was opened on him from our horse-artillery and repeating carbines +that he recoiled in confusion after the first onset; still, he seemed +determined to get the place, and after reorganizing, again attacked; +but the lesson of the first repulse was not without effect, and his +feeble effort proved wholly fruitless. After his second failure we +were left undisturbed, and at 9 A.M. I sent the following despatch to +army headquarters: + +"HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY CORPS, +"ARMY OF THE POTOMAC. +"Cold Harbor, Va., June 1, 1864--9 A.M. + +"MAJOR-GENERAL HUMPHREYS, +"Chief-of-Staff. + +"GENERAL: In obedience to your instructions I am holding Cold Harbor. +I have captured this morning more prisoners; they belong to three +different infantry brigades. The enemy assaulted the right of my +lines this morning, but were handsomely repulsed. I have been very +apprehensive, but General Wright is now coming up. I built slight +works for my men; the enemy came up to them, and were driven back. +General Wright has just arrived. + +"P. H. SHERIDAN, +"Major-General Commanding." + + +About 10 o'clock in the morning the Sixth Corps relieved Torbert and +Davies, having marched all night, and these two generals moving out +toward the Chickahominy covered the left of the infantry line till +Hancock's corps took their place in the afternoon. By this time +Gregg had joined me with his two brigades, and both Torbert and Gregg +were now marched to Prospect Church, from which point I moved them to +a position on the north side of the Chickahominy at Bottom's bridge. +Here the enemy's cavalry confronted us, occupying the south bank of +the stream, with artillery in position at the fords prepared to +dispute our passage; but it was not intended that we should cross; so +Gregg and Torbert lay quiet in camp at Bottom's bridge and at Old +Church without noteworthy event until the 6th of June. + +As before related, Wilson's division struck the enemy's infantry as +well as W. H. F. Lee's cavalry near Ashland on the 1st of June, and +although Chapman destroyed the bridges over the South Anna, which was +his part of the programme, Wilson found it necessary to return to +Price's Store. From this point he continued to cover the right of +the Army of the Potomac, on the 2d of June driving the rear-guard of +the enemy from Hawe's Shop, the scene of the battle of May 28. The +same day he crossed Tolopotomy Creek, and passed around the enemy's +left flank so far that Lee thought his left was turned by a strong +force, and under cover of darkness withdrew from a menacing position +which he was holding in front of the Ninth Corps. This successful +manoeuvre completed, Wilson returned to Hawe's Shop, and on the 4th +went into camp at New Castle ferry, in anticipation of certain +operations of the Cavalry Corps, which were to take place while the +Army of the Potomac was crossing to the south side of the James. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +THE MOVEMENT TO THE JAMES--THE SECOND EXPEDITION--BATTLE OF +TREVILLIAN STATION--DEFEAT OF GENERAL WADE HAMPTON--MALLORY'S +CROSSROADS--SUFFERING OF THE WOUNDED--SECURING THE TRAINS--GENERAL +GREGG'S STUBBORN FIGHT. + +By the 6th of June General Grant again determined to continue the +movement of the army by its left flank to the south bank of the James +River, his unsuccessful attack on the enemy's works near Cold Harbor +having demonstrated that Lee's position north of the Chickahominy +could not be carried by assault with results that would compensate +for the enormous loss of life which must follow; therefore a further +attempt to fight a decisive battle north of Richmond was abandoned. +In carrying the army to the James River the hazardous manoeuvres +would be hampered by many obstacles, such as the thick timber, +underbrush, and troublesome swamps to be met in crossing the +Chickahominy. Besides, Lee held an interior line, from which all the +direct roads to Richmond could be covered with his infantry, leaving +his cavalry free to confront our advance on the south bank of the +Chickahominy as far down as Jones's bridge, and thence around to +Charles City Court House. In view of these difficulties it became +necessary to draw off the bulk of the enemy's cavalry while the +movement to the James was in process of execution, and General Meade +determined to do this by requiring me to proceed with two divisions +as far as Charlottesville to destroy the railroad bridge over the +Rivanna River near that town, the railroad itself from the Rivanna to +Gordonsville, and, if practicable, from Gordonsville back toward +Hanover Junction also. + + +"HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, +"June 5, 1864. 3.30 P. M. + +"MAJOR-GENERAL SHERIDAN, Commanding Cavalry Corps. + +"I am directed by the major-general commanding to furnish the +following instructions for your guidance in the execution of the duty +referred to in the order for movements and changes of position to- +night, a copy of which order accompanies this communication. + +"With two divisions of your corps you will move on the morning of the +7th instant to Charlottesville and destroy the railroad bridge over +the Rivanna near that town; you will then thoroughly destroy the +railroad from that point to Gordonsville, and from Gordonsville +toward Hanover Junction, and to the latter point, if practicable. +The chief engineer, Major Duane, will furnish you a canvas pontoon- +train of eight boats. The chief quartermaster will supply you with +such tools, implements, and materials as you may require for the +destruction of the road. Upon the completion of this duty you will +rejoin this army. + +"A. HUMPHREYS, +"Major-General, Chief-of-Staff." + + +After Meade's instructions reached me they were somewhat modified by +General Grant, who on the same evening had received information that +General Hunter, commanding the troops in West Virginia, had reached +Staunton and engaged with advantage the Confederate commander, +General Jones, near that place. General Grant informed me orally +that he had directed Hunter to advance as far as Charlottesville, +that he expected me to unite with him there, and that the two +commands, after destroying the James River canal and the Virginia +Central road, were to join the Army of the Potomac in the manner +contemplated in my instructions from General Meade; and that in view +of what was anticipated, it would be well to break up as much of the +railroad as possible on my way westward. A copy of his letter to +Hunter comprised my written instructions. A junction with this +general was not contemplated when the expedition was first conceived, +but became an important though not the paramount object after the +reception of the later information. The diversion of the enemy's +cavalry from the south side of the Chickahominy was its main purpose, +for in the presence of such a force as Lee's contracted lines would +now permit him to concentrate behind the Chickahominy, the +difficulties of crossing that stream would be largely increased if he +also had at hand a strong body of horse, to gain the time necessary +for him to oppose the movement at the different crossings with masses +of his infantry. + +The order calling for two divisions for the expedition, I decided to +take Gregg's and Torbert's, leaving Wilson's behind to continue with +the infantry in its march to the James and to receive instructions +directly from, the headquarters of the army. All my dismounted men +had been sent to the White House some days before, and they were +directed to report to Wilson as they could be provided with mounts. + + + +"COLD HARBOR, VA., June 6, 1964. + +"MAJOR-GENERAL D. HUNTER, Commanding Dept West Virginia. + +"General Sheridan leaves here to-morrow morning with instructions to +proceed to Charlottesville, Va., and to commence there the +destruction of the Virginia Central railroad, destroying this way as +much as possible. The complete destruction of this road and of the +canal on James River is of great importance to us. According to the +instructions I sent to General Halleck for your guidance, you will +proceed to Lynchburg and commence there. It would be of great value +to us to get possession of Lynchburg for a single day. But that +point is of so much importance to the enemy, that in attempting to +get it such resistance may be met as to defeat your getting into the +road or canal at all. I see, in looking over the letter to General +Halleck on the subject of your instructions, that it rather indicates +that your route should be from Staunton via Charlottesville. If you +have so understood it, you will be doing just what I want. The +direction I would now give is, that if this letter reaches you in the +valley between Staunton and Lynchburg, you immediately turn east by +the most practicable road until you strike the Lynchburg branch of +the Virginia Central road. From there move eastward along the line +of the road, destroying it completely and thoroughly, until you join +General Sheridan. After the work laid out for General Sheridan and +yourself is thoroughly done, proceed to join the Army of the Potomac +by the route laid out in General Sheridan's instructions. If any +portion of your force, especially your cavalry, is needed back in +your department, you are authorized to send it back. If on receipt +of this you should be near to Lynchburg and deem it practicable to +reach that point, you will exercise your judgment about going there. +If you should be on the railroad between Charlottesville and +Lynchburg, it may be practicable to detach a cavalry force to destroy +the canal. Lose no opportunity to destroy the canal. + +"U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General." + + +Owing to the hard service of the preceding month we had lost many +horses, so the number of dismounted men was large; and my strength +had also been much reduced by killed and wounded during the same +period of activity. The effective mounted force of my two divisions +was therefore much diminished, they mustering only about six thousand +officers and men when concentrated on June 6 at New Castle ferry. +Here they were provided with three days' rations, intended to last +five days, and with two days' grain for the horses. The rations and +forty rounds of ammunition per man were to be carried on the persons +of the troopers, the grain on the pommel of the saddle, and the +reserve ammunition in wagons. One medical wagon and eight ambulances +were also furnished, and one wagon was authorized for each division +and brigade headquarters; enough canvas-covered boats for a small +pontoon-bridge were also provided. + +My instructions permitting latitude in the route I should take, I +decided to march along the north bank of the North Anna River, cross +that stream at Carpenter's ford, strike the Virginia Central railroad +at Trevillian Station, destroy it toward Louisa Court House, march +past Gordonsville, strike the railroad again at Cobham's Station, and +destroy it thence to Charlottesville as we proceeded west. The +success of the last part of this programme would of course depend on +the location of General Hunter when I should arrive in the region +where it would be practicable for us to communicate with each other. + +>From my camp at New Castle ferry we crossed the Pamunkey, marched +between Aylett's and Dunkirk on the Mattapony River, and on the 8th +of June encamped at Polecat Station. The next day we resumed the +march along the North Anna--our advance guard skirmishing with a few +mounted men of the enemy, who proved to be irregulars--and bivouacked +on Northeast Creek, near Young's Mills. This day I learned from some +of these irregulars whom we made prisoners that Breckenridge's +division of infantry, en route to the Shenandoah Valley by way of +Gordonsville, was passing slowly up the railroad parallel to me, and +that the enemy's cavalry had left its position on the south side of +the Chickahominy, and was marching on the old Richmond and +Gordonsville road toward Gordonsville, under command of General Wade +Hampton, the information being confirmed by a scouting party sent out +to cut the telegraph wires along the railroad in the night. +Breckenridge had been ordered back to the valley by General Lee as +soon as he heard of Hunter's victory near Staunton, but now that my +expedition had been discovered, the movement of Breckenridge's troops +on the railroad was being timed to correspond with the marches of my +command till Hampton could get more nearly parallel with me. + +On the 10th we resumed the march, passing by Twyman's store, crossing +the North Anna at Carpenter's ford and encamping on the road leading +along the south fork of the North Anna to Trevillian Station. During +the evening and night of the Loth the boldness of the enemy's +scouting parties, with which we had been coming into collision more +or less every day, perceptibly increased, thus indicating the +presence of a large force, and evidencing that his shorter line of +march had enabled him to bring to my front a strong body of cavalry, +although it started from Lee's army nearly two days later than I did +from Grant's. The arrival of this body also permitted Breckenridge +to pass on to Gordonsville, and from there to interpose between +General Hunter and me at either Charlottesville or Waynesboro' as +circumstances might determine. + +On the night of the Loth General Hampton's division camped about +three miles northwest of Trevillian, at a place called Green Spring +Valley and Fitzhugh Lee's division not far from Louisa Court House, +some six miles east of Trevillian. Learning that I was at +Carpenter's ford, Hampton marched his division by way of Trevillian +Station toward Clayton's store, on the road from Trevillian to +Carpenter's ford, intending to attack me at Clayton's. Fitzhugh +Lee's division was to join Hampton at Clayton's store from Louisa +Court House; but on the morning of the 11th the two generals were +separated by several miles. + +At daylight of the 11th my march, to Trevillian Station was resumed +on the direct road to that point, and engaging the enemy's pickets +and advanced parties soon after setting out, we began to drive them +in. Torbert had the lead with Merritt's and Devin's brigades, and as +he pressed back the pickets he came upon the enemy posted behind a +line of barricades in dense timber about three miles from Trevillian. +Meanwhile Custer's brigade had been sent from where we bivouacked, by +a wood road found on our left, to destroy Trevillian Station. In +following this road Custer got to the rear of Hampton's division, +having passed between its right flank and Fitzhugh Lee's division, +which was at the time marching on the road leading from Louisa Court +House to Clayton's store to unite with Hampton. + +Custer, the moment he found himself in Hampton's rear, charged the +led horses, wagons, and caissons found there, getting hold of a vast +number of each, and also of the station itself. The stampede and +havoc wrought by Custer in Hampton's rear compelled him to turn +Rosser's brigade in that direction, and while it attacked Custer on +one side, Fitzhugh Lee's division, which had followed Custer toward +Trevillian, attacked him on the other. There then ensued a desperate +struggle for the possession of the captured property, resulting +finally in its being retaken by the enemy. Indeed, the great number +of horses and vehicles could not be kept on the limited space within +Custer's line, which now formed almost a complete circle; and while +he was endeavoring to remove them to a secure place they, together +with Custer's headquarters wagon and four of his caissons, fell into +the hands of their original owners. + +As soon as the firing told that Custer had struck the enemy's rear, I +directed Torbert to press the line in front of Merritt and Devin, +aided by one brigade of Gregg's division on their left, Gregg's other +brigade in the meantime attacking Fitzhugh Lee on the Louisa Court +House road. The effect of this was to force Hampton back, and his +division was so hard pushed that a portion of it was driven pell-mell +into Custer's lines, leaving there about five hundred prisoners. The +rest of Hampton's men did not rally till they got some distance west +of Trevillian, while, in the meantime, Gregg had driven Fitzhugh Lee +toward Louisa Court House so far that many miles now intervened +between the two Confederate divisions, precluding their union until +about noon the next day, when Fitzhugh Lee effected the junction +after a circuitous march in the night. The defeat of Hampton at the +point where he had determined to resist my further advance, and his +retreat westward, gave me undisturbed possession of the station; and +after destroying the railroad to some extent toward Gordonsville, I +went into camp. + +>From prisoners taken during the day, I gathered that General Hunter, +instead of coming toward Charlottesville, as I had reason to expect, +both from the instructions given me and the directions sent him by +General Grant, was in the neighborhood of Lexington--apparently +moving on Lynchburg--and that Breckenridge was at Gordonsville and +Charlottesville. I also heard, from the same source, that Ewell's +corps was on its way to Lynchburg, but this intelligence proved +afterward to be incorrect, for these troops, commanded by General +Early, did not leave Richmond till two days later. + +There was no doubt as to the information about Hunter's general +location, however. He was marching toward Lynchburg, away from +instead of toward me, thus making the junction of our commands beyond +all reasonable probability. So in view of this, I made up my mind to +abandon that part of the scheme, and to return by leisurely marches, +which would keep Hampton's cavalry away from Lee while Grant was +crossing the James River. I was still further influenced to this +course by the burden which was thrown on me in the large number of +wounded--there being about five hundred cases of my own--and the five +hundred prisoners that I would probably be forced to abandon, should +I proceed farther. Besides, the recent battle had reduced my supply +of ammunition to a very small amount--not more than enough for one +more respectable engagement; and as the chances were that I would +have to fight a great deal before I could reach Hunter, now that the +enemy's cavalry and Breckenridge's infantry were between us, the +risks of the undertaking seemed too great to warrant it. + +The morning of June 12 Gregg's division commenced destroying the +railroad to Louisa Court House, and continued the work during the +day, breaking it pretty effectually. While Gregg was thus occupied, +I directed Torbert to make a reconnoissance up the Gordonsville road, +to secure a by-road leading over Mallory's ford, on the North Anna, +to the Catharpen road, as I purposed following that route to +Spottsylvania Court House on my return, and thence via Bowling Green +and Dunkirk to the White House. About a mile beyond Trevillian the +Gordonsville road fork--the left fork leading to Charlottesville--and +about a mile beyond the fork Hampton had taken up and strongly +intrenched a line across both roads, being reinforced by Fitzhugh +Lee, who, as before related, had joined him about noon by a +roundabout march. Torbert soon hotly engaged this line, and by the +impetuosity of his first attack, gained some advantage; but the +appearance of Fitzhugh Lee's troops on the right, and Hampton's +strong resistance in front, rendered futile all efforts to carry the +position; and, although I brought up one of Gregg's brigades to +Torbert's assistance, yet the by-road I coveted was still held by the +enemy when night closed in. + +This engagement, like that off the day before around Trevillian, was +mostly fought dismounted by both sides, as had also been the earlier +fights of the cavalry during the summer in the Wilderness, at Todd's +Tavern, Hawe's Shop, and Matadequin Creek. Indeed, they could hardly +have been fought otherwise than on foot, as there was little chance +for mounted fighting in eastern Virginia, the dense woods, the +armament of both parties, and the practice of barricading making it +impracticable to use the sabre with anything like a large force; and +so with the exception of Yellow Tavern the dismounted method +prevailed in almost every engagement. + +The losses at Mallory's Crossroads were very heavy on both sides. +The character of the fighting, together with the day's results, +demonstrated that it was impossible to make the passage of the North +Anna at Mallory's ford without venturing another battle the next day. +This would consume the little ammunition left, and though we might +gain the road, yet the possibility of having no ammunition whatever +to get back with was too great a hazard, so I gave orders to withdraw +during the night of the 12th. We retired along the same road by +which we had come, taking with us the prisoners, and all of our +wounded who could be moved. Those who could not be transported, some +ninety in number, and all the Confederate wounded in my hands, were +left at Trevillian in hospitals, under charge of one of our surgeons, +with plenty of medical and other stores. + +We recrossed the North Anna at Carpenter's ford the following +morning, and halting there, unsaddled and turned the horses out to +graze, for they were nearly famished, having had neither food nor +water during the preceding forty-eight hours. Late in the afternoon +we saddled up and proceeded to Twyman's Store, while General +Hampton's main body moved down the south bank of the North Anna, with +the purpose of intervening between me and the Army of the Potomac, in +the hope of preventing my return to it; but his movements took no +definite shape beyond watching me, however, till several days later, +near St. Mary's Church, when I was crossing the peninsula to the +James River. + +On the 14th the march was continued, and we reached the Catharpen +road, upon which it was originally intended to move if we had been +able to cross at Mallory's ford, and this conducted me to Shady Grove +Church. The next day we passed over the battle-field of +Spottsylvania Court House. The marks of the recent conflicts about +there were visible on every hand, and in the neighboring houses were +found many Union and Confederate wounded, who had been too severely +hurt to be removed from the field-hospitals at the time of the +battles. Such of our wounded as were able to travel were brought +away. + +On the 16th I marched from Edge Hill on the Ta River through Bowling +Green to Dr. Butler's, on the north side of the Mattapony. When I +arrived here I was unable to ascertain the position of the Army of +the Potomac, and was uncertain whether or not the base at the White +House had been discontinued. I had heard nothing from the army for +nine days except rumors through Southern sources, and under these +circumstances did not like to venture between the Mattapony and +Pamunkey rivers, embarrassed as I was with some four hundred wounded, +five hundred prisoners, and about two thousand negroes that had +joined my column in the hope of obtaining their freedom. I therefore +determined to push down the north bank of the Mattapony far enough to +enable me to send these impediments directly to West Point, where I +anticipated finding some of our gunboats and transports, that could +carry all to the North. Following this plan, we proceeded through +Walkerton to King and Queen Court House, and bivouacked in its +vicinity the night of the 18th. Next day I learned that the depot at +the White House had not yet been broken up entirely, and that +supplies were in store for me there; so after sending the wounded, +prisoners, and negroes to West Point under an escort of two +regiments, I turned back to Dunkirk, on the Mattapony, and crossed to +the south side at a place where the stream was narrow enough to +bridge with my pontoon-boats. + +In returning from Trevillian, as the most of our wounded were hauled +in old buggies, carts, and such other vehicles as could be made +available in the absence of a sufficient number of ambulances, the +suffering was intense, the heat of the season and dusty roads adding +much to the discomfort. Each day we halted many times to dress the +wounds of the injured and to refresh them as much as possible, but +our means for mitigating their distress were limited. The fortitude +and cheerfulness of the poor fellows under such conditions were +remarkable, for no word of complaint was heard. The Confederate +prisoners and colored people being on foot, our marches were +necessarily made short, and with frequent halts also, but they too +suffered considerably from the heat and dust, though at times the +prisoners were relieved by being mounted on the horses of some of our +regiments, the owners meantime marching on foot. Where all the +colored people came from and what started them was inexplicable, but +they began joining us just before we reached Trevillian--men, women, +and children with bundles of all sorts containing their few worldly +goods, and the number increased from day to day until they arrived at +West Point. Probably not one of the poor things had the remotest +idea, when he set out, as to where he would finally land, but to a +man they followed the Yankees in full faith that they would lead to +freedom, no matter what road they took. + +On the morning of the 20th, at an early hour, we resumed our march, +and as the column proceeded sounds of artillery were heard in the +direction of the White House, which fact caused us to quicken the +pace. We had not gone far when despatches from General Abercrombie, +commanding some fragmentary organizations at the White House, +notified me that the place was about to be attacked. I had +previously sent an advance party with orders to move swiftly toward +the cannonading and report to me by couriers the actual condition of +affairs. From this party I soon learned that there was no occasion +to push our jaded animals, since the crisis, if there had been one, +was over and the enemy repulsed, so the increased gait was reduced to +a leisurely march that took us late in the afternoon to the north +bank of the Pamunkey, opposite Abercrombie's camp. When I got to the +river the enemy was holding the bluffs surrounding the White House +farm, having made no effort to penetrate General Abercrombie's line +or do him other hurt than to throw a few shells among the teamsters +there congregated. + +Next day Gregg's division crossed the Pamunkey dismounted, and +Torbert's crossed mounted. As soon as the troops were over, Gregg, +supported by Merritt's brigade, moved out on the road to Tunstall's +Station to attack Hampton, posted an the west side of Black Creek, +Custer's brigade meanwhile moving, mounted, on the road to +Cumberland, and Devin's in like manner on the one to Baltimore +crossroads. This offer of battle was not accepted, however, and +Hampton withdrew from my front, retiring behind the Chickahominy, +where his communications with Lee would be more secure. + +While at the White House I received orders to break up that depot +wholly, and also instructions to move the trains which the Army of +the Potomac had left there across the peninsula to the pontoon-bridge +at Deep Bottom on the James River. These trains amounted to hundreds +of wagons and other vehicles, and knowing full well the dangers which +would attend the difficult problem of getting them over to +Petersburg, I decided to start them with as little delay as +circumstances would permit, and the morning of the 22d sent Torbert's +division ahead to secure Jones's bridge on the Chickahominy, so that +the wagons could be crossed at that point. The trains followed +Torbert, while Gregg's division marched by a road parallel to the one +on which the wagons were moving, and on their right flank, as they +needed to be covered and protected in that direction only. + +The enemy made no effort to attack us while we were moving the trains +that day, and the wagons were all safely parked for the night on the +south side of the Chickahominy, guarded by General Getty, who had +relieved Abercrombie from command of the infantry fragments before we +started off from the White House. + +To secure the crossing at Jones's bridge, Torbert had pushed Devin's +brigade out on the Long Bridge road, on the side of the Chickahominy +where, on the morning of the 23d, he was attacked by Chambliss's +brigade of W. H. F. Lee's division. Devin was driven in some little +distance, but being reinforced by Getty with six companies of colored +troops, he quickly turned the tables on Chambliss and re-established +his picketposts. From this affair I learned that Chambliss's brigade +was the advance of the Confederate cavalry corps, while Hampton +discovered from it that we were already in possession of the Jones's +bridge crossing of the Chickahominy; and as he was too late to +challenge our passage of the stream at this point he contented +himself with taking up a position that night so as to cover the roads +leading from Long Bridge to Westover, with the purpose of preventing +the trains from following the river road to the pontoon-bridge at +Deep Bottom. + +My instructions required me to cross the trains over the James River +on this pontoon-bridge if practicable, and to reach it I should be +obliged to march through Charles City Court House, and then by +Harrison's Landing and Malvern Hill, the latter point being held by +the enemy. In fact, he held all the ground between Long Bridge on +the Chickahominy and the pontoon-bridge except the Tete de pont at +the crossing. Notwithstanding this I concluded to make the attempt, +for all the delays of ferrying the command and trains would be +avoided if we got through to the bridge; and with this object in view +I moved Torbert's division out on the Charles City road to conduct +the wagons. Just beyond Charles City Court House Torbert encountered +Lomax's brigade, which he drove across Herring Creek on the road to +Westover Church; and reporting the affair to me, I surmised, from the +presence of this force in my front, that Hampton would endeavor to +penetrate to the long column of wagons, so I ordered them to go into +park near Wilcox's landing, and instructed Gregg, whose division had +been marching in the morning along the road leading from Jones's +bridge to St. Mary's Church for the purpose of covering the exposed +flank of the train, to hold fast near the church without fail till +all the transportation had passed Charles City Court House. + +Meanwhile, General Hampton, who had conjectured that I would try to +get the train across the James by the pontoonbridge at Deep Bottom, +began concentrating all his troops except Lomax's brigade, which was +to confront the head of my column on the river road, in the vicinity +of Nance's Shop. This was discovered by Gregg at an early hour, and +divining this purpose he had prepared to meet it by constructing +hasty cover for his men before receiving my instructions. About 4 +o'clock in the afternoon Hampton got his force in hand, and with +Fitzhugh Lee's division assailed the whole front of Gregg's line, and +his left flank with Chambliss's and Geary's brigades. For two hours +he continued to attack, but made little impression on Gregg--gain at +one point being counterbalanced by failure at another. Because of +the evident strength of Hampton, Gregg had placed all his troops in +line of battle from the first, and on discovery of the enemy's +superior numbers sent message after message to me concerning the +situation, but the messengers never arrived, being either killed or +captured, and I remained in total ignorance till dark of the strait +his division was in. + +Toward night it became clear to Gregg that he could maintain the +unequal contest no longer, and he then decided to retreat, but not +until convinced that the time won had enabled all the trains to pass +Charles City Court House in safety. When he had got all his led +horses fairly on the way, and such of the wounded as could be +transported, he retired by his right flank-in some confusion, it is +true, but stubbornly resisting to Hopewell Church, where Hampton +ceased to press him. + +Gregg's losses were heavy, and he was forced to abandon his dead and +most seriously wounded, but the creditable stand made ensured the +safety of the train, the last wagon of which was now parked at +Wilcox's Landing. His steady, unflinching determination to gain time +for the wagons to get beyond the point of danger was characteristic +of the man, and this was the third occasion on which he had exhibited +a high order of capacity and sound judgment since coming under my +command. The firmness and coolness with which he always met the +responsibilities of a dangerous place were particularly strong points +in Gregg's make-up, and he possessed so much professional though +unpretentious ability, that it is to be regretted he felt obliged a +few months later to quit the service before the close of the war. + +Gregg's fight fully satisfied me that we could not get the trains up +to the pontoon-bridge, for of course Hampton would now throw all his +cavalry in my front, on the river road, where it could be backed up +by Lee's infantry. Meanwhile, General Meade had become assured of +the same thing, and as he was now growing anxious about the fate of +Wilson's division--which, during my absence, had been sent out to +break the enemy's communications south of Petersburg, by destroying +the Southside and Danville railroads--he sent ferryboats to cross me +over the James. During the night'of the 24th, and next morning, the +immense train--which ought never to have been left for the cavalry to +escort, after a fatiguing expedition of three weeks--was moved back +through Charles City Court House to Douthard's landing, and there +ferried over the river, followed by my troops in like manner. When +General Hampton discovered this, he moved to Drury's Bluff, and +there, on the morning of the 27th, crossed the James by the +Confederate pontoon-bridge. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +GENERAL WILSON'S RAID--DESTROYING RAILROADS--HIS DISCOMFITURE-- +RESULTS OF HIS RAID--REMOUNTS--MOVEMENT TO THE NORTH SIDE OF THE +JAMES--DECEIVING LEE--MY ISOLATED POSITION--ESTIMATE OF HANCOCK-- +SUCCESS OF THE CAVALRY--THEIR CONSTANT DUTIES. + +While I was absent on the expedition to Trevillian, the movement of +the Army of the Potomac across the James River was effected, and +Wilson, whom I had left behind for the purpose, was engaged in the +duty of covering its front and rear. Late on the night of June 12 +he, with Chapman's brigade, crossed the Chickahominy at Long Bridge, +in advance of the Fifth Corps, and by 7 o'clock next morning had +driven the enemy's pickets up to White Oak bridge, where he waited +for our infantry. When that came up, he pushed on as far as Riddle's +Shop, but late that evening the Confederate infantry forced him to +withdraw to St. Mary's Church; for early in the morning General Lee +had discovered the movement of our army, and promptly threw this +column of infantry south of the Chickahominy to White Oak Swamp, with +the design of covering Richmond. From St. Mary's Church Wilson +guarded all the roads toward White Oak Swamp and Riddle's Shop, +McIntosh's brigade joining him on the 14th, by way of Long Bridge, as +the rear of the Army of the Potomac passed the Chickahominy. In the +performance of this duty Wilson did not have to fight any engagement +of magnitude, for the bulk of the enemy's cavalry had followed me to +Trevillian. During the 15th and 16th Wilson drew his troops in +toward the James River, and next day crossed it on the pontoon-bridge +and camped on the Blackwater, near Mt. Sinai Church. Here he +remained till the 22d of June--the same day I reached the White House +with Gregg and Torbert--when, under orders from General Meade, he set +out to cut the enemy's communications to the south and southwest of +Petersburg. + +His instructions implied that the breaking up of the Petersburg and +Lynchburg, and Richmond and Danville railroads at Burkeville was the +most important part of his mission, and that when the work of +destruction began, it should be continued till he was driven off by +the enemy. Wilson's force consisted of about 5,500 men, General A. +V. Kautz, with the cavalry of the Army of the James, having joined +him for the expedition. In moving out Wilson crossed the Weldon road +near Ream's Station, first destroying it effectually at that point. +About fourteen miles west of Petersburg he struck the Southside +railroad, and broke it up clear to Burkeville, a distance of thirty +miles. Having destroyed everything at Burkeville Junction, he moved +along the Danville road to Staunton River, completely wrecking about +thirty miles of that line also. At Staunton River he found the +railroad bridge strongly guarded, and seeing that he could not burn +it, he began his return march that night, and reached Nottoway River, +some thirty miles south of Petersburg, at noon of the next day--the +28th. + +In this expedition Wilson was closely followcd from the start by +Barringer's brigade of W. H. F. Lee's cavalry, but the operations +were not interfered with materially, his success being signal till he +reached the vicinity of Stony Creek depot on his return. At this +point General Hampton, with his own and Fitzhugh Lee's cavalry, got +between Wilson and the Army of the Potomac, there being behind them +at Ream's Station, at the same time, two brigades of infantry under +General Mahone. A severe battle ensued, resulting in Wilson's +defeat, with the loss of twelve guns and all his wagons. In +consequence of this discomfiture he was obliged to fall back across +the Nottoway River with his own division, and rejoined the army by +way of Peter's bridge on that stream, while Kautz's division, unable +to unite with Wilson after the two commands had become separated in +the fight, made a circuit of the enemy's left, and reached the lines +of our army in the night of the 28th. + +Neither the presence of Hampton's cavalry at Stony Creek depot, nor +the possession of Ream's Station by the Confederate infantry, seems +to have been anticipated by Wilson, for in the report of the +expedition he states: + +"Foreseeing the probability of having to return northward, I wrote to +General Meade the evening before starting that I anticipated no +serious difficulty in executing his orders; but unless General +Sheridan was required to keep Hampton's cavalry engaged, and our +infantry to prevent Lee from making detachments, we should probably +experience great difficulty in rejoining the army. In reply to this +note, General Humphreys, chief-of-staff, informed me it was intended +the Army of the Potomac should cover the Weldon road the next day, +the Southside road the day after, and that Hampton having followed +Sheridan toward Gordonsville, I need not fear any trouble from him." + +I doubt that General Meade's letter of instructions and Wilson's note +of the same evening, warrant what General Wilson here says. It is +true that the Weldon railroad near Ream's Station was not covered by +our infantry, as General Humphreys informed him it would be, but +Wilson is in error when he intimates that he was assured that I would +look after Hampton. I do not think General Meade's instructions are +susceptible of this interpretation. I received no orders requiring +me to detain Hampton. On the contrary, when I arrived at the White +House my instructions required me to break up the depot there, and +then bring the train across the Peninsula as soon as practicable, nor +were these instructions ever modified. I began the duty imposed on +me on the morning of the 23d, totally in the dark as to what was +expected of Wilson, though it seems, from some correspondence between +Generals Grant and Meade, which I never saw till after the war, that +Grant thought Wilson could rely on Hampton's absence from his field +of operations throughout the expedition. + + +"HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, +"June 21, 1864. 9:20 A. M. + +"BRIGADIER-GENERAL WILSON, +"Commanding Third Division Cavalry Corps. + +"The major-general commanding directs that you move your command at +2 A. M. to-morrow, the 22d instant, in execution of the duty assigned +you of destroying certain railroads. Despatches received from the +White House state that Hampton's cavalry was before that place +yesterday evening, and that General Sheridan had also reached there, +hence it is desirable that you should march at the earliest moment. +In passing Petersburg you will endeavor to avoid the observation of +the enemy, and then move by the shortest routes to the intersection +of the Petersburg and Lynchburg, and the Richmond and Danville +railroads, and destroy both these roads to the greatest extent +possible, continuing their destruction until driven from it by such +attacks of the enemy as you can no longer resist. The destruction of +those roads to such an extent that they cannot be used by the enemy +in connection with Richmond during the remainder of the campaign is +an important part of the plan of campaign. The latest information +from Major-General Hunter represents him to be a few miles west of +Lynchburg. He may endeavor to form a junction with this army; you +will communicate with him if practicable, and have delivered to him +verbally the contents of the following copy of a communication from +Lieutenant-General Grant to the major-general commanding this army. +Lieutenant Brooks, who will accompany your expedition part of the +way, should be informed where General Hunter will probably be found. + +"The success of your expedition will depend upon the secrecy with +which it is commenced, and the celerity with which its movements are +conducted; your command will, therefore, have with it the lightest +supplies and smallest number of wheels consistent with the thorough +execution of the duty, the supplies of the section of country you +will operate in being taken into account. Upon the completion of the +work assigned you, you will rejoin this army. + +"The chief quartermaster was directed yesterday to supply you with +the implements and material for the destruction of railroads obtained +for General Sheridan. + +[Signed] "A. A. HUMPHREYS, +"Major-General, Chief-of-Staff." + + + +"HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY FORCES, +Mount Sinai Church, June 21, 1864--6 P.M. + +"MAJOR-GENERAL HUMPHREYS," +"Chief-of-Staff. +"The instructions of the major-general commanding, of this date, are +received. I shall march in obedience thereto at 2 A. M. to-morrow. +Before starting I would like to know if our infantry forces cover the +Weldon road. + +"I propose striking the Southside road first at Sutherland Station, +or some point in that vicinity, tearing up the track sufficiently to +delay railroad communication ten or twelve hours. At this place I +shall detach a force to strike the Richmond and Danville road, by a +rapid march, at the nearest point, tearing up the track at every +practicable point between there and Burkeville. + +"From Sutherlands I shall move the main body of my command by the +Great road (breaking the railroad at every convenient point) directly +to Burkeville, which, if we succeed in capturing, will afford us the +opportunity of prosecuting our work with great advantage. As soon as +I have made dispositions for communicating with Hunter and done all +the damage possible, I shall move with all possible rapidity for +Danville and Grenboro'. + +"Circumstances must, however, is a great degree control our movements +after leaving Burkeville. + +"If Sheridan will look after Hampton, I apprehend no difficulty, and +hope to be able to do the enemy great damage. The ammunition issued +to my command is very defective. The implements for destroying roads +have not yet arrived, but I learn from General Ingalls that they will +certainly be here early to-morrow. + +[Signed] J. H. WILSON, +"Brigadier-General Commanding. + + +The moment I received orders from General Meade to go to the relief +of Wilson, I hastened with Torbert and Gregg by way of Prince George +Court House and Lee's Mills to Ream's Station. Here I found the +Sixth Corps, which Meade had pushed out on his left flank immediately +on hearing of Wilson's mishap, but I was too late to render any +material assistance, Wilson having already disappeared, followed by +the enemy. However, I at once sent out parties to gather +information, and soon learned that Wilson had got safe across the +Nottoway at Peter's bridge and was making for the army by way of +Blunt's bridge, on the Blackwater. + +The benefits derived from this expedition, in the destruction of the +Southside and Danville railroads, were considered by General Grant as +equivalent for the losses sustained in Wilson's defeat, for the +wrecking of the railroads and cars was most complete, occasioning at +this, time serious embarrassment to the Confederate Government; but I +doubt if all this compensated for the artillery and prisoners that +fell into the hands of the enemy in the swamps of Hatcher's Run and +Rowanty Creek. Wilson's retreat from the perilous situation at +Ream's station was a most creditable performance--in the face of two +brigades of infantry and three divisions of cavalry--and in the +conduct of the whole expedition the only criticism that can hold +against him is that he placed too much reliance on meeting our +infantry at Ream's station, seeing that uncontrollable circumstances +might, and did, prevent its being there. He ought to have marched on +the 28th by Jarrett's Station to Peter's bridge, on the Nottoway, and +Blunts bridge on the Blackwater, to the rear of the Army of the +Potomac. + +When the safety of Wilson's command was assured, I was ordered back +to Light House Point, where I had gone into camp after crossing the +James River to rest and recruit my command, now very much reduced in +numbers by reason of casualties to both horses and men. It had been +marching and fighting for fifty consecutive days, and the fatiguing +service had told so fearfully on my animals that the number of +dismounted men in the corps was very large. With the exception of +about four hundred horses that I received at the White House, no +animals were furnished to supply the deficiencies which had arisen +from the wearing marches of the past two months until I got to this +camp at Light House Point; here my needs were so obvious that they +could no longer be neglected. + +I remained at Light House Point from the 2d to the 26th of July, +recuperating the cavalry, the intensely warm weather necessitating +almost an entire suspension of hostilities on the part of the Army of +the Potomac. Meanwhile fifteen hundred horses were sent me here, and +these, with the four hundred already mentioned, were all that my +troops received while I held the personal command of the Cavalry +Corps, from April 6 to August 1, 1864. This was not near enough to +mount the whole command, so I disposed the men who could not be +supplied in a dismounted camp. + +By the 26th of July our strength was pretty well restored, and as +General Grant was now contemplating offensive operations for the +purpose of keeping Lee's army occupied around Richmond, and also of +carrying Petersburg by assault if possible, I was directed to move to +the north side of the James River in conjunction with General +Hancock's corps, and, if opportunity offered, to make a second +expedition against the Virginia Central railroad, and again destroy +the bridges on the North Anna, the Little and the South Anna rivers. + +I started out on the afternoon of the 26th and crossed the Appomattox +at Broadway landing. At Deep Bottom I was joined by Kautz's small +division from the Army of the James, and here massed the whole +command, to allow Hancock's corps to take the lead, it crossing to +the north bank of the James River by the bridge below the mouth of +Bailey's Creek. I moved late in the afternoon, so as not to come +within the enemy's view before dark, and after night-fall Hancock's +corps passed me and began crossing the pontoon-bridge about 2 o'clock +in the morning. + +By daylight Hancock was across, the cavalry following. Soon a +portion of his corps attacked the enemy's works on the east side of +Bailey's Creek, and, aided by the cavalry moving on its right, +captured four pieces of artillery. This opened the way for Hancock +to push out his whole corps, and as he advanced by a wheel, with his +left as a pivot, the cavalry joined in the movement, pressing forward +on the New Market and Central or Charles City roads. + +We did not go far before we found the enemy's infantry posted across +these two roads behind a strong line of intrenchments on the west +bank of Bailey's Creek. His videttes in front of Ruffin's house on +the New Market road were soon driven in on their main line, and the +high ground before the house was immediately occupied by Torbert and +Gregg, supported by Kautz's division. By the time the cavalry line +was formed the Confederate General Kershaw, with his own division of +infantry and those of Wilcox and Heath, advanced to attack us. +Directing the most of his troops against the cavalry, which was still +mounted, Kershaw drove it back some distance over the high ground. +When it reached the eastern face of the ridge, however, it was +quickly dismounted, and the men directed to lie down in line of +battle about fifteen yards from the crest, and here the onset of the +enemy was awaited. When Kershaw's men reached the crest such a +severe fire was opened on them, and at such close quarters, that they +could not withstand it, and gave way in disorder. They were followed +across the plain by the cavalry, and lost about two hundred and fifty +prisoners and two battle-flags. The counter attack against the +infantry by Torbert and Gregg re-established our line and gave us the +victory of Darbytown, but it also demonstrated the fact that General +Lee had anticipated the movement around his left flank by +transferring to the north side of the James a large portion of his +infantry and W. H. F. Lee's division of cavalry. + +This development rendered useless any further effort on Hancock's +part or mine to carry out the plan of the expedition, for General +Grant did not intend Hancock to assault the enemy's works unless +there should be found in them but a very thin line of infantry which +could be surprised. In such event, Hancock was to operate so that +the cavalry might turn the Confederates on the Central or Charles +City road, but the continually increasing force of the enemy showed +this to be impracticable. The long front presented by Hancock's +corps and the cavalry deceived General Lee, and he undoubtedly +thought that nearly all of Grant's army had been moved to the north +side of the James River; and to meet the danger he transferred the +most of his own strength to the same side to confront his adversary, +thinning the lines around Petersburg to reinforce those opposing us +on the Central and New Market roads. This was what Grant hoped Lee +would do in case the operations of Hancock and myself became +impracticable, for Grant had an alternative plan for carrying +Petersburg by assault in conjunction with the explosion of a mine +that had been driven under the enemy's works from the front of +Burnside's corps. + +Now that there was no longer a chance for the cavalry to turn the +enemy's left, our attention was directed to keeping up the deception +of Lee, and on the afternoon of the 28th Hancock's corps withdrew to +a line nearer the head of the bridge, the cavalry drawing back to a +position on his right. From now on, all sorts of devices and +stratagems were practiced--anything that would tend to make the +Confederates believe we were being reinforced, while Hancock was +preparing for a rapid return to Petersburg at the proper time. In +order to delude the enemy still more after night-fall of the 28th I +sent one of my divisions to the south side of the James, first +covering the bridgeway with refuse hay to keep the tram of the horses +from being heard. After daylight the next morning, I marched this +division back again on foot, in full view of the enemy, to create the +impression of a continuous movement large bodies of infantry to the +north side, while the same time Kautz was made to skirmish with the +enemy on our extreme right. These various artifices had the effect +intended, for by the evening of the 29th Lee had transferred all his +infantry to the north bank of the James, except three divisions, and +all his cavalry save one. + +The morning of the 30th had been fixed upon to explode the mine and +assault the enemy's works, so after dark on the evening of the 29th +Hancock hastily but quietly withdrew his corps to the south side to +take part in the engagement which was to succeed the explosion, and I +was directed to follow Hancock. This left me on the north side of +the river confronting two-thirds of Lee's army in a perilous +position, where I could easily be driven into Curl's Neck and my +whole command annihilated. The situation, therefore, was not a +pleasant one to contemplate, but it could not be avoided. Luckily +the enemy did not see fit to attack, and my anxiety was greatly +relieved by getting the whole command safely across the bridge +shortly after daylight, having drawn in the different brigades +successively from my right. By 10 o'clock on the morning of the 3oth +my leading division was well over toward the left of our army in +front of Petersburg, marching with the purpose to get around the +enemy's right flank during the operations that were to succeed the +mine explosion, but when I reached General Meade's headquarters I +found that lamentable failure had attended the assault made when the +enemy's works were blown up in the morning. Blunder after blunder +had rendered the assault abortive, and all the opportunities opened +by our expedition to the north side were irretrievably lost, so +General Meade at once arrested the movement of the cavalry. + +In the expedition to Deep Bottom I was under the command of Major- +General Hancock, who, by seniority, was to control my corps as well +as his own until the way was opened for me to get out on the Virginia +Central railroad. If this opportunity was gained, I was to cut loose +and damage Lee's communications with the Shenandoah Valley in such +manner as best suited the conditions, but my return was not to be +jeopardized nor long delayed. This necessitated that Hancock's line +should extend to Bottom's bridge on the Chickahominy. The enemy's +early discovery of the movement and his concentration of troops on +the north side prevented Hancock from accomplishing the programme +laid out for him. Its impracticability was demonstrated early on the +27th, and Hancock's soldierly instincts told him this the moment he +unexpectedly discovered Kershaw blocking the New Market and Charles +City roads. To Hancock the temptation to assault Kershaw's position +was strong indeed, but if he carried it there would still remain the +dubious problem of holding the line necessary for my safe return, so +with rare judgment he desisted zealously turning to the alternative +proposition--the assault on Petersburg--for more significant results. +This was the only occasion during the war in which I was associated +with Hancock in campaign. Up till then we had seldom met, and that +was the first opportunity I had to observe his quick apprehension, +his physical courage, and the soldierly personality which had long +before established his high reputation. + +On the 1st of August, two days after the mine explosion, I was. +relieved from the personal command of the Cavalry Corps, and ordered +to the Shenandoah Valley, where at a later date Torbert's and +Wilson's divisions joined me. Practically, after I went to the +valley, my command of the Cavalry Corps became supervisory merely. +During the period of my immediate control of the corps, I tried to +carry into effect, as far as possible, the views I had advanced +before and during the opening of the Wilderness campaign, i.e., "that +our cavalry ought to fight the enemy's cavalry, and our infantry the +enemy's infantry"; for there was great danger of breaking the spirit +of the corps if it was to be pitted against the enemy's compact +masses of foot-troops posted behind intrenchments, and unless there +was some adequate tactical or strategical advantage to be gained, +such a use of it would not be justified. Immediately succeeding the +battles of the Wilderness, opportunity offered to put this plan into +execution to some extent, and from that time forward--from the battle +of Yellow Tavern--our success was almost continuous, resulting +finally, before the close of the war, in the nearly total +annihilation of the enemy's cavalry. + +The constant activity of the corps from May 5 till August 1 gave +little opportunity for the various division and brigade commanders to +record its work in detail; so there exists but meagre accounts of the +numerous skirmishes and graver conflicts in which, in addition to the +fights mentioned in this narrative, it engaged. A detailed history +of its performances is not within the province of a work of this +nature; but in review, it can be said, without trespassing on the +reader's time, that the Cavalry Corps led the advance of the Army of +the Potomac into the Wilderness in the memorable campaign of 1864; +that on the expedition by way of Richmond to Haxall's it marked out +the army's line of march to the North Anna; that it again led the +advance to the Tolopotomy, and also to Cold Harbor, holding that +important strategic point at great hazard; and that by the Trevillian +expedition it drew away the enemy's cavalry from the south side of +the Chickahominy, and thereby assisted General Grant materially in +successfully marching to the James River and Petersburg. +Subsequently, Wilson made his march to Staunton bridge, destroying +railroads and supplies of inestimable value, and though this was +neutralized by his disaster near Ream's Station, the temporary set- +back there to one division was soon redeemed by victory over the +Confederate infantry at the battle of Darbytown. + +In the campaign we were almost always on the march, night and day, +often unable to care properly for our wounded, and obliged to bury +our dead where they fell; and innumerable combats attest the part the +cavalry played in Grant's march from the Rapidan to Petersburg. In +nearly all of these our casualties were heavy, particularly so when, +as was often the case, we had to engage the Confederate infantry; but +the enemy returned such a full equivalent in dead and wounded in +every instance, that finally his mounted power, which from the +beginning of the war had been nurtured with a wise appreciation of +its value, was utterly broken. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +GENERAL HUNTER'S SUCCESSFUL MARCH AND SUBSEQUENT RETREAT--GENERAL +JUBAL A. EARLY THREATENS WASHINGTON--CHAMBERSBURG, PA., BURNED-- +SELECTED TO OPERATE AGAINST GENERAL EARLY--THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY-- +THE CONFEDERATE ARMY. + +When the attempt to take Petersburg in conjunction with the mine +explosion resulted in such a dismal failure, all the operations +contemplated in connection with that project came to a standstill, +and there was every prospect that the intensely hot and sultry +weather would prevent further activity in the Army of the Potomac +till a more propitious season. Just now, however, the conditions +existing in the Shenandoah Valley and along the upper Potomac +demanded the special attention of General Grant, for, notwithstanding +the successful march that Major-General David Hunter had made toward +Lynchburg early in the summer, what he had first gained was +subsequently lost by strategical mistakes, that culminated in +disaster during the retreat he was obliged to make from the vicinity +of Lynchburg to the Kanawha Valley. This route of march uncovered +the lower portion of the Valley of the Shenandoah, and with the +exception of a small force of Union troops under General Franz Sigel +posted aft Martinsburg for the purpose of covering the Baltimore and +Ohio railroad, there was nothing at hand to defend the lower valley. + +The different bodies of Confederates which compelled Hunter's retreat +were under command of General Jubal A. Early, who had been sent to +Lynchburg with Ewell's corps after the defeat of the Confederate +General W. C. Jones near Staunton on the 5th of June, to take command +of the Valley District. When Early had forced Hunter into the +Kanawha region far enough to feel assured that Lynchburg could not +again be threatened from that direction, he united to his own corps +General John C. Breckenridge's infantry division and the cavalry of +Generals J. H. Vaughn, John McCausland. B. T. Johnson, and J. D. +Imboden, which heretofore had been operating in southwest and western +Virginia under General Robert Ransom, Jr., and with the column thus +formed, was ready to turn his attention to the lower Shenandoah +Valley. At Early's suggestion General Lee authorized him to move +north at an opportune moment, cross the upper Potomac into Maryland +and threaten Washington. Indeed, General Lee had foreshadowed such a +course when Early started toward Lynchburg for the purpose of +relieving the pressure in front of Petersburg, but was in some doubt +as to the practicability of the movement later, till persuaded to it +by the representations of Early after that general had driven Hunter +beyond the mountains and found little or nothing opposing except the +small force of Sigel, which he thought he could readily overcome by +celerity of movement. + +By rapid marching Early reached Winchester on the 2d of July, and on +the 4th occupied Martinsburg, driving General Sigel out of that place +the same day that Hunter's troops, after their fatiguing retreat +through the mountains, reached Charlestown, West Virginia. Early was +thus enabled to cross the Potomac without difficulty, when, moving +around . Harper's Ferry, through the gaps of the South Mountain, he +found his path unobstructed till he reached the Monocacy, where +Ricketts's division of the Sixth Corps, and some raw troops that had +been collected by General Lew Wallace, met and held the Confederates +till the other reinforcements that had been ordered to the capital +from Petersburg could be brought up. Wallace contested the line of +the Monocacy with obstinacy, but had to retire finally toward +Baltimore. The road was then open to Washington, and Early marched +to the outskirts and began against the capital the demonstrations +which were designed to divert the Army of the Potomac from its main +purpose in front of Petersburg. + +Early's audacity in thus threatening Washington had caused some +concern to the officials in the city, but as the movement was looked +upon by General Grant as a mere foray which could have no decisive +issue, the Administration was not much disturbed till the +Confederates came in close proximity. Then was repeated the alarm +and consternation of two years before, fears for the safety of the +capital being magnified by the confusion and discord existing among +the different generals in Washington and Baltimore; and the imaginary +dangers vanished only with the appearance of General Wright, who, +with the Sixth Corps and one division of the Nineteenth Corps, pushed +out to attack Early as soon as he could get his arriving troops in +hand, but under circumstances that precluded celerity of movement; +and as a consequence the Confederates escaped with little injury, +retiring across the Potomac to Leesburg, unharassed save by some +Union cavalry that had been sent out into Loudoun County by Hunter, +who in the meantime had arrived at Harper's Ferry by the Baltimore +and Ohio railroad. From Leesburg Early retired through Winchester +toward Strasburg, but when the head of his column reached this place +he found that he was being followed by General Crook with the +combined troops of Hunter and Sigel only, Wright having returned to +Washington under orders to rejoin Meade at Petersburg. This +reduction of the pursuing force tempting Early to resume the +offensive, he attacked Crook at Kernstown, and succeeded in +administering such a check as to necessitate this general's retreat +to Martinsburg, and finally to Harper's Ferry. Crook's withdrawal +restored to Early the line of the upper Potomac, so, recrossing this +stream, he advanced again into Maryland, and sending McCausland on to +Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, laid that town in ashes, leaving three +thousand non-combatants without shelter or food. + +When Early fell back from the vicinity of Washington toward +Strasburg, General Grant believed that he would rejoin Lee, but later +manoeuvres of the enemy indicated that Early had given up this idea, +if he ever, entertained it, and intended to remain in the valley, +since it would furnish Lee and himself with subsistence, and also +afford renewed opportunities for threatening Washington. Indeed, the +possession of the Valley of the Shenandoah at this time was of vast +importance to Lee's army, and on every hand there were indications +that the Confederate Government wished to hold it at least until +after the crops could be gathered in to their depots at Lynchburg and +Richmond. Its retention, besides being of great advantage in the +matter of supplies, would also be a menace to the North difficult for +General Grant to explain, and thereby add an element of considerable +benefit to the Confederate cause; so when Early's troops again +appeared at Martinsburg it was necessary for General Grant to +confront them with a force strong enough to put an end to incursions +north of the Potomac, which hitherto had always led to National +discomfiture at some critical juncture, by turning our army in +eastern Virginia from its chief purpose--the destruction of Lee and +the capture of the Confederate capital. + +This second irruption of Early, and his ruthless destruction of +Chambersburg led to many recommendations on the part of General Grant +looking to a speedy elimination of the confusion then existing among +the Union forces along the upper Potomac, but for a time the +authorities at Washington would approve none of his propositions. +The President and Secretary Stanton seemed unwilling to adopt his +suggestions, and one measure which he deemed very important--the +consolidation into a single command of the four geographical +districts into which, to relieve political pressure no doubt, the +territory had been divided--met with serious opposition. Despite +Grant's representations, he could not prevail on the Administration +to approve this measure, but finally the manoeuvres of Early and the +raid to Chambersburg compelled a partial compliance, though Grant had +somewhat circumvented the difficulty already by deciding to appoint a +commander for the forces in the field that were to operate against +Early. + +On the 31st of July General Grant selected me as this commander, and +in obedience to his telegraphic summons I repaired to his +headquarters at City Point. In the interview that followed, he +detailed to me the situation of affairs on the upper Potomac, telling +me that I was to command in the field the troops that were to operate +against Early, but that General Hunter, who was at the head of the +geographical department, would be continued in his position for the +reason that the Administration was reluctant to reconstruct or +consolidate the different districts. After informing me that one +division of the Cavalry Corps would be sent to my new command, he +went on to say that he wanted me to push the enemy as soon as this +division arrived, and if Early retired up the Shenandoah Valley I was +to pursue, but if he crossed the Potomac I was to put myself south of +him and try to compass his destruction. The interview having ended, +I returned to Hancock Station to prepare for my departure, and on the +evening of August 1 I was relieved from immediate duty with the Army +of the Potomac, but not from command of the cavalry as a corps +organization. + +I arrived at Washington on the 4th of August, and the next day +received instructions from General Halleck to report to General Grant +at Monocacy Junction, whither he had gone direct from City Point, in +consequence of a characteristic despatch from the President +indicating his disgust with the confusion, disorder, and helplessness +prevailing along the upper Potomac, and intimating that Grant's +presence there was necessary. + +In company with the Secretary of War I called on the President before +leaving Washington, and during a short conversation Mr. Lincoln +candidly told me that Mr. Stanton had objected to my assignment to +General Hunter's command, because he thought me too young, and that +he himself had concurred with the Secretary; but now, since General +Grant had "ploughed round" the difficulties of the situation by +picking me out to command the "boys in the field," he felt satisfied +with what had been done, and "hoped for the best." Mr. Stanton +remained silent during these remarks, never once indicating whether +he, too, had become reconciled to my selection or not; and although, +after we left the White House, he conversed with me freely in regard +to the campaign I was expected to make, seeking to impress on me the +necessity for success from the political as well as from the military +point of view, yet he utterly ignored the fact that he had taken any +part in disapproving the recommendation of the general-in-chief. + +August 6, I reported to General Grant at the Monocacy, and he there +turned over to me the following instructions, which he had previously +prepared for General Hunter in the expectation that general would +continue to command the department: + +"HEADQUARTERS IN THE FIELD, +"Monocacy Bridge, Md., Aug. 5, 1864. + +"GENERAL: Concentrate all your available force without delay in the +vicinity of Harper's Ferry, leaving only such railroad guards and +garrisons for public property as may be necessary. + +"Use in this concentration the railroad, if by so doing time can be +saved. From Harper's Ferry, if it is found that the enemy has moved +north of the Potomac in large force, push north, following and +attacking him wherever found; following him, if driven south of the +Potomac, as long as it is safe to do so. If it is ascertained that +the enemy has but a small force north of the Potomac, then push south +the main force, detaching, under a competent commander, a sufficient +force to look after the raiders and drive them to their homes. In +detaching such a force, the brigade of cavalry now en route from +Washington via Rockville may be taken into account. + +"There are now on the way to join you three other brigades of the +best of cavalry, numbering at least five thousand men and horses. +These will be instructed, in the absence of further orders, to join +you by the south side of the Potomac. One brigade will probably +start to-morrow. + +"In pushing up the Shenandoah Valley, as it is expected you will have +to go first or last, it is desirable that nothing should be left to +invite the enemy to return. Take all provisions, forage, and stock +wanted for the use of your command. Such as cannot be consumed, +destroy. It is not desirable that the buildings should be destroyed- +-they should, rather, be protected; but the people should be informed +that so long as an army can subsist among them recurrences of these +raids must be expected, and we are determined to stop them at all +hazards. + +"Bear in mind, the object is to drive the enemy south; and to do this +you want to keep him always in sight. Be guided in your course by +the course he takes. + +"Make your own arrangements for supplies of all kinds, giving regular +vouchers for such as may be taken from loyal citizens in the country +through which you march. + +"Very respectfully, +"U. S. GRANT, Lieut.-General." + +"Major-General D. HUNTER, +"Commanding Department of West Virginia." + + +When I had read the letter addressed to Hunter, General Grant said I +would be expected to report directly to him, as Hunter had asked that +day to be wholly relieved, not from any chagrin at my assignment to +the control of the active forces of his command, but because he +thought that his fitness for the position he was filling was +distrusted by General Halleck, and he had no wish to cause +embarrassment by remaining where he could but remove me one degree +from the headquarters of the army. The next day Hunter's unselfish +request was complied with, and an order was issued by the President, +consolidating the Middle Department, the Department of Washington, +the Department of the Susquehanna, and the Department of West +Virginia. + +Under this order these four geographical districts constituted the +Middle Military Division, and I was temporarily assigned to command +it. Hunter's men had been bivouacking for some days past in the +vicinity of Monocacy Junction and Frederick, but before General +Grant's instructions were written out, Hunter had conformed to them +by directing the concentration at Halltown, about four miles in front +of Harper's Ferry, of all his force available for field service. +Therefore the different bodies of troops, with the exception of +Averell's cavalry, which had followed McCausland toward Moorefield +after the burning of Chambersburg, were all in motion toward Halltown +on August 6. + +Affairs at Monocacy kept me but an hour or two, and these disposed +of, I continued on to Harper's Ferry by the special train which had +brought me from Washington, that point being intended as my +headquarters while making preparations to advance. The enemy was +occupying Martinsburg, Williamsport, and Shepherdstown at the time; +sending occasional raiding parties into Maryland as far as +Hagerstown. The concentration of my troops at Halltown being an +indication to Early that we intended to renew the offensive, however, +he immediately began counter preparations by drawing in all his +detached columns from the north side of the Potomac, abandoning a +contemplated raid into Maryland, which his success against Crook at +Kernstown had prompted him to project, and otherwise disposing +himself for defense. + +At Harper's Ferry I made my headquarters in the second story of a +small and very dilapidated hotel, and as soon as settled sent for +Lieutenant John R. Meigs, the chief engineer officer of the command, +to study with him the maps of my geographical division. It always +came rather easy to me to learn the geography of a new section, and +its important topographical features as well; therefore I found that, +with the aid of Meigs, who was most intelligent in his profession, +the region in which I was to operate would soon be well fixed in my +mind. Meigs was familiar with every important road and stream, and +with all points worthy of note west of the Blue Ridge, and was +particularly well equipped with knowledge regarding the Shenandoah +Valley, even down to the farmhouses. He imparted with great +readiness what he knew of this, clearly pointing out its +configuration and indicating the strongest points for Confederate +defense, at the same time illustrating scientifically and forcibly +the peculiar disadvantages under which the Union army had hitherto +labored. + +The section that received my closest attention has its northern limit +along the Potomac between McCoy's ferry at the eastern base of the +North Mountain, and Harper's Ferry at the western base of the Blue +Ridge. The southern limit is south of Staunton, on the divide which +separates the waters flowing into the Potomac from those that run to +the James. The western boundary is the eastern slope of the +Alleghany Mountains, the eastern, the Blue Ridge; these two distinct +mountain ranges trending about southwest inclose a stretch of quite +open, undulating country varying in width from the northern to the +southern extremity, and dotted at frequent intervals with patches of +heavy woods: At Martinsburg the valley is about sixty miles broad, +and on an east and west line drawn through Winchester about forty- +five, while at Strasburg it narrows down to about twenty-five. Just +southeast of Strasburg, which is nearly midway between the eastern +and western walls of the valley, rises an abrupt range of mountains +called Massanutten, consisting of several ridges which extend +southward between the North and South Forks of the Shenandoah River +until, losing their identity, they merge into lower but broken ground +between New Market and Harrisonburg. The Massanutten ranges, with +their spurs and hills, divide the Shenandoah Valley into two valleys, +the one next the Blue Ridge being called the Luray, while that next +the North Mountain retains the name of Shenandoah. + +A broad macadamized road, leading south from Williamsport, Maryland, +to Lexington, Virginia, was built at an early day to connect the +interior of the latter State with the Chesapeake and Ohio canal, and +along this road are situated the principal towns and villages of the +Shenandoah Valley, with lateral lines of communication extending to +the mountain ranges on the east and west. The roads running toward +the Blue Ridge are nearly all macadamized, and the principal ones +lead to the railroad system of eastern Virginia through Snicker's, +Ashby's Manassas, Chester, Thornton's Swift Run, Brown's and Rock- +fish gaps, tending to an ultimate centre at Richmond. These gaps are +low and easy, offering little obstruction to the march of an army +coming from eastern Virginia, and thus the Union troops operating +west of the Blue Ridge were always subjected to the perils of a flank +attack; for the Confederates could readily be brought by rail to +Gordonsville and Charlottesville, from which points they could move +with such celerity through the Blue Ridge that, on more than one +occasion, the Shenandoah Valley had been the theatre of Confederate +success, due greatly to the advantage of possessing these interior +lines. + +Nature had been very kind to the valley, making it rich and +productive to an exceptional degree, and though for three years +contending armies had been marching up and down it, the fertile soil +still yielded ample subsistence for Early's men, with a large surplus +for the army of Lee. The ground had long been well cleared of +timber, and the rolling surface presented so few obstacles to the +movement of armies that they could march over the country in any +direction almost as well as on the roads, the creeks and rivers being +everywhere fordable, with little or no difficulty beyond that of +leveling the approaches. + +I had opposing me an army largely composed of troops that had +operated in this region hitherto under "Stonewall" Jackson with +marked success, inflicting defeat on the Union forces almost every +time the two armies had come in contact. These men were now commanded +by a veteran officer of the Confederacy-General Jubal A. Early--whose +past services had so signalized his ability that General Lee +specially selected him to take charge of the Valley District, and, +notwithstanding the misfortunes that befell him later, clung to him +till the end, of the war. The Confederate army at this date was +about twenty thousand strong, and consisted of Early's own corps, +with Generals Rodes, Ramseur, and Gordon commanding its divisions; +the infantry of Breckenridge from southwestern Virginia; three +battalions of artillery; and the cavalry brigades of Vaughn, Johnson, +McCausland, and Imboden. This cavalry was a short time afterward +organized into a division under the command of General Lomax. + +After discovering that my troops were massing in front of Harper's +Ferry, Early lost not a moment in concentrating his in the vicinity +of Martinsburg, in positions from which he could continue to obstruct +the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, and yet be enabled to retire up the +valley under conditions of safety when I should begin an offensive +campaign. + +When I took command of the Army of the Shenandoah its infantry force +comprised the Sixth Corps, one division of the Nineteenth Corps, and +two divisions from West Virginia. The Sixth Corps was commanded by +Major-General Horatio G. Wright; its three divisions by Brigadier- +Generals David A. Russell, Geo. W. Getty, and James B. Ricketts. +The single division of the Nineteenth Corps had for its immediate +chief Brigadier-General William Dwight, the corps being commanded by +Brigadier-General Wm. H. Emory. The troops from West Virginia were +under Brigadier-General George Crook, with Colonels Joseph Thoburn +and Isaac H. Duval as division commanders, and though in all not more +than one fair-sized division, they had been designated, on account of +the department they belonged to, the Army of West Virginia. General +Torbert's division, then arriving from the Cavalry Corps of the Army +of the Potomac, represented the mounted arm of the service, and in +the expectation that Averell would soon join me with his troopers, I +assigned General Torbert as chief of cavalry, and General Wesley +Merritt succeeded to the command of Torbert's division. + +General Wright, the commander of the Sixth Corps, was an officer of +high standing in the Corps of Engineers, and had seen much active +service during the preceding three years. He commanded the +Department of the Ohio throughout the very trying period of the +summer and fall of 1862, and while in that position he, with other +prominent officers, recommended my appointment as a brigadier- +general. In 1863 he rendered valuable service at the battle of +Gettysburg, following which he was assigned to the Sixth Corps, and +commanded it at the capture of the Confederate works at Rappahannock +Station and in the operations at Mine Run. He ranked me as a major- +general of volunteers by nearly a year in date of commission, but my +assignment by the President to the command of the army in the valley +met with Wright's approbation, and, so far as I have ever known, he +never questioned the propriety of the President's action. The Sixth +Corps division commanders, Getty, Russell, and Ricketts, were all +educated soldiers, whose records, beginning with the Mexican War, had +already been illustrated in the war of the rebellion by distinguished +service in the Army of the Potomac. + +General Emory was a veteran, having graduated at the Military Academy +in 1831, the year I was born. In early life he had seen much service +in the Artillery, the Topographical Engineers, and the Cavalry, and +in the war of the rebellion had exhibited the most soldierly +characteristics at Port Hudson and on the Red River campaign. At +this time he had but one division of the Nineteenth Corps present, +which division was well commanded by General Dwight, a volunteer +officer who had risen to the grade of brigadier-general through +constant hard work. Crook was a classmate of mine--at least, we +entered the Military Academy the same year, though he graduated a +year ahead of me. We had known each other as boys before we entered +the army, and later as men, and I placed implicit faith in his +experience and qualifications as a general. + +The transfer of Torbert to the position of chief of cavalry left +Merritt, as I have already said, in command of the First Cavalry +Division. He had been tried in the place before, and from the day he +was selected as one of a number of young men to be appointed general +officers, with the object of giving life to the Cavalry Corps, he +filled the measure of expectation. Custer was one of these young men +too, and though as yet commanding a brigade under Merritt, his +gallant fight at Trevillian Station, as well as a dozen others during +the summer, indicated that he would be equal to the work that was to +fall to him when in a few weeks he should succeed Wilson. But to go +on down the scale of rank, describing the officers who commanded in +the Army of the Shenandoah, would carry me beyond all limit, so I +refrain from the digression with regret that I cannot pay to each his +well-earned tribute. + +The force that I could take with me into the field at this time +numbered about 26,000 men. Within the limits of the geographical +division there was a much greater number of troops than this. +Baltimore, Washington, Harper's Ferry, Hagerstown, Frederick, +Cumberland, and a score of other points; besides the strong +detachments that it took to keep the Baltimore and Ohio railroad open +through the mountains of West Virginia, and escorts for my trains, +absorbed so many men that the column which could be made available +for field operations was small when compared with the showing on +paper. Indeed, it was much less than it ought to have been, but for +me, in the face of the opposition made by different interests +involved, to detach troops from any of the points to which they had +been distributed before I took charge was next to impossible. + +In a few days after my arrival preparations were completed, and I was +ready to make the first move for the possession of the Shenandoah +Valley. For the next five weeks the operations on my part consisted +almost wholly of offensive and defensive manoeuvring for certain +advantages, the enemy confining himself meanwhile to measures +intended to counteract my designs. Upon the advent of Torbert, Early +immediately grew suspicious, and fell back twelve miles south of +Martinsburg, to Bunker Hill and vicinity, where his right flank would +be less exposed, but from which position he could continue to +maintain the break in the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, and push +reconnoitring parties through Smithfield to Charlestown. These +reconnoitring parties exhibited considerable boldness at times, but +since they had no purpose in view save to discover whether or not we +were moving, I did not contest any ground with them except about our +outposts. Indeed, I desired that Early might remain at some point +well to the north till I was fully prepared to throw my army on his +right and rear and force a battle, and hence I abstained from +disturbing him by premature activity, for I thought that if I could +beat him at Winchester, or north of it, there would be far greater +chances of weighty results. I therefore determined to bring my +troops, if it were at all possible to do so, into such a position +near that town as to oblige Early to fight. The sequel proved, +however, that he was accurately informed of all my movements. To +anticipate them, therefore, he began his retreat up the valley the +day that I moved out from Halltown, and (consequently was able to +place himself south of Winchester before I could get there. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +MOVING ON GENERAL EARLY--GENERAL GRANT'S LETTER OF INSTRUCTIONS-- +DESTROYING THE RESOURCES OF THE VALLEY--REASON FOR THE DESTRUCTION-- +WITHDRAWAL TO HALLTOWN--ALARM IN THE NORTH OVER THE RETROGRADE +MOVEMENT--RENEWING THE ADVANCE UP THE VALLEY--GENERAL ANDERSON'S +ATTEMPT TO RETURN TO PETERSBURG--STRENGTH OF THE ARMIES. + +For a clear understanding of the operations which preceded the +victories that resulted in almost annihilating General Early's army +in the Shenandoah Valley, it is necessary to describe in considerable +detail the events that took place prior to the 19th of September. My +army marched from Harper's Ferry on the l0th of August, 1864, General +Torbert with Merritt's division of cavalry moving in advance through +Berryville, going into position near White Post. The Sixth Corps, +under General Wright, moved by way of Charlestown and Summit Point to +Clifton; General Emory, with Dwight's division of the Nineteenth +Corps, marched along the Berryville pike through Berryville to the +left of the position of the Sixth Corps at Clifton; General Crook's +command, moving on the Kabletown road, passed through Kabletown to +the vicinity of Berryville, and went into position on the left of +Dwight's division, while Colonel Lowell, with a detached force of two +small regiments of cavalry, marched to Summit Point; so that on the +night of August 10 my infantry occupied a line stretching from +Clifton to Berryville, with Merritt's cavalry at White Post and +Lowell's at Summit Point. The enemy, as stated before, moved at the +same time from Bunker Hill and vicinity, and stretched his line from +where the Winchester and Potomac railroad crosses Opequon Creek to +the point at which the Berryville and Winchester pike crosses the +same stream, thus occupying the west bank to cover Winchester. + +On the morning of the 11th the Sixth Corps was ordered to move across +the country toward the junction of the Berryville-Winchester pike and +the Opequon, and to take the crossing and hold it, Dwight's division +being directed to move through Berryville on the White Post road for +a mile, then file to the right by heads of regiments at deploying +distances, and carry the crossing of Opequon Creek at a ford about +three-fourths of a mile from the left of the Sixth Corps, while Crook +was instructed to move out on the White Post road, a mile and a half +beyond Berryville, then head to the right and secure the ford about a +mile to the left of Dwight; Torbert's orders were to push Merritt's +division up the Millwood pike toward Winchester, attack any force he +might run against, and ascertain the movements of the Confederate +army; and lastly, Lowell received instructions to close in from +Summit Point on the right of the Sixth Corps. + +My object in securing the fords was to further my march on Winchester +from the southeast, since, from all the information gathered during +the l0th, I still thought Early could be brought to a stand at that +point; but in this I was mistaken, as Torbert's reconnoissance +proved, for on the morning of the 11th, when Merritt had driven the +Confederate cavalry, then covering the Millwood pike west of the +Opequon, off toward Kernstown, he found that their infantry and +artillery were retreating south, up the Valley pike. + +As soon as this information was obtained Torbert moved quickly +through the toll-gate on the Front Royal and Winchester road to +Newtown, to strike the enemy's flank and harass him in his retreat, +Lowell following up through Winchester, on the Valley pike; Crook was +turned to the left and ordered to Stony Point, while Emory and +Wright, marching to the left also, were directed to take post on the +night of the 11th between the Millwood and Front Royal roads, within +supporting distance of Crook. Merritt meeting some of the enemy's +cavalry at the tollgate, drove it in the direction of Newtown till it +got inside the line of Gordon's division of infantry, which had been +thrown out and posted behind barricades to cover the flank of the +main force in its retreat. A portion of Merritt's cavalry attacked +this infantry and drove in its skirmish-line, and though not able to +dislodge Gordon, Merritt held the ground gained till night-fall, when +the Confederate infantry moved off under cover of darkness to Hupp's +Hill, between Strasburg and Cedar Creek + +The next morning Crook marched from Stony Point to Cedar Creek, Emory +followed with Dwight, and the cavalry moved to the same point by way +of Newtown and the Valley pike, the Sixth Corps following the +cavalry. That night Crook was in position at Cedar Creek, on the +left of the Valley pike, Emory on the right of the pike, the Sixth +Corps on the right of Emory, and the cavalry on the flanks. In the +afternoon a heavy skirmish-line had been thrown forward to the +heights on the south side of Cedar Creek, and a brisk affair with the +enemy's pickets took place, the Confederates occupying with their +main force the heights north of Strasburg. On the morning of the +13th my cavalry went out to reconnoitre toward Strasburg, on the +middle road, about two and a half miles west of the Valley pike, and +discovered that Early's infantry was at Fisher's Hill, where he had +thrown up behind Tumbling Run earthworks extending clear across the +narrow valley between the Massanutten and North mountains. On the +left of these works he had Vaughan's, McCausland's, and Johnson's +brigades of cavalry under General Lomax, who at this time relieved +General Ramseur from the command of the Confederate mounted forces. + +Within the past day or two I had received information that a column +of the enemy was moving up from Culpeper Court House and approaching +Front Royal through Chester Gap, and although the intelligence was +unconfirmed, it caused me much solicitude; for there was strong +probability that such a movement would be made, and any considerable +force advancing through Front Royal toward Winchester could fall upon +my rear and destroy my communication with Harper's Ferry, or, moving +along the base of Massanutten Mountain, could attack my flank in +conjunction with the force at Fisher's Hill without a possibility of +my preventing it. + +Neither Wilson's cavalry nor Grower's infantry had yet joined me, and +the necessities, already explained, which obliged me to hold with +string garrisons Winchester and other points heretofore mentioned. +had so depleted my line of battle strength that I knew the enemy +would outnumber me when Anderson's corps should arrive in the valley. +I deemed it advisable, therefore, to act with extreme caution, so, +with the exception of a cavalry reconnoissance on the 13th, I +remained on the defensive, quietly awaiting developments. In the +evening of that day the enemy's skirmishers withdrew to Tumbling Run, +his main force remaining inactive behind the intrenchments at +Fisher's Hill waiting for the arrival of Anderson. + +The rumors in regard to the force advancing from Culpeper kept +increasing every hour, so on the morning of the 14th I concluded to +send a brigade of cavalry to Front Royal to ascertain definitely what +was up. At the same time I crossed the Sixth Corps to the south side +of Cedar Creek, and occupied the heights near Strasburg. That day I +received from the hands of Colonel Chipman, of the Adjutant-General's +Department, the following despatch, to deliver which he had ridden in +great haste from Washington through Snicker's Gap, escorted by a +regiment of cavalry: + +"CITY POINT, August 12, 1864--9 A. M. + +"MAJOR-GENERAL HALLECK + +"Inform General Sheridan that it is now certain two (2) divisions of +infantry have gone to Early, and some cavalry and twenty (20) pieces +of artillery. This movement commenced last Saturday night. He must +be cautious, and act now on the defensive until movements here force +them to detach to send this way. Early's force, with this increase, +cannot exceed forty thousand men, but this is too much for General +Sheridan to attack. Send General Sheridan the remaining brigade of +the Nineteenth Corps. + +"I have ordered to Washington all the one-hundred-day men. Their +time will soon be out, but for the present they will do to serve in +the defenses. + +"U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General." + + +The despatch explained the movement from Culpeper, and on the morning +of the 15th Merritt's two remaining brigades were sent to Front Royal +to oppose Anderson, and the Sixth Corps withdrawn to the north side +of Cedar Creek, where it would be in a position enabling me either to +confront Anderson or to act defensively, as desired by General Grant. + +To meet the requirements of his instructions I examined the map of +the valley for a defensive line--a position where a smaller number of +troops could hold a larger number--for this information led me to +suppose that Early's force would greatly exceed mine when Anderson's +two divisions of infantry and Fitzhugh Lee's cavalry had joined him. +I could see but one such position, and that was at Halltown, in front +of Harper's Ferry. Subsequent experience convinced me that there was +no other really defensive line in the Shenandoah Valley, for at +almost any other point the open country and its peculiar topography +invites rather than forbids flanking operations. + +This retrograde movement would also enable me to strengthen my +command by Grower's division of the Nineteenth Corps and Wilson's +cavalry, both of which divisions were marching from Washington by way +of Snicker's Gap. + +After fully considering the matter, I determined to move back to +Halltown, carrying out, as I retired, my instructions to destroy all +the forage and subsistence the country afforded. So Emory was +ordered to retire to Winchester on the night of the 15th, and Wright +and Crook to follow through Winchester to Clifton the next night. + +For the cavalry, in this move to the rear, I gave the following +instructions: + +"....In pushing up the Shenandoah Valley, as it is expected you will +have to go first or last, it is desirable that nothing should be left +to invite the enemy to return. Take all provisions, forage, and +stock wanted for the use of your command. Such as cannot be +consumed, destroy. It is not desirable that buildings should be +destroyed--they should, rather, be protected; but the people should +be informed that so long as an army can subsist among them, +recurrences of these raids must be expected, and we are determined to +stop them at all hazards...." [Grant's letter of instructions.] + + +"HEADQUARTERS MIDDLE MILITARY DIVISION, +"Cedar Creek, Va., August 16, 1864. + +"GENERAL: In compliance with instructions of the Lieutenant-General +commanding, you will make the necessary arrangements and give the +necessary orders for the destruction of the wheat and hay south of a +line from Millwood to Winchester and Petticoat Gap. You will seize +all mules, horses, and cattle that may be useful to our army. Loyal +citizens can bring in their claims against the Government for this +necessary destruction. No houses will be burned, and officers in +charge of this delicate but necessary duty must inform the people +that the object is to make this valley untenable for the raiding +parties of the rebel army. + +"Very respectfully, + +"P. H. SHERIDAN, +"Major-General Commanding. + +"BRIGADIER-GENERAL A. T. A. TORBERT, +"Chief of Cavalry, Middle Military Division." + + +During his visit to General Hunter at the Monocacy, General Grant had +not only decided to retain in the Shenandoah Valley a large force +sufficient to defeat Early's army or drive it back to Lee, but he had +furthermore determined to make that sections by the destruction of +its supplies, untenable for continued occupancy by the Confederates. +This would cut off one of Lee's main-stays in the way of subsistence, +and at the same time diminish the number of recruits and conscripts +he received; the valley district while under his control not only +supplying Lee with an abundance of food, but also furnishing him many +men for his regular and irregular forces. Grant's instructions to +destroy the valley began with the letter of August 5 to Hunter, which +was turned over to me, and this was followed at intervals by more +specific directions, all showing the earnestness of his purpose. + + +"CITY POINT, Va., Aug. 16--3:30 P. M., 1864. +"MAJOR-GENERAL SHERIDAN, Winchester, Va.: + +"If you can possibly spare a division of cavalry, send them through +Loudoun County to destroy and carry off the crops, animals, negroes, +and all men under fifty years of age capable of bearing arms. In +this way you will get many of Mosby's men. All male citizens under +fifty can fairly be held as prisoners of war, not as citizen +prisoners. If not already soldiers, they will be made so the moment +the rebel army gets hold of them. + +"U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General." + + + +"HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES, +"CITY POINT, Aug. 21, 1864. + +"MAJOR-GENERAL SHERIDAN, Charlestown, Va.: + +"In stripping Loudoun County of supplies, etc., impress from all +loyal persons so that they may receive pay for what is taken from +them. I am informed by the Assistant Secretary of War that Loudoun +County has a large population of Quakers, who are all favorably +disposed to the Union. These people may be exempted from arrest. + +"U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General." + + + +"HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES +"CITY POINT, Va., Aug. 26,2:30 P. M. 1864. + +"MAJOR-GENERAL SHERIDAN, Halltown, Va.: + +"Telegraphed you that I had good reason for believing that Fitz Lee +had been ordered back here. I now think it likely that all troops +will be ordered back from the valley except what they believe to be +the minimum number to detain you. My reason for supposing this is +based upon the fact that yielding up the Weldon road seems to be a +blow to the enemy he cannot stand. I think I do not overstate the +loss of the enemy in the last two weeks at 10,000 killed and wounded. +We have lost heavily, mostly in captured when the enemy gained +temporary advantages. Watch closely, and if you find this theory +correct, push with all vigor. Give the enemy no rest, and if it is +possible to follow to the Virginia Central road, follow that far. Do +all the damage to railroads and crops you can. Carry off stock of +all descriptions and negroes, so as to prevent further planting. If +the war is to last another year we want the Shenandoah Valley to +remain a barren waste. + +"U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General. + + + +"HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES, +"CITY POINT, Va., Sept. 4,--10 A. M.--1864. + +"MAJOR-GENERAL SHERIDAN, Charlestown, Va.: + +"In cleaning out the arms-bearing community of Loudoun County and the +subsistence for armies, exercise your own judgment as to who should +be exempt from arrest, and as to who should receive pay for their +stock, grain, etc. It is our interest that that county should not be +capable of subsisting a hostile army, and at the same time we want to +inflict as little hardship upon Union men as possible. + +"U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General." + + + +"CITY POINT, Va., Nov. 9, 1864. +"MAJOR-GENERAL SHERIDAN, Cedar Creek, Va.: + +"Do you not think it advisable to notify all citizens living east of +the Blue Ridge to move out north of the Potomac all their stock, +grain, and provisions of every description? There is no doubt about +the necessity of clearing out that country so that it will not +support Mosby's gang. And the question is whether it is not better +that the people should save what they can. So long as the war lasts +they must be prevented from raising another crop, both there and as +high up the valley as we can control. + +"U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General." + + + +He had rightly concluded that it was time to bring the war home to a +people engaged in raising crops from a prolific soil to feed the +country's enemies, and devoting to the Confederacy its best youth. I +endorsed the programme in all its parts, for the stores of meat and +grain that the valley provided, and the men it furnished for Lee's +depleted regiments, were the strongest auxiliaries he possessed in +the whole insurgent section. In war a territory like this is a +factor of great importance, and whichever adversary controls it +permanently reaps all the advantages of its prosperity. Hence, as I +have said, I endorsed Grant's programme, for I do not hold war to +mean simply that lines of men shall engage each other in battle, and +material interests be ignored. This is but a duel, in which one +combatant seeks the other's life; war means much more, and is far +worse than this. Those who rest at home in peace and plenty see but +little of the horrors attending such a duel, and even grow +indifferent to them as the struggle goes on, contenting themselves +with encouraging all who are able-bodied to enlist in the cause, to +fill up the shattered ranks as death thins them. It is another +matter, however, when deprivation and suffering are brought to their +own doors. Then the case appears much graver, for the loss of +property weighs heavy with the most of mankind; heavier often, than +the sacrifices made on the field of battle. Death is popularly +considered the maximum of punishment in war, but it is not; reduction +to poverty brings prayers for peace more surely and more quickly than +does the destruction of human life, as the selfishness of man has +demonstrated in more than one great conflict. + +In the afternoon of the 16th I started back to Winchester, whence I +could better supervise our regressive march. As I was passing +through Newtown, I heard cannonading from the direction of Front +Royal, and on reaching Winchester, Merritt's couriers brought me word +that he had been attacked at the crossing of the Shenandoah by +Kershaw's division of Anderson's corps and two brigades of Fitzhugh +Lee's cavalry, but that the attack had been handsomely repulsed, with +a capture of two battle-flags and three hundred prisoners. This was +an absolute confirmation of the despatch from Grant; and I was now +more than satisfied with the wisdom of my withdrawal. + +At daylight of the 17th Emory moved from Winchester to Berryville, +and the same morning Crook and Wright reached Winchester, having +started from Cedar Creek the day before. From Winchester, Crook and +Wright resumed their march toward Clifton, Wright, who had the rear +guard, getting that day as far as the Berryville crossing of the +Opequon, where he was ordered to remain, while Crook went ahead till +he reached the vicinity of Berryville. On the afternoon of the 17th +Lowell with his two regiments of troopers came into Winchester, where +he was joined by Wilson's mounted division, which had come by a rapid +march from Snicker's ferry. In the mean time Merritt, after his +handsome engagement with Kershaw near Front Royal, had been ordered +back to the neighborhood of White Post, so that my cavalry outposts +now extended from this last point around to the west of Winchester. + +During all these operations the enemy had a signal-station on Three +Top Mountain, almost overhanging Strasburg, from which every movement +made by our troops could be plainly seen; therefore, early on the +morning of the 17th he became aware of the fact that we were retiring +down the valley, and at once made after us, and about sundown drove +Torbert out of Winchester, he having been left there-with Wilson and +Lowell, and the Jersey brigade of the Sixth Corps, to develop the +character of the enemy's pursuit. After a severe skirmish Wilson and +Lowell fell back to Summit Point, and the Jersey brigade joined its +corps at the crossing of the Opequon. This affair demonstrated that +Early's whole army had followed us from Fisher's Hill, in concert +with Anderson and Fitzhugh Lee from Front Royal, and the two columns +joined near Winchester the morning of the 18th. + +That day I moved the Sixth Corps by way of Clifton to Flowing Spring, +two and a half miles west of Charlestown, on the Smithfield pike; and +Emory, with Dwight's and Grower's divisions (Grower's having joined +that morning from Washington), to a position about the same distance +south of Charlestown, on the Berryville pike. Following these +movements, Merritt fell back to Berryville, covering the Berryville +pike crossing of the Opequon, and Wilson was stationed at Summit +Point, whence he held a line along the Opequon as far north as the +bridge at Smithfield. Crook continued to hold on near Clifton until +the next day, and was then moved into place on the left of Emory. + +This line was practically maintained till the 21st, when the enemy, +throwing a heavy force across the Opequon by the bridge at +Smithfield, drove in my cavalry pickets to Summit Point, and followed +up with a rapid advance against the position of the Sixth Corps near +Flowing Spring. A sharp and obstinate skirmish with a heavy picket- +line of the Sixth Corps grew out of this manoeuvre, and resulted very +much in our favor, but the quick withdrawal of the Confederates left +no opportunity for a general engagement. It seems that General Early +thought I had taken position near Summit Point, and that by moving +rapidly around through Smithfield he could fall upon my rear in +concert with an attack in front by Anderson, but the warm reception +given him disclosed his error, for he soon discovered that my line +lay in front of Charlestown instead of where he supposed. + +In the manoeuvre Merritt had been attacked in front of Berryville and +Wilson at Summit Point, the former by cavalry and the latter by +Anderson's infantry. The exposed positions of Merritt and Wilson +necessitated their withdrawal if I was to continue to act on the +defensive; so, after the army had moved back to Halltown the +preceding night, without loss or inconvenience, I called them in and +posted them on the right of the infantry. + +My retrograde move from Strasburg to Halltown caused considerable +alarm in the North, as the public was ignorant of the reasons for it; +and in the excited state of mind then prevailing, it was generally +expected that the reinforced Confederate army would again cross the +Potomac, ravage Maryland and Pennsylvania, and possibly capture +Washington. Mutterings of dissatisfaction reached me from many +sources, and loud calls were made for my removal, but I felt +confident that my course would be justified when the true situation +was understood, for I knew that I was complying with my instructions. +Therefore I paid small heed to the adverse criticisms pouring down +from the North almost every day, being fully convinced that the best +course was to bide my time, and wait till I could get the enemy into +a position from which he could not escape without such serious +misfortune as to have some bearing on the general result of the war. +Indeed, at this time I was hoping that my adversary would renew the +boldness he had exhibited the early part of the month, and strike for +the north side of the Potomac, and wrote to General Grant on the 20th +of August that I had purposely left everything in that direction open +to the enemy. + +On the 22d the Confederates moved to Charlestown and pushed well up +to my position at Halltown. Here for the next three days they +skirmished with my videttes and infantry pickets, Emory and Cook +receiving the main attention; but finding that they could make no +impression, and judging it to be an auspicious time to intensify the +scare in the North, on the 25th of August Early despatched Fitzhugh +Lee's cavalry to Williamsport, and moved all the rest of his army but +Anderson's infantry and McCausland's cavalry to Kerneysville. This +same day there was sharp picket firing along the whole front of my +infantry line, arising, as afterward ascertained, from a heavy +demonstration by Anderson. During this firing I sent Torbert, with +Merritt's and Wilson's divisions, to Kerrteysville, whence he was to +proceed toward Leetown and learn what had become of Fitz. Lee. + +About a mile from Leetown Torbert met a small force of Confederate +cavalry, and soon after encountering it, stumbled on Breckenridge's +corps of infantry on the march, apparently heading for Shepherdstown. +The surprise was mutual, for Torbert expected to meet only the +enemy's cavalry, while the Confederate infantry column was +anticipating an unobstructed march to the Potomac. Torbert attacked +with such vigor as at first to double up the head of Breckenridge's +corps and throw it into confusion, but when the Confederates realized +that they were confronted only by cavalry, Early brought up the whole +of the four infantry divisions engaged in his manoeuvre, and in a +sharp attack pushed Torbert rapidly back. + +All the advantages which Torbert had gained by surprising the enemy +were nullified by this counter-attack, and he was obliged to withdraw +Wilson's division toward my right, to the neighborhood of Duffield's +Station, Merritt drawing back to the same point by way of the +Shepherdstown ford. Custer's brigade becoming isolated after the +fight while assisting the rear guard, was also obliged to retire, +which it did to Shepherdstown and there halted, picketing the river +to Antietam ford. + +When Torbert reported to me the nature of his encounter, and that a +part of Early's infantry was marching to the north, while Fitzhugh +Lee's cavalry had gone toward Martinsburg, I thought that the +Confederate general meditated crossing his cavalry into Maryland, so +I sent Wilson by way of Harper's Ferry to watch his movements from +Boonesboro', and at the same time directed Averell, who had reported +from West Virginia some days before, to take post at Williamsport and +hold the crossing there until he was driven away. I also thought it +possible that Early might cross the Potomac with his whole army, but +the doubts of a movement like this outweighed the probabilities +favoring it. Nevertheless, to meet such a contingency I arranged to +throw my army on his rear should the occasion arise, and deeming my +position at Halltown the most advantageous in which to await +developments, my infantry was retained there. + +If General Early had ever intended to cross the Potomac, Torbert's +discovery of his manoeuvre put an end to his scheme of invasion, for +he well knew that and success he might derive from such a course +would depend on his moving with celerity, and keeping me in ignorance +of his march till it should be well under way; so he settled all the +present uncertainties by retiring with all his troops about +Kerneysville to his old position at Bunker Hill behind the Opequon, +and on the night of the 26th silently withdrew Anderson and +McCausland from my front at Halltown to Stephenson's depot. + +By the 27th all of Early's infantry was in position at Brucetown and +Bunker Hill, his cavalry holding the outposts of Leetown and +Smithfield, and on that day Merritt's division attacked the enemy's +horse at Leetown, and pressed it back through Smithfield to the west +side of the Opequon. This reconnoissance determined definitely that +Early had abandoned the projected movement into Maryland, if he ever +seriously contemplated it; and I marched my infantry out from +Halltown to the front of Charlestown, with the intention of occupying +a line between Clifton and Berryville the moment matters should so +shape themselves that I could do so with advantage. The night of the +28th Wilson joined me near Charlestown from his points of observation +in Maryland, and the next day Averell crossed the Potomac at +Williamsport and advanced to Martinsburg. + +Merritt's possession of Smithfield bridge made Early somewhat uneasy, +since it afforded opportunity for interposing a column between his +right and left flanks, so he concluded to retake the crossing, and, +to this end, on the 29th advanced two divisions of infantry. A +severe fight followed, and Merritt was forced to retire, being driven +through the village toward Charlestown with considerable loss. As +Merritt was nearing my infantry line, I ordered. Ricketts's division +of the Sixth Corps to his relief, and this in a few minutes turned +the tide, the Smithfield crossing of the Opequon being regained, and +afterward held by Lowell's brigade, supported by Ricketts. The next +morning I moved Torbert, with Wilson and Merritt, to Berryville, and +succeeding their occupation of that point there occurred along my +whole line a lull, which lasted until the 3d of September, being +undisturbed except by a combat near Bunker Hill between Averell's +cavalry and a part of McCausland's, supported by Rodes's division of +infantry, in which affair the Confederates were defeated with the +loss of about fifty prisoners and considerable property in the shape +of wagons and beef-cattle. + +Meanwhile Torbert's movement to Berryville had alarmed Early, and as +a counter move on the 2d of September he marched with the bulk of his +army to Summit Point, but while reconnoitring in that region on the +3d he learned of the havoc that Averell was creating in his rear, and +this compelled him to recross to the west side of the Opequon and +mass his troops in the vicinity of Stephenson's depot, whence he +could extend down to Bunker Hill, continue to threaten the Baltimore +and Ohio railroad, and at the same time cover Winchester. + +The same day I was moving my infantry to take up the Clifton- +Berryville line, and that afternoon Wright went into position at +Clifton, Crook occupied Berryville, and Emory's corps came in between +them, forming almost a continuous line. Torbert had moved to White +Post meanwhile, with directions to reconnoitre as far south as the +Front Royal Pike. + +My infantry had just got fairly into this position about an hour +before sunset, when along Crook's front a combat took place that at +the time caused me to believe it was Early's purpose to throw a +column between Crook and Torbert, with the intention of isolating the +latter; but the fight really arose from the attempt of General +Anderson to return to Petersburg with Kershaw's division in response +to loud calls from General Lee. Anderson started south on the 3d of +September, and possibly this explains Early's reconnoissance that day +to Summit Point as a covering movement, but his rapid withdrawal left +him in ignorance of my advance, and Anderson marched on heedlessly +toward Berryville, expecting to cross the Blue Ridge through Ashby's +Gap. At Berryville however, he blundered into Crook's lines about +sunset, and a bitter little fight ensued, in which the Confederates +got so much the worst of it that they withdrew toward Winchester. +When General Early received word of this encounter he hurried to +Anderson's assistance with three divisions, but soon perceiving what +was hitherto unknown to him, that my whole army was on a new line, he +decided, after some slight skirmishing, that Anderson must remain at +Winchester until a favorable opportunity offered for him to rejoin +Lee by another route. + +Succeeding the discomfiture of Anderson, some minor operations took +place on the part of, Averell on the right and McIntosh's brigade of +Wilson's division on the left, but from that time until the 19th of +September no engagement of much importance occurred. The line from +Clifton to Berryville was occupied by the Sixth Corps and Grower's +and Dwight's divisions of the Nineteenth, Crook being transferred to +Summit Point, whence I could use him to protect my right flank and my +communication with Harper's Ferry, while the cavalry threatened the +enemy's right flank and line of retreat up the valley. + +The difference of strength between the two armies at this date was +considerably in my favor, but the conditions attending my situation +in a hostile region necessitated so much detached service to protect +trains, and to secure Maryland and Pennsylvania from raids, that my +excess in numbers was almost canceled by these incidental demands +that could not be avoided, and although I knew that I was strong, +yet, in consequence of the injunctions of General Grant, I deemed it +necessary to be very cautious; and the fact that the Presidential +election was impending made me doubly so, the authorities at +Washington having impressed upon me that the defeat of my army might +be followed by the overthrow of the party in power, which event, it +was believed, would at least retard the progress of the war, if, +indeed, it did not lead to the complete abandonment of all coercive +measures. Under circumstances such as these I could not afford to +risk a disaster, to say nothing of the intense disinclination every +soldier has for such results; so, notwithstanding my superior +strength, I determined to take all the time necessary to equip myself +with the fullest information, and then seize an opportunity under +such conditions that I could not well fail of success. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Personal Memoirs of P. H.Sheridan: V1 of 2 + diff --git a/old/1shdn10.zip b/old/1shdn10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..a7a1ebd --- /dev/null +++ b/old/1shdn10.zip diff --git a/old/1shdn11.txt b/old/1shdn11.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..519bbb1 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/1shdn11.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10720 @@ +The Project Gutenberg Etext of Memoirs of General P. H. Sheridan, v1 +#1 in our series by General Philip Henry Sheridan + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. 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To what extent I have +overcome this difficulty I must leave the reader to judge. + +In offering this record, penned by my own hand, of the events of my +life, and of my participation in our great struggle for national +existence, human liberty, and political equality, I make no +pretension to literary merit; the importance of the subject-matter of +my narrative is my only claim on the reader's attention. + +Respectfully dedicating this work to my comrades in arms during the +War of the Rebellion, I leave it as a heritage to my children, and as +a source of information for the future historian. + +P. H. SHERIDAN. + +Nonguitt, Mass., August 2, 1888 + + + + +PERSONAL MEMOIRS + +P. H. SHERIDAN. + + + + + + +VOLUME I. + +CHAPTER I. + +ANCESTRY--BIRTH--EARLY EDUCATION--A CLERK IN A GROCERY STORE-- +APPOINTMENT--MONROE SHOES--JOURNEY TO WEST POINT--HAZING--A FISTICUFF +BATTLE--SUSPENDED--RETURNS TO CLERKSHIP--GRADUATION. + +My parents, John and Mary Sheridan, came to America in 1830, having +been induced by the representations of my father's uncle, Thomas +Gainor, then living in Albany, N. Y., to try their fortunes in the +New World: They were born and reared in the County Cavan, Ireland, +where from early manhood my father had tilled a leasehold on the +estate of Cherrymoult; and the sale of this leasehold provided him +with means to seek a new home across the sea. My parents were +blood relations--cousins in the second degree--my mother, whose +maiden name was Minor, having descended from a collateral branch of +my father's family. Before leaving Ireland they had two children, +and on the 6th of March, 1831, the year after their arrival in this +country, I was born, in Albany, N. Y., the third child in a family +which eventually increased to six--four boys and two girls. + +The prospects for gaining a livelihood in Albany did not meet the +expectations which my parents had been led to entertain, so in 1832 +they removed to the West, to establish themselves in the village of +Somerset, in Perry County, Ohio, which section, in the earliest days +of the State; had been colonized from Pennsylvania and Maryland. At +this period the great public works of the Northwest--the canals and +macadamized roads, a result of clamor for internal improvements--were +in course of construction, and my father turned his attention to +them, believing that they offered opportunities for a successful +occupation. Encouraged by a civil engineer named Bassett, who had +taken a fancy to him, he put in bids for a small contract on the +Cumberland Road, known as the "National Road," which was then being +extended west from the Ohio River. A little success in this first +enterprise led him to take up contracting as a business, which he +followed on various canals and macadamized roads then building in +different parts of the State of Ohio, with some good fortune for +awhile, but in 1853 what little means he had saved were swallowed up +--in bankruptcy, caused by the failure of the Sciota and Hocking +Valley Railroad Company, for which he was fulfilling a contract at +the time, and this disaster left him finally only a small farm, just +outside the village of Somerset, where he dwelt until his death in +1875. + +My father's occupation kept him away from home much of the time +during my boyhood, and as a consequence I grew up under the sole +guidance and training of my mother, whose excellent common sense and +clear discernment in every way fitted her for such maternal duties. +When old enough I was sent to the village school, which was taught by +an old-time Irish "master"--one of those itinerant dominies of the +early frontier--who, holding that to spare the rod was to spoil the +child, if unable to detect the real culprit when any offense had been +committed, would consistently apply the switch to the whole school +without discrimination. It must be conceded that by this means he +never failed to catch the guilty mischief-maker. The school-year was +divided into terms of three months, the teacher being paid in each +term a certain sum--three dollars, I think, for each pupil-and having +an additional perquisite in the privilege of boarding around at his +option in the different families to which his scholars belonged. +This feature was more than acceptable to the parents at times, for +how else could they so thoroughly learn all the neighborhood gossip? +But the pupils were in almost unanimous opposition, because Mr. +McNanly's unheralded advent at any one's house resulted frequently in +the discovery that some favorite child had been playing "hookey," +which means (I will say to the uninitiated, if any such there be) +absenting one's self from school without permission, to go on a +fishing or a swimming frolic. Such at least was my experience more +than once, for Mr. McNanly particularly favored my mother's house, +because of a former acquaintanceship in Ireland, and many a time a +comparison of notes proved that I had been in the woods with two +playfellows, named Binckly and Greiner, when the master thought I was +home, ill, and my mother, that I was at school, deeply immersed in +study. However, with these and other delinquencies not uncommon +among boys, I learned at McNanly's school, and a little later, under +a pedagogue named Thorn, a smattering of geography and history, and +explored the mysteries of Pike's Arithmetic and Bullions' English +Grammar, about as far as I could be carried up to the age of +fourteen. This was all the education then bestowed upon me, and +this--with the exception of progressing in some of these branches by +voluntary study, and by practical application in others, supplemented +by a few months of preparation after receiving my appointment as a +cadet--was the extent of my learning on entering the Military +Academy. + +When about fourteen years old I began to do something for myself; Mr. +John Talbot, who kept a country store in the village, employing me to +deal out sugar, coffee, and calico to his customers at the munificent +salary of twenty-four dollars a year. After I had gained a twelve- +months' experience with Mr. Talbot my services began to be sought by, +others, and a Mr. David Whitehead secured them by the offer of sixty +dollars a year--Talbot refusing to increase my pay, but not objecting +to my advancement. A few months later, before my year was up, +another chance to increase my salary came about; Mr. Henry Dittoe, +the enterprising man of the village, offering me one hundred and +twenty dollars a year to take a position in the dry-goods store of +Fink & Dittoe. I laid the matter before Mr. Whitehead, and he +frankly advised me to accept, though he cautioned me that I might +regret it, adding that he was afraid Henry (referring to Mr. Dittoe) +"had too many irons in the fire." His warning in regard to the +enterprising merchant proved a prophecy, for "too many irons in the +fire" brought about Mr. Dittoe's bankruptcy, although this misfortune +did not befall him till long after I had left his service. I am glad +to say, however, that his failure was an exceptionally honest one, +and due more to the fact that he was in advance of his surroundings +than to any other cause. + +I remained with Fink & Dittoe until I entered the Military Academy, +principally in charge of the book-keeping, which was no small work +for one of my years, considering that in those days the entire +business of country stores in the West was conducted on the credit +system; the customers, being mostly farmers, never expecting to pay +till the product of their farms could be brought to market; and even +then usually squared the book-accounts by notes of hand, that were +often slow of collection. + +From the time I ceased to attend school my employment had +necessitated, to a certain degree, the application of what I had +learned there, and this practical instruction I reinforced somewhat +by doing considerable reading in a general way, until ultimately I +became quite a local authority in history, being frequently chosen as +arbiter in discussions and disputes that arose in the store. The +Mexican War, then going on, furnished, of course, a never-ending +theme for controversy, and although I was too young to enter the +military service when volunteers were mustering in our section, yet +the stirring events of the times so much impressed and absorbed me +that my sole wish was to become a soldier, and my highest aspiration +to go to West Point as a Cadet from my Congressional district. My +chances for this seemed very remote, however, till one day an +opportunity was thrown in my way by the boy who then held the place +failing to pass his examination. When I learned that by this +occurrence a vacancy existed, I wrote to our representative in +Congress, the Hon. Thomas Ritchey, and asked him for the appointment, +reminding him that we had often met in Fink & Dittoe's store, and +that therefore he must know something of my qualifications. He +responded promptly by enclosing my warrant for the class of 1848; so, +notwithstanding the many romances that have been published about the +matter, to Mr. Ritchey, and to him alone, is due all the credit--if +my career justifies that term--of putting me in the United States +Army. + +At once I set about preparing for the examination which precedes +admission to the Military Academy, studying zealously under the +direction of Mr. William Clark; my old teachers, McNanly and Thorn, +having disappeared from Somerset and sought new fields of usefulness. +The intervening months passed rapidly away, and I fear that I did not +make much progress, yet I thought I should be able to pass the +preliminary examination. That which was to follow worried me more +and gave me many sleepless nights; but these would have been less in +number, I fully believe, had it not been for one specification of my, +outfit which the circular that accompanied my appointment demanded. +This requirement was a pair of "Monroe shoes." Now, out in Ohio, +what "Monroe shoes" were was a mystery--not a shoemaker in my section +having so much as an inkling of the construction of the perplexing +things, until finally my eldest brother brought an idea of them from +Baltimore, when it was found that they were a familiar pattern under +another name. + +At length the time for my departure came, and I set out for West +Point, going by way of Cleveland and across Lake Erie to Buffalo. On +the steamer I fell in with another appointee en route to the academy, +David S. Stanley, also from Ohio; and when our acquaintanceship had +ripened somewhat, and we had begun to repose confidence in each +other, I found out that he had no "Monroe shoes," so I deemed myself +just that much ahead of my companion, although my shoes might not +conform exactly to the regulations in Eastern style and finish. At +Buffalo, Stanley and I separated, he going by the Erie Canal and I by +the railroad, since I wanted to gain time on account of commands to +stop in Albany to see my father's uncle. Here I spent a few days, +till Stanley reached Albany, when we journeyed together down the +river to West Point. The examination began a few days after our +arrival, and I soon found myself admitted to the Corps of Cadets, to +date from July 1, 1848, in a class composed of sixty-three members, +many of whom--for example, Stanley, Slocum, Woods, Kautz, and Crook- +-became prominent generals in later years, and commanded divisions, +corps, and armies in the war of the rebellion. + +Quickly following my admission I was broken in by a course of hazing, +with many of the approved methods that the Cadets had handed down +from year to year since the Academy was founded; still, I escaped +excessive persecution, although there were in my day many occurrences +so extreme as to call forth condemnation and an endeavor to suppress +the senseless custom, which an improved civilization has now about +eradicated, not only at West Point, but at other colleges. + +Although I had met the Academic board and come off with fair success, +yet I knew so little of Algebra or any of the higher branches of +mathematics that during my first six months at the Academy I was +discouraged by many misgivings as to the future, for I speedily +learned that at the January examination the class would have to stand +a test much severer than that which had been applied to it on +entering. I resolved to try hard, however, and, besides, good +fortune gave me for a room-mate a Cadet whose education was more +advanced than mine, and whose studious habits and willingness to aid +others benefited me immensely. This room-mate was Henry W. Slocum, +since so signally distinguished in both military and civil capacities +as to win for his name a proud place in the annals of his country. +After taps--that is, when by the regulations of the Academy all the +lights were supposed to be extinguished, and everybody in bed--Slocum +and I would hang a blanket over the one window of our room and +continue our studies--he guiding me around scores of stumbling-blocks +in Algebra and elucidating many knotty points in other branches of +the course with which I was unfamiliar. On account of this +association I went up before the Board in January with less +uneasiness than otherwise would have been the case, and passed the +examination fairly well. When it was over, a self-confidence in my +capacity was established that had not existed hitherto, and at each +succeeding examination I gained a little in order of merit till my +furlough summer came round--that is, when I was half through the +four-year course. + +My furlough in July and August, 1850, was spent at my home in Ohio, +with the exception of a visit or two to other Cadets on furlough in +the State, and at the close of my leave I returned to the Academy in +the full expectation of graduating with my class in 1852. + +A quarrel of a belligerent character in September, ,1851, with Cadet +William R. Terrill, put an end to this anticipation, however, and +threw me back into the class which graduated in 1853. Terrill was a +Cadet Sergeant, and, while my company was forming for parade, having, +given me an order, in what I considered an improper tone, to "dress" +in a certain direction, when I believed I was accurately dressed, I +fancied I had a grievance, and made toward him with a lowered +bayonet, but my better judgment recalled me before actual contact +could take place. Of course Terrill reported me for this, and my ire +was so inflamed by his action that when we next met I attacked him, +and a fisticuff engagement in front of barracks followed, which was +stopped by an officer appearing on the scene. Each of us handed in +an explanation, but mine was unsatisfactory to the authorities, for I +had to admit that I was the assaulting party, and the result was that +I was suspended by the Secretary of War, Mr. Conrad, till August 28, +1852--the Superintendent of the Academy, Captain Brewerton, being +induced to recommend this milder course, he said, by my previous good +conduct. At the time I thought, of course, my suspension a very +unfair punishment, that my conduct was justifiable and the +authorities of the Academy all wrong, but riper experience has led me +to a different conclusion, and as I look back, though the +mortification I then endured was deep and trying, I am convinced that +it was hardly as much as I deserved for such an outrageous breach of +discipline. + +There was no question as to Terrill's irritating tone, but in giving +me the order he was prompted by the duty of his position as a file +closer, and I was not the one to remedy the wrong which I conceived +had been done me, and clearly not justifiable in assuming to correct +him with my own hands. In 1862, when General Buell's army was +assembling at Louisville, Terrill was with it as a brigadier-general +(for, although a Virginian, he had remained loyal), and I then took +the initiative toward a renewal of our acquaintance. Our renewed +friendship was not destined to be of long duration, I am sorry to +say, for a few days later, in the battle of Perryville, while +gallantly fighting for his country, poor Terrill was killed. + +My suspension necessitated my leaving the Academy, and I returned +home in the fall of 1851, much crestfallen. Fortunately, my good +friend Henry Dittoe again gave me employment in keeping the books of +his establishment, and this occupation of my time made the nine +months which were to elapse before I could go back to West Point pass +much more agreeably than they would have done had I been idle. In +August, 1852, I joined the first class at the Academy in accordance +with the order of the War Department, taking my place at the foot of +the class and graduating with it the succeeding June, number thirty- +four in a membership of fifty-two. At the head of this class +graduated James B. McPherson, who was killed in the Atlanta campaign +while commanding the Army of the Tennessee. It also contained such +men as John M. Schofield, who commanded the Army of the Ohio; Joshua +W. Sill, killed as a brigadier in the battle of Stone River; and many +others who, in the war of the rebellion, on one side or the other, +rose to prominence, General John B. Hood being the most distinguished +member of the class among the Confederates. + +At the close of the final examination I made no formal application +for assignment to any particular arm of the service, for I knew that +my standing would not entitle me to one of the existing vacancies, +and that I should be obliged to take a place among the brevet second +lieutenants. When the appointments were made I therefore found +myself attached to the First Infantry, well pleased that I had +surmounted all the difficulties that confront the student at our +national school, and looking forward with pleasant anticipation to +the life before me. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +ORDERED TO FORT DUNCAN, TEXAS--"NORTHERS"--SCOUTING DUTY--HUNTING-- +NEARLY CAUGHT BY THE INDIANS--A PRIMITIVE HABITATION--A BRAVE +DRUMMERBOYS DEATH--A MEXICAN BALL. + +On the 1st day of July, 1853, I was commissioned a brevet second +lieutenant in the First Regiment of United States Infantry, then +stationed in Texas. The company to which I was attached was +quartered at Fort Duncan, a military post on the Rio Grande opposite +the little town of Piedras Negras, on the boundary line between the +United States and the Republic of Mexico. + +After the usual leave of three months following graduation from the +Military Academy I was assigned to temporary duty at Newport +Barracks, a recruiting station and rendezvous for the assignment of +young officers preparatory to joining their regiments. Here I +remained from September, 1853, to March, 1854, when I was ordered to +join my company at Fort Duncan. To comply with this order I +proceeded by steamboat down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers to New +Orleans, thence by steamer across the Gulf of Mexico to Indianola, +Tex., and after landing at that place, continued in a small schooner +through what is called the inside channel on the Gulf coast to Corpus +Christi, the headquarters of Brigadier-General Persifer F. Smith, who +was commanding the Department of Texas. Here I met some of my old +friends from the Military Academy, among them Lieutenant Alfred +Gibbs, who in the last year of the rebellion commanded under me a +brigade of cavalry, and Lieutenant Jerome Napoleon Bonaparte, of the +Mounted Rifles, who resigned in 1854 to accept service in the French +Imperial army, but to most of those about headquarters I was an +entire stranger. Among the latter was Captain Stewart Van Vliet, of +the Quartermaster's Department, now on the retired list. With him I +soon came in frequent contact, and, by reason of his connection with +the Quartermaster's Department, the kindly interest he took in +forwarding my business inaugurated between us--a lasting friendship. + +A day or two after my arrival at Corpus Christi a train of Government +wagons, loaded with subsistence stores and quartermaster's supplies, +started for Laredo, a small town on the Rio Grande below Fort Duncan. +There being no other means of reaching my station I put my small +personal possessions, consisting of a trunk, mattress, two blankets, +and a pillow into one of the heavily loaded wagons and proceeded to +join it, sitting on the boxes or bags of coffee and sugar, as I might +choose. The movement of the train was very slow, as the soil was +soft on the newly made and sandy roads. We progressed but a few +miles on our first day's journey, and in the evening parked our train +at a point where there was no wood, a scant supply of water--and that +of bad quality--but an abundance of grass. There being no +comfortable place to sleep in any of the wagons, filled as they were +to the bows with army supplies, I spread my blankets on the ground +between the wheels of one of them, and awoke in the morning feeling +as fresh and bright as would have been possible if all the comforts +of civilization had been at my command. + +It took our lumbering train many days to reach Laredo, a distance of +about one hundred and sixty miles from Corpus Christi. Each march +was but a repetition of the first day's journey, its monotony +occasionally relieved, though, by the passage of immense flocks of +ducks and geese, and the appearance at intervals of herds of deer, +and sometimes droves of wild cattle, wild horses and mules. The +bands of wild horses I noticed were sometimes led by mules, but +generally by stallions with long wavy manes, and flowing tails which +almost touched the ground. + +We arrived at Laredo during one of those severe storms incident to +that section, which are termed "Northers" from the fact that the +north winds culminate occasionally in cold windstorms, frequently +preceded by heavy rains. Generally the blow lasts for three days, +and the cold becomes intense and piercing. While the sudden +depression of the temperature is most disagreeable, and often causes +great suffering, it is claimed that these "Northers" make the climate +more healthy and endurable. They occur from October to May, and in +addition to the destruction which, through the sudden depression of +the temperature, they bring on the herds in the interior, they are +often of sufficient violence to greatly injure the harbors on the +coast. + +The post near Laredo was called Fort McIntosh, and at this period the +troops stationed there consisted of eight companies of the Fifth +Infantry and two of the First, one of the First Artillery, and three +of the Mounted Rifles. Just before the "Norther" began these troops +had completed a redoubt for the defense of the post, with the +exception of the ditches, but as the parapet was built of sand--the +only material about Laredo which could be obtained for its +construction--the severity of the winds was too much for such a +shifting substance, and the work was entirely blown away early in the +storm. + +I was pleasantly and hospitably welcomed by the officers at the post, +all of whom were living in tents, with no furniture except a cot and +trunk, and an improvised bed for a stranger, when one happened to +come along. After I had been kindly taken in by one of the younger +officers, I reported to the commanding officer, and was informed by +him that he would direct the quartermaster to furnish me, as soon as +convenient, with transportation to Fort Duncan, the station of my +company. + +In the course of a day or two, the quartermaster notified me that a +Government six-mule wagon would be placed at my disposal to proceed +to my destination. No better means offering, I concluded to set out +in this conveyance, and, since it was also to carry a quantity of +quartermaster's property for Fort Duncan, I managed to obtain room +enough for my bed in the limited space between the bows and load, +where I could rest tolerably well, and under cover at night, instead +of sleeping on the ground under the wagon, as I had done on the road +from Corpus Christi to Laredo. + +I reached Fort Duncan in March, 1854., and was kindly received by the +commanding officer of the, regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel Thompson +Morris, and by the captain of my company ("D"), Eugene E. McLean, and +his charming wife the only daughter of General E. V. Sumner, who was +already distinguished in our service, but much better known in after +years in the operations ofthe Army of the Potomac, during its early +campaigns in Virginia. Shortly after joining company "D" I was sent +out on scouting duty with another company of the regiment to Camp La +Pena, about sixty or seventy miles east of Fort Duncan, in a section +of country that had for some time past been subjected to raids by the +Lipan and Comanche Indians. Ournoutpost at La Pena was intended as a +protection against the predatory incursions of these savages, so +almost constant scouting became a daily occupation. This enabled me +soon to become familiar with and make maps of the surrounding +country, and, through constant association with our Mexican guide, to +pick up in a short time quite a smattering of the Spanish language, +which was very useful to one serving on that frontier. + +At that early day western Texas was literally filled with game, and +the region in the immediate vicinity of La Pena contained its full +proportion of deer, antelope, and wild turkeys. The temptation to +hunt was therefore constantly before me, and a desire to indulge in +this pastime, whenever free from the legitimate duty of the camp, +soon took complete possession of me, so expeditions in pursuit of +game were of frequent occurrence. In these expeditions I was always +accompanied by a soldier named Frankman, belonging to "D" company, +who was a fine sportsman, and a butcher by trade. In a short period +I learned from Frankman how to approach and secure the different +species of game, and also how to dress and care for it when killed. +Almost every expedition we made was rewarded with a good supply of +deer, antelope, and wild turkeys, and we furnished the command in +camp with such abundance that it was relieved from the necessity of +drawing its beef ration, much to the discomfiture of the disgruntled +beef contractor. + +The camp at La Pena was on sandy ground, unpleasant for men and +animals, and by my advice it was moved to La Pendencia, not far from +Lake Espantosa. Before removal from our old location, however, early +one bright morning Frankman and I started on one of our customary +expeditions, going down La Pena Creek to a small creek, at the head +of which we had established a hunting rendezvous. After proceeding +along the stream for three or four miles we saw a column of smoke on +the prairie, and supposing it arose from a camp of Mexican rancheros +catching wild horses or wild cattle, and even wild mules, which were +very numerous in that section of country along the Nueces River, we +thought we would join the party and see how much success they were +having, and observe the methods employed in this laborious and +sometimes dangerous vocation. With this object in view, we continued +on until we found it necessary to cross to the other side of the +creek to reach the point indicated by the smoke. Just before +reaching the crossing I discovered moccasin tracks near the water's +edge, and realizing in an instant that the camp we were approaching +might possibly be one of hostile Indians--all Indians in that country +at that time were hostile--Frankman and I backed out silently, and +made eager strides for La Pena, where we had scarcely arrived when +Captain M. E. Van Buren, of the Mounted Rifle regiment, came in with +a small command, and reported that he was out in pursuit of a band of +Comanche Indians, which had been committing depredations up about +Fort Clark, but that he had lost the trail. I immediately informed +him of what had occurred to me during the morning, and that I could +put him on the trail of the Indians he was desirous of punishing. + +We hurriedly supplied with rations his small command of thirteen, +men, and I then conducted him to the point where I had seen the +smoke, and there we found signs indicating it to be the recently +abandoned camp of the Indians he was pursuing, and we also noticed +that prairie rats had formed the principal article of diet at the +meal they had just completed. As they had gone, I could do no more +than put him on the trail made in their departure, which was well +marked; for Indians, when in small parties, and unless pressed, +usually follow each other in single file. Captain Van Buren followed +the trail by Fort Ewell, and well down toward Corpus Christi, day and +night, until the Indians, exhausted and used up, halted, on an open +plain, unsaddled their horses, mounted bareback, and offered battle. +Their number was double that of Van Buren's detachment, but he +attacked them fearlessly, and in the fight was mortally wounded by an +arrow which entered his body in front, just above the sword belt, and +came through the belt behind. The principal chief of the Indians was +killed, and the rest fled. Captain Van Buren's men carried him to +Corpus Christi, where in a few days he died. + +After our removal to La Pendencia a similar pursuit of savages +occurred, but with more fortunate results. Colonel John H. King, now +on the retired list, then a captain in the First Infantry, came to +our camp in pursuit of a marauding band of hostile Indians, and I was +enabled to put him also on the trail. He soon overtook them, and +killing two without loss to himself, the band dispersed like a flock +of quail and left him nothing to follow. He returned to our camp +shortly after, and the few friendly Indian scouts he had with him +held a grand pow-wow and dance over the scalps of the fallen braves. + +Around La Pendencia, as at La Pena, the country abounded in deer, +antelope, wild turkeys, and quail, and we killed enough to supply +abundantly the whole command with the meat portion of the ration. +Some mornings Frankman and I would bring in as many as seven deer, +and our hunting expeditions made me so familiar with the region +between our camp arid Fort Duncan, the headquarters of the regiment, +that I was soon enabled to suggest a more direct route of +communication than the circuitous one then traversed, and in a short +time it was established. + +Up to this time I had been on detached duty, but soon my own company +was ordered into the field to occupy a position on Turkey Creek, +about ten or twelve miles west of the Nueces River, on the road from +San Antonio to Fort Duncan, and I was required to join the company. +Here constant work and scouting were necessary, as our camp was +specially located with reference to protecting from Indian raids the +road running from San Antonio to Fort Duncan, and on to the interior +of Mexico. In those days this road was the great line of travel, and +Mexican caravans were frequently passing over it, to and fro, in such +a disorganized condition as often to invite attack from marauding +Comanches and Lipans. Our time, therefore, was incessantly occupied +in scouting, but our labors were much lightened because they were +directed with intelligence and justice by Captain McLean, whose +agreeable manners and upright methods are still so impressed on my +memory that to this day I look back upon my service with "D" Company +of the First Infantry as among those events which I remember with +most pleasure. + +In this manner my first summer of active field duty passed rapidly +away, and in the fall my company returned to Fort Duncan to go into +winter quarters. These quarters, when constructed, consisted of "A" +tents pitched under a shed improvised by the company. With only +these accommodations I at first lived around as best I could until +the command was quartered, and then, requesting a detail of wagons +from the quartermaster, I went out some thirty miles to get poles to +build a more comfortable habitation for myself. In a few days enough +poles for the construction of a modest residence were secured and +brought in, and then the building of my house began. First, the +poles were cut the proper length, planted in a trench around four +sides of a square of very small proportions, and secured at the top +by string-pieces stretched from one angle to another, in which +half-notches hack been made at proper intervals to receive the +uprights. The poles were then made rigid by strips nailed on +half-way to the ground, giving the sides of the structure firmness, +but the interstices were large and frequent; still, with the aid of +some old condemned paulins obtained from the quartermaster, the walls +were covered and the necessity for chinking obviated. This method of +covering the holes in the side walls also possessed the advantage of +permitting some little light to penetrate to the interior of the +house, and avoided the necessity of constructing a window, for which, +by the way, no glass could have been obtained. Next a good large +fire-place and chimney were built in one corner by means of stones +and mud, and then the roof was put on--a thatched one of prairie +grass. The floor was dirt compactly tamped. + +My furniture was very primitive: a chair or two, with about the same +number of camp stools, a cot, and a rickety old bureau that I +obtained in some way not now remembered. My washstand consisted of a +board about three feet long, resting on legs formed by driving sticks +into the ground until they held it at about the proper height from +the floor. This washstand was the most expensive piece of furniture +I owned, the board having cost me three dollars, and even then I +obtained it as a favor, for lumber on the Rio Grande was so scarce in +those days that to possess even the smallest quantity was to indulge +in great luxury. Indeed, about all that reached the post was what +came in the shape of bacon boxes, and the boards from these were +reserved for coffins in which to bury our dead. + +In this rude habitation I spent a happy winter, and was more +comfortably off than many of the officers, who had built none, but +lived in tents and took the chances of "Northers." During this period +our food was principally the soldier's ration: flour, pickled pork, +nasty bacon--cured in the dust of ground charcoal--and fresh beef, of +which we had a plentiful supply, supplemented with game of various +kinds. The sugar, coffee, and smaller parts of the ration were good, +but we had no vegetables, and the few jars of preserves and some few +vegetables kept by the sutler were too expensive to be indulged in. +So during all the period I lived at Fort Duncan and its sub-camps, +nearly sixteen months, fresh vegetables were practically +unobtainable. To prevent scurvy we used the juice of the maguey +plant, called pulque, and to obtain a supply of this anti-scorbutic I +was often detailed to march the company out about forty miles, cut +the plant, load up two or three wagons with the stalks, and carry +them to camp. Here the juice was extracted by a rude press, and put +in bottles until it fermented and became worse in odor than +sulphureted hydrogen. At reveille roll-call every morning this +fermented liquor was dealt out to the company, and as it was my duty, +in my capacity of subaltern, to attend these roll-calls and see that +the men took their ration of pulque, I always began the duty by +drinking a cup of the repulsive stuff myself. Though hard to +swallow, its well-known specific qualities in the prevention and cure +of scurvy were familiar to all, so every man in the command gulped +down his share notwithstanding its vile taste and odor. + +Considering our isolation, the winter passed very pleasantly to us +all. The post was a large one, its officers congenial, and we had +many enjoyable occasions. Dances, races, and horseback riding filled +in much of the time, and occasional raids from Indians furnished more +serious occupation in the way of a scout now and then. The proximity +of the Indians at times rendered the surrounding country somewhat +dangerous for individuals or small parties at a distance from the +fort; but few thought the savages would come near, so many risks were +doubtless run by various officers, who carried the familiar +six-shooter as their only weapon while out horseback riding, until +suddenly we were awakened to the dangers we had been incurring. + +About mid-winter a party of hostile Lipans made a swoop around and +skirting the garrison, killing a herder--a discharged drummer-boy--in +sight of the flag-staff. Of course great excitement followed. +Captain J. G. Walker, of the Mounted Rifles, immediately started with +his company in pursuit of the Indians, and I was directed to +accompany the command. Not far away we found the body of the boy +filled with arrows, and near him the body of a fine looking young +Indian, whom the lad had undoubtedly killed before he was himself +overpowered. We were not a great distance behind the Indians when +the boy's body was discovered, and having good trailers we gained on +them rapidly, with the prospect of overhauling them, but as soon as +they found we were getting near they headed for the Rio Grande, made +the crossing to the opposite bank, and were in Mexico before we could +overtake them. When on the other side of the boundary they grew very +brave, daring us to come over to fight them, well aware all the time +that the international line prevented us from continuing the pursuit. +So we had to return to the post without reward for our exertion +except the consciousness of having made the best effort we could to +catch the murderers. That night, in company with Lieutenant Thomas +G. Williams, I crossed over the river to the Mexican village of +Piedras Negras, and on going to a house where a large baille, or +dance, was going on we found among those present two of the Indians +we had been chasing. As soon as they saw us they strung their bows +for a fight, and we drew our sixshooters, but the Mexicans quickly +closed in around the Indians and forced them out of the house--or +rude jackal--where the "ball" was being held, and they escaped. We +learned later something about the nature of the fight the drummer had +made, and that his death had cost them dear, for, in addition to the +Indian killed and lying by his side, he had mortally wounded another +and seriously wounded a third, with the three shots that he had +fired. + +At this period I took up the notion of making a study of ornithology, +incited to it possibly by the great number of bright-colored birds +that made their winter homes along the Rio Grande, and I spent many a +leisure hour in catching specimens by means of stick traps, with +which I found little difficulty in securing almost every variety of +the feathered tribes. I made my traps by placing four sticks of a +length suited to the size desired so as to form a square, and +building up on them in log-cabin fashion until the structure came +almost to a point by contraction of the corners. Then the sticks +were made secure, the trap placed at some secluded spot, and from the +centre to the outside a trench was dug in the ground, and thinly +covered when a depth had been obtained that would leave an aperture +sufficiently large to admit the class of birds desired. Along this +trench seeds and other food were scattered, which the birds soon +discovered, and of course began to eat, unsuspectingly following the +tempting bait through the gallery till they emerged from its farther +end in the centre of the trap, where they contentedly fed till the +food was all gone. Then the fact of imprisonment first presented +itself, and they vainly endeavored to escape through the interstices +of the cage, never once guided by their instinct to return to liberty +through the route by which they had entered. + +Among the different kinds of birds captured in this way, mocking- +birds, blue-birds, robins, meadow larks, quail, and plover were the +most numerous. They seemed to have more voracious appetites than +other varieties, or else they were more unwary, and consequently more +easily caught. A change of station, however, put an end to my +ornithological plans, and activities of other kinds prevented me from +resuming them in after life. + +There were quite a number of young officers at the post during the +winter, and as our relations with the Mexican commandant at Piedras +Negras were most amicable, we were often invited to dances at his +house. He and his hospitable wife and daughter drummed up the female +portion of the elite of Piedras Negras and provided the house, which +was the official as well as the personal residence of the commandant, +while we--the young officers--furnished the music and such +sweetmeats, candies, &c., for the baille as the country would afford. + +We generally danced in a long hall on a hard dirt floor. The girls +sat on one side of the hall, chaperoned by their mothers or some old +duennas, and the men on the other. When the music struck up each man +asked the lady whom his eyes had already selected to dance with him, +and it was not etiquette for her to refuse--no engagements being +allowed before the music began. When the dance, which was generally +a long waltz, was over, he seated his partner, and then went to a +little counter at the end of the room and bought his dulcinea a plate +of the candies and sweetmeats provided. Sometimes she accepted them, +but most generally pointed to her duenna or chaperon behind, who held +up her apron and caught the refreshments as they were slid into it +from the plate. The greatest decorum was maintained at these dances, +primitively as they were conducted; and in a region so completely cut +off from the world, their influence was undoubtedly beneficial to a +considerable degree in softening the rough edges in a half-breed +population. + +The inhabitants of this frontier of Mexico were strongly marked with +Indian characteristics, particularly with those of the Comanche type, +and as the wild Indian blood predominated, few of the physical traits +of the Spaniard remained among them, and outlawry was common. The +Spanish conquerors had left on the northern border only their +graceful manners and their humility before the cross. The sign of +Christianity was prominently placed at all important points on roads +or trails, and especially where any one had been killed; and as the +Comanche Indians, strong and warlike, had devastated northeastern +Mexico in past years, all along the border, on both sides of the Rio +Grande, the murderous effects of their raids were evidenced by +numberless crosses. For more than a century forays had been made on +the settlements and towns by these bloodthirsty savages, and, the +Mexican Government being too weak to afford protection, property was +destroyed, the women and children carried off or ravished, and the +men compelled to look on in an agony of helplessness till relieved by +death. During all this time, however, the forms and ceremonials of +religion, and the polite manners received from the Spaniards, were +retained, and reverence for the emblems of Christianity was always +uppermost in the mind of even the most ignorant. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +ORDERED TO FORT READING, CAL.--A DANGEROUS UNDERTAKING--A RESCUED +SOLDIER--DISCOVERING INDIANS--PRIMITIVE FISHING--A DESERTED +VILLAGE--CAMPING OPPOSITE FORT VANCOUVER. + +In November, 1854, I received my promotion to a second lieutenancy in +the Fourth Infantry, which was stationed in California and Oregon. In +order to join my company at Fort Reading, California, I had to go to +New York as a starting point, and on arrival there, was placed on +duty, in May, 1855, in command of a detachment of recruits at +Bedloe's Island, intended for assignment to the regiments on the +Pacific coast. I think there were on the island (now occupied by the +statue of Liberty Enlightening the World) about three hundred +recruits. For a time I was the only officer with them, but shortly +before we started for California, Lieutenant Francis H. Bates, of the +Fourth Infantry, was placed in command. We embarked for the Pacific +coast in July, 1855, and made the journey without incident via the +Isthmus of Panama, in due time landing our men at Benecia Barracks, +above San Francisco. + +From this point I proceeded to join my company at Fort Reading, and +on reaching that post, found orders directing me to relieve +Lieutenant John B. Hood--afterward well known as a distinguished +general in the Confederate service. Lieutenant Hood was in command +of the personal mounted escort of Lieutenant R. S. Williamson, who +was charged with the duty of making such explorations and surveys as +would determine the practicability of connecting, by railroad, the +Sacramento Valley in California with the Columbia River in Oregon +Territory, either through the Willamette Valley, or (if this route +should prove to be impracticable) by the valley of the Des Chutes +River near the foot-slopes of the Cascade chain. The survey was +being made in accordance with an act of Congress, which provided both +for ascertaining the must practicable and economical route for a +railroad between the Mississippi River and the Pacific Ocean, and for +military and geographical surveys west of the Mississippi River. + +Fort Reading was the starting-point for this exploring expedition, +and there I arrived some four or five days after the party under +Lieutenant Williamson had begun its march. His personal escort +numbered about sixty mounted men, made up of detachments from +companies of the First Dragoons, under command of Lieutenant Hood, +together with about one hundred men belonging to the Fourth Infantry +arid Third Artillery, commanded by Lieutenant Horatio Gates Gibson, +the present colonel of the Third United States Artillery. Lieutenant +George Crook--now major-general--was the quartermaster and commissary +of subsistence of the expedition. + +The commanding officer at Fort Reading seemed reluctant to let me go +on to relieve Lieutenant Hood, as the country to be passed over was +infested by the Pit River Indians, known to be hostile to white +people and especially to small parties. I was very anxious to +proceed, however, and willing to take the chances; so, consent being +finally obtained, I started with a corporal and two mounted men, +through a wild and uninhabited region, to overtake if possible +Lieutenant Williamson. Being on horseback, and unencumbered by +luggage of any kind except blankets and a little hard bread, coffee +and smoking-tobacco, which were all carried on our riding animals, we +were sanguine of succeeding, for we traversed in one day fully the +distance made in three by Lieutenant Williamson's party on foot. + +The first day we reached the base of Lassan's Butte, where I +determined to spend the night near an isolated cabin, or dugout, that +had been recently constructed by a hardy pioneer. The wind was +blowing a disagreeable gale, which had begun early in the day. This +made it desirable to locate our camp under the best cover we could +find, and I spent some little time in looking about for a +satisfactory place, but nothing better offered than a large fallen +tree, which lay in such a direction that by encamping on its lee side +we would be protected from the fury of the storm. This spot was +therefore fixed upon, and preparation made for spending the night as +comfortably as the circumstances would permit. + +After we had unsaddled I visited the cabin to inquire in regard to +the country ahead, and there found at first only a soldier of +Williamson's party; later the proprietor of the ranch appeared. The +soldier had been left behind by the surveying party on account of +illness, with instructions to make his way back to Fort Reading as +best he could when he recovered. His condition having greatly +improved, however, since he had been left, he now begged me in +beseeching terms to take him along with my party, which I finally +consented to do, provided that if he became unable to keep up with +me, and I should be obliged to abandon him, the responsibility would +be his, not mine. This increased my number to five, and was quite a +reinforcement should we run across any hostile Indians; but it was +also certain to prove an embarrassment should the man again fall ill. + +During the night, notwithstanding the continuance of the storm, I had +a very sound and refreshing sleep behind the protecting log where we +made our camp, and at daylight next morning we resumed our journey, +fortified by a breakfast of coffee and hard bread. I skirted around +the base of Lassan's Butte, thence down Hat Creek, all the time +following the trail made by Lieutenant Williamson's party. About +noon the soldier I had picked up at my first camp gave out, and could +go no farther. As stipulated when I consented to take him along, I +had the right to abandon him, but when it came to the test I could +not make up my mind to do it. Finding a good place not far off the +trail, one of my men volunteered to remain with him until he died; +and we left them there, with a liberal supply of hard bread and +coffee, believing that we would never again see the invalid. My +reinforcement was already gone, and another man with it. + +With my diminished party I resumed the trail and followed it until +about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, when we heard the sound of voices, +and the corporal, thinking we were approaching Lieutenant +Williamson's party, was so overjoyed in anticipation of the junction, +that he wanted to fire his musket as an expression of his delight. +This I prevented his doing, however, and we continued cautiously and +slowly on to develop the source of the sounds in front. We had not +gone far before I discovered that the noise came from a band of Pit +River Indians, who had struck the trail of the surveying expedition, +and were following it up, doubtless with evil intent. Dismounting +from my horse I counted the moccasin tracks to ascertain the number +of Indians, discovered it to be about thirty, and then followed on +behind them cautiously, but with little difficulty, as appearances of +speed on their part indicated that they wished to overtake Lieutenant +Williamson's party, which made them less on the lookout than usual +for any possible pursuers. After following the trail until nearly +sundown, I considered it prudent to stop for the night, and drew off +some little distance, where, concealed in a dense growth of timber, +we made our camp. + +As I had with me now only two men, I felt somewhat nervous, so I +allowed no fires to be built, and in consequence our supper consisted +of hard bread only. I passed an anxious night, but beyond our own +solicitude there was nothing to disturb us, the Indians being too +much interested in overtaking the party in front to seek for victims +in the rear, After a hard-bread breakfast we started again on the +trail, and had proceeded but a short distance when, hearing the +voices of the Indians, we at once slackened our speed so as not to +overtake them. + +Most of the trail on which we traveled during the morning ran over an +exceedingly rough lava formation--a spur of the lava beds often +described during the Modoc war of 1873 so hard and flinty that +Williamson's large command made little impression on its surface, +leaving in fact, only indistinct traces of its line of march. By +care and frequent examinations we managed to follow his route through +without much delay, or discovery by the Indians, and about noon, +owing to the termination of the lava formation, we descended into the +valley of Hat Greek, a little below where it emerges from the second +canon and above its confluence with Pit River. As soon as we reached +the fertile soil of the valley, we found Williamson's trail well +defined, deeply impressed in the soft loam, and coursing through +wild-flowers and luxuriant grass which carpeted the ground on every +hand. + +When we struck this delightful locality we traveled with considerable +speed, and after passing over hill and vale for some distance, the +trail becoming more and more distinct all the time, I suddenly saw in +front of me the Pit River Indians. + +This caused a halt, and having hurriedly re-capped our guns and +six-shooters, thus preparing for the worst, I took a look at the band +through my field-glass. They were a half-mile or more in our front +and numbered about thirty individuals, armed with bows and arrows +only. Observing us they made friendly demonstrations, but I had not +implicit faith in a Pit River Indian at that period of the settlement +of our country, and especially in that wild locality, so after a +"council of war" with the corporal and man, I concluded to advance to +a point about two hundred yards distant from the party, when, relying +on the speed of our horses rather than on the peaceable intentions of +the savages, I hoped to succeed in cutting around them and take the +trail beyond. Being on foot they could not readily catch us, and +inasmuch as their arrows were good for a range of only about sixty +yards, I had no fear of any material damage on that score. + +On reaching the place selected for our flank movement we made a dash +to the left of the trail, through the widest part of the valley, and +ran our horses swiftly by, but I noticed that the Indians did not +seem to be disturbed by the manoeuvre and soon realized that this +indifference was occasioned by the knowledge that we could not cross +Hat Creek, a deep stream with vertical banks, too broad to be leaped +by our horses. We were obliged, therefore, to halt, and the Indians +again made demonstrations of friendship, some of them even getting +into the stream to show that they were at the ford. Thus reassured, +we regained our confidence and boldly crossed the river in the midst +of them. After we had gained the bluff on the other side of the +creek, I looked down into the valley of Pit River, and could plainly +see the camp of the surveying party. Its proximity was the influence +which had doubtless caused the peaceable conduct of the Indians. +Probably the only thing that saved us was their ignorance of our +being in their rear, until we stumbled on them almost within sight of +the large party under Williamson. + +The Pit River Indians were very hostile at that time, and for many +succeeding years their treachery and cruelty brought misfortune and +misery to the white settlers who ventured their lives in search of +home and fortune in the wild and isolated section over which these +savages roamed. Not long after Williamson's party passed through +their country, the Government was compelled to send into it a +considerable force for the purpose of keeping them under control. +The outcome of this was a severe fight--resulting in the loss of a +good many lives--between the hostiles and a party of our troops under +Lieutenant George Crook. It finally ended in the establishment of a +military post in the vicinity of the battle-ground, for the permanent +occupation of the country. + +A great load was lifted from my heart when I found myself so near +Williamson's camp, which I joined August 4, 1855, receiving a warm +welcome from the officers. During the afternoon I relieved +Lieutenant Hood of the command of the personal escort, and he was +ordered to return, with twelve of the mounted men, over the trail I +had followed. I pointed out to him on the map the spot where he +would find the two men left on the roadside, and he was directed to +take them into Fort Reading. They were found without difficulty, and +carried in to the post. The sick man--Duryea--whom I had expected +never to see again, afterward became the hospital steward at Fort +Yamhill, Oregon, when I was stationed there. + +The Indians that I had passed at the ford came to the bluff above the +camp, and arranging themselves in a squatting posture, looked down +upon Williamson's party with longing eyes, in expectation of a feast. +They were a pitiable lot, almost naked, hungry and cadaverous. +Indians are always hungry, but these poor creatures were particularly +so, as their usual supply of food had grown very scarce from one +cause and another. + +In prosperity they mainly subsisted on fish, or game killed with the +bow and arrow. When these sources failed they lived on grasshoppers, +and at this season the grasshopper was their principal food. In +former years salmon were very abundant in the streams of the +Sacramento Valley, and every fall they took great quantities of these +fish and dried them for winter use, but alluvial mining had of late +years defiled the water of the different streams and driven the fish +out. On this account the usual supply of salmon was very limited. +They got some trout high up on the rivers, above the sluices and +rockers of the miners, but this was a precarious source from which to +derive food, as their means of taking the trout were very primitive. +They had neither hooks nor lines, but depended entirely on a +contrivance made from long, slender branches of willow, which grew on +the banks of most of the streams. One of these branches would be +cut, and after sharpening the butt-end to a point, split a certain +distance, and by a wedge the prongs divided sufficiently to admit a +fish between. The Indian fisherman would then slyly put the forked +end in the water over his intended victim, and with a quick dart +firmly wedge him between the prongs. When secured there, the work of +landing him took but a moment. When trout were plentiful this +primitive mode of taking them was quite successful, and I have often +known hundreds of pounds to be caught in this way, but when they were +scarce and suspicious the rude method was not rewarded with good +results. + +The band looking down on us evidently had not had much fish or game +to eat for some time, so when they had made Williamson understand +that they were suffering for food he permitted them to come into +camp, and furnished them with a supply, which they greedily swallowed +as fast as it was placed at their service, regardless of possible +indigestion. When they had eaten all they could hold, their +enjoyment was made complete by the soldiers, who gave them a quantity +of strong plug tobacco. This they smoked incessantly, inhaling all +the smoke, so that none of the effect should be lost. When we +abandoned this camp the next day, the miserable wretches remained in +it and collected the offal about the cooks' fires to feast still +more, piecing out the meal, no doubt, with their staple article of +food--grasshoppers. + +On the morning of August 5 Lieutenant Hood started back to Fort +Reading, and Lieutenant Williamson resumed his march for the Columbia +River. Our course was up Pit River, by the lower and upper canons, +then across to the Klamath Lakes, then east, along their edge to the +upper lake. At the middle Klamath Lake, just after crossing Lost +River and the Natural Bridge, we met a small party of citizens from +Jacksonville, Oregon, looking for hostile Indians who had committed +some depredations in their neighborhood. From them we learned that +the Rogue River Indians in southern Oregon were on the war-path, and +that as the "regular troops up there were of no account, the citizens +had taken matters in hand, and intended cleaning up the hostiles." +They swaggered about our camp, bragged a good deal, cursed the +Indians loudly, and soundly abused the Government for not giving them +better protection. It struck me, however, that they had not worked +very hard to find the hostiles; indeed, it could plainly be seen that +their expedition was a town-meeting sort of affair, and that anxiety +to get safe home was uppermost in their thoughts. The enthusiasm +with which they started had all oozed out, and that night they +marched back to Jacksonville. The next day, at the head of the lake, +we came across an Indian village, and I have often wondered since +what would have been the course pursued by these valiant warriors +from Jacksonville had they gone far enough to get into its vicinity. + +When we reached the village the tepees--made of grass--were all +standing, the fires burning and pots boiling--the pots filled with +camas and tula roots--but not an Indian was to be seen. Williamson +directed that nothing in the village should be disturbed; so guards +were placed over it to carry out his instructions and we went into +camp just a little beyond. We had scarcely established ourselves +when a very old Indian rose up from the high grass some distance off, +and with peaceable signs approached our camp, evidently for the +purpose of learning whether or not our intentions were hostile. +Williamson told him we were friendly; that we had passed through his +village without molesting it, that we had put a guard there to secure +the property his people had abandoned in their fright, and that they +might come back in safety. The old man searchingly eyed everything +around for some little time, and gaining confidence from the +peaceable appearance of the men, who were engaged in putting up the +tents and preparing their evening meal, he concluded to accept our +professions of friendship, and bring his people in. Going out about +half a mile from the village he gave a peculiar yell, at which +between three and four hundred Indians arose simultaneously from the +ground, and in answer to his signal came out of the tall grass like a +swarm of locusts and soon overran our camp in search of food, for +like all Indians they were hungry. They too, proved to be Pit +Rivers, and were not less repulsive than those of their tribe we had +met before. They were aware of the hostilities going on between the +Rogue Rivers and the whites, but claimed that they had not taken any +part in them. I question if they had, but had our party been small, +I fear we should have been received at their village in a very +different manner. + +From the upper Klamath Lake we marched over the divide and down the +valley of the Des Chutes River to a point opposite the mountains +called the Three Sisters. Here, on September 23, the party divided, +Williamson and I crossing through the crater of the Three Sisters and +along the western slope of the Cascade Range, until we struck the +trail on McKenzie River, which led us into the Willamette Valley not +far from Eugene City. We then marched down the Willamette Valley to +Portland, Oregon, where we arrived October 9, 1855 + +The infantry portion of the command, escorting Lieutenant Henry L. +Abbot, followed farther down the Des Chutes River, to a point +opposite Mount Hood, from which it came into the Willamette Valley +and then marched to Portland. At Portland we all united, and moving +across the point between the Willamette and Columbia rivers, encamped +opposite Fort Vancouver, on the south bank of the latter stream, on +the farm of an old settler named Switzler, who had located there many +years before. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +"OLD RED"--SKILLFUL SHOOTING--YAKIMA--WAR--A LUDICROUS MISTAKE-- +"CUT-MOUTH JOHN'S" ENCOUNTER--FATHER PANDOZA'S MISSION--A SNOW-STORM- +-FAILURE OF THE EXPEDITION. + +Our camp on the Columbia, near Fort Vancouver, was beautifully +situated on a grassy sward close to the great river; and--as little +duty was required of us after so long a journey, amusement of one +kind or another, and an interchange of visits with the officers at +the post, filled in the time acceptably. We had in camp an old +mountaineer guide who had accompanied us on the recent march, and who +had received the sobriquet of "Old Red," on account of the shocky and +tangled mass of red hair and beard, which covered his head and face +so completely that only his eyes could be seen. His eccentricities +constantly supplied us with a variety of amusements. Among the +pastimes he indulged in was one which exhibited his skill with the +rifle, and at the same time protected the camp from the intrusions +and ravages of a drove of razor-backed hogs which belonged to Mr. +Switzler. These hogs were frequent visitors, and very destructive to +our grassy sward, rooting it up in front of our tents and all about +us; in pursuit of bulbous roots and offal from the camp. Old Red +conceived the idea that it would be well to disable the pigs by +shooting off the tips of their snouts, and he proceeded to put his +conception into execution, and continued it daily whenever the hogs +made their appearance. Of course their owner made a row about it; +but when Old Red daily settled for his fun by paying liberally with +gold-dust from some small bottles of the precious metal in his +possession, Switzler readily became contented, and I think even +encouraged the exhibitions--of skill. + +It was at this period (October, 1855) that the Yakima Indian war +broke out, and I was detached from duty with the exploring party and +required by Major Gabriel J. Rains, then commanding the district, to +join an expedition against the Yakimas. They had some time before +killed their agent, and in consequence a force under Major Granville +O. Haller had been sent out from the Dalles of the Columbia to +chastise them; but the expedition had not been successful; in fact, +it had been driven back, losing a number of men and two mountain +howitzers. + +The object of the second expedition was to retrieve this disaster. +The force was composed of a small body of regular troops, and a +regiment of Oregon mounted volunteers under command of Colonel James +W. Nesmith--subsequently for several years United States Senator from +Oregon. The whole force was under the command of Major Rains, Fourth +Infantry, who, in order that he might rank Nesmith, by some +hocus-pocus had been made a brigadier-general, under an appointment +from the Governor of Washington Territory. + +We started from the Dalles October 30, under conditions that were not +conducive to success. The season was late for operations; and worse +still, the command was not in accord with the commanding officer, +because of general belief in his incompetency, and on account of the +fictitious rank he assumed. On the second day out I struck a small +body of Indians with my detachment of dragoons, but was unable to do +them any particular injury beyond getting possession of a large +quantity of their winter food, which their hurried departure +compelled them to abandon. This food consisted principally of dried +salmon-pulverized and packed in sacks made of grass-dried +huckleberries, and dried camas; the latter a bulbous root about the +size of a small onion, which, when roasted and ground, is made into +bread by the Indians and has a taste somewhat like cooked chestnuts. + +Our objective point was Father Pandoza's Mission, in the Yakima +Valley, which could be reached by two different routes, and though +celerity of movement was essential, our commanding officer +"strategically" adopted the longer route, and thus the Indians had +ample opportunity to get away with their horses, cattle, women and +children, and camp property. + +After the encounter which I just now referred to, the command, which +had halted to learn the results of my chase, resumed its march to and +through the Klikitat canon, and into the lower Yakima Valley, in the +direction of the Yakima River. I had charge at the head of the +column as it passed through the canon, and on entering the valley +beyond, saw in the distance five or six Indian scouts, whom I pressed +very closely, until after a run of several miles they escaped across +the Yakima River. + +The soil in the valley was light and dry, and the movement of animals +over it raised great clouds of dust, that rendered it very difficult +to distinguish friend from foe; and as I was now separated from the +main column a considerable distance, I deemed it prudent to call a +halt until we could discover the direction taken by the principal +body of the Indians. We soon learned that they had gone up the +valley, and looking that way, we discovered a column of alkali dust +approaching us, about a mile distant, interposing between my little +detachment and the point where I knew General Rains intended to +encamp for the night. After hastily consulting with Lieutenant +Edward H. Day, of the Third United States Artillery, who was with me, +we both concluded that the dust was caused by a body of the enemy +which had slipped in between us and our main force. There seemed no +alternative left us but to get back to our friends by charging +through these Indians; and as their cloud of dust was much larger +than ours, this appeared a desperate chance. Preparations to charge +were begun, however, but, much to our surprise, before they were +completed the approaching party halted for a moment and then +commenced to retreat. This calmed the throbbing of our hearts, and +with a wild cheer we started in a hot pursuit, that continued for +about two miles, when to our great relief we discovered that we were +driving into Rains's camp a squadron of Nesmith's battalion of Oregon +volunteers that we had mistaken for Indians, and who in turn believed +us to be the enemy. When camp was reached, we all indulged in a +hearty laugh ovor the affair, and at the fright each party had given +the other. The explanations which ensued proved that the squadron of +volunteers had separated from the column at the same time that I had +when we debouched from the canon, and had pursued an intermediate +trail through the hills, which brought it into the valley of the +Yakima at a point higher up the river than where I had struck it. + +Next day we resumed our march up the valley, parallel to the Yakima. +About 1 o'clock we saw a large body of Indians on the opposite side +of the river, and the general commanding made up his mind to cross +and attack them. The stream was cold, deep, and swift, still I +succeeded in passing my dragoons over safely, but had hardly got them +well on the opposite bank when the Indians swooped down upon us. +Dismounting my men, we received the savages with a heavy fire, which +brought them to a halt with some damage and more or less confusion. + +General Rains now became very much excited and alarmed about me, and +endeavored to ford the swift river with his infantry and artillery, +but soon had to abandon the attempt, as three or four of the poor +fellows were swept off their feet and drowned. Meantime Nesmith came +up with his mounted force, crossed over, and joined me. + +The Indians now fell back to a high ridge, on the crest of which they +marched and countermarched, threatening to charge down its face. +Most of them were naked, and as their persons were painted in gaudy +colors and decorated with strips of red flannel, red blankets and gay +war-bonnets, their appearance presented a scene of picturesque +barbarism, fascinating but repulsive. As they numbered about six +hundred, the chances of whipping them did not seem overwhelmingly in +our favor, yet Nesmith and I concluded we would give them a little +fight, provided we could engage them without going beyond the ridge. +But all our efforts were in vain, for as we advanced they retreated, +and as we drew back they reappeared and renewed their parade and +noisy demonstrations, all the time beating their drums and yelling +lustily. They could not be tempted into a fight where we desired it, +however, and as we felt unequal to any pursuit beyond the ridge +without the assistance of the infantry and artillery, we re-crossed +the river and encamped with Rains. It soon became apparent that the +noisy demonstrations of the Indians were intended only as a blind to +cover the escape of their women and children to a place of safety in +the mountains. + +Next morning we took up our march without crossing the river; and as +our route would lead us by the point on the opposite bank where the +Indians had made their picturesque display the day before, they at an +early hour came over to our side, and rapidly moved ahead of us to +some distant hills, leaving in our pathway some of the more +venturesome young braves, who attempted, to retard our advance by +opening fire at long range from favorable places where they lay +concealed. This fire did us little harm, but it had the effect of +making our progress so slow that the patience of every one but +General Rains was well-nigh exhausted. + +About 2 o'clock in the afternoon we arrived well up near the base of +the range of hills, and though it was growing late we still had time +to accomplish something, but our commanding officer decided that it +was best to go into camp, and make a systematic attack next morning. +I proposed that he let me charge with my dragoons through the narrow +canon where the river broke through the range, while the infantry +should charge up the hill and drive the enemy from the top down on +the other side. In this way I thought we might possibly catch some +of the fugitives, but his extreme caution led him to refuse the +suggestion, so we pitched our tents out of range of their desultory +fire, but near enough to observe plainly their menacing and +tantalizing exhibitions of contempt. + +In addition to firing occasionally, they called us all sorts of bad +names, made indecent gestures, and aggravated us, so that between 3 +and 4 o'clock in the afternoon, by an inexplicable concert of action, +and with a serious breach of discipline, a large number of the men +and many of the officers broke en masse from the camp with loud yells +and charged the offending savages. As soon as this mob got within +musket-shot they opened fire on the Indians, who ran down the other +face of the ridge without making the slightest resistance. The hill +was readily taken by this unmilitary proceeding, and no one was hurt +on either side, but as Rains would not permit it to be held, a large +bonfire was lighted on the crest in celebration of the victory, and +then all hands marched back to camp, where they had no sooner arrived +and got settled down than the Indians returned to the summit of the +ridge, seemingly to enjoy the fire that had been so generously built +for their benefit, and with renewed taunts and gestures continued to +insult us. + +Our camp that night was strongly picketed, and when we awoke in the +morning the Indians still occupied their position on the hill. At +daylight we advanced against them, two or three companies of infantry +moving forward to drive them from the summit, while our main column +passed through the canon into the upper Yakima Valley led by my +dragoons, who were not allowed to charge into the gorge, as the +celerity of such a movement might cause the tactical combination to +fail. + +As we passed slowly and cautiously through the canon the Indians ran +rapidly away, and when we reached the farther end they had entirely +disappeared from our front, except one old fellow, whose lame horse +prevented him keeping up with the main body. This presented an +opportunity for gaining results which all thought should not be lost, +so our guide, an Indian named "Cut-mouth John," seized upon it, and +giving hot chase, soon, overtook the poor creature, whom he speedily +killed without much danger to himself, for the fugitive was armed +with only an old Hudson's Bay flint-lock horse-pistol which could not +be discharged. + +"Cut-mouth John's" engagement began and ended all the fighting that +took place on this occasion, and much disappointment and discontent +followed, Nesmith's mounted force and my dragoons being particularly +disgusted because they had not been "given a chance." During the +remainder of the day we cautiously followed the retreating foe, and +late in the evening went into camp a short distance from Father +Pandoza's Mission; where we were to await a small column of troops +under command of Captain Maurice Maloney, of the Fourth Infantry, +that was to join us from Steilicom by way of the Natchez Pass, and +from which no tidings had as yet been received. + +Next morning the first thing I saw when I put my head out from my +blankets was "Cut-mouth John," already mounted and parading himself +through the camp. The scalp of the Indian he had despatched the day +before was tied to the cross-bar of his bridle bit, the hair dangling +almost to the ground, and John was decked out in the sacred vestments +of Father Pandoza, having, long before any one was stiring in camp, +ransacked the log-cabin at the Mission in which the good man had +lived. John was at all times a most repulsive looking individual, a +part of his mouth having been shot away in a fight with Indians near +Walla Walla some years before, in which a Methodist missionary had +been killed; but his revolting personal appearance was now worse than +ever, and the sacrilegious use of Father Pandoza's vestments, coupled +with the ghastly scalp that hung from his bridle, so turned opinion +against him that he was soon captured, dismounted, and his parade +brought to an abrupt close, and I doubt whether he ever after quite +reinstated himself in the good graces of the command. + +In the course of the day nearly all the men visited the Mission, but +as it had been plundered by the Indians at the outbreak of +hostilities, when Father Pandoza was carried off, little of value was +left about it except a considerable herd of pigs, which the father +with great difficulty had succeeded in accumulating from a very small +beginning. The pigs had not been disturbed by the Indians, but the +straggling troops soon disposed of them, and then turned their +attention to the cabbages and potatoes in the garden, with the +intention, no doubt, of dining that day on fresh pork and fresh +vegetables instead of on salt junk and hard bread, which formed their +regular diet on the march. In digging up the potatoes some one +discovered half a keg of powder, which had been buried in the garden +by the good father to prevent the hostile Indians from getting it to +use against the whites. As soon as this was unearthed wild +excitement ensued, and a cry arose that Father Pandoza was the person +who furnished powder to the Indians; that here was the proof; that at +last the mysterious means by which the Indians obtained ammunition +was explained--and a rush was made for the mission building. This was +a comfortable log-house of good size, built by the Indians for a +school and church, and attached to one end was the log-cabin +residence of the priest. Its destruction was a matter of but a few +moments. A large heap of dry wood was quickly collected and piled in +the building, matches applied, and the whole Mission, including the +priest's house, was soon enveloped in flames, and burned to the +ground before the officers in camp became aware of the disgraceful +plundering in which their men were engaged. + +The commanding officer having received no news from Captain Maloney +during the day, Colonel Nesmith and I were ordered to go to his +rescue, as it was concluded that he had been surrounded by Indians in +the Natchez Pass. We started early the next morning, the snow +falling slightly as we set out, and soon arrived at the eastern mouth +of the Natchez Pass. On the way we noticed an abandoned Indian +village, which had evidently not been occupied for some time. As we +proceeded the storm increased, and the snow-fall became deeper and +deeper, until finally our horses could not travel through it. In +consequence we were compelled to give up further efforts to advance, +and obliged to turn back to the abandoned village, where we encamped +for the night. Near night-fall the storm greatly increased, and our +bivouac became most uncomfortable; but spreading my blankets on the +snow and covering them with Indian matting, I turned in and slept +with that soundness and refreshment accorded by nature to one +exhausted by fatigue. When I awoke in the morning I found myself +under about two feet of snow, from which I arose with difficulty, yet +grateful that it had kept me warm during the night. + +After a cup of coffee and a little hard bread, it was decided we +should return to the main camp near the Mission, for we were now +confident that Maloney was delayed by the snow, and safe enough on +the other side of the mountains. At all events he was beyond aid +from us, for the impassable snowdrifts could not be overcome with the +means in our possession. It turned out that our suppositions as to +the cause of his delay were correct. He had met with the same +difficulties that confronted us, and had been compelled to go into +camp. + +Meanwhile valuable time had been lost, and the Indians, with their +families and stock, were well on their way to the Okenagan country, a +region into which we could not penetrate in the winter season. No +other course was therefore left but to complete the dismal failure of +the expedition by returning home, and our commander readily gave the +order to march back to the Dalles by the "short" route over the +Yakima Mountains. + +As the storm was still unabated, it was evident our march home would +be a most difficult one, and it was deemed advisable to start back at +once, lest we should be blocked up in the mountains by the snows for +a period beyond which our provisions would not last. Relying on the +fact that the short route to the Dalles would lead us over the range +at its most depressed point, where it was hoped the depth of snow was +not yet so great as to make the route impassable, we started with +Colonel Nesmith's battalion in advance to break the road, followed by +my dragoons. In the valley we made rapid progress, but when we +reached the mountain every step we took up its side showed the snow +to be growing deeper and deeper. At last Nesmith reached the summit, +and there found a depth of about six feet of snow covering the +plateau in every direction, concealing all signs of the trail so +thoroughly that his guides became bewildered and took the wrong +divide. The moment I arrived at the top my guide--Donald Mc Kay--who +knew perfectly the whole Yakima range, discovered Nesmith's mistake. +Word was sent to bring him back, but as he had already nearly crossed +the plateau, considerable delay occurred before he returned. When he +arrived we began anew the work of breaking a road for the foot troops +behind us, my detachment now in advance. The deep snow made our work +extremely laborious, exhausting men and horses almost to the point of +relinquishing the struggle, but our desperate situation required that +we should get down into the valley beyond, or run the chance of +perishing on the mountain in a storm which seemed unending. About +midnight the column reached the valley, very tired and hungry, but +much elated over its escape. We had spent a day of the most intense +anxiety, especially those who had had the responsibility of keeping +to the right trail, and been charged with the hard work of breaking +the road for the infantry and artillery through such a depth of snow. + +Our main difficulties were now over, and in due time we reached the +Dalles, where almost everyone connected with the expedition voted it +a wretched failure; indeed, General Rains himself could not think +otherwise, but he scattered far and wide blame for the failure of his +combinations. This, of course, led to criminations and +recriminations, which eventuated in charges of incompetency preferred +against him by Captain Edward O. C. Ord, of the Third Artillery. +Rains met the charges with counter-charges against Ord, whom he +accused of purloining Father Pandoza's shoes, when the soldiers in +their fury about the ammunition destroyed the Mission. At the time +of its destruction a rumor of this nature was circulated through +camp, started by some wag, no doubt in jest; for Ord, who was +somewhat eccentric in his habits, and had started on the expedition +rather indifferently shod in carpet-slippers, here came out in a +brand-new pair of shoes. Of course there was no real foundation for +such a report, but Rains was not above small things, as the bringing +of this petty accusation attests. Neither party was ever tried, for +General John E. Wool the department commander, had not at command a +sufficient number of officers of appropriate rank to constitute a +court in the case of Rains, and the charges against Ord were very +properly ignored on account of their trifling character. + +Shortly after the expedition returned to the Dalles, my detachment +was sent down to Fort Vancouver, and I remained at that post during +the winter of 1855-'56, till late in March. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +AN INDIAN CONFEDERATION--MASSACRE AT THE CASCADES OF THE COLUMBIA- +-PLAN TO RELIEVE THE BLOCKHOUSE--A HAZARDOUS FLANK MOVEMENT--A NEW +METHOD OF ESTABLISHING GUILT--EXECUTION OF THE INDIAN MURDERERS. + +The failure of the Haller expedition from lack of a sufficient force, +and of the Rains expedition from the incompetency of its commander, +was a great mortification to the officers and men connected with +them, and, taken together, had a marked effect upon the Indian +situation in Oregon and Washington Territories at that particular +era. Besides, it led to further complications and troubles, for it +had begun to dawn upon the Indians that the whites wanted to come in +and dispossess them of their lands and homes, and the failures of +Haller and Rains fostered the belief with the Indians that they could +successfully resist the pressure of civilization. + +Acting under these influences, the Spokanes, Walla Wallas, Umatillas, +and Nez Perces cast their lot with the hostiles, and all the savage +inhabitants of the region east of the Cascade Range became involved +in a dispute as to whether the Indians or the Government should +possess certain sections of the country, which finally culminated in +the war of 1856. + +Partly to meet the situation that was approaching, the Ninth Infantry +had been sent out from the Atlantic coast to Washington Territory, +and upon its arrival at Fort Vancouver encamped in front of the +officers' quarters, on the beautiful parade-ground of that post, and +set about preparing for the coming campaign. The commander, Colonel +George Wright, who had been promoted to the colonelcy of the regiment +upon its organization the previous year, had seen much active duty +since his graduation over thirty years before, serving with credit in +the Florida and Mexican wars. For the three years previous to his +assignment to the Ninth Infantry he had been stationed on the Pacific +coast, and the experience he had there acquired, added to his +excellent soldierly qualities, was of much benefit in the active +campaigns in which, during the following years, he was to +participate. Subsequently his career was brought to an untimely +close when, nine years after this period, as he was returning to the +scene of his successes, he, in common with many others was drowned by +the wreck of the ill-fated steamer Brother Jonathan. Colonel Wright +took command of the district in place of Rains, and had been at +Vancouver but a short time before he realized that it would be +necessary to fight the confederated tribes east of the Cascade Range +of mountains, in order to disabuse them of the idea that they were +sufficiently strong to cope with the power of the Government. He +therefore at once set about the work of organizing and equipping his +troops for a start in the early spring against the hostile Indians, +intending to make the objective point of his expedition the heart of +the Spokane country on the Upper Columbia River, as the head and +front of the confederation was represented in the person of old +Cammiackan, chief of the Spokanes. + +The regiment moved from Fort Vancouver by boat, March 25, 1856, and +landed at the small town called the Dalles, below the mouth of the +Des Chutes River at the eastern base of the Cascade Range, and just +above where the Columbia River enters those mountains. This +rendezvous was to be the immediate point of departure, and all the +troops composing the expedition were concentrated there. + +On the morning of March 26 the movement began, but the column had +only reached Five Mile Creek when the Yakimas, joined by many young +warriors-free lances from other tribes, made a sudden and unexpected +attack at the Cascades of the Columbia, midway between Vancouver and +the Dalles, killed several citizens, women and children, and took +possession of the Portage by besieging the settlers in their cabins +at the Upper Cascades, and those who sought shelter at the Middle +Cascades in the old military block-house, which had been built some +years before as a place of refuge under just such circumstances. +These points held out, and were not captured, but the landing at the +Lower Cascades fell completely into the hands of the savages. +Straggling settlers from the Lower Cascades made their way down to +Fort Vancouver, distant about thirty-six miles, which they reached +that night; and communicated the condition of affairs. As the +necessity for early relief to the settlers and the re-establishment +of communication with the Dalles were apparent, all the force that +could be spared was ordered out, and in consequence I immediately +received directions to go with my detachment of dragoons, numbering +about forty effective men, to the relief of the middle blockhouse, +which really meant to retake the Cascades. I got ready at once, and +believing that a piece of artillery would be of service to me, asked +for one, but as there proved to be no guns at the post, I should have +been obliged to proceed without one had it not been that the regular +steamer from San Francisco to Portland was lying at the Vancouver +dock unloading military supplies, and the commander, Captain Dall, +supplied me with the steamer's small iron cannon, mounted on a wooden +platform, which he used in firing salutes at different ports on the +arrival and departure of the vessel. Finding at the arsenal a supply +of solid shot that would fit the gun, I had it put upon the steamboat +Belle, employed to carry my command to the scene of operations, and +started up the Columbia River at 2 A.M. on the morning of the 27th. +We reached the Lower Cascades early in the day, where, selecting a +favorable place for the purpose, I disembarked my men and gun on the +north bank of the river, so that I could send back the steamboat to +bring up any volunteer assistance that in the mean time might have +been collected at Vancouver. + +The Columbia River was very high at the time, and the water had +backed up into the slough about the foot of the Lower Cascades to +such a degree that it left me only a narrow neck of firm ground to +advance over toward the point occupied by the Indians. On this neck +of land the hostiles had taken position, as I soon learned by +frequent shots, loud shouting, and much blustering; they, by the most +exasperating yells and indecent exhibitions, daring me to the +contest. + +After getting well in hand everything connected with my little +command, I advanced with five or six men to the edge of a growth of +underbrush to make a reconnoissance. We stole along under cover of +this underbrush until we reached the open ground leading over the +causeway or narrow neck before mentioned, when the enemy opened fire +and killed a soldier near my side by a shot which, just grazing the +bridge of my nose, struck him in the neck, opening an artery and +breaking the spinal cord. He died instantly. The Indians at once +made a rush for the body, but my men in the rear, coming quickly to +the rescue, drove them back; and Captain Doll's gun being now brought +into play, many solid shot were thrown into the jungle where they lay +concealed, with the effect of considerably moderating their +impetuosity. Further skirmishing at long range took place at +intervals during the day, with little gain or loss, however, to +either side, for both parties held positions which could not be +assailed in flank, and only the extreme of rashness in either could +prompt a front attack. My left was protected by the back water +driven into the slough by the high stage of the river, and my right +rested secure on the main stream. Between us was only the narrow +neck of land, to cross which would be certain death. The position of +the Indians was almost the exact counterpart of ours. + +In the evening I sent a report of the situation back to Vancouver by +the steamboat, retaining a large Hudson's Bay bateau which I had +brought up with me. Examining this I found it would carry about +twenty men, and made up my mind that early next morning I would cross +the command to the opposite or south side of the Columbia River, and +make my way up along the mountain base until I arrived abreast the +middle blockhouse, which was still closely besieged, and then at some +favorable point recross to the north bank to its relief, endeavoring +in this manner to pass around and to the rear of the Indians, whose +position confronting me was too strong for a direct attack. This +plan was hazardous, but I believed it could be successfully carried +out if the boat could be taken with me; but should I not be able to +do this I felt that the object contemplated in sending me out would +miserably fail, and the small band cooped up at the block-house would +soon starve or fall a prey to the Indians, so I concluded to risk all +the chances the plan involved. + +On the morning of March 28 the savages were still in my front, and +after giving them some solid shot from Captain Dall's gun we slipped +down to the river-bank, and the detachment crossed by means of the +Hudson's Bay boat, making a landing on the opposite shore at a point +where the south channel of the river, after flowing around Bradford's +Island, joins the main stream. It was then about 9 o'clock, and +everything had thus far proceeded favorably, but examination of the +channel showed that it would be impossible to get the boat up the +rapids along the mainland, and that success could only be assured by +crossing the south channel just below the rapids to the island, along +the shore of which there was every probability we could pull the boat +through the rocks and swift water until the head of the rapids was +reached, from which point to the block-house there was smooth water. +Telling the men of the embarrassment in which I found myself, and +that if I could get enough of them to man the boat and pull it up the +stream by a rope to the shore we would cross to the island and make +the attempt, all volunteered to go, but as ten men seemed sufficient +I selected that number to accompany me. Before starting, however, I +deemed it prudent to find out if possible what was engaging the +attention of the Indians, who had not yet discovered that we had left +their front. I therefore climbed up the side of the abrupt mountain +which skirted the water's edge until I could see across the island. +From this point I observed the Indians running horse-races and +otherwise enjoying themselves behind the line they had held against +me the day before. The squaws decked out in gay colors, and the men +gaudily dressed in war bonnets, made the scene most attractive, but +as everything looked propitious for the dangerous enterprise in hand +I spent little time watching them. Quickly returning to the boat, I +crossed to the island with my ten men, threw ashore the rope attached +to the bow, and commenced the difficult task of pulling her up the +rapids. We got along slowly at first, but soon striking a camp of +old squaws who had been left on the island for safety, and had not +gone over to the mainland to see the races, we utilized them to our +advantage. With unmistakable threats and signs we made them not only +keep quiet, but also give us much needed assistance in pulling +vigorously on the towrope of our boat. + +I was laboring under a dreadful strain of mental anxiety during all +this time, for had the Indians discovered what we were about, they +could easily have come over to the island in their canoes, and, by +forcing us to take up our arms to repel their attack, doubtless would +have obliged the abandonment of the boat, and that essential adjunct +to the final success of my plan would have gone down the rapids. +Indeed, under such circumstances, it would have been impossible for +ten men to hold out against the two or three hundred Indians; but the +island forming an excellent screen to our movements, we were not +discovered, and when we reached the smooth water at the upper end of +the rapids we quickly crossed over and joined the rest of the men, +who in the meantime had worked their way along the south bank of the +river parallel with us. I felt very grateful to the old squaws for +the assistance they rendered. They worked well under compulsion, and +manifested no disposition to strike for higher wages. Indeed, I was +so much relieved when we had crossed over from the island and joined +the rest of the party, that I mentally thanked the squaws one and +all. I had much difficulty in keeping the men on the main shore from +cheering at our success, but hurriedly taking into the bateau all of +them it could carry, I sent the balance along the southern bank, +where the railroad is now built, until both detachments arrived at a +point opposite the block-house, when, crossing to the north bank, I +landed below the blockhouse some little distance, and returned the +boat for the balance of the men, who joined me in a few minutes. + +When the Indians attacked the people at the Cascades on the 26th, +word was sent to Colonel Wright, who had already got out from the +Dalles a few miles on his expedition to the Spokane country. He +immediately turned his column back, and soon after I had landed and +communicated with the beleaguered block-house the advance of his +command arrived under Lieutenant-Colonel Edward J. Steptoe. I +reported to Steptoe, and related what had occurred during the past +thirty-six hours, gave him a description of the festivities that were +going on at the lower Cascades, and also communicated the +intelligence that the Yakimas had been joined by the Cascade Indians +when the place was first attacked. I also told him it was my belief +that when he pushed down the main shore the latter tribe without +doubt would cross over to the island we had just left, while the +former would take to the mountains. Steptoe coincided with me in +this opinion, and informing me that Lieutenant Alexander Piper would +join my detachment with a mountain' howitzer, directed me to convey +the command to the island and gobble up all who came over to it. + +Lieutenant Piper and I landed on the island with the first boatload, +and after disembarking the howitzer we fired two or three shots to +let the Indians know we had artillery with us, then advanced down the +island with the whole of my command, which had arrived in the mean +time; all of the men were deployed as skirmishers except a small +detachment to operate the howitzer. Near the lower end of the island +we met, as I had anticipated, the entire body of Cascade Indianmen, +women, and children--whose homes were in the vicinity of the +Cascades. They were very much frightened and demoralized at the turn +events had taken, for the Yakimas at the approach of Steptoe had +abandoned them, as predicted, and fled to the mountians. The chief +and head-men said they had had nothing to do with the capture of the +Cascades, with the murder of men at the upper landing, nor with the +massacre of men, women, and children near the block-house, and put +all the blame on the Yakimas and their allies. I did not believe +this, however, and to test the truth of their statement formed them +all in line with their muskets in hand. Going up to the first man on +the right I accused him of having engaged in the massacre, but was +met by a vigorous denial. Putting my forefinger into the muzzle of +his gun, I found unmistakable signs of its having been recently +discharged. My finger was black with the stains of burnt powder, and +holding it up to the Indian, he had nothing more to say in the face +of such positive evidence of his guilt. A further examination proved +that all the guns were in the same condition. Their arms were at +once taken possession of, and leaving a small, force to look after +the women and children and the very old men, so that there could be +no possibility of escape, I arrested thirteen of the principal +miscreants, crossed the river to the lower landing, and placed them +in charge of a strong guard. + +Late in the evening the steamboat, which I had sent back to +Vancouver, returned, bringing to my assistance from Vancouver, +Captain Henry D. Wallen's company of the Fourth Infantry and a +company of volunteers hastily organized at Portland, but as the +Cascades had already been retaken, this reinforcement was too late to +participate in the affair. The volunteers from Portland, however, +were spoiling for a fight, and in the absence of other opportunity +desired to shoot the prisoners I held (who, they alleged, had killed +a man named Seymour), and proceeded to make their arrangements to do +so, only desisting on being informed that the Indians were my +prisoners, subject to the orders of Colonel Wright, and would be +protected to the last by my detachment. Not long afterward Seymour +turned up safe and sound, having fled at the beginning of the attack +on the Cascades, and hid somewhere in the thick underbrush until the +trouble was over, and then made his way back to the settlement. The +next day I turned my prisoners over to Colonel Wright, who had them +marched to the upper landing of the Cascades, where, after a trial by +a military commission, nine of them were sentenced to death and duly +hanged. I did not see them executed, but was afterward informed +that, in the absence of the usual mechanical apparatus used on such +occasions, a tree with a convenient limb under which two empty +barrels were placed, one on top of the other, furnished a rude but +certain substitute. In executing the sentence each Indian in turn +was made to stand on the top barrel, and after the noose was adjusted +the lower barrel was knocked away, and the necessary drop thus +obtained. In this way the whole nine were punished. Just before +death they all acknowledged their guilt by confessing their +participation in the massacre at the block-house, and met their doom +with the usual stoicism of their race. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +MISDIRECTED VENGEANCE--HONORABLE MENTION--CHANGE OF COMMAND--EDUCATED +OXEN--FEEDING THE INDIANS--PURCHASING A BURYING-GROUND--KNOWING RATS. + +While still encamped at the lower landing, some three or four days +after the events last recounted, Mr. Joseph Meek, an old frontiersman +and guide for emigrant trains through the mountains, came down from +the Dalles, on his way to Vancouver, and stopped at my camp to +inquire if an Indian named Spencer and his family had passed down to +Vancouver since my arrival at the Cascades. Spencer, the head of the +family, was a very influential, peaceable Chinook chief, whom Colonel +Wright had taken with him from Fort Vancouver as an interpreter and +mediator with the Spokanes and other hostile tribes, against which +his campaign was directed. He was a good, reliable Indian, and on +leaving Vancouver to join Colonel Wright, took his family along, to +remain with relatives and friends at Fort Dalles until the return of +the expedition. When Wright was compelled to retrace his steps on +account of the capture of the Cascades, this family for some reason +known only to Spencer, was started by him down the river to their +home at Vancouver. + +Meek, on seeing the family leave the Dalles, had some misgivings as +to their safe arrival at their destination, because of the excited +condition of the people about the Cascades; but Spencer seemed to +think that his own peaceable and friendly reputation, which was +widespread, would protect them; so he parted from his wife and +children with little apprehension as to their safety. In reply to +Meek's question, I stated that I had not seen Spencer's family, when +he remarked, "Well, I fear that they are gone up," a phrase used in +that country in early days to mean that they had been killed. I +questioned him closely, to elicit further information, but no more +could be obtained; for Meek, either through ignorance or the usual +taciturnity of his class, did not explain more fully, and when the +steamer that had brought the reinforcement started down the river, he +took passage for Vancouver, to learn definitely if the Indian family +had reached that point. I at once sent to the upper landing, distant +about six miles, to make inquiry in regard to the matter, and in a, +little time my messenger returned with the information that the +family had reached that place the day before, and finding that we had +driven the hostiles off, continued their journey on foot toward my +camp, from which point they expected to go by steamer down the river +to Vancouver. + +Their non-arrival aroused in me suspicions of foul play, so with all +the men I could spare, and accompanied by Lieutenant William T. +Welcker, of the Ordnance Corps--a warm and intimate friend--I went in +search of the family, deploying the men as skirmishers across the +valley, and marching them through the heavy forest where the ground +was covered with fallen timber and dense underbrush, in order that no +point might escape our attention. The search was continued between +the base of the mountain and the river without finding any sign of +Spencer's family, until about 3 o'clock in the afternoon, when we +discovered them between the upper and lower landing, in a small open +space about a mile from the road, all dead--strangled to death with +bits of rope. The party consisted of the mother, two youths, three +girls, and a baby. They had all been killed by white men, who had +probably met the innocent creatures somewhere near the blockhouse, +driven them from the road into the timber, where the cruel murders +were committed without provocation, and for no other purpose than the +gratification of the inordinate hatred of the Indian that has often +existed on the frontier, and which on more than one occasion has +failed to distinguish friend from foe. The bodies lay in a +semicircle, and the bits of rope with which the poor wretches had +been strangled to death were still around their necks. Each piece of +rope--the unwound strand of a heavier piece--was about two feet long, +and encircled the neck of its victim with a single knot, that must +have been drawn tight by the murderers pulling at the ends. As there +had not been quite enough rope to answer for all, the babe was +strangled by means of a red silk handkerchief, taken, doubtless, from +the neck of its mother. It was a distressing sight. A most cruel +outrage had been committed upon unarmed people--our friends and +allies--in a spirit of aimless revenge. The perpetrators were +citizens living near the middle block-house, whose wives and children +had been killed a few days before by the hostiles, but who well knew +that these unoffending creatures had had nothing to do with those +murders. + +In my experience I have been obliged to look upon many cruel scenes +in connection with Indian warfare on the Plains since that day, but +the effect of this dastardly and revolting crime has never been +effaced from my memory. Greater and more atrocious massacres have +been committed often by Indians; their savage nature modifies one's +ideas, however, as to the inhumanity of their acts, but when such +wholesale murder as this is done by whites, and the victims not only +innocent, but helpless, no defense can be made for those who +perpetrated the crime, if they claim to be civilized beings. It is +true the people at the Cascades had suffered much, and that their +wives and children had been murdered before their eyes, but to wreak +vengeance on Spencer's unoffending family, who had walked into their +settlement under the protection of a friendly alliance, was an +unparalleled outrage which nothing can justify or extenuate. With as +little delay as possible after the horrible discovery, I returned to +camp, had boxes made, and next day buried the bodies of these hapless +victims of misdirected vengeance. + +The summary punishment inflicted on the nine Indians, in their trial +and execution, had a most salutary effect on the confederation, and +was the entering wedge to its disintegration; and though Colonel +Wright's campaign continued during the summer and into the early +winter, the subjugation of the allied bands became a comparatively +easy matter after the lesson taught the renegades who were captured +at the Cascades. My detachment did not accompany Colonel Wright, but +remained for some time at the Cascades, and while still there General +Wool came up from San Francisco to take a look into the condition of +things. From his conversation with me in reference to the affair at +the Cascades, I gathered that he was greatly pleased at the service I +had performed, and I afterward found that his report of my conduct +had so favorably impressed General Scott that that distinguished +officer complimented me from the headquarters of the army in general +orders. + +General Wool, while personally supervising matters on the Columbia +River, directed a redistribution to some extent of the troops in the +district, and shortly before his return to San Francisco I was +ordered with my detachment of dragoons to take station on the Grande +Ronde Indian Reservation in Yamhill County, Oregon, about twenty-five +miles southwest of Dayton, and to relieve from duty at that point +Lieutenant William B. Hazen--late brigadier-general and chief signal +officer--who had established a camp there some time before. I +started for my new station on April 21, and marching by way of +Portland and Oregon City, arrived at Hazen's camp April 25. The camp +was located in the Coast range of mountains, on the northeast part of +the reservation, to which last had been added a section of country +that was afterward known as the Siletz reservation. The whole body +of land set aside went under the general name of the "Coast +reservation," from its skirting the Pacific Ocean for some distance +north of Yaquina Bay, and the intention was to establish within its +bounds permanent homes for such Indians as might be removed to it. +In furtherance of this idea, and to relieve northern California and +southwestern Oregon from the roaming, restless bands that kept the +people of those sections in a state of constant turmoil, many of the +different tribes, still under control but liable to take part in +warfare, were removed to the reservation, so that they might be away +from the theatre of hostilities. + +When I arrived I found that the Rogue River Indians had just been +placed upon the reservation, and subsequently the Coquille, Klamath, +Modocs, and remnants of the Chinooks were collected there also, the +home of the latter being in the Willamette Valley. The number all +told amounted to some thousands, scattered over the entire Coast +reservation, but about fifteen hundred were located at the Grande +Ronde under charge of an agent, Mr. John F. Miller, a sensible, +practical man, who left the entire police control to the military, +and attended faithfully to the duty of settling the Indians in the +work of cultivating the soil. + +As the place was to be occupied permanently, Lieutenant Hazen had +begun, before my arrival, the erection of buildings for the shelter +of his command, and I continued the work of constructing the post as +laid out by him. In those days the Government did not provide very +liberally for sheltering its soldiers; and officers and men were +frequently forced to eke out parsimonious appropriations by toilsome +work or go without shelter in most inhospitable regions. Of course +this post was no exception to the general rule, and as all hands were +occupied in its construction, and I the only officer present, I was +kept busily employed in supervising matters, both as commandant and +quartermaster, until July, when Captain D. A. Russell, of the Fourth +Infantry, was ordered to take command, and I was relieved from the +first part of my duties. + +About this time my little detachment parted from me, being ordered to +join a company of the First Dragoons, commanded by Captain Robert +Williams, as it passed up the country from California by way of +Yamhill. I regretted exceedingly to see them go, for their faithful +work and gallant service had endeared every man to me by the +strongest ties. Since I relieved Lieutenant Hood on Pit River, +nearly a twelvemonth before, they had been my constant companions, +and the zeal with which they had responded to every call I made on +them had inspired in my heart a deep affection that years have not +removed. When I relieved Hood--a dragoon officer of their own +regiment--they did not like the change, and I understood that they +somewhat contemptuously expressed this in more ways than one, in +order to try the temper of the new "Leftenant," but appreciative and +unremitting care, together with firm and just discipline, soon +quieted all symptoms of dissatisfaction and overcame all prejudice. +The detachment had been made up of details from the different +companies of the regiment in order to give Williamson a mounted +force, and as it was usual, under such circumstances, for every +company commander to shove into the detail he was called upon to +furnish the most troublesome and insubordinate individuals of his +company, I had some difficulty, when first taking command, in +controlling such a medley of recalcitrants; but by forethought for +them and their wants, and a strict watchfulness for their rights and +comfort, I was able in a short time to make them obedient and the +detachment cohesive. In the past year they had made long and +tiresome marches, forded swift mountain streams, constructed rafts of +logs or bundles of dry reeds to ferry our baggage, swum deep rivers, +marched on foot to save their worn-out and exhausted animals, climbed +mountains, fought Indians, and in all and everything had done the +best they could for the service and their commander. The disaffected +feeling they entertained when I first assumed command soon wore away, +and in its place came a confidence and respect which it gives me the +greatest pleasure to remember, for small though it was, this was my +first cavalry command. They little thought, when we were in the +mountains of California and Oregon--nor did I myself then dream--that +but a few years were to elapse before it would be my lot again to +command dragoons, this time in numbers so vast as of themselves to +compose almost an army. + +Shortly after the arrival of Captain Russell a portion of the Indians +at the Grande Ronde reservation were taken down the coast to the +Siletz reservation, and I was transferred temporarily to Fort +Haskins, on the latter reserve, and assigned to the duty of +completing it and building a blockhouse for the police control of the +Indians placed there. + +While directing this work, I undertook to make a road across the +coast mountains from King's Valley to the Siletz, to shorten the haul +between the two points by a route I had explored. I knew there were +many obstacles in the way, but the gain would be great if we could +overcome them, so I set to work with the enthusiasm of a young path- +finder. The point at which the road was to cross the range was rough +and precipitous, but the principal difficulty in making it would be +from heavy timber on the mountains that had been burned over years +and years before, until nothing was left but limbless trunks of dead +trees--firs and pines--that had fallen from time to time until the +ground was matted with huge logs from five to eight feet in diameter. +These could not be chopped with axes nor sawed by any ordinary means, +therefore we had to burn them into suitable lengths, and drag the +sections to either side of the roadway with from four to six yoke of +oxen. + +The work was both tedious and laborious, but in time perseverance +surmounted all obstacles and the road was finished, though its grades +were very steep. As soon as it was completed, I wished to +demonstrate its value practically, so I started a Government wagon +over it loaded with about fifteen hundred pounds of freight drawn by +six yoke of oxen, and escorted by a small detachment of soldiers. +When it had gone about seven miles the sergeant in charge came back +to the post and reported his inability to get any further. Going out +to the scene of difficulty I found the wagon at the base of a steep +hill, stalled. Taking up a whip myself, I directed the men to lay on +their gads, for each man had supplied himself with a flexible hickory +withe in the early stages of the trip, to start the team, but this +course did not move the wagon nor have much effect on the demoralized +oxen; but following as a last resort an example I heard of on a +former occasion, that brought into use the rough language of the +country, I induced the oxen to move with alacrity, and the wagon and +contents were speedily carried to the summit. The whole trouble was +at once revealed: the oxen had been broken and trained by a man who, +when they were in a pinch, had encouraged them by his frontier +vocabulary, and they could not realize what was expected of them +under extraordinary conditions until they heard familiar and possibly +profanely urgent phrases. I took the wagon to its destination, but +as it was not brought back, even in all the time I was stationed in +that country, I think comment on the success of my road is +unnecessary. + +I spent many happy months at Fort Haskins, remaining there until the +post was nearly completed and its garrison increased by the arrival +of Captain F. T. Dent--a brother-in-law of Captain Ulysses S. Grant-- +with his company of the Fourth Infantry, in April, 1857. In the +summer of 1856, and while I was still on duty there, the Coquille +Indians on the Siletz, and down near the Yaquina Bay, became, on +account of hunger and prospective starvation, very much excited and +exasperated, getting beyond the control of their agent, and even +threatening his life, so a detachment of troops was sent out to set +things to rights, and I took command of it. I took with me most of +the company, and arrived at Yaquina Bay in time to succor the agent, +who for some days had been besieged in a log hut by the Indians and +had almost abandoned hope of rescue. + +Having brought with me over the mountains a few head of beef cattle +for the hungry Indians, without thinking of running any great +personal risk I had six beeves killed some little distance from my +camp, guarding the meat with four Soldiers, whom I was obliged to +post as sentinels around the small area on which the carcasses lay. +The Indians soon formed a circle about the sentinels, and impelled by +starvation, attempted to take the beef before it could be equally +divided. This was of course resisted, when they drew their knives-- +their guns having been previously taken away from them--and some of +the inferior chiefs gave the signal to attack. The principal chief, +Tetootney John, and two other Indians joined me in the centre of the +circle, and protesting that they would die rather than that the +frenzied onslaught should succeed, harangued the Indians until the +rest of the company hastened up from camp and put an end to the +disturbance. I always felt grateful to Tetootney John for his +loyalty on this occasion, and many times afterward aided his family +with a little coffee and sugar, but necessarily surreptitiously, so +as not to heighten the prejudices that his friendly act had aroused +among his Indian comrades. + +The situation at Yaquina Bay did not seem very safe, notwithstanding +the supply of beef we brought; and the possibility that the starving +Indians might break out was ever present, so to anticipate any +further revolt, I called for more troops. The request was complied +with by sending to my assistance the greater part of my own company +("K")from Fort Yamhill. The men, inspired by the urgency of our +situation, marched more than forty miles a day, accomplishing the +whole distance in so short a period, that I doubt if the record has +ever been beaten. When this reinforcement arrived, the Indians saw +the futility of further demonstrations against their agent, who they +seemed to think was responsible for the insufficiency of food, and +managed to exist with the slender rations we could spare and such +indifferent food as they could pick up, until the Indian Department +succeeded in getting up its regular supplies. In the past the poor +things had often been pinched by hunger and neglect, and at times +their only food was rock oysters, clams and crabs. Great quantities +of these shell-fish could be gathered in the bay near at hand, but +the mountain Indians, who had heretofore lived on the flesh of +mammal, did not take kindly to mollusks, and, indeed, ate the shell- +fish only as a last resort. + +Crab catching at night on the Yaquina Bay by the coast Indians was a +very picturesque scene. It was mostly done by the squaws and +children, each equipped with a torch in one hand, and a sharp-pointed +stick in the other to take and lift the fish into baskets slung on +the back to receive them. I have seen at times hundreds of squaws +and children wading about in Yaquina Bay taking crabs in this manner, +and the reflection by the water of the light from the many torches, +with the movements of the Indians while at work, formed a weird and +diverting picture of which we were never tired. + +Not long after the arrival of the additional troops from Yamhill, it +became apparent that the number of men at Yaquina Bay would have to +be reduced, so in view of this necessity, it was deemed advisable to +build a block-house for the better protection of the agents and I +looked about for suitable ground on which to erect it. Nearly all +around the bay the land rose up from the beach very abruptly, and the +only good site that could be found was some level ground used as the +burial-place of the Yaquina Bay Indians--a small band of fish-eating +people who had lived near this point on the coast for ages. They +were a robust lot, of tall and well-shaped figures, and were called +in the Chinook tongue "salt chuck," which means fish-eaters, or +eaters of food from the salt water. Many of the young men and women +were handsome in feature below the forehead, having fine eyes, +aquiline noses and good mouths, but, in conformity with a long- +standing custom, all had flat heads, which gave them a distorted and +hideous appearance, particularly some of the women, who went to the +extreme of fashion and flattened the head to the rear in a sharp +horizontal ridge by confining it between two boards, one running back +from the forehead at an angle of about forty degrees, and the other +up perpendicularly from the back of the neck. When a head had been +shaped artistically the dusky maiden owner was marked as a belle, and +one could become reconciled to it after a time, but when carelessness +and neglect had governed in the adjustment of the boards, there +probably was nothing in the form of a human being on the face of the +earth that appeared so ugly. + +It was the mortuary ground of these Indians that occupied the only +level spot we could get for the block-house. Their dead were buried +in canoes, which rested in the crotches of forked sticks a few feet +above-ground. The graveyard was not large, containing probably from +forty to fifty canoes in a fair state of preservation. According to +the custom of all Indian tribes on the Pacific coast, when one of +their number died all his worldly effects were buried with him, so +that the canoes were filled with old clothes, blankets, pieces of +calico and the like, intended for the use of the departed in the +happy hunting grounds. + +I made known to the Indians that we would have to take this piece of +ground for the blockhouse. They demurred at first, for there is +nothing more painful to an Indian than disturbing his dead, but they +finally consented to hold a council next day on the beach, and thus +come to some definite conclusion. Next morning they all assembled, +and we talked in the Chinook language all day long, until at last +they gave in, consenting, probably, as much because they could not +help themselves, as for any other reason. It was agreed that on the +following day at 12 o'clock, when the tide was going out, I should +take my men and place the canoes in the bay, and let them float out +on the tide across the ocean to the happy hunting-grounds: + +At that day there existed in Oregon in vast numbers a species of +wood-rat, and our inspection of the graveyard showed that the canoes +were thickly infested with them. They were a light gray animal, +larger than the common gray squirrel, with beautiful bushy tails, +which made them strikingly resemble the squirrel, but in cunning and +deviltry they were much ahead of that quick-witted rodent. I have +known them to empty in one night a keg of spikes in the storehouse in +Yamhill, distributing them along the stringers of the building, with +apparently no other purpose than amusement. We anticipated great fun +watching the efforts of these rats to escape the next day when the +canoes should be launched on the ocean, and I therefore forbade any +of the command to visit the graveyard in the interim, lest the rats +should be alarmed. I well knew that they would not be disturbed by +the Indians, who held the sacred spot in awe. When the work of +taking down the canoes and carrying them to the water began, +expectation was on tiptoe, but, strange as it may seem, not a rat was +to be seen. This unexpected development was mystifying. They had +all disappeared; there was not one in any of the canoes, as +investigation proved, for disappointment instigated a most thorough +search. The Indians said the rats understood Chinook, and that as +they had no wish to accompany the dead across the ocean to the happy +hunting-grounds, they took to the woods for safety. However that may +be, I have no doubt that the preceding visits to the burial-ground, +and our long talk of the day before, with the unusual stir and +bustle, had so alarmed the rats that, impelled, by their suspicious +instincts, they fled a danger, the nature of which they could not +anticipate, but which they felt to be none the less real and +impending. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +LEARNING THE CHINOOK LANGUAGE--STRANGE INDIAN CUSTOMS--THEIR DOCTORS- +-SAM PATCH--THE MURDER OF A WOMAN--IN A TIGHT PLACE--SURPRISING THE +INDIANS--CONFLICTING REPORTS OF THE BATTLE OF BULL RUN--SECESSION +QUESTION IN CALIFORNIA--APPOINTED A CAPTAIN--TRANSFERRED TO THE EAST. + +The troubles at the Siletz and Yaquina Bay were settled without +further excitement by the arrival in due time of plenty of food, and +as the buildings, at Fort Haskins were so near completion that my +services as quartermaster were no longer needed, I was ordered to +join my own company at Fort Yamhill, where Captain Russell was still +in command. I returned to that place in May, 1857, and at a period a +little later, in consequence of the close of hostilities in southern +Oregon, the Klamaths and Modocs were sent back to their own country, +to that section in which occurred, in 1873, the disastrous war with +the latter tribe. This reduced considerably the number of Indians at +the Grande Ronde, but as those remaining were still somewhat unruly, +from the fact that many questions requiring adjustment were +constantly arising between the different bands, the agent and the +officers at the post were kept pretty well occupied. Captain Russell +assigned to me the special work of keeping up the police control, and +as I had learned at an early day to speak Chinook (the "court +language" among the coast tribes) almost as well as the Indians +themselves, I was thereby enabled to steer my way successfully on +many critical occasions. + +For some time the most disturbing and most troublesome element we had +was the Rogue River band. For three or four years they had fought +our troops obstinately, and surrendered at the bitter end in the +belief that they were merely overpowered, not conquered. They openly +boasted to the other Indians that they could whip the soldiers, and +that they did not wish to follow the white man's ways, continuing +consistently their wild habits, unmindful of all admonitions. +Indeed, they often destroyed their household utensils, tepees and +clothing, and killed their horses on the graves of the dead, in the +fulfillment of a superstitious custom, which demanded that they +should undergo, while mourning for their kindred, the deepest +privation in a property sense. Everything the loss of which would +make them poor was sacrificed on the graves of their relatives or +distinguished warriors, and as melancholy because of removal from +their old homes caused frequent deaths, there was no lack of occasion +for the sacrifices. The widows and orphans of the dead warriors were +of course the chief mourners, and exhibited their grief in many +peculiar ways. I remember one in particular which was universally +practiced by the near kinsfolk. They would crop their hair very +close, and then cover the head with a sort of hood or plaster of +black pitch, the composition being clay, pulverized charcoal, and the +resinous gum which exudes from the pine-tree. The hood, nearly an +inch in thickness, was worn during a period of mourning that lasted +through the time it would take nature, by the growth of the hair, +actually to lift from the head the heavy covering of pitch after it +had become solidified and hard as stone. It must be admitted that +they underwent considerable discomfort in memory of their relatives. +It took all the influence we could bring to bear to break up these +absurdly superstitious practices, and it looked as if no permanent +improvement could be effected, for as soon as we got them to discard +one, another would be invented. When not allowed to burn down their +tepees or houses, those poor souls who were in a dying condition +would be carried out to the neighboring hillsides just before +dissolution, and there abandoned to their sufferings, with little or +no attention, unless the placing under their heads of a small stick +of wood--with possibly some laudable object, but doubtless great +discomfort to their victim--might be considered such. + +To uproot these senseless and monstrous practices was indeed most +difficult. The most pernicious of all was one which was likely to +bring about tragic results. They believed firmly in a class of +doctors among their people who professed that they could procure the +illness of an individual at will, and that by certain incantations +they could kill or cure the sick person. Their faith in this +superstition was so steadfast that there was no doubting its +sincerity, many indulging at times in the most trying privations, +that their relatives might be saved from death at the hands of the +doctors. I often talked with them on the subject, and tried to +reason them out of the superstitious belief, defying the doctors to +kill me, or even make me ill; but my talks were unavailing, and they +always met my arguments with the remark that I was a white man, of a +race wholly different from the red man, and that that was the reason +the medicine of the doctors would not affect me. These villainous +doctors might be either men or women, and any one of them finding an +Indian ill, at once averred that his influence was the cause, +offering at the same time to cure the invalid for a fee, which +generally amounted to about all the ponies his family possessed. If +the proposition was accepted and the fee paid over, the family, in +case the man died, was to have indemnity through the death of the +doctor, who freely promised that they might take his life in such +event, relying on his chances of getting protection from the furious +relatives by fleeing to the military post till time had so assuaged +their grief that matters could be compromised or settled by a +restoration of a part of the property, when the rascally leeches +could again resume their practice. Of course the services of a +doctor were always accepted when an Indian fell ill; otherwise the +invalid's death would surely ensue, brought about by the evil +influence that was unpropitiated. Latterly it had become quite the +thing, when a patient died, for the doctor to flee to our camp--it +was so convenient and so much safer than elsewhere--and my cellar was +a favorite place of refuge from the infuriated friends of the +deceased. + +Among the most notable of these doctors was an Indian named Sam +Patch, who several times sought asylum in any cellar, and being a +most profound diplomat, managed on each occasion and with little +delay to negotiate a peaceful settlement and go forth in safety to +resume the practice of his nefarious profession. I often hoped he +would be caught before reaching the post, but he seemed to know +intuitively when the time had come to take leg-bail, for his advent +at the garrison generally preceded by but a few hours the death of +some poor dupe. + +Finally these peculiar customs brought about the punishment of a +noted doctress of the Rogue River tribe, a woman who was constantly +working in this professional way, and who had found a victim of such +prominence among the Rogue Rivers that his unlooked for death brought +down on her the wrath of all. She had made him so ill, they +believed, as to bring him to death's door notwithstanding the many +ponies that had been given her to cease the incantations, and it was +the conviction of all that she had finally caused the man's death +from some ulterior and indiscernible motive. His relatives and +friends then immediately set about requiting her with the just +penalties of a perfidious breach of contract. Their threats induced +her instant flight toward my house for the usual protection, but the +enraged friends of the dead man gave hot chase, and overtook the +witch just inside the limits of the garrison, where, on the parade- +ground, in sight of the officers' quarters, and before any one could +interfere, they killed her. There were sixteen men in pursuit of the +doctress, and sixteen gun-shot wounds were found in her body when +examined by the surgeon of the post. The killing of the woman was a +flagrant and defiant outrage committed in the teeth of the military +authority, yet done so quickly that we could not prevent it. This +necessitated severe measures, both to allay the prevailing excitement +and to preclude the recurrence of such acts. The body was cared for, +and delivered to the relatives the next day for burial, after which +Captain Russell directed me to take such steps as would put a stop to +the fanatical usages that had brought about this murderous +occurrence, for it was now seen that if timely measures were not +taken to repress them, similar tragedies would surely follow. + +Knowing all the men of the Rogue River tribe, and speaking fluently +the Chinook tongue, which they all understood, I went down to their +village the following day, after having sent word to the tribe that I +wished to have a council with them. The Indians all met me in +council, as I had desired, and I then told them that the men who had +taken part in shooting the woman would have to be delivered up for +punishment. They were very stiff with me at the interview, and with +all that talent for circumlocution and diplomacy with which the +Indian is lifted, endeavored to evade my demands and delay any +conclusion. But I was very positive, would hear of no compromise +whatever, and demanded that my terms be at once complied with. No +one was with me but a sergeant of my company, named Miller, who held +my horse, and as the chances of an agreement began to grow remote, I +became anxious for our safety. The conversation waxing hot and the +Indians gathering close in around me, I unbuttoned the flap of my +pistol holster, to be ready for any emergency. When the altercation +became most bitter I put my hand to my hip to draw my pistol, but +discovered it was gone--stolen by one of the rascals surrounding me. +Finding myself unarmed, I modified my tone and manner to correspond +with my helpless condition, thus myself assuming the diplomatic side +in the parley, in order to gain time. As soon as an opportunity +offered, and I could, without too much loss of self-respect, and +without damaging my reputation among the Indians, I moved out to +where the sergeant held my horse, mounted, and crossing the Yamhill +River close by, called back in Chinook from the farther bank that +"the sixteen men who killed the woman must be delivered up, and my +six-shooter also." This was responded to by contemptuous laughter, so +I went back to the military post somewhat crestfallen, and made my +report of the turn affairs had taken, inwardly longing for another +chance to bring the rascally Rogue Rivers to terms. + +When I had explained the situation to Captain Russell, he thought +that we could not, under any circumstances, overlook this defiant +conduct of the Indians, since, unless summarily punished, it would +lead to even more serious trouble in the future. I heartily seconded +this proposition, and gladly embracing the opportunity it offered, +suggested that if he would give me another chance, and let me have +the effective force of the garrison, consisting of about fifty men, I +would chastise the Rogue Rivers without fail, and that the next day +was all the time I required to complete arrangements. He gave me the +necessary authority, and I at once set to work to bring about a +better state of discipline on the reservation, and to put an end to +the practices of the medicine men (having also in view the recovery +of my sixshooter and self-respect), by marching to the village and +taking the rebellious Indians by force. + +In the tribe there was an excellent woman called Tighee Mary (Tighee +in Chinook means chief), who by right of inheritance was a kind of +queen of the Rogue Rivers. Fearing that the insubordinate conduct of +the Indians would precipitate further trouble, she came early the +following morning to see me and tell me of the situation Mary +informed me that she had done all in her power to bring the Indians +to reason, but without avail, and that they were determined to fight +rather than deliver up the sixteen men who had engaged in the +shooting. She also apprised me of the fact that they had taken up a +position on the Yamhill River, on the direct road between the post +and village, where, painted and armed for war, they were awaiting +attack. + +On this information I concluded it would be best to march to the +village by a circuitous route instead of directly, as at first +intended, so I had the ferry-boat belonging to the post floated about +a mile and a half down the Yamhill River and there anchored. At 11 +o'clock that night I marched my fifty men, out of the garrison, in a +direction opposite to that of the point held by the Indians, and soon +reached the river at the ferryboat. Here I ferried the party over +with little delay, and marched them along the side of the mountain, +through underbrush and fallen timber, until, just before daylight, I +found that we were immediately in rear of the village, and thence in +rear, also, of the line occupied by the refractory Indians, who were +expecting to meet me on the direct road from the post. Just at break +of day we made a sudden descent upon the village and took its +occupants completely by surprise, even capturing the chief of the +tribe, "Sam," who was dressed in all his war toggery, fully armed and +equipped, in anticipation of a fight on the road where his comrades +were in position. I at once put Sam under guard, giving orders to +kill him instantly if the Indians fired a shot; then forming my line +on the road beyond the edge of the village, in rear of the force +lying in wait for a front attack, we moved forward. When the hostile +party realized that they were completely cut off from the village, +they came out from their stronghold on the river and took up a line +in my front, distant about sixty yards with the apparent intention of +resisting to the last. + +As is usual with Indians when expecting a fight, they were nearly +naked, fantastically painted with blue clay, and hideously arrayed in +war bonnets. They seemed very belligerent, brandishing their muskets +in the air, dancing on one foot, calling us ugly names, and making +such other demonstrations of hostility, that it seemed at first that +nothing short of the total destruction of the party could bring about +the definite settlement that we were bent on. Still, as it was my +desire to bring them under subjection without loss of life, if +possible, I determined to see what result would follow when they +learned that their chief was at our mercy. So, sending Sam under +guard to the front, where he could be seen, informing them that he +would be immediately shot if they fired upon us, and aided by the +cries and lamentations of the women of the village, who deprecated +any hostile action by either party, I soon procured a parley. + +The insubordinate Indians were under command of "Joe," Sam's brother, +who at last sent me word that he wanted to see me, and we met between +our, respective lines. I talked kindly to him, but was firm in my +demand that the men who killed the woman must be given up and my six- +shooter returned. His reply was he did not think it could be done, +but he would consult his people. After the consultation, he returned +and notified me that fifteen would surrender and the six-shooter +would be restored, and further, that we could kill the sixteenth man, +since the tribe wished to get rid of him anyhow, adding that he was a +bad Indian, whose bullet no doubt had given the woman her death +wound. He said that if I assented to this arrangement, he would +require all of his people except the objectionable man to run to the +right of his line at a preconcerted signal. The bad Indian would be +ordered to stand fast on the extreme left, and we could open fire on +him as his comrades fell away to the right. I agreed to the +proposition, and gave Joe fifteen minutes to execute his part of it. +We then returned to our respective forces, and a few minutes later +the fifteen ran to the right flank as agreed upon, and we opened fire +on the one Indian left standing alone, bringing him down in his +tracks severely wounded by a shot through the shoulder. + +While all this was going on, the other bands of the reservation, +several thousand strong, had occupied the surrounding hills for the +purpose of witnessing the fight, for as the Rogue Rivers had been +bragging for some time that they could whip the soldiers, these other +Indians had come out to see it done. The result, however, +disappointed the spectators, and the Rogue Rivers naturally lost +caste. The fifteen men now came in and laid down their arms +(including my six-shooter) in front of us as agreed, but I compelled +them to take the surrendered guns up again and carry them to the +post, where they were deposited in the block-house for future +security. The prisoners were ironed with ball and chain, and made to +work at the post until their rebellious spirit was broken; and the +wounded man was correspondingly punished after he had fully +recovered. An investigation as to why this man had been selected as +the offering by which Joe and his companions expected to gain +immunity, showed that the fellow was really a most worthless +character, whose death even would have been a benefit to the tribe. +Thus it seemed that they had two purposes in view--the one to +propitiate me and get good terms, the other to rid themselves of a +vagabond member of the tribe. + +The punishment of these sixteen Indians by ball and chain ended all +trouble with the Rogue River tribe. The, disturbances arising from +the incantations of the doctors and doctresses, and the practice of +killing horses and burning all worldly property on the graves of +those who died, were completely suppressed, and we made with little +effort a great stride toward the civilization of these crude and +superstitious people, for they now began to recognize the power of +the Government. In their management afterward a course of justice +and mild force was adopted, and unvaryingly applied. They were +compelled to cultivate their land, to attend church, and to send +their children to school. When I saw them, fifteen years later, +transformed into industrious and substantial farmers, with neat +houses, fine cattle, wagons and horses, carrying their grain, eggs, +and butter to market and bringing home flour, coffee, sugar, and +calico in return, I found abundant confirmation of my early opinion +that the most effectual measures for lifting them from a state of +barbarism would be a practical supervision at the outset, coupled +with a firm control and mild discipline. + +In all that was done for these Indians Captain Russell's judgment and +sound, practical ideas were the inspiration. His true manliness, +honest and just methods, together with the warm-hearted interest he +took in all that pertained to matters of duty to his Government, +could not have produced other than the best results, in what position +soever he might have been placed. As all the lovable traits of his +character were constantly manifested, I became most deeply attached +to him, and until the day of his death in 1864, on the battle-field +of Opequan, in front of Winchester, while gallantly leading his +division under my command, my esteem and affection were sustained and +intensified by the same strong bonds that drew me to him in these +early days in Oregon. + +After the events just narrated I continued on duty at the post of +Yamhill, experiencing the usual routine of garrison life without any +incidents of much interest, down to the breaking out of the war of +the rebellion in April, 1861. The news of the firing on Fort Sumter +brought us an excitement which overshadowed all else, and though we +had no officers at the post who sympathized with the rebellion, there +were several in our regiment--the Fourth Infantry--who did, and we +were considerably exercised as to the course they might pursue, but +naturally far more so concerning the disposition that would be made +of the regiment during the conflict. + +In due time orders came for the regiment to go East, and my company +went off, leaving me, however--a second lieutenant--in command of the +post until I should be relieved by Captain James J. Archer, of the +Ninth Infantry, whose company was to take the place of the old +garrison. Captain Archer, with his company of the Ninth, arrived +shortly after, but I had been notified that he intended to go South, +and his conduct was such after reaching the post that I would not +turn over the command to him for fear he might commit some rebellious +act. Thus a more prolonged detention occurred than I had at first +anticipated. Finally the news came that he had tendered his +resignation and been granted a leave of absence for sixty days. On +July 17 he took his departure, but I continued in command till +September 1, when Captain Philip A. Owen, of the Ninth Infantry, +arrived and, taking charge, gave me my release. + +From the day we received the news of the firing on Sumter until I +started East, about the first of September, 1861, I was deeply +solicitous as to the course of events, and though I felt confident +that in the end the just cause of the Government must triumph, yet +the thoroughly crystallized organization which the Southern +Confederacy quickly exhibited disquieted me very much, for it alone +was evidence that the Southern leaders had long anticipated the +struggle and prepared for it. It was very difficult to obtain direct +intelligence of the progress of the war. Most of the time we were in +the depths of ignorance as to the true condition of affairs, and this +tended to increase our anxiety. Then, too, the accounts of the +conflicts that had taken place were greatly exaggerated by the +Eastern papers, and lost nothing in transition. The news came by the +pony express across the Plains to San Francisco, where it was still +further magnified in republishing, and gained somewhat in Southern +bias. I remember well that when the first reports reached us of, the +battle of Bull Run--that sanguinary engagement--it was stated that +each side had lost forty thousand men in killed and wounded, and none +were reported missing nor as having run away. Week by week these +losses grew less, until they finally shrunk into the hundreds, but +the vivid descriptions of the gory conflict were not toned down +during the whole summer. + +We received our mail at Yamhill only once a week, and then had to +bring it from Portland, Oregon, by express. On the day of the week +that our courier, or messenger, was expected back from Portland, I +would go out early in the morning to a commanding point above the +post, from which I could see a long distance down the road as it ran +through the valley of the Yamhill, and there I would watch with +anxiety for his coming, longing for good news; for, isolated as I had +been through years spent in the wilderness, my patriotism was +untainted by politics, nor had it been disturbed by any discussion of +the questions out of which the war grew, and I hoped for the success +of the Government above all other considerations. I believe I was +also uninfluenced by any thoughts of the promotion that might result +to me from the conflict, but, out of a sincere desire to contribute +as much as I could to the preservation of the Union, I earnestly +wished to be at the seat of war, and feared it might end before I +could get East. In no sense did I anticipate what was to happen to +me afterward, nor that I was to gain any distinction from it. I was +ready to do my duty to the best of my ability wherever I might be +called, and I was young, healthy, insensible to fatigue, and desired +opportunity, but high rank was so distant in our service that not a +dream of its attainment had flitted through my brain. + +During the period running from January to September, 1861, in +consequence of resignations and the addition of some new regiments to +the regular army, I had passed through the grade of first lieutenant +and reached that of captain in the Thirteenth United States Infantry, +of which General W. T. Sherman had recently been made the colonel. +When relieved from further duty at Yamhill by Captain Owen, I left +for the Atlantic coast to join my new regiment. A two days' ride +brought me down to Portland, whence I sailed to San Franciso, and at +that city took passage by steamer for New York via the Isthmus of +Panama, in company with a number of officers who were coming East +under circumstances like my own. + +At this time California was much agitated--on the question of +secession, and the secession element was so strong that considerable +apprehension was felt by the Union people lest the State might be +carried into the Confederacy. As a consequence great distrust +existed in all quarters, and the loyal passengers on the steamer, not +knowing what might occur during our voyage, prepared to meet +emergencies by thoroughly organizing to frustrate any attempt that +might possibly be made to carry us into some Southern port after we +should leave Aspinwall. However, our fears proved groundless; at all +events, no such attempt was made, and we reached New York in safety +in November, 1861. A day or two in New York sufficed to replenish a +most meagre wardrobe, and I then started West to join my new +regiment, stopping a day and a night at the home of my parents in +Ohio, where I had not been since I journeyed from Texas for the +Pacific coast. The headquarters of my regiment were at Jefferson +Barracks, Missouri, to which point I proceeded with no further delay +except a stay in the city of St. Louis long enough to pay my respects +to General H. W. Halleck. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +AUDITING ACCOUNTS--CHIEF QUARTERMASTER AND COMMISSARY OF THE ARMY OF +SOUTHWEST MISSOURI--PREPARING FOR THE PEA RIDGE CAMPAIGN--A +DIFFERENCE WITH GENERAL CURTIS--ORDERED TO THE FRONT--APPOINTED A +COLONEL. + +Some days after I had reached the headquarters of my regiment near +St. Louis, General Halleck sent for me, and when I reported he +informed me that there existed a great deal of confusion regarding +the accounts of some of the disbursing officers in his department, +whose management of its fiscal affairs under his predecessor, General +John C. Fremont, had been very loose; and as the chaotic condition of +things could be relieved only by auditing these accounts, he +therefore had determined to create a board of officers for the +purpose, and intended to make me president of it. The various +transactions in question covered a wide field, for the department +embraced the States of Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, Arkansas, +and all of Kentucky west of the Cumberland River. + +The duty was not distasteful, and I felt that I was qualified to +undertake it, for the accounts to be audited belonged exclusively to +the Quartermaster and Subsistence departments, and by recent +experience I had become familiar with the class of papers that +pertained to those branches of the army. Indeed, it was my +familiarity with such transactions, returns, etc., that probably +caused my selection as president of the board. + +I entered upon the work forthwith, and continued at it until the 26th +of December, 1861. At that date I was relieved from the auditing +board and assigned to duty as Chief Commissary of the Army of +Southwest Missouri, commanded by General Samuel R. Curtis. This army +was then organizing at Rolla, Missouri, for the Pea Ridge campaign, +its strength throughout the campaign being in the aggregate about +fifteen thousand men. + +As soon as I received information of my selection for this position, +I went to General Halleck and requested him to assign me as Chief +Quartermaster also. He was reluctant to do so, saying that I could +not perform both duties, but I soon convinced him that I could do +both better than the one, for I reminded him that as Chief +Quartermaster I should control the transportation, and thus obviate +all possible chances of discord between the two staff departments; a +condition which I deemed essential to success, especially as it was +intended that Curtis's army should mainly subsist on the country. +This argument impressed Halleck, and becoming convinced, he promptly +issued the order making me Chief Quartermaster and Chief Commissary +of Subsistence of the Army of Southwest Missouri, and I started for +Rolla to enter upon the work assigned me. + +Having reported to General Curtis, I quickly learned that his system +of supply was very defective, and the transportation without proper +organization, some of the regiments having forty to fifty wagon each, +and others only three or four. I labored day and night to remedy +these and other defects, and with the help of Captain Michael P. +Small, of the Subsistence Department, who was an invaluable +assistant, soon brought things into shape, putting the transportation +in good working order, giving each regiment its proper quota of +wagons, and turning the surplus into the general supply trains of the +army. In accomplishing this I was several times on the verge of +personal conflict with irate regimental commanders, but Colonel G. M. +Dodge so greatly sustained me with General Curtis by strong moral +support, and by such efficient details from his regiment--the Fourth +Iowa Volunteer Infantry--that I still bear him and it great affection +and lasting gratitude. + +On January 26, 1862, General Curtis's army began its march from Rolla +to Springfield, Missouri, by way of Lebanon. The roads were deep +with mud, and so badly cut up that the supply trains in moving +labored under the most serious difficulties, and were greatly +embarrassed by swollen streams. Under these circumstances many +delays occurred, and when we arrived at Lebanon nearly all the +supplies with which we had started had been consumed, and the work of +feeding the troops off the country had to begin at that point. To +get flour, wheat had to be taken from the stacks, threshed, and sent +to the mills to be ground. Wheat being scarce in this region, corn +as a substitute had to be converted into meal by the same laborious +process. In addition, beef cattle had to be secured for the meat +ration. + +By hard work we soon accumulated a sufficient quantity of flour and +corn meal to justify the resumption of our march on Springfield; at +or near which point the enemy was believed to be awaiting us, and the +order was given to move forward, the commanding general cautioning +me, in the event of disaster, to let no salt fall into General +Price's hands. General Curtis made a hobby of this matter of salt, +believing the enemy was sadly in need of that article, and he +impressed me deeply with his conviction that our cause would be +seriously injured by a loss which would inure so greatly and +peculiarly to the enemy's benefit; but we afterward discovered, when +Price abandoned his position, that about all he left behind was salt. + +When we were within about eight miles of Springfield, General Curtis +decided to put his troops in line of battle for the advance on the +town, and directed me to stretch out my supply trains in a long line +of battle, so that in falling back, in case the troops were repulsed, +he could rally the men on the wagons. I did not like the tactics, +but of course obeyed the order. The line moved on Springfield, and +took the town without resistance, the enemy having fled southward, in +the direction of Pea Ridge, the preceding day. Of course our success +relieved my anxiety about the wagons; but fancy has often pictured +since, the stampede of six mule teams that, had we met with any +reverse, would have taken place over the prairies of southwest +Missouri. + +The army set out in pursuit of Price, but I was left at Springfield +to gather supplies from the surrounding country, by the same means +that had been used at Lebanon, and send them forward. To succeed in +this useful and necessary duty required much hard work. To procure +the grain and to run the mills in the country, replacing the +machinery where parts had been carried away, or changing the +principle and running the mills on some different plan when +necessary, and finally forward the product to the army, made a task +that taxed the energy of all engaged in it. Yet, having at command a +very skillful corps of millwrights, machinists, and millers, detailed +principally from the Fourth Iowa and Thirty-sixth Illinois volunteer +regiments, we soon got matters in shape, and were able to send such +large quantities of flour and meal to the front, that only the bacon +and small parts of the ration had to be brought forward from our +depot at Rolla. When things were well systematized, I went forward +myself to expedite the delivery of supplies, and joined the army at +Cross Hollows, just south of Pea Ridge. + +Finding everything working well at Cross Hollows, I returned to +Springfield in a few days to continue the labor of collecting +supplies. On my way back I put the mills at Cassville in good order +to grind the grain in that vicinity, and perfected there a plan for +the general supply from the neighboring district of both the men and +animals of the army, so that there should, be no chance of a failure +of the campaign from bad roads or disaster to my trains. Springfield +thus became the centre of the entire supply section. + +Just after my return to Springfield the battle of Pea Ridge was +fought. The success of the Union troops in this battle was +considerable, and while not of sufficient magnitude to affect the +general cause materially, it was decisive as to that particular +campaign, and resulted in driving all organized Confederate forces +out of the State of Missouri. After Pea Ridge was won, certain +efforts were made to deprive Curtis of the credit due him for the +victory; but, no matter what merit belonged to individual commanders, +I was always convinced that Curtis was deserving of the highest +commendation, not only for the skill displayed on the field, but for +a zeal and daring in campaign which was not often exhibited at that +early period of the war. Especially should this credit be awarded +him, when we consider the difficulties under which he labored, how he +was hampered in having to depend on a sparsely settled country for +the subsistence of his troops. In the reports of the battle that +came to Springfield, much glory was claimed for some other general +officers, but as I had control of the telegraph line from Springfield +east, I detained all despatches until General Curtis had sent in his +official report. He thus had the opportunity of communicating with +his superior in advance of some of his vain subordinates, who would +have laid claim to the credit of the battle had I not thwarted them +by this summary means. + +Not long afterward came the culmination of a little difference that +had arisen between General Curtis and me, brought about, I have since +sometimes thought, by an assistant quartermaster from Iowa, whom I +had on duty with me at Springfield. He coveted my place, and finally +succeeded in getting it. He had been an unsuccessful banker in Iowa, +and early in the war obtained an appointment as assistant +quartermaster of volunteers with the rank of captain. As chief +quartermaster of the army in Missouri, there would be opportunities +for the recuperation of his fortunes which would not offer to one in +a subordinate place; so to gain this position he doubtless intrigued +for it while under my eye, and Curtis was induced to give it to him +as soon as I was relieved. His career as my successor, as well as in +other capacities in which he was permitted to act during the war, was +to say the least not savory. The war over he turned up in Chicago as +president of a bank, which he wrecked; and he finally landed in the +penitentiary for stealing a large sum of money from the United States +Treasury at Washington while employed there as a clerk. The chances +that this man's rascality would be discovered were much less when +chief of the departments of transportation and supply of an army than +they afterward proved to be in the Treasury. I had in my possession +at all times large sums of money for the needs of the army, and among +other purposes for which these funds were to be disbursed was the +purchase of horses and mules. Certain officers and men more devoted +to gain than to the performance of duty (a few such are always to be +found in armies) quickly learned this, and determined to profit by +it. Consequently they began a regular system of stealing horses from +the people of the country and proffering them to me for purchase. It +took but a little time to discover this roguery, and when I became +satisfied of their knavery I brought it to a sudden close by seizing +the horses as captured property, branding them U. S., and refusing to +pay for them. General Curtis, misled by the misrepresentations that +had been made, and without fully knowing the circumstances, or +realizing to what a base and demoralizing state of things this course +was inevitably tending, practically ordered me to make the Payments, +and I refused. The immediate result of this disobedience was a +court-martial to try me; and knowing that my usefulness in that army +was gone, no matter what the outcome of the trial might be, I asked +General Halleck to relieve me from duty with General Curtis and order +me to St. Louis. This was promptly done, and as my connection with +the Army of Southwest Missouri was thus severed before the court +could be convened, my case never came to trial. The man referred to +as being the cause of this condition of affairs was appointed by +General Curtis to succeed me. I turned over to the former all the +funds and property for which I was responsible, also the branded +horses and mules stolen from the people of the country, requiring +receipts for everything. I heard afterward that some of the blooded +stock of southwest Missouri made its way to Iowa in an unaccountable +manner, but whether the administration of my successor was +responsible for it or not I am unable to say. + +On my arrival at St. Louis I felt somewhat forlorn and disheartened +at the turn affairs had taken. I did not know where I should be +assigned, nor what I should be required to do, but these +uncertainties were dispelled in a few days by General Halleck, who, +being much pressed by the Governors of some of the Western States to +disburse money in their sections, sent me out into the Northwest with +a sort of roving commission to purchase horses for the use of the +army. I went to Madison and Racine, Wis., at which places I bought +two hundred horses, which were shipped to St. Louis. At Chicago I +bought two hundred more, and as the prices paid at the latter point +showed that Illinois was the cheapest market--it at that time +producing a surplus over home demands--I determined to make Chicago +the centre of my operations. + +While occupied in this way at Chicago the battle of Shiloh took +place, and the desire for active service with troops became uppermost +in my thoughts, so I returned to St. Louis to see if I could not get +into the field. General Halleck having gone down to the Shiloh +battle-field, I reported to his Assistant Adjutant-General, Colonel +John C. Kelton, and told him of my anxiety to take a hand in active +field-service, adding that I did not wish to join my regiment, which +was still organizing and recruiting at Jefferson Barracks, for I felt +confident I could be more useful elsewhere. Kelton knew that the +purchasing duty was but temporary, and that on its completion, +probably at no distant date, I should have to join my company at the +barracks; so, realizing the inactivity to which that situation of +affairs would subject me, he decided to assume the responsibility of +sending me to report to General Halleck at Shiloh, and gave me an +order to that effect. + +This I consider the turning-point in my military career, and shall +always feel grateful to Colonel Kelton for his kindly act which so +greatly influenced my future. My desire to join the army at Shiloh +had now taken possession of me, and I was bent on getting there by +the first means available. Learning that a hospital-boat under +charge of Dr. Hough was preparing to start for Pittsburg Landing, I +obtained the Doctor's consent to take passage on it, and on the +evening of April 15, I left St. Louis for the scene of military +operations in northeastern Mississippi. + +At Pittsburg Landing I reported to General Halleck, who, after some +slight delay, assigned me to duty as an assistant to Colonel George +Thom, of the topographical engineers. Colonel Thom put me at the +work of getting the trains up from the landing, which involved the +repair of roads for that purpose by corduroying the marshy places. +This was rough, hard work, without much chance of reward, but it, was +near the field of active operations, and I determined to do the best +I could at it till opportunity for something better might arise. + +General Halleck did not know much about taking care of himself in the +field. His camp arrangements were wholly inadequate, and in +consequence he and all the officers about him were subjected to much +unnecessary discomfort and annoyance. Someone suggested to him to +appoint me quartermaster for his headquarters, with a view to +systematizing the establishment and remedying the defects complained +of, and I was consequently assigned to this duty. Shortly after this +assignment I had the satisfaction of knowing that General Halleck was +delighted with the improvements made at headquarters, both in camp +outfit and transportation, and in administration generally. My +popularity grew as the improvements increased, but one trifling +incident came near marring it. There was some hitch about getting +fresh beef for General Halleck's mess, and as by this time everybody +had come to look to me for anything and everything in the way of +comfort, Colonel Joe McKibben brought an order from the General for +me to get fresh beef for the headquarters mess. I was not caterer +for this mess, nor did I belong to it even, so I refused point-blank. +McKibben, disliking to report my disobedience, undertook persuasion, +and brought Colonel Thom to see me to aid in his negotiations, but I +would not give in, so McKibben in the kindness of his heart rode +several miles in order to procure the beef himself, and thus save me +from the dire results which be thought would follow should Halleck +get wind of such downright insubordination. The next day I was made +Commissary of Subsistence for the headquarters in addition to my +other duties, and as this brought me into the line of fresh beef, +General Halleck had no cause thereafter to complain of a scarcity of +that article in his mess. + +My stay at General Halleck's headquarters was exceedingly agreeable, +and my personal intercourse with officers on duty there was not only +pleasant and instructive, but offered opportunities for improvement +and advancement for which hardly any other post could have afforded +like chances. My special duties did not occupy all my time, and +whenever possible I used to go over to General Sherman's division, +which held the extreme right of our line in the advance on Corinth, +to witness the little engagements occurring there continuously during +the slow progress which the army was then making, the enemy being +forced back but a short distance each day. I knew General Sherman +very well. We came from near the same section of country in Ohio, +and his wife and her family had known me from childhood. I was +always kindly received by the General, and one day he asked me if I +would be willing to accept the colonelcy of a certain Ohio regiment +if he secured the appointment. I gladly told him yes, if General +Halleck would let me go; but I was doomed to disappointment, for in +about a week or so afterward General Sherman informed me that the +Governor of Ohio would not consent, having already decided to appoint +some one else. + +A little later Governor Blair, of Michigan, who was with the army +temporarily in the interest of the troops from his State, and who +just at this time was looking around for a colonel for the Second +Michigan Cavalry, and very anxious to get a regular officer, fixed +upon me as the man. The regiment was then somewhat run down by +losses from sickness, and considerably split into factions growing +out of jealousies engendered by local differences previous to +organization, and the Governor desired to bridge over all these +troubles by giving the regiment a commander who knew nothing about +them. I presume that some one said to the Governor about this time, +"Why don't you get Sheridan?" This, however, is only conjecture. I +really do not know how my name was proposed to him, but I have often +been told since that General Gordon Granger, whom I knew slightly +then, and who had been the former colonel of the regiment, first +suggested the appointment. At all events, on the morning of May 27, +1862, Captain Russell A. Alger--recently Governor of Michigan-- +accompanied by the quartermaster of the regiment, Lieutenant Frank +Walbridge, arrived at General Halleck's headquarters and delivered to +me this telegram: + +(By Telegraph.) +"MILITARY DEPT OF MICHIGAN, +"ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE, +"DETROIT, May 25, 1862. + +GENERAL ORDERS NO. 148. + +"Captain Philip H. Sheridan, U. S. Army, is hereby appointed +Colonel of the Second Regiment Michigan Cavalry, to rank from +this date. + +"Captain Sheridan will immediately assume command of the +regiment. + +"By order of the Commander-in-Chief, +"JNO. ROBERTSON, +"Adjutant-General." + + +I took the order to General Halleck, and said that I would like to +accept, but he was not willing I should do so until the consent of +the War Department could be obtained. I returned to my tent much +disappointed, for in those days, for some unaccountable reason, the +War Department did not favor the appointment of regular officers to +volunteer regiments, and I feared a disapproval at Washington. After +a further consultation with Captain Alger and Lieutenant Walbridge, I +determined to go to the General again and further present the case. +Enlarging on my desire for active service with troops, and urging the +utter lack of such opportunity where I was, I pleaded my cause until +General Halleck finally resolved to take the responsibility of +letting me go without consulting the War Department. When I had +thanked him for the kindness, he said that inasmuch as I was to leave +him, he would inform me that the regiment to which I had just been +appointed was ordered out as part of a column directed to make a raid +to the south of the enemy, then occupying Corinth, and that if I +could turn over my property, it would probably be well for me to join +my command immediately, so that I could go with the expedition. I +returned to my tent, where Alger and Walbridge were still waiting, +and told them of the success of my interview, at the same time +notifying them that I would join the regiment in season to accompany +the expedition of which Halleck had spoken. + +In the course of the afternoon I turned over all my property to my +successor, and about 8 o'clock that evening made my appearance at the +camp of the Second Michigan Cavalry, near Farmington, Mississippi. +The regiment was in a hubbub of excitement making preparations for +the raid, and I had barely time to meet the officers of my command, +and no opportunity at all to see the men, when the trumpet sounded to +horse. Dressed in a coat and trousers of a captain of infantry, but +recast as a colonel of cavalry by a pair of well-worn eagles that +General Granger had kindly given me, I hurriedly placed on my saddle +a haversack, containing some coffee, sugar, bacon, and hard bread, +which had been prepared, and mounting my horse, I reported my +regiment to the brigade commander as ready for duty. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +EXPEDITION TO BOONEVILLE--DESTROYING SUPPLIES--CONFEDERATE +STRAGGLERS--SUCCESS OF THE EXPEDITION--A RECONNOISSANCE--THE +IMPORTANCE OF BODILY SUSTENANCE--THE BATTLE OF BOONEVILLE-- +RECOMMENDED FOR APPOINTMENT AS A BRIGADIER-GENERAL. + +The expedition referred to by General Halleck in his parting +conversation was composed of the Second Michigan and Second Iowa +regiments of cavalry, formed into a brigade under command of Colonel +Washington L. Elliott, of the Second Iowa. It was to start on the +night of the 27th of May at 12 o'clock, and proceed by a circuitous +route through Iuka, Miss., to Booneville, a station on the Mobile and +Ohio Railroad, about twenty-two miles below Corinth, and accomplish +all it could in the way of destroying the enemy's supplies and +cutting his railroad communications. + +The weather in that climate was already warm, guides unobtainable, +and both men and horses suffered much discomfort from the heat, and +fatigue from the many delays growing out of the fact that we were in +almost total ignorance of the roads leading to the point that we +desired to reach. In order that we might go light we carried only +sugar, coffee, and salt, depending on the country for meat and bread. +Both these articles were scarce, but I think we got all there was, +for our advent was so unexpected by the people of the region through +which we passed that, supposing us to be Confederate cavalry, they +often gave us all they had, the women and servants contributing most +freely from their, reserve stores. + +Before reaching Booneville I had the advance, but just as we arrived +on the outskirts of the town the brigade was formed with the Second +Iowa on my right, and the whole force moved forward, right in front, +preceded by skirmishers. Here we encountered the enemy, but forced +him back with little resistance. When we had gained possession of +the station, Colonel Elliott directed me to take the left wing of my +regiment, pass to the south, and destroy a bridge or culvert supposed +to be at a little distance below the town on the Mobile and Ohio +Railroad. The right wing, or other half of the regiment, was to be +held in reserve for my support if necessary. I moved rapidly in the +designated direction till I reached the railroad, and then rode down +it for a mile and a half, but found neither bridge nor culvert. I +then learned that there was no bridge of any importance except the +one at Baldwin, nine miles farther down, but as I was aware, from +information recently received, that it was defended by three +regiments and a battery, I concluded that I could best accomplish the +purpose for which I had been detached--crippling the road--by tearing +up the track, bending the rails, and burning the cross-ties. This +was begun with alacrity at four different points, officers and men +vieing with one another in the laborious work of destruction. We had +but few tools, and as the difficulties to overcome were serious, our +progress was slow, until some genius conceived the idea that the +track, rails and ties, might be lifted from its bed bodily, turned +over, and subjected to a high heat; a convenient supply of dry fence- +rails would furnish ample fuel to render the rails useless. In this +way a good deal of the track was effectively broken up, and +communication by rail from Corinth to the south entirely cut off. +While we were still busy in wrecking the road, a dash was made at my +right and rear by a squadron of Confederate cavalry. This was +handsomely met by the reserve under Captain Archibald P. Campbell, of +the Second Michigan, who, dismounting a portion of his command, +received the enemy with such a volley from his Colt's repeating +rifles that the squadron broke and fled in all directions. We were +not molested further, and resumed our work, intending to extend the +break toward Baldwin, but receiving orders from Elliott to return to +Booneville immediately, the men were recalled, and we started to +rejoin the main command. + +In returning to Booneville, I found the railroad track above where I +had struck it blocked by trains that we had thus cut off, and the +woods and fields around the town covered with several thousand +Confederate soldiers. These were mostly convalescents and +disheartened stragglers belonging to General Beauregard's army, and +from them we learned that Corinth was being evacuated. I spent some +little time in an endeavor to get these demoralized men into an open +field, with a view to some future disposition of them; but in the +midst of the undertaking I received another order from Colonel +Elliott to join him at once. The news of the evacuation had also +reached Elliott, and had disclosed a phase of the situation so +different from that under which he had viewed it when we arrived at +Booneville, that he had grown anxious to withdraw, lest we should be +suddenly pounced upon by an overwhelming force from some one of the +columns in retreat. Under such circumstances my prisoners would +prove a decided embarrassment, so I abandoned further attempts to get +them together--not even paroling them, which I thought might have +been done with but little risk. + +In the meantime the captured cars had been fired, and as their +complete destruction was assured by explosions from those containing +ammunition, they needed no further attention, so I withdrew my men +and hastened to join Elliott, taking along some Confederate officers +whom I had retained from among four or five hundred prisoners +captured when making the original dash below the town. + +The losses in my regiment, and, in fact, those of the entire command, +were insignificant. The results of the expedition were important; +the railroad being broken so thoroughly as to cut off all rolling +stock north of Booneville, and to place at the service of General +Halleck's army the cars and locomotives of which the retreating +Confederates were now so much in need. In addition, we burned +twenty-six cars containing ten thousand stand of small arms, three +pieces of artillery, a great quantity of clothing, a heavy supply of +ammunition, and the personal baggage of General Leonidas Polk. A +large number of prisoners, mostly sick and convalescent, also fell +into our hands; but as we could not carry them with ussuch a hurried +departure was an immediate necessity, by reason of our critical +situation--the process of paroling them was not completed, and they +doubtless passed back to active service in the Confederacy, properly +enough unrecognized as prisoners of war by their superiors. + +In returning, the column marched back by another indirect route to +its old camp near Farmington, where we learned that the whole army +had moved into and beyond Corinth, in pursuit of Beauregard, on the +13th of May, the very day we had captured Booneville. Although we +had marched about one hundred and eighty miles in four days, we were +required to take part, of course, in the pursuit of the Confederate +army. So, resting but one night in our old camp, we were early in +the saddle again on the morning of the 2d of June. Marching south +through Corinth, we passed on the 4th of June the scene of our late +raid, viewing with much satisfaction, as we took the road toward +Blackland, the still smoldering embers of the burned trains. + +On the 4th of June I was ordered to proceed with my regiment along +the Blackland road to determine the strength of the enemy in that +direction, as it was thought possible we might capture, by a +concerted movement which General John Pope had suggested to General +Halleck, a portion of Beauregard's rear guard. Pushing the +Confederate scouts rapidly in with a running fire for a mile or more, +while we were approaching a little stream, I hoped to gobble the main +body of the enemy's pickets. I therefore directed the sabre +battalion of the regiment, followed by that portion of it armed with +revolving rifles, to dash forward in column, cut off these videttes +before they could cross the stream, and then gather them in. The +pickets fled hastily, however, and a pell-mell pursuit carried us +over the stream at their heels by a little bridge, with no thought of +halting till we gained a hill on the other side, and suddenly found +ourselves almost in the camp of a strong body of artillery and +infantry. Captain Campbell being in advance, hurriedly dismounted +his battalion for a further forward movement on foot, but it was +readily seen that the enemy was present in such heavy force as almost +to ensure our destruction, and I gave orders for a hasty withdrawal. +We withdrew without loss under cover of thick woods, aided much, +however, by the consternation of the Confederates, who had hardly +recovered from their surprise at our sudden appearance in their camp +before we had again placed the stream between them and us by +recrossing the bridge. The reconnoissance was a success in one way-- +that is, in finding out that the enemy was at the point supposed by, +General Pope; but it also had a tendency to accelerate Beauregard's +retreat, for in a day or two his whole line fell back as far south as +Guntown, thus rendering abortive the plans for bagging a large +portion of his army. + +General Beauregard's evacuation of Corinth and retreat southward were +accomplished in the face of a largely superior force of Union troops, +and he reached the point where he intended to halt for reorganization +without other loss than that sustained in the destruction of the cars +and supplies at Booneville, and the capture of some stragglers and +deserters that fell into our hands while we were pressing his rear +from General Pope's flank. The number of these was quite large, and +indicated that the enemy was considerably demoralized. Under such +circumstances, an energetic and skillfully directed pursuit might not +have made certain the enemy's destruction, but it would largely have +aided in disintegrating his forces, and I never could quite +understand why it was not ordered. The desultory affairs between +rear and advance guards seemed as a general, thing to have no +particular purpose in view beyond finding out where the enemy was, +and when he was found, since no supporting colums were at hand and no +one in supreme control was present to give directions, our +skirmishing was of little avail and brought but small reward. + +A short time subsequent to these occurrences, Colonel Elliott was +made a brigadier-general, and as General Pope appointed him his +Chief-of-Staff, I, on the 11th of June, 1862, fell in command of the +brigade by seniority. For the rest of the month but little of moment +occurred, and we settled down into camp at Booneville on the 26th of +June, in a position which my brigade had been ordered to take up some +twenty miles, in advance of the main army for the purpose of covering +its front. Although but a few days had elapsed from the date of my +appointment as colonel of the Second Michigan to that of my +succeeding to the command of the brigade, I believe I can say with +propriety that I had firmly established myself in the confidence of +the officers and men of the regiment, and won their regard by +thoughtful care. I had striven unceasingly to have them well fed and +well clothed, had personally looked after the selection of their +camps, and had maintained such a discipline as to allay former +irritation. + +Men who march, scout, and fight, and suffer all the hardships that +fall to the lot of soldiers in the field, in order to do vigorous +work must have the best bodily sustenance, and every comfort that can +be provided. I knew from practical experience on the frontier that +my efforts in this direction would not only be appreciated, but +requited by personal affection and gratitude; and, further, that such +exertions would bring the best results to me. Whenever my authority +would permit I saved my command from needless sacrifices and +unnecessary toil; therefore, when hard or daring work was to be done +I expected the heartiest response, and always got it. Soldiers are +averse to seeing their comrades killed without compensating results, +and none realize more quickly than they the blundering that often +takes place on the field of battle. They want some tangible +indemnity for the loss of life, and as victory is an offset the value +of which is manifest, it not only makes them content to shed their +blood, but also furnishes evidence of capacity in those who command +them. My regiment had lost very few men since coming under my +command, but it seemed, in the eyes of all who belonged to it, that +casualties to the enemy and some slight successes for us had repaid +every sacrifice, and in consequence I had gained not only their +confidence as soldiers, but also their esteem and love as men, and to +a degree far beyond what I then realized. + +As soon as the camp of my brigade was pitched at Booneville, I began +to scout in every direction, to obtain a knowledge of the enemy's +whereabouts and learn the ground about me. My standing in drawing at +the Military Academy had never been so high as to warrant the belief +that I could ever prove myself an expert, but a few practical lessons +in that line were impressed on me there, and I had retained enough to +enable me to make rough maps that could be readily understood, and +which would be suitable to replace the erroneous skeleton outlines of +northern Mississippi, with which at this time we were scantily +furnished; so as soon as possible I compiled for the use of myself +and my regimental commanders an information map of the surrounding +country. This map exhibited such details as country roads, streams, +farmhouses, fields, woods, and swamps, and such other topographical +features as would be useful. I must confess that my crude sketch did +not evidence much artistic merit, but it was an improvement on what +we already possessed in the way of details to guide the command, and +this was what I most needed; for it was of the first importance that +in our exposed condition we should be equipped with a thorough +knowledge of the section in which we were operating, so as to be +prepared to encounter an enemy already indicating recovery from the +disorganizing effects of his recent retreat. + +In the immediate vicinity of Booneville the country was covered with +heavy forests, with here and there clearings or intervening fields +that had been devoted to the cultivation of cotton and corn. The +ground was of a low character, typical of northeastern Mississippi, +and abounded in small creeks that went almost totally dry even in +short periods of drought, but became flooded with muddy water under +the outpouring of rain peculiar to a semi-tropical climate. In such +a region there were many chances of our being surprised, especially +by an enemy who knew the country well, and whose ranks were filled +with local guides; and great precautions as well as the fullest +information were necessary to prevent disaster. I therefore +endeavored to familiarize all with our surroundings, but scarcely had +matters begun to shape themselves as I desired when our annihilation +was attempted by a large force of Confederate cavalry. + +On the morning of July 1, 1862, a cavalry command of between five and +six thousand-men, under the Confederate General James R. Chalmers, +advanced on two roads converging near Booneville. The head of the +enemy's column on the Blackland and Booneville road came in contact +with my pickets three miles and a half west of Booneville. These +pickets, under Lieutenant Leonidas S. Scranton, of the Second +Michigan Cavalry, fell back slowly, taking advantage of every tree or +other cover to fire from till they arrived at the point where the +converging roads joined. At this junction there was a strong +position in the protecting timber, and here Scranton made a firm +stand, being reinforced presently by the few men he had out as +pickets on the road to his left, a second company I had sent him from +camp, and subsequently by three companies more, all now commanded by +Captain Campbell. This force was dismounted and formed in line, and +soon developed that the enemy was present in large numbers. Up to +this time Chalmers had shown only the heads of his columns, and we +had doubts as to his purpose, but now that our resistance forced him +to deploy two regiments on the right and left of the road, it became +apparent that he meant business, and that there was no time to lose +in preparing to repel his attack. + +Full information of the situation was immediately sent me, and I +directed Campbell to hold fast, if possible, till I could support +him, but if compelled to retire he was authorized to do so slowly, +taking advantage of every means that fell in his way to prolong the +fighting. Before this I had stationed one battalion of the Second +Iowa in Booneville, but Colonel Edward Hatch, commanding that +regiment, was now directed to leave one company for the protection of +our camp a little to the north of the station, and take the balance +of the Second Iowa, with the battalion in Booneville except two sabre +companies, and form the whole in rear of Captain Campbell, to protect +his flanks and support him by a charge should the enemy break his +dismounted line. + +While these preparations were being made, the Confederates attempted +to drive Campbell from his position by a direct attack through an +open field. In this they failed, however, for our men, reserving +their fire until the enemy came within about thirty yards, then +opened on him with such a shower of bullets from our Colt's rifles +that it soon became too hot for him, and he was repulsed with +considerable loss. Foiled in this move, Chalmers hesitated to attack +again in front, but began overlapping both flanks of Campbell's line +by force of numbers, compelling Campbell to retire toward a strong +position I had selected in his rear for a line on which to make our +main resistance. As soon as the enemy saw this withdrawing he again +charged in front, but was again as gallantly repelled as in the first +assault, although the encounter was for a short time so desperate as +to have the character of a hand-to-hand conflict, several groups of +friend and foe using on each other the butts of their guns. At this +juncture the timely arrival of Colonel Hatch with the Second Iowa +gave a breathing-spell to Campbell, and made the Confederates so +chary of further direct attacks that he was enabled to retire; and at +the same time I found opportunity to make disposition of the +reinforcement to the best advantage possible, placing the Second Iowa +on the left of the new line and strengthening Campbell on its right +with all the men available. + +In view of his numbers, the enemy soon regained confidence in his +ability to overcome us, and in a little while again began his +flanking movements, his right passing around my left flank some +distance, and approaching our camp and transportation, which I had +forbidden to be moved out to the rear. Fearing that he would envelop +us and capture the camp and transportation, I determined to take the +offensive. Remembering a circuitous wood road that I had become +familiar with while making the map heretofore mentioned, I concluded +that the most effective plan would be to pass a small column around +the enemy's left, by way of this road, and strike his rear by a +mounted charge simultaneously with an advance of our main line on his +front. I knew that the attack in rear would be a most hazardous +undertaking, but in the face of such odds as the enemy had the +condition of affairs was most critical, and could be relieved, only +by a bold and radical change in our tactics; so I at once selected +four sabre companies, two from the Second Michigan and two from the +Second Iowa, and placing Captain Alger, of the former regiment, in +command of them, I informed him that I expected of them the quick and +desperate work that is usually imposed on a forlorn hope. + +To carry out the purpose now in view, I instructed Captain Alger to +follow the wood road as it led around the left of the enemy's +advancing forces, to a point where 'it joined the Blackland road, +about three miles from Booneville, and directed him, upon reaching +the Blackland road, to turn up it immediately, and charge the rear of +the enemy's line. Under no circumstances was he to deploy the +battalion, but charge in column right through whatever he came upon, +and report to me in front of Booneville, if at all possible for him +to get there. If he failed to break through the enemy's line, he was +to go ahead as far as he could, and then if any of his men were left, +and he was able to retreat, he was to do so by the same route he had +taken on his way out. To conduct him on this perilous service I sent +along a thin, sallow, tawny-haired Mississippian named Beene, whom I +had employed as a guide and scout a few days before, on account of +his intimate knowledge of the roads, from the public thoroughfares +down to the insignificant by-paths of the neighboring swamps. With +such guidance I felt sure that the column would get to the desired +point without delay, for there was no danger of its being lost or +misled by taking any of the many by-roads which traversed the dense +forests through which it would be obliged to pass. I also informed +Alger that I should take the reserve and join the main line in front +of Booneville for the purpose of making an advance of my whole force, +and that as a signal he must have his men cheer loudly when he struck +the enemy's rear, in order that my attack might be simultaneous with +his. + +I gave him one hour to go around and come back through the enemy, and +when he started I moved to the front with the balance of the reserve, +to put everything I had into the fight. This meant an inestimable +advantage to the enemy in case of our defeat, but our own safety +demanded the hazard. All along our attenuated line the fighting was +now sharp, and the enemy's firing indicated such numerical strength +that fear of disaster to Alger increased my anxiety terribly as the +time set for his cheering arrived and no sound of it was heard. + +Relying, however, on the fact that Beene's knowledge of the roads +would prevent his being led astray, and confident of Alger's +determination to accomplish the purpose for which he set out, as soon +as the hour was up I ordered my whole line forward. Fortunately, +just as this moment a locomotive and two cars loaded with grain for +my horses ran into Booneville from Corinth. I say fortunately, +because it was well known throughout the command that in the morning, +when I first discovered the large numbers of the enemy, I had called +for assistance; and my troops, now thinking that reinforcements had +arrived by rail from Rienzi, where a division of infantry was +encamped, and inspirated by this belief, advanced with renewed +confidence and wild cheering. Meantime I had the engineer of the +locomotive blow his whistle loudly, so that the enemy might also +learn that a train had come; and from the fact that in a few moments +he began to give way before our small force, I thought that this +strategem had some effect. Soon his men broke, and ran in the utmost +disorder over the country in every direction. I found later, +however, that his precipitous retreat was due to the pressure on his +left from the Second Iowa, in concert with the front attack of the +Second Michigan, and the demoralization wrought in his rear by Alger, +who had almost entirely accomplished the purpose of his expedition, +though he had failed to come through, or so near that I could hear +the signal agreed upon before leaving Booneville. + +After Alger had reached and turned up the Blackland road, the first +thing he came across was the Confederate headquarters; the officers +and orderlies about which he captured and sent back some distance to +a farm-house. Continuing on a gallop, he soon struck the rear of the +enemy's line, but was unable to get through; nor did he get near +enough for me to hear his cheering; but as he had made the distance +he was to travel in the time allotted, his attack and mine were +almost coincident, and the enemy, stampeded by the charges in front +and rear, fled toward Blackland, with little or no attempt to capture +Alger's command, which might readily have been done. Alger's +troopers soon rejoined me at Booneville, minus many hats, having +returned by their original route. They had sustained little loss +except a few men wounded and a few temporarily missing. Among these +was Alger himself, who was dragged from his saddle by the limb of a +tree that, in the excitement of the charge, he was unable to flank. +The missing had been dismounted in one way or another, and run over +by the enemy in his flight; but they all turned up later, none the +worse except for a few scratches and bruises. + +My effective strength in this fight was 827 all told, and Alger's +command comprised ninety officers and men. Chalmers's force was +composed of six regiments and two battalions, and though I have been +unable to find any returns from which to verify his actual numbers, +yet, from the statements of prisoners and from information obtained +from citizens along his line of march, it is safe to say that he had +in the action not less than five-thousand men. Our casualties were +not many--forty-one in all. His loss in killed and wounded was +considerable, his most severely wounded--forty men--falling into our +hands, having been left at farm-houses in the vicinity of the +battlefield. + +The victory in the face of such odds was most gratifying, and as it +justified my disinclination--in fact, refusal--to retire from +Booneville without fighting (for the purpose of saving my +transportation, as directed by superior authority when I applied in +the morning for reinforcements), it was to me particularly grateful. +It was also very valuable in, view of the fact that it increased the +confidence between the officers and men of my brigade and me, and +gave us for the balance of the month not only comparative rest, but +entire immunity from the dangers of a renewed effort to gobble my +isolated outpost. In addition to all this, commendation from my +immediate superiors was promptly tendered through oral and written +congratulations; and their satisfaction at the result of the battle +took definite form a few days later, in the following application for +my promotion, when, by an expedition to Ripley, Miss., most valuable +information as to the enemy's location and plans was captured: + + + +"HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE MISSISSIPPI, +"JULY 30, 1862.--3.05 P. M. + +"MAJOR-GENERAL HALLECK, +"Washington, D. C. + +"Brigadiers scarce; good ones scarce. Asboth goes on the month's +leave you gave him ten months since; Granger has temporary command. +The undersigned respectfully beg that you will obtain the promotion +of Sheridan. He is worth his weight in gold. His Ripley expedition +has brought us captured letters of immense value, as well as +prisoners, showing the rebel plans and dispositions, as you will +learn from District Commander. + +"W. S. ROSECRANS, Brigadier-General. +"C. C. SULLIVAN, " " +"G. GRANGER, " " +"W. L. ELLIOTT, " " +"A. ASBOTH, " " " + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +IN CAMP NEAR RIENZI--GENERAL GRANGER--A VALUABLE CAPTURE AT RIPLEY-- +RAIDING A CORNFIELD--REPULSING AN ATTACK--PRESENTED WITH THE BLACK +HORSE "RIENZI"--MEETING GENERAL GRANT--APPOINTED A BRIGADIER-GENERAL. + +After the battle of Booneville, it was decided by General Rosecrans, +on the advice of General Granger, that my position at Booneville was +too much exposed, despite the fact that late on the evening of the +fight my force had been increased by the addition of, a battery of +four guns and two companies of infantry, and by the Third Michigan +Cavalry, commanded by Colonel John K. Mizner; so I was directed to +withdraw from my post and go into camp near Rienzi, Mississippi, +where I could equally well cover the roads in front of the army, and +also be near General Asboth's division of infantry, which occupied a +line in rear of the town. This section of country, being higher and +more rolling than that in the neighborhood of Booneville, had many +advantages in the way of better camping-grounds, better grazing and +the like, but I moved with reluctance, because I feared that my +proximity to Asboth would diminish to a certain extent my +independence of command. + +General Asboth was a tall, spare, handsome man, with gray mustache +and a fierce look. He was an educated soldier, of unquestioned +courage, but the responsibilities of outpost duty bore rather heavily +on him, and he kept all hands in a state of constant worry in +anticipation of imaginary attacks. His ideas of discipline were not +very rigid either, and as by this time there had been introduced into +my brigade some better methods than those obtaining when it first +fell to my command, I feared the effect should he, have any control +over it, or meddle with its internal affairs. However, there was +nothing to do but to move to the place designated, but General +Granger, who still commanded the cavalry division to which the +brigade belonged, so arranged matters with General Rosecrans, who had +succeeded to the command of the Army of the Mississippi, that my +independence was to be undisturbed, except in case of a general +attack by the enemy. + +We went into camp near Rienzi, July 22, sending back to the general +field-hospital at Tuscumbia Springs all our sick--a considerable +number--stricken down by the malarial influences around Booneville. +In a few days the fine grazing arid abundance of grain for our +exhausted horses brought about their recuperation; and the many large +open fields in the vicinity gave opportunity for drills and parades, +which were much needed. I turned my attention to those disciplinary +measures which, on account of active work in the field, had been +necessarily neglected since the brigade had arrived at Pittsburg +Landing, in April; and besides, we had been busy in collecting +information by scouting parties and otherwise, in prosecution of the +purpose for which we were covering the main army. + +I kept up an almost daily correspondence with General Granger, +concerning the, information obtained by scouts and reconnoitring +parties, and he came often to Rienzi to see me in relation to this +and other matters. Previously I had not had much personal +association with Granger. While I was at Halleck's headquarters we +met on one or two occasions, and the day I joined the Second Michigan +at Farmington I saw him for a few moments, but, with such slight +exception, our intercourse had been almost exclusively official. He +had suggested my name, I was told, to Governor Blair, when the +Governor was in search of an officer of the regular army to appoint +to the colonelcy of the Second Michigan Cavalry, but his +recommendation must have been mainly based on the favorable opinions +he had heard expressed by General Halleck and by some of the officers +of his staff, rather than from any personal knowledge of my capacity. +Of course I was very grateful for this, but some of his +characteristics did not impress me favorably, and I sometimes wished +the distance between our camps greater. His most serious failing was +an uncontrollable propensity to interfere with and direct the minor +matters relating to the command, the details for which those under +him were alone responsible. Ill-judged meddling in this respect +often led to differences between us, only temporary it is true, but +most harassing to the subordinate, since I was compelled by the +circumstances of the situation not only invariably to yield my own +judgment, but many a time had to play peacemaker--smoothing down +ruffled feelings, that I knew had been excited by Granger's freaky +and spasmodic efforts to correct personally some trifling fault that +ought to have been left to a regimental or company commander to +remedy. Yet with all these small blemishes Granger had many good +qualities, and his big heart was so full of generous impulses and +good motives as to far outbalance his short-comings; and not- +withstanding the friction and occasional acerbity of our official +intercourse, we maintained friendly relations till his death. + +In pursuance of the fatal mistake made by dispersing Halleck's forces +after the fall of Corinth, General Don Carlos Buell's Army of the +Ohio had been started some time before on its march eastward toward +Chattanooga; and as this movement would be followed of course by a +manoeuvre on the part of the enemy, now at Tupelo under General +Braxton Bragg, either to meet Buell or frustrate his designs by some +counter-operation, I was expected to furnish, by scouting and all +other means available, information as to what was going on within the +Confederate lines. To do the work required, necessitated an increase +of my command, and the Seventh Kansas Cavalry was therefore added to +it, and my picket-line extended so as to cover from Jacinto +southwesterly to a point midway between Rienzi and Booneville, and +then northwesterly to the Hatchie River. Skirmishes between outposts +on this line were of frequent occurrence, with small results to +either side, but they were somewhat annoying, particularly in the +direction of Ripley, where the enemy maintained a considerable +outpost. Deciding to cripple if not capture this outpost, on the +evening of July 27, I sent out an expedition under Colonel Hatch, +which drove the enemy from the town of Ripley and took a few +prisoners, but the most valuable prize was in the shape of a package +of thirty-two private letters, the partial reading of which disclosed +to me the positive transfer from Mississippi of most of Bragg's army, +for the purpose of counteracting Buell's operations in northern +Alabama and East Tennessee. This decisive evidence was of the utmost +importance, and without taking time to read all the letters, I +forwarded them to General Granger July 28, in a despatch which +stated: "I deem it necessary to send them at once; the enemy is +moving in large force on Chattanooga." Other than this the results +of the expedition were few; and the enemy, having fled from Ripley +with but slight resistance, accompanied by almost all the +inhabitants, re-occupied the place next day after our people had +quitted it, and resumed in due time his annoying attacks on our +outposts, both sides trying to achieve something whenever occasion +offered. + +The prevalence of a severe drought had resulted in drying up many of +the streams within the enemy's lines, and, in consequence, he was +obliged to shift his camps often, and send his beef-cattle and mules +near his outposts for water. My scouts kept me well posted in regard +to the movements of both camps and herds; and a favorable opportunity +presenting itself, I sent an expedition on August 14 to gather in +some animals located on Twenty-Mile Creek, a stream always supplied +with water from a source of never-failing, springs. Our side met +with complete success in this instance, and when the expedition +returned, we were all made happy by an abundance of fresh beef, and +by some two hundred captured mules, that we thus added to our trains +at a time when draft animals were much needed. + +Rations for the men were now supplied in fair quantities, and the +only thing required to make us wholly contented was plenty of grain +for our animals. Because of the large number of troops then in West +Tennessee and about Corinth, the indifferent railroad leading down +from Columbus, Ky., was taxed to its utmost capacity to transport +supplies. The quantity of grain received at Corinth from the north +was therefore limited, and before reaching the different outposts, by +passing through intermediate depots of supply, it had dwindled to +insignificance. I had hopes, however, that this condition of things +might be ameliorated before long by gathering a good supply of corn +that was ripening in the neighborhood, and would soon, I thought, be +sufficiently hard to feed to my animals. Not far from my +headquarters there was a particularly fine field, which, with this +end in view, I had carefully protected through the milky stage, to +the evident disappointment of both Asboth's men and mine. They bore +the prohibition well while it affected only themselves, but the trial +was too great when it came to denying their horses; and men whose +discipline kept faith with my guards during the roasting-ear period +now fell from grace. Their horses were growing thin, and few could +withstand the mute appeals of their suffering pets; so at night the +corn, because of individual foraging, kept stealthily and steadily +vanishing, until the field was soon fringed with only earless stalks. +The disappearance was noticed, and the guard increased, but still the +quantity of corn continued to grow less, the more honest troopers +bemoaning the loss, and questioning the honor of those to whose +safekeeping it had been entrusted. Finally, doubtless under the +apprehension that through their irregularities the corn would all +disappear and find its way to the horses in accordance with the +stealthy enterprise of their owners, a general raid was made on the +field in broad daylight, and though the guard drove off the +marauders, I must admit that its efforts to keep them back were so +unsuccessful that my hopes for an equal distribution of the crop were +quickly blasted. One look at the field told that it had been swept +clean of its grain. Of course a great row occurred as to who was to +blame, and many arrests and trials took place, but there had been +such an interchanging of cap numbers and other insignia that it was +next to impossible to identify the guilty, and so much crimination +and acrimony grew out of the affair that it was deemed best to drop +the whole matter. + +On August 27 about half of the command was absent reconnoitring, I +having sent it south toward Tupelo, in the hope of obtaining some +definite information regarding a movement to Holly Springs of the +remainder of the Confederate army, under General Price, when about +mid-day I was suddenly aroused by excited cries and sounds of firing, +and I saw in a moment that the enemy was in my camp. He had come in +on my right flank from the direction of the Hatchie River, pell-mell +with our picket-post stationed about three miles out on the Ripley +road. The whole force of the enemy comprised about eight hundred, +but only his advance entered with my pickets, whom he had charged and +badly stampeded, without, on their part, the pretense of a fight in +behalf of those whom it was their duty to protect until proper +dispositions for defense could be made. The day was excessively hot, +one of those sultry debilitating days that had caused the suspending +of all military exercises; and as most of the men were lounging or +sleeping in their tents, we were literally caught napping. The alarm +spread instantly through the camp, and in a moment the command turned +out for action, somewhat in deshabille it is true, but none the less +effective, for every man had grabbed his rifle and cartridge-box at +the first alarm. Aided by a few shots from Captain Henry Hescock's +battery, we soon drove the intruders from our camp in about the same +disorder in which they had broken in on us. By this time Colonel +Hatch and Colonel Albert L. Lee had mounted two battalions each, and +I moved them out at a lively pace in pursuit, followed by a section +of the battery. No halt was called till we came upon the enemy's +main body, under Colonel Faulkner, drawn up in line of battle near +Newland's store. Opening on him with the two pieces of artillery, I +hurriedly formed line confronting him, and quickly and with but +little resistance drove him in confusion from the field. The sudden +turning of the tables dismayed Faulkner's men, and panic seizing +them, they threw away every loose article of arms or clothing of +which they could dismember themselves, and ran in the wildest +disorder in a mad effort to escape. As the chase went on the panic +increased, the clouds of dust from the road causing an intermingling +of friend and foe. In a little while the affair grew most ludicrous, +Faulkner's hatless and coatless men taking to the woods in such +dispersed order and so demoralized that a good many prisoners were +secured, and those of the enemy who escaped were hunted until dark. +When the recall was sounded, our men came in loaded down with plunder +in the shape of hats, haversacks, blankets, pistols, and shotguns, in +a quantity which amply repaid for the surprise of the morning, but +did not excuse the delinquent commander of our picket-guard, who a +few days later was brought to a realizing sense of his duty by a +court-martial. + +Shortly after this affair Captain Archibald P. Campbell, of the +Second Michigan Cavalry, presented me with the black horse called +Rienzi, since made historical from having been ridden by me in many +battles, conspicuously in the ride from Winchester to Cedar Creek, +which has been celebrated in the poem by T. Buchanan Read. This +horse was of Morgan stock, and then about three years old. He was +jet black, excepting three white feet, sixteen hands high, and +strongly built, with great powers of endurance. He was so active +that he could cover with ease five miles an hour at his natural +walking gait. The gelding had been ridden very seldom; in fact, +Campbell had been unaccustomed to riding till the war broke out, and, +I think, felt some disinclination to mount the fiery colt. Campbell +had an affection for him, however, that never waned, and would often +come to my headquarters to see his favorite, the colt being cared for +there by the regimental farrier, an old man named John Ashley, who +had taken him in charge when leaving Michigan, and had been his groom +ever since. Seeing that I liked the horse--I had ridden him on +several occasions--Campbell presented him to me on one of these +visits, and from that time till the close of the war I rode him +almost continuously, in every campaign and battle in which I took +part, without once finding him overcome by fatigue, though on many +occasions his strength was severely tested by long marches and short +rations. I never observed in him any vicious habit; a nervousness +and restlessness and switch of the tail, when everything about him +was in repose, being the only indication that he might be +untrustworthy. No one but a novice could be deceived by this, +however, for the intelligence evinced in every feature, and his +thoroughbred appearance, were so striking that any person accustomed +to horses could not misunderstand such a noble animal. But Campbell +thought otherwise, at least when the horse was to a certain degree +yet untrained, and could not be pursuaded to ride him; indeed, for +more than a year after he was given to me, Campbell still retained +suspicions of his viciousness, though, along with this mistrust, an +undiminished affection. Although he was several times wounded, this +horse escaped death in action; and living to a ripe old age, died in +1878, attended to the last with all the care and surrounded with +every comfort due the faithful service he had rendered. + +In moving from Corinth east toward Chattanooga, General Buell's army +was much delayed by the requirement that he should repair the Memphis +and Charleston railroad as he progressed. The work of repair obliged +him to march very slowly, and was of but little use when done, for +guerrillas and other bands of Confederates destroyed the road again +as soon as he had passed on. But worst of all, the time thus +consumed gave General Bragg the opportunity to reorganize and +increase his army to such an extent that he was able to contest the +possession of Middle Tennessee and Kentucky. Consequently, the +movement of this army through Tennessee and Kentucky toward the Ohio +River--its objective points being Louisville and Cincinnati--was now +well defined, and had already rendered abortive General Buell's +designs on Chattanooga and East Tennessee. Therefore extraordinary +efforts on the part of the Government became necessary, and the +concentration of National troops at Louisville and Cincinnati to meet +the contingency of Bragg's reaching those points was an obvious +requirement. These troops were drawn from all sections in the West +where it was thought they could be spared, and among others I was +ordered to conduct thither--to Louisville or Cincinnati, as +subsequent developments might demand--my regiment, Hescock's battery, +the Second and Fifteenth Missouri, and the Thirty-sixth and Forty- +fourth Illinois regiments of infantry, known as the "Pea Ridge +Brigade." With this column I marched back to Corinth on the 6th of +September, 1862, for the purpose of getting railroad transportation +to Columbus, Kentucky. + +At Corinth I met General Grant, who by this time had been +reestablished in favor and command somewhat, General Halleck having +departed for Washington to assume command of the army as General-in- +Chief. Before and during the activity which followed his +reinstatement, General Grant had become familiar with my services +through the transmission to Washington of information I had furnished +concerning the enemy's movements, and by reading reports of my fights +and skirmishes in front, and he was loth to let me go. Indeed, he +expressed surprise at seeing me in Corinth, and said he had not +expected me to go; he also plainly showed that he was much hurt at +the inconsiderate way in which his command was being depleted. Since +I was of the opinion that the chief field of usefulness and +opportunity was opening up in Kentucky, I did not wish him to retain +me, which he might have done, and I impressed him with my conviction, +somewhat emphatically, I fear. Our conversation ended with my wish +gratified. I afterward learned that General Granger, whom General +Grant did not fancy, had suggested that I should take to Cincinnati +the main portion of Granger's command--the Pea Ridge Brigade--as well +as the Second Michigan Cavalry, of which I was still colonel. +We started that night, going by rail over the Mobile and Ohio road to +Columbus, Ky., where we embarked on steamboats awaiting us. These +boats were five in number, and making one of them my flag-ship, +expecting that we might come upon certain batteries reported to be +located upon the Kentucky shore of the Ohio, I directed the rest to +follow my lead. Just before reaching Caseyville, the captain of a +tin-clad gunboat that was patrolling the river brought me the +information that the enemy was in strong force at Caseyville, and +expressed a fear that my fleet could not pass his batteries. +Accepting the information as correct, I concluded to capture the +place before trying to pass up the river. Pushing in to the bank as +we neared the town, I got the troops ashore and moved on Caseyville, +in the expectation of a bloody fight, but was agreeably surprised +upon reaching the outskirts of the village by an outpouring of its +inhabitants--men, women, and children--carrying the Stars and +Stripes, and making the most loyal professions. Similar +demonstrations of loyalty had been made to the panic-stricken captain +of the gunboat when he passed down the river, but he did not stay to +ascertain their character, neither by landing nor by inquiry, for he +assumed that on the Kentucky bank of the river there could be no +loyalty. The result mortified the captain intensely; and deeming his +convoy of little further use, he steamed toward Cairo in quest of +other imaginary batteries, while I re-embarked at Caseyville, and +continued up the Ohio undisturbed. About three miles below +Cincinnati I received instructions to halt, and next day I was +ordered by Major-General H. G. Wright to take my troops back to +Louisville, and there assume command of the Pea Ridge Brigade, +composed of the Second and Fifteenth Missouri, Thirty-sixth and +Forty-fourth Illinois infantry, and of such other regiments as might +be sent me in advance of the arrival of General Buell's army. +When I reached Louisville I reported to Major-General William Nelson, +who was sick, and who received me as he lay in bed. He asked me why +I did not wear the shoulder-straps of my rank. I answered that I was +the colonel of the Second Michigan cavalry, and had on my appropriate +shoulder-straps. He replied that I was a brigadier-general for the +Booneville fight, July 1, and that I should wear the shoulder-straps +of that grade. I returned to my command and put it in camp; and as I +had no reluctance to wearing the shoulder-straps of a brigadier- +general, I was not long in procuring a pair, particularly as I was +fortified next day by receiving from Washington official information +of my appointment as a brigadier-general, to date from July 1, 1862, +the day of the battle of Booneville + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +GOOD ADVICE FROM GENERAL NELSON--HIS TRAGIC DEATH--PUTTING LOUISVILLE +IN A STATE OF DEFENSE--ASSIGNED TO THE COMMAND OF THE ELEVENTH +DIVISION--CAPTURE OF CHAPLIN HEIGHTS--BATTLE OF PERRYVILLE--REPORTED +AMONG THE KILLED--A THRILLING INCIDENT--GENERAL BUELL RELIEVED BY +GENERAL ROSECRANS. + +I reported to Major-General Nelson at the Galt House in Louisville, +September 14, 1862, who greeted me in the bluff and hearty fashion of +a sailor--for he had been in the navy till the breaking out of the +war. The new responsibilities that were now to fall upon me by +virtue of increased rank caused in my mind an uneasiness which, I +think, Nelson observed at the interview, and he allayed it by giving +me much good advice, and most valuable information in regard to +affairs in Kentucky, telling me also that he intended I should retain +in my command the Pea Ridge Brigade and Hescock's battery. This +latter assurance relieved me greatly, for I feared the loss of these +troops in the general redistribution which I knew must soon take +place; and being familiar with their valuable service in Missouri, +and having brought them up from Mississippi, I hoped they would +continue with me. He directed me to take position just below the +city with the Pea Ridge Brigade, Hescock's battery, and the Second +Michigan Cavalry, informing me, at the same time, that some of the +new regiments, then arriving under a recent call of the President for +volunteers, would also be assigned to my command. Shortly after the +interview eight new regiments and an additional battery joined me, +thus making good his promise of more troops. + +A few days later came Nelson's tragic end, shocking the whole +country. Those of us in camp outside of the city were startled on +the morning of September 29 by the news that General Jefferson C. +Davis, of the Union Army, had shot General Nelson at the Galt House, +and the wildest rumors in regard to the occurrence came thick and +fast; one to the effect that Nelson was dead, another having it that +he was living and had killed Davis, and still others reflecting on +the loyalty of both, it being supposed by the general public at first +that the difficulty between the two men had grown out of some +political rather than official or personal differences. When the +news came, I rode into the city to the Galt House to learn the +particulars, reaching there about 10 o'clock in the forenoon. Here I +learned that Nelson had been shot by Davis about two hours before, at +the foot of the main stairway leading from the corridor just beyond +the office to the second floor, and that Nelson was already dead. It +was almost as difficult to get reliable particulars of the matter at +the hotel as it had been in my camp, but I gathered that the two men +had met first at an early hour near the counter of the hotel office, +and that an altercation which had begun several days before in +relation to something official was renewed by Davis, who, attempting +to speak to Nelson in regard to the subject-matter of their previous +dispute, was met by an insulting refusal to listen. It now appears +that when Nelson made this offensive remark, Davis threw a small +paper ball that he was nervously rolling between his fingers into +Nelson's face, and that this insult was returned by Nelson slapping +Davis (Killed by a Brother Soldier.--Gen. J. B. Fry.) in the face. +But at the time, exactly what had taken place just before the +shooting was shrouded in mystery by a hundred conflicting stories, +the principal and most credited of which was that Davis had demanded +from Nelson an apology for language used in the original altercation, +and that Nelson's refusal was accompanied by a slap in the face, at +the same moment denouncing Davis as a coward. However this may be, +Nelson, after slapping Davis, moved toward the corridor, from which a +stairway led to the second floor, and just as he was about to ascend, +Davis fired with a pistol that he had obtained from some one near by +after the blow had been struck. The ball entered Nelson's breast +just above the heart, but his great strength enabled him to ascend +the stairway notwithstanding the mortal character of the wound, and +he did not fall till he reached the corridor on the second floor. He +died about half an hour later. The tragedy cast a deep gloom over +all who knew the men, for they both had many warm personal friends; +and affairs at Louisville had hardly recovered as yet from the +confused and discouraging condition which preceded the arrival of +General Buell's army. General Buell reported the killing of Nelson +to the authorities at Washington, and recommended the trial of Davis +by court-martial, but no proceedings were ever instituted against him +in either a civil or military court, so to this day it has not been +determined judicially who was the aggressor. Some months later Davis +was assigned to the command of a division in Buell's army after that +officer had been relieved from its command. + +Two Confederate armies, under General Kirby Smith and General Braxton +Bragg, had penetrated into Kentucky, the one under Smith by the way +of Cumberland Gap, the other and main army under Bragg by way of the +Sequatche Valley, Glasgow, and Mumfordsville. Glasgow was captured +by the enemy on the 17th of September, and as the expectation was +that Buell would reach the place in time to save the town, its loss +created considerable alarm in the North, for fears were now +entertained that Bragg would strike Louisville and capture the city +before Buell could arrive on the ground. It became necessary +therefore to put Louisville in a state of defense, and after the +cordon of principal works had been indicated, my troops threw up in +one night a heavy line of rifle-pits south of the city, from the +Bardstown pike to the river. The apprehended attack by Bragg never +came, however, for in the race that was then going on between him and +Buell on parallel roads, the Army of the Ohio outmarched the +Confederates, its advance arriving at Louisville September 25. + +General Buell immediately set about reorganizing the whole force, and +on September 29 issued an order designating the troops under my +command as the Eleventh Division, Army of the Ohio, and assigning +Brigadier-General J. T. Boyle to command the division, and me to +command one of its brigades. To this I could not object, of course, +for I was a brigadier-general of very recent date, and could hardly +expect more than a brigade. I had learned, however, that at least +one officer to whom a high command had been given--a corps--had not +yet been appointed a general officer by the President, and I +considered it somewhat unfair that I should be relegated to a +brigade, while men who held no commissions at all were being made +chiefs of corps and divisions; so I sought an interview with General +Buell's chief-of-staff, Colonel Fry, and, while not questioning +Buell's good intentions nor his pure motives, insisted that my rights +in the matter should be recognized. That same evening I was assigned +to the command of the Eleventh Division, and began preparing it at +once for a forward movement, which I knew must soon take place in the +resumption of offensive operations by the Army of the Ohio. + +During the interval from September 25 till October 1 there was among +the officers much criticism of General Buell's management of the +recent campaign, which had resulted in his retirement to Louisville; +and he was particularly censured by many for not offering battle to +General Bragg while the two armies were marching parallel to each +other, and so near that an engagement could have been brought on at +any one of several points--notably so at Glasgow, Kentucky, if there +had been a desire to join issue. It was asserted, and by many +conceded, that General Buell had a sufficient force to risk a fight. +He was much blamed for the loss of Mumfordsville also. The capture +of this point, with its garrison, gave Bragg an advantage in the race +toward the Ohio River, which odds would most likely have ensured the +fall of Louisville had they been used with the same energy and skill +that the Confederate commander displayed from Chattanooga to Glasgow; +but something always diverted General Bragg at the supreme moment, +and he failed to utilize the chances falling to him at this time, +for, deflecting his march to the north toward Bardstown, he left open +to Buell the direct road to Louisville by way of Elizabethtown. + +At Bardstown Bragg's army was halted while he endeavored to establish +a Confederate government in Kentucky by arranging for the +installation of a provisional governor at Lexington. Bragg had been +assured that the presence of a Confederate army in Kentucky would so +encourage the secession element that the whole State could be forced +into the rebellion and his army thereby largely increased; but he had +been considerably misled, for he now found that though much latent +sympathy existed for his cause, yet as far as giving active aid was +concerned, the enthusiasm exhibited by the secessionists of Kentucky +in the first year of the war was now replaced by apathy, or at best +by lukewarmness. So the time thus spent in political machinations +was wholly lost to Bragg; and so little reinforcement was added to +his army that it may be said that the recruits gained were not enough +to supply the deficiencies resulting from the recent toilsome marches +of the campaign. + +In the meanwhile Buell had arrived at Louisville, system had been +substituted for the chaos which had previously obtained there, and +orders were issued for an advance upon the enemy with the purpose of +attacking and the hope of destroying him within the limits of the +"blue grass" region, and, failing in that, to drive him from +Kentucky. The army moved October 1, 1862, and my division, now a +part of the Third Corps, commanded by General C. C. Gilbert, marched +directly on Bardstown, where it was thought the enemy would make a +stand, but Bragg's troops retreated toward Perryville, only resisting +sufficiently to enable the forces of General Kirby Smith to be drawn +in closer--they having begun a concentration at Frankfort--so they +could be used in a combined attack on Louisville as soon as the +Confederate commander's political projects were perfected. + +Much time was consumed by Buell's army in its march on Perryville, +but we finally neared it on the evening of October 7. During the +day, Brigadier-General Robert B. Mitchell's division of Gilbert's +corps was in the advance on the Springfield pike, but as the enemy +developed that he was in strong force on the opposite side of a small +stream called Doctor's Creek, a tributary of Chaplin River, my +division was brought up and passed to the front. It was very +difficult to obtain water in this section of Kentucky, as a drought +had prevailed for many weeks, and the troops were suffering so for +water that it became absolutely necessary that we should gain +possession of Doctor's Creek in order to relieve their distress. +Consequently General Gilbert, during the night, directed me to push +beyond Doctor's Creek early the next morning. At daylight on the 8th +I moved out Colonel Dan McCook's brigade and Barnett's battery for +the purpose, but after we had crossed the creek with some slight +skirmishing, I found that we could not hold the ground unless we +carried and occupied a range of hills, called Chaplin Heights, in +front of Chaplin River. As this would project my command in the +direction of Perryville considerably beyond the troops that were on +either flank, I brought up Laiboldt's brigade and Hescock's battery +to strengthen Colonel McCook. Putting both brigades into line we +quickly carried the Heights, much to the surprise of the enemy, I +think, for he did not hold on to the valuable ground as strongly as +he should have done. This success not only ensured us a good supply +of water, but also, later in the day, had an important bearing in the +battle of Perryville. After taking the Heights, I brought up the +rest of my division and intrenched, without much difficulty, by +throwing up a strong line of rifle-pits, although the enemy's +sharpshooters annoyed us enough to make me order Laiboldt's brigade +to drive them in on the main body. This was successfully done in a +few minutes, but in pushing them back to Chaplin River, we discovered +the Confederates forming a line of battle on the opposite bank, with +the apparent purpose of an attack in force, so I withdrew the brigade +to our intrenchments on the crest and there awaited the assault. + +While this skirmishing was going on, General Gilbert--the corps +commander--whose headquarters were located on a hill about a mile +distant to the rear, kept sending me messages by signal not to bring +on an engagement. I replied to each message that I was not bringing +on an engagement, but that the enemy evidently intended to do so, and +that I believed I should shortly be attacked. Soon after returning +to the crest and getting snugly fixed in the rifle-pits, my attention +was called to our left, the high ground we occupied affording me in +that direction an unobstructed view. I then saw General A. McD. +McCook's corps--the First-advancing toward Chaplin River by the +Mackville road, apparently unconscious that the Confederates were +present in force behind the stream. I tried by the use of signal +flags to get information of the situation to these troops, but my +efforts failed, and the leading regiments seemed to approach the +river indifferently prepared to meet the sudden attack that speedily +followed, delivered as it was from the chosen position of the enemy. +The fury of the Confederate assault soon halted this advance force, +and in a short time threw it into confusion, pushed it back a +considerable distance, and ultimately inflicted upon it such loss of +men and guns as to seriously cripple McCook's corps, and prevent for +the whole day further offensive movement on his part, though he +stoutly resisted the enemy's assaults until 4 o'clock in the +afternoon. + +Seeing McCook so fiercely attacked, in order to aid him I advanced +Hescock's battery, supported by six regiments, to a very good +position in front of a belt of timber on my extreme left, where an +enfilading fire could be opened on that portion of the enemy +attacking the right of the First Corps, and also on his batteries +across Chaplin River. But at this juncture he placed two batteries +on my right and began to mass troops behind them, and General +Gilbert, fearing that my intrenched position on the heights might be +carried, directed me to withdraw Hescock and his supports and return +them to the pits. My recall was opportune, for I had no sooner got +back to my original line than the Confederates attacked me furiously, +advancing almost to my intrenchments, notwithstanding that a large +part of the ground over which they had to move was swept by a heavy +fire of canister from both my batteries. Before they had quite +reached us, however, our telling fire made them recoil, and as they +fell back, I directed an advance of my whole division, bringing up my +reserve regiments to occupy the crest of the hills; Colonel William +P. Carlin's brigade of Mitchell's division meanwhile moving forward +on my right to cover that flank. This advance pressed the enemy to +Perryville, but he retired in such good order that we gained nothing +but some favorable ground that enabled me to establish my batteries +in positions where they could again turn their attention to the +Confederates in front of McCook, whose critical condition was shortly +after relieved, however, by a united pressure of Gilbert's corps +against the flank of McCook's assailants, compelling them to retire +behind Chaplin River. + +The battle virtually ended about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, though +more or less desultory firing continued until dark. Considering the +severity of the engagement on McCook's front, and the reverses that +had befallen him, I question if, from that part of the line, much +could have been done toward retrieving the blunders of the day, but +it did seem to me that, had the commander of the army been able to be +present on the field, he could have taken advantage of Bragg's final +repulse, and there would have remained in our hands more than the +barren field. But no attempt was made to do anything more till next +morning, and then we secured little except the enemy's killed and +most severely wounded. + +The operations of my division during the engagement pleased. General +Gilbert very much, and he informed me that he would relax a rigidly +enforced order which General Buell had issued some days before, +sufficiently to permit my trains to come to the front and supply my +almost starving troops with rations. The order in question was one +of those issued, doubtless with a good intent, to secure generally +the safety of our trains, but General Gilbert was not elastic, and on +the march he had construed the order so illiberally that it was next +to impossible to supply the men with food, and they were particularly +short in this respect on the eve of the battle. I had then +endeavored to persuade him to modify his iron-clad interpretation of +the order, but without effect, and the only wagons we could bring up +from the general parks in rear were ambulances and those containing +ammunition. So to gain access to our trains was a great boon, and at +that moment a more welcome result than would have been a complete +victory minus this concession. + +When the battle ceased General Gilbert asked me to join him at +Buell's headquarters, which were a considerable distance to the rear, +so after making some dispositions for the evening I proceeded there +as requested. I arrived just as Buell was about to sit down to his +supper, and noticing that he was lame, then learned that he had been +severely injured by a recent fall from his horse. He kindly invited +me to join him at the table, an invitation which I accepted with +alacrity, enjoying the meal with a relish known only to a very-hungry +man, for I had eaten nothing since morning. Of course the events of +the day were the chief topic of discussion--as they were during my +stay at headquarters--but the conversation indicated that what had +occurred was not fully realized, and I returned to my troops +impressed with the belief that General Buell and his staff-officers +were unconscious of the magnitude of the battle that had just been +fought. + +It had been expected by Buell that he would fight the enemy on the +9th of October, but the Confederates disposed of that proposition by +attacking us on the 8th, thus disarranging a tactical conception +which, with our superior numbers, would doubtless have proved +successful had it not been anticipated by an enterprising foe. +During the battle on the 8th the Second Corps, under General Thomas +L. Crittenden, accompanied by General George H. Thomas, lay idle the +whole day for want of orders, although it was near enough to the +field to take an active part in the fight; and, moreover, a large +part of Gilbert's corps was unengaged during the pressure on McCook. +Had these troops been put in on the enemy's left at any time after he +assaulted McCook, success would have been beyond question; but there +was no one on the ground authorized to take advantage of the +situation, and the battle of Perryville remains in history an example +of lost opportunities. This was due in some measure probably to +General Buell's accident, but is mainly attributable to the fact that +he did not clearly apprehend Bragg's aim, which was to gain time to +withdraw behind Dick's River all the troops he had in Kentucky, for +the Confederate general had no idea of risking the fate of his army +on one general battle at a place or on a day to be chosen by the +Union commander. + +Considering the number of troops actually engaged, the losses to +Buell were severe, amounting to something over five thousand in +killed, wounded, and missing. Among the killed were two brigade +commanders of much promise--General James S. Jackson and General +William R. Terrill. McCook's corps lost twelve guns, some of which +were recovered next day. The enemy's loss in killed and wounded we +never learned, but it must have equalled ours; and about four +thousand prisoners, consisting principally of sick and wounded, fell +into our hands. In the first report of the battle sent North to the +newspapers I was reported among the killed; but I was pleased to +notice, when the papers reached us a few days later, that the error +had been corrected before my obituary could be written. + +The enemy retired from our front the night of the 8th, falling back +on Harrodsburg to form a junction with Kirby Smith, and by taking +this line of retreat opened to us the road to Danville and the chance +for a direct march against his depot of supplies at Bryantsville. We +did not take advantage of this opening, however, and late in the day- +-on the 9th--my division marched in pursuit, in the direction of +Harrodsburg, which was the apex of a triangle having for its base a +line from Perryville to Danville. The pursuit was slow, very slow, +consuming the evening of the 9th and all of the 10th and 11th. By +cutting across the triangle spoken of above, just south of the apex, +I struck the Harrodsburg-Danville road, near Cave Springs, joining +there Gilbert's left division, which had preceded me and marched +through Harrodsburg. Here we again rested until the intention of the +enemy could be divined, and we could learn on which side of Dick's +River he would give us battle. A reconnoissance sent toward the +Dickville crossing developed to a certainty that we should not have +another engagement, however; for it disclosed the fact that Bragg's +army had disappeared toward Camp Dick Robinson, leaving only a small +rear-guard at Danville, which in turn quickly fled in the direction +of Lancaster, after exchanging a few shots with Hescock's battery. + +While this parting salute of deadly projectiles was going on, a +little, daughter of Colonel William J. Landram, whose home was in +Danville, came running out from his house and planted a small +national flag on one of Hescock's guns. The patriotic act was so +brave and touching that it thrilled all who witnessed the scene; and +until the close of the war, when peace separated the surviving +officers and men of the battery, that little flag was protected and +cherished as a memento of the Perryville campaign. + +Pursuit of the enemy was not continued in force beyond Crab Orchard, +but some portions of the army kept at Bragg's heels until he crossed +the Cumberland River, a part of his troops retiring to Tennessee by +way of Cumberland Gap, but the major portion through Somerset. As +the retreat of Bragg transferred the theatre of operations back to +Tennessee, orders were now issued for a concentration of Buell's army +at Bowling Green, with a view to marching it to Nashville, and my +division moved to that point without noteworthy incident. I reached +Bowling Green with a force much reduced by the losses sustained in +the battle of Perryville and by sickness. I had started from +Louisville on October 1 with twelve regiments of infantry--four old +and eight new ones--and two batteries, but many poor fellows, +overcome by fatigue, and diseases induced by the heat, dust, and +drought of the season, had to be left at roadside hospitals. This +was particularly the case with the new regiments, the men of which, +much depressed by homesickness, and not yet inured to campaigning, +fell easy victims to the hardships of war. + +At Bowling Green General Buell was relieved, General W. S. Rosecrans +succeeding him. The army as a whole did not manifest much regret at +the change of commanders, for the campaign from Louisville on was +looked upon generally as a lamentable failure, yet there were many +who still had the utmost confidence in General Buell, and they +repelled with some asperity the reflections cast upon him by his +critics. These admirers held him blameless throughout for the +blunders of the campaign, but the greater number laid every error at +his door, and even went to the absurdity of challenging his loyalty +in a mild way, but they particularly charged incompetency at +Perryville, where McCook's corps was so badly crippled while nearly +30,000 Union troops were idle on the field, or within striking +distance. With these it was no use to argue that Buell's accident +stood in the way of his activity, nor that he did not know that the +action had assumed the proportions of a battle. The physical +disability was denied or contested, but even granting this, his +detractors claimed that it did not excuse his ignorance of the true +condition of the fight, and finally worsted his champions by pointing +out that Bragg's retreat by way of Harrodsburg beyond Dick's River so +jeopardized the Confederate army, that had a skillful and energetic +advance of the Union troops been made, instead of wasting precious +time in slow and unnecessary tactical manoeuvres, the enemy could +have been destroyed before he could quit the State of Kentucky. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +MOVING TO BOWLING GREEN--JAMES CARD, THE SCOUT AND GUIDE--GENERAL +SILL--COLONEL SCHAEFER--COLONEL G. W. ROBERTS--MOVEMENT ON +MURFREESBORO'--OPENING OF THE BATTLE OF STONE RIVER. + +My division had moved from Crab Orchard to Bowling Green by easy +marches, reaching this place November 1. General Rosecrans assumed +command of the department October 30, at Louisville, and joined the +army November 2. There had been much pressure brought to bear on +General Buell to induce him to take measures looking to the occupancy +of East Tennessee, and the clamor to this end from Washington still +continued; but now that Bragg was south of the Cumberland River, in a +position threatening Nashville, which was garrisoned by but a small +force, it was apparent to every one at all conversant with the +situation that a battle would have to be fought somewhere in Middle +Tennessee. So, notwithstanding the pressure from Washington, the +army was soon put in motion for Nashville, and when we arrived there +my division went into camp north of the river, on a plateau just +outside the little town of Edgefield, until the movements of the +enemy should be further developed. + +While in this camp, on the plantation of Mr. Hobson, there came to my +headquarters one morning an East Tennessean named James Card, who +offered to the Union cause his services in any capacity in which they +might be made useful. This offer, and the relation of his personal +history, were given with such sincerity of speech and manner that in +a short time I became convinced of his honesty of purpose. He was a +small, active, busy man, with a determined way about him, and his +countenance indicated great intelligence. He gave minute information +that was of inestimable value to me regarding East and Middle +Tennessee and northern Georgia, for, with a view to the army's future +movements, I was then making a study of the topography of this +region, and posting myself as to Middle Tennessee, for all knew this +would be the scene of active operations whenever the campaign was +resumed. This man, like most of the East Tennesseans whom I had met, +was intensely loyal and patriotic, and the interview led in a few +days to his employment as a scout and guide, and subsequently to the +engaging in the same capacity of two of his brothers, who were good +men; but not quite as active nor so intelligent as he was. Card had +been a colporter, having pedled books, especially religious tracts, +over all Middle and East Tennessee and Georgia, assisted by his +brothers at times, and was therefore thoroughly familiar with these +regions, their roads and inhabitants. He also preached to country +congregations occasionally, when ministers were scarce, and I have no +doubt often performed the functions of family physician in the +mountain district. Thus his opportunities were great; and the loyal +people in every section of the country being well known to him and +his brothers, the three began, at this time, a system of scouting and +investigation which bore its first-fruits in specifically locating +the different divisions of Bragg's army, with statements of their +strength and condition, and all with so much accuracy that I +thereafter felt reasonably sure that I could at all times procure +such knowledge of the enemy's operations as would well equip me for +any contingency that might arise. + +By the middle of November the enemy, having assembled his forces in +Middle Tennessee, showed considerable boldness, and it became +necessary to rearrange the Union lines; so my troops were moved to +the south side of the river, out on the Murfreesboro' pike, to Mill +Creek, distant from Nashville about seven miles. While we were in +camp on Mill Creek the army was reorganized, and General Joshua W. +Sill, at his own request, was assigned to my division, and took +command of Colonel Nicholas Greusel's brigade. My division became at +the same time the Third Division, Right Wing, Fourteenth Army Corps, +its three brigades of four regiments each being respectively +commanded by General Sill, Colonel Frederick Schaefer and Colonel Dan +McCook; but a few days later Colonel George W. Roberts's brigade, +from the garrison at Nashville, was substituted for McCook's. + +General Sill was a classmate of mine at the Military Academy, having +graduated in 1853. On graduating he was appointed to the Ordnance +Corps, and served in that department at various arsenals and ordnance +depots throughout the country till early in 1861, when he resigned to +accept a professorship of mathematics and civil engineering at the +Brooklyn Collegiate and Polytechnic Institute. At the breaking out +of the war he immediately tendered his services to the Government, +and soon rose to the colonelcy of the Thirty-Third Ohio Volunteers, +and afterward to the rank of brigadier-general. I knew him well, and +was glad that he came to my division, though I was very loth to +relieve Colonel Greusel, of the Thirty-Sixth Illinois, who had +already indicated much military skill and bravery, and at the battle +of Perryville had handled his men with the experience of a veteran. +Sill's modesty and courage were exceeded only by a capacity that had +already been demonstrated in many practical ways, and his untimely +death, almost within a month of his joining me, abruptly closed a +career which, had it been prolonged a little more, not only would +have shed additional lustre on his name, but would have been of +marked benefit to his country. + +Colonel Schaefer, of the Second Missouri Infantry, had been absent on +sick-leave during the Kentucky campaign, but about this date he +returned to duty, and by seniority fell in command of the second +brigade. He was of German birth, having come from Baden, where, +prior to 1848, he had been a non-commissioned officer in the service +of his State. He took part as an insurgent in the so-called +revolution which occurred at Baden in that year, and, compelled to +emigrate on the suppression of the insurrection, made his way to this +country and settled in St. Louis. Here the breaking out of the war +found him, and through the personal interest which General Sigel took +in him he was commissioned a colonel of volunteers. He had had a +pretty fair education, a taste for the military profession, and was +of tall and slender build, all of which gave him a student-like +appearance. He was extremely excitable and nervous when anticipating +a crisis, but always calmed down to cool deliberation when the +critical moment came. With such a man I could not be less than well +satisfied, although the officer whom he replaced--Colonel Laiboldt-- +had performed efficient service and shown much capacity in the recent +campaign. + +Colonel G. W. Roberts, of the Forty-Second Illinois Infantry, also +came to me in the reorganization. He was an ideal soldier both in +mind and body. He was young, tall, handsome, brave, and dashing, and +possessed a balance-wheel of such good judgment that in his sphere of +action no occasion could arise from which he would not reap the best +results. But he too was destined to lay, down his life within a few +days, and on the same fatal field. His brigade had been performing +garrison duty in Nashville during the siege of that city while +Buell's army was in Kentucky, but disliking the prospect of +inactivity pending the operations opening before us, Roberts had +requested and obtained a transfer to the army in the field. His +brigade relieved Colonel Dan McCook's, the latter reluctantly joining +the garrison at Nashville, every one in it disappointed and disgusted +that the circumstances existing at this time should necessitate their +relegation to the harassing and tantalizing duty of protecting our +depots and line of supply. + +I was fortunate in having such brigade commanders, and no less +favored in the regimental and battery commanders. They all were not +only patriots, but soldiers, and knowing that discipline must be one +of the most potent factors in bringing to a successful termination, +the mighty contest in which our nation was struggling for existence, +they studied and practiced its methods ceaselessly, inspiring with +the same spirit that pervaded themselves the loyal hearts of their +subordinate officers and men. All worked unremittingly in the camp +at Mill Creek in preparing for the storm, which now plainly indicated +its speedy coming. Drills, parades, scouts, foraging expeditions, +picket and guard duty, made up the course in this school of +instruction, supplemented by frequent changes in the locations of the +different brigades, so that the division could have opportunity to +learn to break camp quickly and to move out promptly on the march. +Foraging expeditions were particularly beneficial in this respect, +and when sent out, though absent sometimes for days, the men went +without tents or knapsacks, equipped with only one blanket and their +arms, ammunition, and rations, to teach them to shift for themselves +with slender means in the event of necessity. The number of +regimental and headquarters wagons was cut down to the lowest +possible figure, and everything made compact by turning into the +supply and ammunition trains of the division all surplus +transportation, and restricting the personal baggage of officers to +the fewest effects possible. + +My own staff also was somewhat reorganized and increased at Mill +Creek, and though it had been perfectly satisfactory before, yet, on +account of the changes of troops that had occurred in the command, I +found it necessary to replace valuable officers in some instances, +and secure additional ones in others. The gathering of information +about the enemy was also industriously pursued, and Card and his +brothers were used constantly on expeditions within the Confederate +lines, frequently visiting Murfreesboro', Sparta, Tullahoma, +Shelbyville, and other points. What they learned was reported to +army headquarters, often orally through me or personally communicated +by Card himself, but much was forwarded in official letters, +beginning with November 24, when I transmitted accurate information +of the concentration of Bragg's main force at Tullahoma. Indeed, +Card kept me so well posted as to every movement of the enemy, not +only with reference to the troops in my immediate front, but also +throughout his whole army, that General Rosecrans placed the most +unreserved reliance on all his statements, and many times used them +to check and correct the reports brought in by his own scouts. + +Slight skirmishes took place frequently during this period, and now +and then heavy demonstrations were made in the neighborhood of +Nolensville by reconnoitring parties from both armies, but none of +these ever grew into a battle. These affairs sprung from the desire +of each side to feel his antagonist, and had little result beyond +emphasizing the fact that behind each line of pickets lay a massed +and powerful army busily preparing for the inevitable conflict and +eager for its opening. So it wore on till the evening of December +25, 1862; then came the order to move forward. + +General Rosecrans, in the reorganization of the army, had assigned +Major-General A. McD. McCook to command the right wing, Major-General +George H. Thomas the centre, and Major-General T. L. Crittenden the +left wing. McCook's wing was made up of three divisions, commanded +in order of rank by Brigadier-General Jeff. C. Davis; Brigadier- +General R. W. Johnson, and Brigadier-General P. H. Sheridan. +Although the corps nomenclature established by General Buell was +dropped, the grand divisions into which he had organized the army at +Louisville were maintained, and, in fact, the conditions established +then remained practically unaltered, with the exception of the +interchange of some brigades, the transfer of a few general officers +from one wing or division to another, and the substitution of General +Thomas for Gilbert as a corps commander. The army was thus compact +and cohesive, undisturbed by discord and unembarrassed by jealousies +of any moment; and it may be said that under a commander who, we +believed, had the energy and skill necessary to direct us to success, +a national confidence in our invincibility made us all keen for a +test of strength with the Confederates. We had not long to wait. + +Early on the morning of December 26, 1862, in a heavy rain, the army +marched, the movement being directed on Murfreesboro', where the +enemy had made some preparation to go into winter-quarters, and to +hold which town it was hoped he would accept battle. General Thomas +moved by the Franklin and Wilson pikes, General Crittenden by the +Murfreesboro' pike, through Lavergne, and General McCook by the +Nolensville pike--Davis's division in advance. As McCook's command +neared Nolensville, I received a message from Davis informing me that +the Confederates were in considerable force, posted on a range of +hills in his front, and requesting me to support him in an attack he +was about to make. When the head of my column arrived at Nolensville +I began massing my troops on the right of the road, and by the time +this formation was nearly completed Davis advanced, but not meeting +with sufficient resistance to demand active assistance from me, he +with his own command carried the hills, capturing one piece of +artillery. This position of the Confederates was a strong one, +defending Knob's Gap, through which the Nolensville and Triune pike +passed. On the 27th Johnson's division, followed by mine, advanced +to Triune, and engaged in a severe skirmish near that place, but my +troops were not called into action, the stand made by the enemy being +only for the purpose of gaining time to draw in his outlying troops, +which done, he retired toward Murfreesboro'. I remained inactive at +Triune during the 28th, but early on the 29th moved out by the Bole +Jack road to the support of, Davis in his advance to Stewart's Creek, +and encamped at Wilkinson's crossroads, from which point to +Murfreesboro', distant about six miles, there was a good turnpike. +The enemy had sullenly resisted the progress of Crittenden and McCook +throughout the preceding three days, and as it was thought probable +that he might offer battle at Stewart's Creek, Thomas, in pursuance +of his original instructions looking to just such a contingency, had +now fallen into the centre by way of the Nolensville crossroads. + +On the morning of the 3oth I had the advance of McCook's corps on the +Wilkinson pike, Roberts's brigade leading. At first only slight +skirmishing took place, but when we came within about three miles of +Murfreesboro' the resistance of the enemy's pickets grew serious, and +a little further on so strong that I had to put in two regiments to +push them back. I succeeded in driving them about half a mile, when +I was directed by McCook to form line of battle and place my +artillery in position so that I could act in concert with Davis's +division, which he wished to post on my right in the general line he +desired to take up. In obedience to these directions I deployed on +the right of, and oblique to the Wilkinson pike, with a front of four +regiments, a second line of four regiments within short supporting +distance, and a reserve of one brigade in column of regiments to the +rear of my centre. All this time the enemy kept up a heavy artillery +and musketry fire on my skirmishers, he occupying, with his +sharpshooters, beyond some open fields, a heavy belt of timber to my +front and right, where it was intended the left of Davis should +finally rest. To gain this point Davis was ordered to swing his +division into it in conjunction with a wheeling movement of my right +brigade, until our continuous line should face nearly due east. This +would give us possession of the timber referred to, and not only rid +us of the annoying fire from the skirmishers screened by it, but also +place us close in to what was now developing as Bragg's line of +battle. The movement was begun about half-past 2, and was +successfully executed, after a stubborn resistance. In this +preliminary affair the enemy had put in one battery of artillery, +which was silenced in a little while, however, by Bush's and +Hescock's guns. By sundown I had taken up my prescribed position, +facing almost east, my left (Roberts's brigade) resting on the +Wilkinson pike, the right (Sill's brigade) in the timber we had just +gained, and the reserve brigade (Schaefer's) to the rear of my +centre, on some rising ground in the edge of a strip of woods behind +Houghtaling's and Hescock's batteries. Davis's division was placed +in position on my right, his troops thrown somewhat to the rear, so +that his line formed nearly a right angle with mine, while Johnson's +division formed in a very exposed position on the right of Davis, +prolonging the general line just across the Franklin pike. + +The centre, under Thomas, had already formed to my left, the right of +Negley's division joining my left in a cedar thicket near the +Wilkinson pike, while Crittenden's corps was posted on the left of +Thomas, his left resting on Stone River, at a point about two miles +and a half from Murfreesboro'. + +The precision that had characterized every manoeuvre of the past +three days, and the exactness with which each corps and division fell +into its allotted place on the evening of the 30th, indicated that at +the outset of the campaign a well-digested plan of operations had +been prepared for us; and although the scheme of the expected battle +was not known to subordinates of my grade, yet all the movements up +to this time had been so successfully and accurately made as to give +much promise for the morrow, and when night fell there was general +anticipation of the best results to the Union army. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +ASSAULT ON OUR RIGHT FLANK--OCCUPYING A NEW POSITION--THE ENEMY +CHECKED--TERRIBLE LOSS OF OFFICERS--AMMUNITION GIVES OUT-- +RECONSTRUCTING THE LINE--COLLECTING THE WOUNDED AND BURYING THE DEAD- +-DEALING WITH COWARDS--RESULTS OF THE VICTORY. + +The enemy under Bragg lay between us and stone River in order of +battle, his general line conforming to the course of that stream. In +my immediate front he appeared to be established in strong force in a +dense cedar wood, just beyond an open valley, which varied from two +hundred to four hundred yards in width, the cedars extending the +entire length of the valley. From the events of the day and evening +of the 3oth, it was apparent that the two armies were in close +proximity, and orders received during the night revealed the fact +that Rosecrans intended to attack by throwing his left on the enemy's +right, with the expectation of driving it in toward Murfreesboro', so +that the right of Crittenden's corps could attack Bragg's centre in +reverse, while Thomas supported Crittenden by a simultaneous front +assault; and from the movements of the enemy at daylight next +morning, it was plainly indicated that Bragg had planned to swing his +left on our right by an exactly similar manoeuvre, get possession of +the railroad and the Nashville pike, and if possible cut us off from +our base at Nashville. The conceptions in the minds of the two +generals were almost identical; but Bragg took the initiative, +beginning his movement about an hour earlier than the time set by +Rosecrans, which gained him an immense advantage in execution in the +earlier stages of the action. + +During the evening, feeling keenly all the solicitude which +attends one in anticipation of a battle, I examined my position with +great care, inspecting its whole length several times to remedy any +defects that might exist, and to let the men see that I was alive to +their interests and advantages. After dark, I went back to the rear +of my reserve brigade, and establishing my headquarters behind the +trunk of a large fallen tree, which would shelter me somewhat from +the cold December wind, lay down beside a small camp-fire to get some +rest. + +At 2 o'clock on the morning of the 31st General Sill came back to me +to report that on his front a continuous movement of infantry and +artillery had been going on all night within the Confederate lines, +and that he was convinced that Bragg was massing on our right with +the purpose of making an attack from that direction early in the +morning. After discussing for a few minutes the probabilities of +such a course on the part of the enemy, I thought McCook should be +made acquainted with what was going on, so Sill and I went back to +see him at his headquarters, not far from the Griscom House, where we +found him sleeping on some straw in the angle of a worm-fence. I +waked him up and communicated the intelligence, and our consequent +impressions. He talked the matter over with us for some little time, +but in view of the offensive-defensive part he was to play in the +coming battle, did not seem to think that there was a necessity for +any further dispositions than had already been taken. He said that +he thought Johnson's division would be able to take care of the +right, and seemed confident that the early assault which was to be +made from Rosecrans's left would anticipate and check the designs +which we presaged. We two then returned to my little camp-fire +behind the log, and as we continued talking of what might be expected +from the indications on the right, and Sill becoming more anxious, I +directed two regiments from the reserve to report to him, that they +might be placed within very short supporting distance of his line. +He then rejoined his brigade, better satisfied, but still adhering to +the belief he had expressed when first making his report. + +Long before dawn my division breakfasted, and was assembled under +arms, the infantry in line, the cannoneers at their pieces, but while +we were thus preparing, all the recent signs of activity in the +enemy's camp were hushed, a death-like stillness prevailing in the +cedars to our front. Shortly after daylight General Hardee opened +the engagement, just as Sill had predicted, by a fierce attack on +Johnson's division, the extreme right of the Union line. Immediate +success attending this assault, Hardee extended the attack gradually +along in front of Davis, hip movement taking the form of a wheel to +the right, the pivot being nearly opposite the left of my division. +Johnson's division soon gave way, and two of Davis's brigades were +forced to fall back with it, though stubbornly resisting the +determined and sweeping onset. + +In the meantime the enemy had also attacked me, advancing across an +old cotton-field in Sill's front in heavy masses, which were +furiously opened upon by Bush's battery from Sill's line, and by +Hescock's and Houghtaling's batteries, which had an oblique fire on +the field from a commanding position in rear of my centre. The +effect of this fire on the advancing column was terrible, but it +continued on till it reached the edge of the timber where Sill's +right lay, when my infantry opened at a range of not over fifty +yards. For a short time the Confederates withstood the fire, but +then wavered, broke, and fell back toward their original line. As +they retired, Sill's brigade followed in a spirited charge, driving +them back across the open ground and behind their intrenchments. In +this charge the gallant Sill was killed; a rifle ball passing through +his upper lip and penetrating the brain. Although this was a heavy +loss, yet the enemy's discomfiture was such as to give us an hour's +time, and as Colonel Greusel, Thirty-sixth Illinois, succeeded to +Sill's command, I directed him, as he took charge, to recall the +brigade to its original position, for the turning-column on my +extreme right was now assuming the most menacing attitude, and it was +urgently necessary to prepare for it. + +When that portion of the enemy driven back by Sill recovered from its +repulse it again advanced to the attack, this time directing its +efforts chiefly upon my extreme right, and the front of Woodruff's +brigade of Davis's division, which brigade still held on in its first +position. In front of my centre the Confederates were again driven +back, but as the assault on Woodruff was in conjunction with an +advance of the column that had forced Johnson to retire, Woodruff was +compelled unfortunately to give way, and two regiments on the right +of my line went with him, till they rallied on the two reserve +regiments which, in anticipation of the enemy's initiatory attack I +had sent to Sill's rear before daylight. + +Both Johnson's and Davis's divisions were now practically gone from +our line, having retired with a loss of all formation, and they were +being closely pursued by the enemy, whose columns were following the +arc of a circle that would ultimately carry him in on my rear. In +consequence of the fact that this state of things would soon subject +me to a fire in reverse, I hastily withdrew Sill's brigade and the +reserve regiments supporting it, and ordered Roberts's brigade, which +at the close of the enemy's second repulse had changed front toward +the south and formed in column of regiments, to cover the withdrawal +by a charge on the Confederates as they came into the timber where my +right had originally rested. Roberts made the charge at the proper +time, and was successful in checking the enemy's advance, thus giving +us a breathing-spell, during which I was able to take up a new +position with Schaefer's and Sill's brigades on the commanding ground +to the rear, where Hescock's and Houghtaling's batteries had been +posted all the morning. + +The general course of this new position was at right angles with my +original line, and it took the shape of an obtuse angle, with my +three batteries at the apex. Davis, and Carlin of his division, +endeavored to rally their men here on my right, but their efforts +were practically unavailing,--though the calm and cool appearance of +Carlin, who at the time was smoking a stumpy pipe, had some effect, +and was in strong contrast to the excited manner of Davis, who seemed +overpowered by the disaster that had befallen his command. But few +could be rallied, however, as the men were badly demoralized, and +most of them fell back beyond the Wilkinson pike, where they +reorganized behind the troops of General Thomas. + +At this juncture the enemy's turning-column began advancing again in +concert with Cheatham's division, and as the extreme left of the +Confederates was directed on Griscom's house, and their right on the +Blanton house, my new position was in danger of envelopment. No hope +of stemming the tide at this point seemed probable, but to gain time +I retained my ground as long as possible, and until, under directions +from General McCook, I moved to the front from my left flank and +attached myself to the right of Negley's division, which up to this +hour had been left almost undisturbed by the enemy in the line it had +taken up the night before. Under a heavy fire we succeeded in this +manoeuvre, Schaefer's brigade marching first, then the batteries, and +Roberts's and Sill's brigades following. When my division arrived on +this new ground, I posted Roberts on Negley's right, with Hescock's +and Bush's guns, the brigade and guns occupying a low rocky ridge of +limestone, which faced them toward Murfreesboro', nearly south. The +rest of my division was aligned facing west, along the edge of a +cedar thicket, the rear rank backed up on the right flank of Roberts, +with Houghtaling's battery in the angle. This presented Sill's and +Schaefer's brigades in an almost opposite direction to the line we +had so confidently taken up the night before, and covered Negley's +rear. The enemy, in the meantime, had continued his wheeling +movement till he occupied the ground that my batteries and reserve +brigade had held in the morning, and I had now so changed my position +that the left brigade of my division approached his intrenchments in +front of Stone River, while Sill's and Schaeffer's brigades, by +facing nearly west, confronted the successful troops that had smashed +in our extreme right. + +I had hardly got straightened out in this last place when I was +attacked by Cheatham's'division, which, notwithstanding the +staggering blows it had previously received from Sill and Roberts, +now again moved forward in conjunction with the wheeling movement +under the immediate command of Hardee. One of the most sanguinary +contests of the day now took place. In fulfillment of Bragg's +original design no doubt, Cheatham's division attacked on my left, +while heavy masses under Hardee, covered by batteries posted on the +high ground formerly occupied by my guns, assaulted my right, the +whole force advancing simultaneously. At the same time the enemy +opened an artillery fire from his intrenchments in front of +Murfreesboro', and it seemed that he was present on every side. My +position was strong, however, located in the edge of a dense cedar +thicket and commanding a slight depression of open ground that lay in +my front. My men were in good spirits too, notwithstanding they had +been a good deal hustled around since daylight, with losses that had +told considerably on their numbers. Only a short distance now +separated the contending lines, and as the batteries on each side +were not much more than two hundred yards apart when the enemy made +his assault, the artillery fire was fearful in its effect on the +ranks of both contestants, the enemy's heavy masses staggering under +the torrent of shell and canister from our batteries, while our lines +were thinned by his ricochetting projectiles, that rebounded again +and again over the thinly covered limestone formation and sped on to +the rear of Negley. But all his efforts to dislodge or destroy us +were futile, and for the first time since daylight General Hardee was +seriously checked in the turning movement he had begun for the +purpose of getting possession of the Nashville pike, and though +reinforced until two-fifths of Bragg's army was now at his command, +yet he met with repulse after repulse, which created great gaps in +his lines and taught him that to overwhelm us was hopeless. + +As the enemy was recoiling from his first attack, I received a +message from Rosecrans telling me that he was making new +dispositions, and directing me to hold on where I was until they were +completed. From this I judged that the existing conditions of the +battle would probably require a sacrifice of my command, so I +informed Roberts and Schaefer that we must be prepared to meet the +demand on us by withstanding the assault of the enemy, no matter what +the outcome. Every energy was therefore bent to the simple holding +of our ground, and as ammunition was getting scarce, instructions +were given throughout the command to have it reserve its fire till +the most effective moment. In a little while came a second and a +third assault, and although they were as daring and furious as the +first, yet in each case the Confederates were repulsed, driven back +in confusion, but not without deadly loss to us, for the noble +Roberts was killed, and Colonel Harrington, of the Twenty-Seventh +Illinois, who succeeded to his brigade, was mortally wounded a few +minutes later. I had now on the death-roll three brigade commanders, +and the loss of subordinate officers and men was appalling, but their +sacrifice had accomplished the desired result; they had not fallen in +vain. Indeed, the bravery and tenacity of my division gave to +Rosecrans the time required to make new dispositions, and exacted +from our foes the highest commendations. + +A lull followed the third fierce assault, and an investigation showed +that, with the exception of a few rounds in my brigade, our +ammunition was entirely exhausted; and while it was apparent that the +enemy was reluctant to renew the conflict in my front, yet I was +satisfied I could not hold on much longer without the danger of +ultimate capture, so I prepared to withdraw as soon as the troops of +Rousseau's division, which had been ordered to take up a line on my +right, came into position. Schaefer's and Sill's brigades being +without a cartridge, I directed them to fix bayonets for a charge, +and await any attempt of the enemy to embarrass my retreat, while +Roberts's brigade, offering such resistance as its small quantity of +ammunition would permit, was pulled slowly in toward the Nashville +pike. Eighty of the horses of Houghtaling's battery having been +killed, an attempt was made to bring his guns back by hand over the +rocky ground, but it could not be done, and we had to abandon them. +Hescock also had lost most of his horses, but all his guns were +saved. Bush's battery lost two pieces, the tangled underbrush in the +dense cedars proving an obstacle to getting them away which his +almost superhuman exertions could not surmount. Thus far the bloody +duel had cost me heavily, one-third of my division being killed or +wounded. I had already three brigade commanders killed; a little +later I lost my fourth--Colonel Schaefer. + +The difficulties of withdrawing were very great, as the ground was +exceptionally rocky, and the growth of cedars almost impenetrable for +wheeled carriages. Retiring sullenly under a heavy fire, while the +general line was reformed to my right and rear, my division was at +length drawn through the cedars and debouched into an open space near +the Murfreesboro' pike, behind the right of Palmer's division. Two +regiments of Sill's brigade, however, on account of the conformation +of the ground, were obliged to fall back from the point where +Woodruff's brigade of Davis's division had rallied after the disaster +of the early morning. The division came out of the cedars with +unbroken ranks, thinned by only its killed and wounded--but few +missing. When we came into the open ground, McCook directed +Roberts's brigade--now commanded by Colonel Luther P. Bradley--to +proceed a short distance to the rear on the Nashville pike, to repel +the enemy's threatening attempt at our communications. Willingly and +cheerfully the brigade again entered the fight under these new +conditions, and although it was supplied with but three or four +cartridges to the man now, it charged gallantly and recaptured two +pieces of artillery which the Union troops had had to abandon at that +point. + +Shortly after we debouched from the cedars I was directed by +Rosecrans to send some aid to the right of General Palmer's division; +and two of Schaefer's regiments, having obtained ammunition, were +pushed up on Palmer's right, accompanied by four of Hescock's guns; +but the advance of the enemy here had already been checked by Palmer, +and only a desultory contest ensued. Rosecrans, whom I now met in +the open ground west of the railroad, behind Palmer, directed that my +command should relieve Wood's division, which was required to fall +back and take up the new line that had been marked out while I was +holding on in the cedars. His usually florid face had lost its ruddy +color, and his anxious eyes told that the disasters of the morning +were testing his powers to the very verge of endurance, but he seemed +fully to comprehend what had befallen us. His firmly set lips and, +the calmness with which his instructions were delivered inspired +confidence in all around him; and expressing approbation of what my +division had done, while deliberately directing it to a new point, he +renewed in us all the hope of final victory, though it must be +admitted that at this phase of the battle the chances lay largely +with the enemy. + +Withdrawing the two regiments and Hescock's battery, that I had +posted on the right of Palmer, I moved as directed by Rosecrans into +the position to the east of the railroad, and formed immediately to +the right of Wood, who was now being attacked all along his front, +but more particularly where his right rested near the railroad. +Under a storm of shot and shell that came in torrents my troops took +up the new ground, advancing through a clump of open timber to Wood's +assistance. Forming in line in front of the timber we poured a +telling fire into the enemy's ranks, which were then attacking across +some cleared fields; but when he discovered additional troops +confronting him, he gave up the attempt to carry Wood's position. It +was here that I lost Schaefer, who was killed instantly, making my +fourth brigade commander dead that day. The enemy in front of Wood +having been checked, our whole line east of the railroad executed +undisturbed its retrograde movement to a position about three hundred +yards to its rear. When I fell back to the edge of the clump of +timber, where when first coming on the ground I had formed to help +Wood, I was ordered by Rosecrans to prepare to make a charge should +the enemy again assault us. In anticipation of this work I massed my +troops in close column. The expected attack never came, however, but +the shot and shell of a furious cannonade told with fatal effect upon +men and officers as they lay on their faces hugging the ground. The +torments of this trying situation were almost unbearable, but it was +obvious to all that it was necessary to have at hand a compact body +of troops to repel any assault the enemy might make pending the +reconstruction of the extreme right of our line, and a silent +determination to stay seemed to take hold of each individual soldier; +nor was this grim silence interrupted throughout the cannonade, +except in one instance, when one of the regiments broke out in a +lusty cheer as a startled rabbit in search of a new hiding-place +safely ran the whole length of the line on the backs of the men. + +While my troops were still lying here, General Rosecrans, with a part +of his staff and a few orderlies, rode out on the rearranged line to +supervise its formation and encourage the men, and in prosecution of +these objects moved around the front of my column of attack, within +range of the batteries that were shelling us so viciously. As he +passed to the open ground on my left, I joined him. The enemy seeing +this mounted party, turned his guns upon it, and his accurate aim was +soon rewarded, for a solid shot carried away the head of Colonel +Garesche, the chief-of-staff, and killed or wounded two or three +orderlies. Garesche's appalling death stunned us all, and a +momentary expression of horror spread over Rosecrans's face; but at +such a time the importance of self-control was vital, and he pursued +his course with an appearance of indifference, which, however, those +immediately about him saw was assumed, for undoubtedly he felt most +deeply the death of his friend and trusted staff-officer. + +No other attacks were made on us to the east of the railroad for the +rest of the afternoon, and just before dark I was directed to +withdraw and take up a position along the west side of the Nashville +pike, on the extreme right of our new line, where Roberts's brigade +and the Seventy-third and Eighty-eighth Illinois had already been +placed by McCook. The day had cost me much anxiety and sadness, and +I was sorely disappointed at the general result, though I could not +be other than pleased at the part taken by my command. The loss of +my brigade commanders--Sill, Roberts, Schaefer, and Harrington-and a +large number of regimental and battery officers, with so many of +their men, struck deep into my heart: My thinned ranks told the +woeful tale of the fierce struggles, indescribable by words, through +which my division had passed since 7 o'clock in the morning; and +this, added to our hungry and exhausted condition, was naturally +disheartening. The men had been made veterans, however, by the +fortunes and misfortunes of the day, and as they went into their new +places still confident of final success, it was plain to see that +they felt a self-confidence inspired by the part they had already +played. + +My headquarters were now established on the Nashville pike, about +three miles and a half from Murfreesboro'; my division being aligned +to the west of the pike, bowed out and facing almost west, Cleburn's +division of the Confederates confronting it. Davis's division was +posted on my right, and Walker's brigade of Thomas's corps, which had +reported to me, took up a line that con nected my left with Johnson's +division. + +Late in the evening General Rosecrans, accompanied by General McCook, +and several other officers whose names I am now unable to recall, +rode by my headquarters on their way to the rear to look for a new +line of battle--on Overall's creek it was said--that would preserve +our communications with Nashville and offer better facilities for +resistance than the one we were now holding. Considerable time had +elapsed when they returned from this exploration and proceeded to +their respective commands, without intimating to me that anything had +been determined upon by the reconnoissance, but a little later it was +rumored through the different headquarters that while the party was +looking for a new position it discovered the enemy's troops moving +toward our right and rear, the head of his columns being conducted in +the darkness by the aid of torches, and that no alternative was left +us but to hold the lines we then occupied. The torches had been seen +unquestionably, and possibly created some alarm at first in the minds +of the reconnoitring party, but it was soon ascertained that the +lights came from a battalion of the Fourth regular cavalry that was +picketing our flank and happened to be starting its bivouac fires at +the moment. The fires and the supposed movements had no weight, +therefore, in deciding the proposition to take up a line at Overall's +creek, but General Rosecrans, fortunately for the army, decided to +remain where he was. Doubtless reflections during his ride caused +him to realize that the enemy must be quite as much crippled as +himself. If it had been decided to fall back to Overall's creek, we +could have withdrawn without much difficulty very likely, but such a +retrograde movement would have left to the enemy the entire battle- +field of Stone River and ultimately compelled our retreat to +Nashville. + +In the night of December 3rd several slight demonstrations were made +on my front, but from the darkness neither party felt the effect of +the other's fire, and when daylight came again the skirmishers and +lines of battle were in about the same position they had taken up the +evening before. Soon after daybreak it became evident that the +conflict was to be renewed, and a little later the enemy resumed the +offensive by an attack along my left front, especially on Walker's +brigade. His attempt was ineffectual, however, and so easily +repulsed as to demonstrate that the desperate character of his +assaults the day before had nearly exhausted his strength. About 3 +o'clock in the afternoon he made another feeble charge on my front, +but our fire from the barricades and rifle-pits soon demoralized his +advancing lines, which fell back in some confusion, thus enabling us +to pick up about a hundred prisoners. From this time till the +evening of January 3 Bragg's left remained in our front, and +continued to show itself at intervals by weak demonstrations, which +we afterward ascertained were directly intended to cover the +desperate assault he made with Breckenridge on the left of Rosecrans, +an assault that really had in view only a defensive purpose, for +unless Bragg dislodged the troops which were now massing in front of +his right he would be obliged to withdraw General Polk's corps behind +Stone River and finally abandon Murfreesboro'. The sequel proved +this to be the case; and the ill-judged assault led by Breckenridge +ending in entire defeat, Bragg retired from Murfreesboro' the night +of January 3. + +General Rosecrans occupied Murfreesboro' on the 4th and 5th, having +gained a costly victory, which was not decisive enough in its +character to greatly affect the general course of the war, though it +somewhat strengthened and increased our hold on Middle Tennessee. +The enemy in retiring did not fall back very far--only behind Duck +River to Shelbyville and Tullahoma--and but little endeavor was made +to follow him. Indeed, we were not in condition to pursue, even if +it had been the intention at the outset of the campaign. + +As soon as possible after the Confederate retreat I went over the +battle-field to collect such of my wounded as had not been carried +off to the South and to bury my dead. In the cedars and on the +ground where I had been so fiercely assaulted when the battle opened, +on the morning of the 31st, evidences of the bloody struggle appeared +on every hand in the form of broken fire-arms, fragments of +accoutrements, and splintered trees. The dead had nearly all been +left unburied, but as there was likelihood of their mutilation by +roving swine, the bodies had mostly been collected in piles at +different points and inclosed by rail fences. The sad duties of +interment and of caring for the wounded were completed by the 5th, +and on the 6th I moved my division three miles, south of +Murfreesboro' on the Shelbyville pike, going into camp on the banks +of Stone River. Here the condition of my command was thoroughly +looked into, and an endeavor made to correct such defects as had been +disclosed by the recent battle. + +During the engagement there had been little straggling, and my list +of missing was small and legitimate; still, it was known that a very +few had shirked their duty, and an example was necessary. Among this +small number were four officers who, it was charged, had abandoned +their colors and regiments. When their guilt was clearly +established, and as soon as an opportunity occurred, I caused the +whole division to be formed in a hollow square, closed in mass, and +had the four officers marched to the centre, where, telling them that +I would not humiliate any officer or soldier by requiring him to +touch their disgraced swords, I compelled them to deliver theirs up +to my colored servant, who also cut from their coats every insignia +of rank. Then, after there had been read to the command an order +from army headquarters dismissing the four from the service, the +scene was brought to a close by drumming the cowards out of camp. It +was a mortifying spectacle, but from that day no officer in that +division ever abandoned his colors. + +My effective force in the battle of Stone River was 4,154 officers +and men. Of this number I lost 1,633 killed, wounded, and missing, +or nearly 40 per cent. In the remaining years of the war, though +often engaged in most severe contests, I never experienced in any of +my commands so high a rate of casualties. The ratio of loss in the +whole of Rosecrans's army was also high, and Bragg's losses were +almost equally great. Rosecrans carried into the action about 42,000 +officers and men. He lost 13,230, or 31 per cent. Bragg's effective +force was 37,800 officers and men; he lost 10,306, or nearly 28 per +cent. + +Though our victory was dearly bought, yet the importance of gaining +the day at any price was very great, particularly when we consider +what might have been the result had not the gallantry of the army and +the manoeuvring during the early disaster saved us from ultimate +defeat. We had started out from Nashville on an offensive campaign, +probably with no intention of going beyond Murfreesboro', in +midwinter, but still with the expectation of delivering a crushing +blow should the enemy accept our challenge to battle. He met us with +a plan of attack almost the counterpart of our own. In the execution +of his plan he had many advantages, not the least of which was his +intimate knowledge of the ground, and he came near destroying us. +Had he done so, Nashville would probably have fallen; at all events, +Kentucky would have been opened again to his incursions, and the +theatre of war very likely transferred once more to the Ohio River. +As the case now stood, however, Nashville was firmly established as a +base for future operations, Kentucky was safe from the possibility of +being again overrun, and Bragg, thrown on the defensive, was +compelled to give his thoughts to the protection of the interior of +the Confederacy and the security of Chattanooga, rather than indulge +in schemes of conquest north of the Cumberland River. While he still +held on in Middle Tennessee his grasp was so much loosened that only +slight effort would be necessary to push him back into Georgia, and +thus give to the mountain region of East Tennessee an opportunity to +prove its loyalty to the, Union. + +The victory quieted the fears of the West and Northwest, destroyed +the hopes of the secession element in Kentucky, renewed the drooping +spirits of the East Tennesseans, and demoralized the disunionists in +Middle Tennessee; yet it was a negative victory so far as concerned +the result on the battle-field. Rosecrans seems to have planned the +battle with the idea that the enemy would continue passive, remain +entirely on the defensive, and that it was necessary only to push +forward our left in order to force the evacuation of Murfreesboro'; +and notwithstanding the fact that on the afternoon of December 30 +McCook received information that the right of Johnson's division. +resting near the Franklin pike, extended only to about the centre of +the Confederate army, it does not appear that attack from that +quarter was at all apprehended by the Union commanders. + +The natural line of retreat of the Confederates was not threatened by +the design of Rosecrans; and Bragg, without risk to his +communications, anticipated it by a counter-attack of like character +from his own left, and demolished his adversary's plan the moment we +were thrown on the defensive. Had Bragg followed up with the spirit +which characterized its beginning the successful attack by Hardee on +our right wing--and there seems no reason why he should not have done +so--the army of Rosecrans still might have got back to Nashville, but +it would have been depleted and demoralized to such a degree as to +unfit it for offensive operations for a long time afterward. Bragg's +intrenchments in front of Stone River were very strong, and there +seems no reason why he should not have used his plain advantage as +explained, but instead he allowed us to gain time, intrench, and +recover a confidence that at first was badly shaken. Finally, to cap +the climax of his errors, he directed Breckenridge to make the +assault from his right flank on January 2, with small chance for +anything but disaster, when the real purpose in view could have been +accomplished without the necessity of any offensive manoeuvre +whatever. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +APPOINTED A MAJOR-GENERAL--THE SECRET EXPEDITION UNDER CARD THE +SCOUT--HIS CAPTURE BY GUERRILLAS--ESCAPE--A REVENGE PARTY--WOMEN +SOLDIERS--A FIGHT WITH SABRES--TULLAHOMA CAMPAIGN--A FOOLISH +ADVENTURE. + +On the 6th of January, 1863, my division settled quietly down in its +camp south of Murfreesboro'. Its exhausted condition after the +terrible experiences of the preceding week required attention. It +needed recuperation, reinforcement, and reorganization, and I set +about these matters without delay, in anticipation of active +operations early in the spring. No forward movement was made for +nearly six months, however, and throughout this period drills, +parades, reconnoissances, and foraging expeditions filled in the time +profitably. In addition to these exercises the construction of +permanent fortifications for the security of Murfreesboro' was +undertaken by General Rosecrans, and large details from my troops +were furnished daily for the work. Much attention was also given to +creating a more perfect system of guard and picket duty-a matter that +had hitherto been somewhat neglected in the army, as its constant +activity had permitted scant opportunity for the development of such +a system. It was at this time that I received my appointment as a +major-general of Volunteers. My promotion had been recommended by +General Rosecrans immediately after the battle of Stone River, but +for some reason it was delayed until April, and though a long time +elapsed between the promise and the performance, my gratification was +extreme. + +My scout, Card, was exceedingly useful while encamped near +Murfreesboro, making several trips to East Tennessee within the +enemy's lines to collect information as to the condition of the loyal +people there, and to encourage them with the hope of early +liberation. He also brought back from each trip very accurate +statements as to the strength and doings of the Confederate army, +fixing almost with certainty its numbers and the locations of its +different divisions, and enabling my engineer-officer--Major +Morhardt--to construct good maps of the country in our front. On +these dangerous excursions Card was always accompanied by one of his +brothers, the other remaining with me to be ready for duty if any +accident occurred to those who had gone out, or in case I wanted to +communicate with them. In this way we kept well posted, although the +intelligence these men brought was almost always secured at the risk +of their lives. + +Early in the spring, before the Tullahoma campaign began, I thought +it would be practicable, by sending out a small secret expedition of +but three or four men, to break the Nashville and Chattanooga +railroad between Chattanooga and the enemy's position at Tullahoma by +burning the bridges in Crow Creek valley from its head to Stevenson, +Alabama, and then the great bridge across the Tennessee River at +Bridgeport. Feeling confident that I could persuade Card to +undertake the perilous duty, I broached the contemplated project to +him, and he at once jumped at the opportunity of thus distinguishing +himself, saying that with one of his brothers and three other loyal +East Tennesseeans, whose services he knew could be enlisted, he felt +sure of carrying out the idea, so I gave him authority to choose his +own assistants. In a few days his men appeared at my headquarters, +and when supplied with money in notes of the State Bank of Tennessee, +current everywhere as gold in those days, the party, composed of +Card, the second brother, and the three East Tennesseeans, started on +their precarious enterprise, their course being directed first toward +the Cumberland Mountains, intending to strike the Nashville and +Chattanooga railroad somewhere above Anderson's station. They +expected to get back in about fifteen days, but I looked for some +knowledge of the progress of their adventure before the expiration of +that period, hoping to hear through Confederate sources prisoners and +the like-of the destruction of the bridges. I waited in patience for +such news, but none came, and as the time Card had allotted himself +passed by, I watched anxiously for his return, for, as there was +scarcely a doubt that the expedition had proved a failure, the fate +of the party became a matter of deep concern to Card's remaining +brother and to me. Finally this brother volunteered to go to his +father's house in East Tennessee to get tidings of the party, and I +consented, for the probabilities were that some of them had made +their way to that point, or at least that some information had +reached there about them. As day after day went by, the time fixed +for this brother's return came round, yet he also remained out; but +some days after the lad was due Card himself turned up accompanied by +the brother he had taken with him, soon explained his delay in +getting back, and gave me the story of his adventures while absent. + +After leaving my camp, his party had followed various byways across +the Cumberland Mountains to Crow Creek Valley, as instructed; but +when nearing the railroad above Anderson's Station, they were +captured by some guerrillas prowling about that vicinity, and being +suspected of disloyalty to the Confederacy, were carried to +Chattanooga and imprisoned as Yankee spies. Their prospects now were +decidedly discouraging, for death stared them in the face. +Fortunately, however, some delays occurred relative to the +disposition that should be made of them, and they, meanwhile, +effected their escape from their jailors by way of one of the prison +windows, from which they managed to displace a bar, and by a skiff, +in the darkness of night, crossed the Tennessee River a little below +Chattanooga. From this point the party made their way back to my +camp, traveling only at night, hiding in the woods by day, and for +food depending on loyal citizens that Card had become acquainted with +when preaching and pedling. + +Card's first inquiry after relating his story was for the youngest +brother, whom he had left with me. I told him what I had done, in my +anxiety about himself, and that more than sufficient time had elapsed +for his brother's return. His reply was: "They have caught him. The +poor fellow is dead." His surmise proved correct; for news soon came +that the poor boy had been captured at his father's house, and +hanged. The blow to Card was a severe one, and so hardened his heart +against the guerrillas in the neighborhood of his father's home--for +he knew they were guilty of his brother's murder--that it was with +difficulty I could persuade him to continue in the employment of the +Government, so determined was he to avenge his brother's death at the +first opportunity. Finally, however, I succeeded in quieting the +almost uncontrollable rage that seemed to possess him, and he +remained with me during the Tullahoma and Chickamauga campaigns; but +when we reached Knoxville the next winter, he took his departure, +informing me that he was going for the bushwhackers who had killed +his brother. A short time after he left me, I saw him at the head of +about thirty well-armed East Tennesseeans--refugees. They were +determined-looking men, seeking revenge for the wrongs and sufferings +that had been put upon them in the last two years, and no doubt +wreaked their vengeance right and left on all who had been in any way +instrumental in persecuting them. + +The feeding of our army from the base at Louisville was attended with +a great many difficulties, as the enemy's cavalry was constantly +breaking the railroad and intercepting our communications on the +Cumberland River at different points that were easily accessible to +his then superior force of troopers. The accumulation of reserve +stores was therefore not an easy task, and to get forage ahead a few +days was well-nigh impossible, unless that brought from the North was +supplemented by what we could gather from the country. Corn was +abundant in the region to the south and southwest of Murfreesboro', +so to make good our deficiences in this respect, I employed a brigade +about once a week in the duty of collecting and bringing in forage, +sending out sometimes as many as a hundred and fifty wagons to haul +the grain which my scouts had previously located. In nearly every +one of these expeditions the enemy was encountered, and the wagons +were usually loaded while the skirmishers kept up a running fire, +Often there would occur a respectable brush, with the loss on each +side of a number of killed and wounded. The officer in direct +command always reported to me personally whatever had happened during +the time he was out--the result of his reconnoissance, so to speak, +for that war the real nature of these excursions--and on one occasion +the colonel in command, Colonel Conrad, of the Fifteenth Missouri, +informed me that he got through without much difficulty; in fact, +that everything had gone all right and been eminently satisfactory, +except that in returning he had been mortified greatly by the conduct +of the two females belonging to the detachment and division train at +my headquarters. These women, he said, had given much annoyance by +getting drunk, and to some extent demoralizing his men. To say that +I was astonished at his statement would be a mild way of putting it, +and had I not known him to be a most upright man and of sound sense, +I should have doubted not only his veracity, but his sanity. +Inquiring who they were and for further details, I was informed that +there certainly were in the command two females, that in some +mysterious manner had attached themselves to the service as soldiers; +that one, an East Tennessee woman, was a teamster in the division +wagon-train and the other a private soldier in a cavalry company +temporarily attached to my headquarters for escort duty. While out +on the foraging expedition these Amazons had secured a supply of +"apple-jack" by some means, got very drunk, and on the return had +fallen into Stone River and been nearly drowned. After they had been +fished from, the water, in the process of resuscitation their sex was +disclosed, though up to this time it appeared to be known only to +each other. The story was straight and the circumstance clear, so, +convinced of Conrad's continued sanity, I directed the provost- +marshal to bring in arrest to my headquarters the two disturbers of +Conrad's peace of mind, After some little search the East Tennessee +woman was found in camp, somewhat the worse for the experiences of +the day before, but awaiting her fate content idly smoking a cob- +pipe. She was brought to me, and put in duress under charge of the +division surgeon until her companion could be secured. To the doctor +she related that the year before she had "refugeed" from East +Tennessee, and on arriving in Louisville assumed men's apparel and +sought and obtained employment as a teamster in the quartermaster's +department. Her features were very large, and so coarse and +masculine was her general appearance that she would readily have +passed as a man, and in her case the deception was no doubt easily +practiced. Next day the "she dragoon" was caught, and proved to be a +rather prepossessing young woman, and though necessarily bronzed and +hardened by exposure, I doubt if, even with these marks of +campaigning, she could have deceived as readily as did her companion. +How the two got acquainted, I never learned, and though they had +joined the army independently of each other, yet an intimacy had +sprung up between them long before the mishaps of the foraging +expedition. They both were forwarded to army headquarters, and, when +provided with clothing suited to their sex, sent back to Nashville, +and thence beyond our lines to Louisville. + +On January 9, by an order from the War Department, the Army of the +Cumberland had been divided into three corps, designated the +Fourteenth, Twentieth, and Twenty-first. This order did not alter +the composition of the former grand divisions, nor change the +commanders, but the new nomenclature was a decided improvement over +the clumsy designations Right Wing, Centre, and Left Wing, which were +well calculated to lead to confusion sometimes. McCook's wing became +the Twentieth Corps, and my division continued of the same +organization, and held the same number as formerly-the Third +Division, Twentieth Corps. My first brigade was now commanded by +Brigadier-General William H. Lytle, the second by Colonel Bernard +Laiboldt, and the third by Colonel Luther P. Bradley. + +On the 4th of March I was directed to move in light marching order +toward Franklin and join General Gordon Granger, to take part in some +operations which he was projecting against General Earl Van Dorn, +then at Spring Hill. Knowing that my line of march would carry me +through a region where forage was plentiful, I took along a large +train of empty wagons, which I determined to fill with corn and send +back to Murfreesboro', believing that I could successfully cover the +train by Minty's brigade of cavalry, which had joined me for the +purpose of aiding in a reconnoissance toward Shelbyville. In +marching the column I placed a regiment of infantry at its head, then +the wagon-train, then a brigade of infantry--masking the cavalry +behind this brigade. The enemy, discovering that the train was with +us, and thinking he could capture it, came boldly out with his, +cavalry to attack. The head of his column came up to the crossroads +at Versailles, but holding him there, I passed the train and infantry +brigade beyond toward Eagleville, and when my cavalry had been thus +unmasked, Minty, followed by the balance of my division, which vas +still behind, charged him with the sabre. Success was immediate and +complete, and pursuit of the routed forces continued through +Unionville, until we fell upon and drove in the Confederate outposts +at Shelbyville. Here the enemy was taken by surprise evidently, +which was most fortunate for us, otherwise the consequences might +have been disastrous. Minty captured in the charge about fifty +prisoners and a few wagons and mules, and thus enabled me to load my +train with corn, and send it back to Murfreesboro' unmolested. In +this little fight the sabre was freely used by both sides, and I do +not believe that during the whole war I again knew of so large a +percentage of wounds by that arm in proportion to the numbers +engaged. + +That night I encamped at Eagleville, and next day reported to Granger +at Franklin, arriving in the midst of much excitement prevailing on +account of the loss of Coburn's brigade, which had been captured the +day before a little distance south of that point, while marching to +form a junction with a column that had been directed on Columbia from +Murfreesboro'. Shortly after Coburn's capture General Granger had +come upon the scene, and the next day he advanced my division and +Minty's troops directly on Spring Hill, with a view to making some +reprisal; but Van Dorn had no intention of accommodating us, and +retired from Spring Hill, offering but little resistance. He +continued to fall back, till finally he got behind Duck River, where +operations against him ceased; for, in consequence of the incessant +rains of the season, the streams had become almost impassable. +Later, I returned by way of Franklin to my old camp at Murfreesboro', +passing over on this march the ground on which the Confederate +General Hood met with such disaster the following year in his attack +on Stanley's corps. + +My command had all returned from the Franklin expedition to +Murfreesboro' and gone into camp on the Salem pike by the latter part +of March, from which time till June it took part in only the little +affairs of outposts occurring every now and then on my own front. In +the meanwhile General Rosecrans had been materially reinforced by the +return of sick and wounded men; his army had become well disciplined, +and was tolerably supplied; and he was repeatedly pressed by the +authorities at Washington to undertake offensive operations. + +During the spring and early summer Rosecrans resisted, with a great +deal of spirit and on various grounds, these frequent urgings, and +out of this grew up an acrimonious correspondence and strained +feeling between him and General Halleck. Early in June, however, +stores had been accumulated and other preparations made for a move +forward, Resecrans seeming to have decided that he could safely risk +an advance, with the prospect of good results. Before finally +deciding, he called upon most of his corps and division commanders +for their opinions on certain propositions which he presented, and +most of them still opposed the projected movement, I among the +number, reasoning that while General Grant was operating against +Vicksburg, it was better to hold Bragg in Middle Tennessee than to +push him so far back into Georgia that interior means of +communication would give the Confederate Government the opportunity +of quickly joining a part of his force to that of General Johnson in +Mississippi. + +At this stage, and in fact prior to it, Rosecrans seemed to manifest +special confidence in me, often discussing his plans with me +independent of the occasions on which he formally referred them for +my views. I recollect that on two different occasions about this +time he unfolded his designs to me in this informal way, outlining +generally how he expected ultimately to force Bragg south of the +Tennessee River, and going into the details of the contemplated move +on Tullahoma. His schemes, to my mind, were not only comprehensive, +but exact, and showed conclusively, what no one doubted then, that +they were original with him. I found in them very little to +criticise unfavorably, if we were to move at all, and Rosecrans +certainly impressed me that he favored an advance at an early day, +though many of his generals were against it until the operations on +the Mississippi River should culminate in something definite. There +was much, fully apparent in the circumstances about his headquarters, +leading to the conviction that Rosecrans originated the Tullahoma +campaign, and the record of his prior performances collaterally +sustains the visible evidence then existing. In my opinion, then, +based on a clear recollection of various occurrences growing out of +our intimacy, he conceived the plan of the Tullahoma campaign and the +one succeeding it; and is therefore entitled to every credit that +attended their execution, no matter what may be claimed for others. + +On the 23d of June Bragg was covering his position north of Duck +River with a front extending from McMinnville, where his cavalry +rested, through Wartrace and Shelbyville to Columbia, his depot being +at Tullahoma. Rosecrans, thinking that Bragg would offer strong +resistance at Shelbyville--which was somewhat protected by a spur of +low mountains or hills, offshoots of the Cumberland Mountains-- +decided to turn that place; consequently, he directed the mass of the +Union army on the enemy's right flank, about Manchester. + +On the 26th of June McCook's corps advanced toward Liberty Gap, my +divisions marching on the Shelbyville pike. I had proceeded but a +few miles when I encountered the enemy's pickets, who fell back to +Christiana, about nine miles from Murfreesboro'. Here I was assailed +pretty wickedly by the enemy's sharpshooters and a section of +artillery, but as I was instructed to do nothing more than cover the +road from Eagleville, over which Brannan's division was to approach +Christiana, I made little reply to this severe annoyance, wishing to +conceal the strength of my force. As soon as the head of Brannan's +column arrived I marched across-country to the left, and encamped +that night at the little town of Millersburg, in the vicinity of +Liberty Gap. I was directed to move from Millersburg, on Hoover's +Gap--a pass in the range of hills already referred to, through which +ran the turnpike from Murfreesboro' to Manchester--but heavy rains +had made the country roads almost impassable, and the last of my +division did not reach Hoover's Gap till the morning of June 27, +after its abandonment by the enemy. Continuing on to Fairfield, the +head of my column met, south of that place, a small force of +Confederate infantry and cavalry, which after a slight skirmish +Laiboldt's brigade drove back toward Wartrace. The next morning I +arrived at Manchester, where I remained quiet for the day. Early on +the 29th I marched by the Lynchburg road for Tullahoma, where the +enemy was believed to be in force, and came into position about six +miles from the town. + +By the 31st the whole army had been concentrated, in spite of many +difficulties, and though, on account of the heavy rains that had +fallen almost incessantly since we left Murfreesboro', its movements +had been slow and somewhat inaccurate, yet the precision with which +it took up a line of battle for an attack on Tullahoma showed that +forethought and study had been given to every detail. The enemy had +determined to fall back from Tullahoma at the beginning of the +campaign, however, and as we advanced, his evacuation had so far +progressed that when, on July 1. We reached the earthworks thrown. +up early in the year for the defense of the place, he had almost +wholly disappeared, carrying off all his stores and munitions of war +except some little subsistence and eleven pieces of artillery. A +strong rearguard remained to cover the retreat, and on my front the +usual encounters between advancing and retreating forces took place. +Just before reaching the intrenchments on the Lynchburg road, I came +upon an open space that was covered by a network of fallen trees and +underbrush, which had been slashed all along in front of the enemy's +earthworks. This made our progress very difficult, but I shortly +became satisfied that there were only a few of the enemy within the +works, so moving a battalion of cavalry that had joined me the day +before down the road as rapidly as the obstructions would permit, the +Confederate pickets quickly departed, and we gained possession of the +town. Three siege guns, four caissons, a few stores, and a small +number of prisoners fell into my hands. + +That same evening orders were issued to the army to push on from +Tullahoma in pursuit, for, as it was thought that we might not be +able to cross Elk River on account of its swollen condition, we could +do the enemy some damage by keeping close as possible at his heels. +I marched on the Winchester road at 3 o'clock on the 2d of July and +about 8 o'clock reached Elk River ford. The stream was for the time +truly an impassable torrent, and all hope of crossing by the +Winchester ford had to be abandoned. Deeming that further effort +should be made, however, under guidance of Card, I turned the head of +my column in the direction of Alisona, marching up the river and +nearly parallel with it till I came to Rock Creek. With a little +delay we got across Rock Creek, which was also much swollen, and +finding a short distance above its mouth a ford on Elk River that +Card said was practicable, I determined to attempt it: Some of the +enemy's cavalry were guarding this ford, but after a sharp little +skirmish my battalion of cavalry crossed and took up a strong +position on the other bank. The stream was very high and the current +very swift, the water, tumbling along over its rocky bed in an +immense volume, but still it was fordable for infantry if means could +be devised by which the men could keep their feet. A cable was +stretched across just below the ford as a lifeline for the weaker +ones, and then the men of the entire division having secured their +ammunition by placing the cartridge-boxes on their shoulders, the +column pushed cheerfully into the rushing current. The men as they +entered the water joined each other in sets of four in a close +embrace, which enabled them to retain a foothold and successfully +resist the force of the flood. When they were across I turned the +column down the left bank of Elk River, and driving the enemy from +some slight works near Estelle Springs, regained the Winchester road. + +By this time it was clear that Bragg intended to fall back behind the +Tennessee River, and our only chance of accomplishing anything of +importance was to smash up his rear-guard before it crossed the +Cumberland Mountains, and in pursuance of this idea I was directed to +attack such of his force as was holding on to Winchester. At 4 +o'clock on the morning of July 2 I moved on that town, and when we +got close to it directed my mounted troops to charge a small force of +Confederate cavalry that was picketing their front. The Confederates +resisted but little, and our men went with them in a disorderly chase +through the village to Boiling Fork, a small stream about half a mile +beyond. Here the fleeing pickets, rallying behind a stronger force, +made a stand, and I was directed by McCook to delay till I +ascertained if Davis's division, which was to support me, had made +the crossing of Elk River, and until I could open up communication +with Brannan's division, which was to come in on my left at Decherd. +As soon as I learned that Davis was across I pushed on, but the delay +had permitted the enemy to pull his rear-guard up on the mountain, +and rendered nugatory all further efforts to hurt him materially, our +only returns consisting in forcing him to relinquish a small amount +of transportation and forage at the mouth of the pass just beyond +Cowan, a station on the line of the Nashville and Chattanooga +railroad. + +At Cowan, Colonel Watkins, of the Sixth Kentucky Cavalry, reported to +me with twelve hundred mounted men. Having heard during the night +that the enemy had halted on the mountain near the University--an +educational establishment on the summit--I directed Watkins to make a +reconnoissance and find out the value of the information. He learned +that Wharton's brigade of cavalry was halted at the University to +cover a moderately large force of the enemy's infantry which had not +yet got down the mountain on the other side, so I pushed Watkins out +again on the 5th, supporting him by a brigade of infantry, which I +accompanied myself. We were too late, however, for when we arrived +at the top of the mountain Wharton had disappeared, and though +Watkins pursued to Bridgeport, he was able to do nothing more, and on +his return reported that the last of the enemy had crossed the +Tennessee River and burned the railroad bridge. + +Nothing further could now be done, so I instructed Watkins to rejoin +the division at Cowan, and being greatly fatigued by the hard +campaigning of the previous ten days, I concluded to go back to my +camp in a more comfortable way than on the back of my tired horse. +In his retreat the enemy had not disturbed the railway track at all, +and as we had captured a hand-car at Cowan, I thought I would have it +brought up to the station near the University to carry me down the +mountain to my camp, and, desiring company, I persuasively invited +Colonel Frank T. Sherman to ride with me. I sent for the car by a +courier, and for a long time patiently awaited its arrival, in fact, +until all the returning troops had passed us, but still it did not +come. Thinking it somewhat risky to remain at the station without +protection, Sherman and myself started our horses to Cowan by our +orderlies, and set out on foot to meet the car, trudging along down +the track in momentary expectation of falling in with our private +conveyance. We had not gone very far before night overtook us, and +we then began to realize the dangers surrounding us, for there we +were alone and helpless, tramping on in the darkness over an unknown +railroad track in the enemy's country, liable on the one hand to go +tumbling through some bridge or trestle, and on the other, to +possible capture or death at the hands of the guerrillas then +infesting these mountains. Just after dark we came to a little cabin +near the track, where we made bold to ask for water, notwithstanding +the fact that to disclose ourselves to the inmates might lead to +fatal consequences. The water was kindly given, but the owner and +his family were very much exercised lest some misfortune might befall +us near their house, and be charged to them, so they encouraged us to +move on with a frankness inspired by fear of future trouble to +themselves. + +At every turn we eagerly hoped to meet the hand-car, but it never +came, and we jolted on from tie to tie for eleven weary miles, +reaching Cowan after midnight, exhausted and sore in every muscle +from frequent falls on the rough, unballasted road-bed. Inquiry. +developed that the car had been well manned, and started to us as +ordered, and nobody could account for its non-arrival. Further +investigation next day showed, however, that when it reached the foot +of the mountain, where the railroad formed a junction, the improvised +crew, in the belief no doubt that the University was on the main line +instead of near the branch to Tracy City, followed the main stem +until it carried them clear across the range down the Crow Creek +Valley, where the party was captured. + +I had reason to remember for many a day this foolish adventure, for +my sore bones and bruised muscles, caused me physical suffering until +I left the Army of the Cumberland the next spring; but I had still +more reason to feel for my captured men, and on this account I have +never ceased to regret that I so thoughtlessly undertook to rejoin my +troops by rail, instead of sticking to my faithful horse. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +ORDERED TO OCCUPY BRIDGEPORT--A SPY--THE BATTLE OF CHICKAMAUGA-- +GENERAL THOMAS--TREATED TO COFFEE--RESULTS OF THE BATTLE. + +The Tullahoma campaign was practically closed by the disappearance of +the enemy from the country north of the Tennessee River. Middle +Tennessee was once more in the possession of the National troops, and +Rosecrans though strongly urged from Washington to continue on, +resisted the pressure until he could repair the Nashville and +Chattanooga railroad, which was of vital importance in supplying his +army from its secondary base at Nashville. As he desired to hold +this road to where it crossed the Tennessee, it was necessary to push +a force beyond the mountains, and after a few days of rest at Cowan +my division was ordered to take station at Stevenson, Alabama, the +junction of the Memphis and Charleston road with the Nashville and +Chattanooga, with instructions to occupy Bridgeport also. + +The enemy had meanwhile concentrated most of his forces at +Chattanooga for the twofold purpose of holding this gateway of the +Cumberland Mountains, and to assume a defensive attitude which would +enable him to take advantage of such circumstances as might arise in +the development of the offensive campaign he knew we must make. The +peculiar topography of the country was much to his advantage, and +while we had a broad river and numerous spurs and ridges of the +Cumberland Mountains to cross at a long distance from our base, he +was backed up on his depots of supply, and connected by interior +lines of railway with the different armies of the Confederacy, so +that he could be speedily reinforced. + +Bridgeport was to be ultimately a sub-depot for storing subsistence +supplies, and one of the points at which our army would cross the +Tennessee, so I occupied it on July 29 with two brigades, retaining +one at Stevenson, however, to protect that railway junction from +raids by way of Caperton's ferry. By the 29th of August a +considerable quantity of supplies had been accumulated, and then +began a general movement of our troops for crossing the river. As +there were not with the army enough pontoons to complete the two +bridges required, I was expected to build one of them of trestles; +and a battalion of the First Michigan Engineers under Colonel Innis +was sent me to help construct the bridge. Early on the 3ist I sent +into the neighboring woods about fifteen hundred men with axes and +teams, and by nightfall they had delivered on the riverbank fifteen +hundred logs suitable for a trestle bridge. Flooring had been +shipped to me in advance by rail, but the quantity was insufficient, +and the lack had to be supplied by utilizing planking and weather- +boarding taken from barns and houses in the surrounding country. The +next day Innis's engineers, with the assistance of the detail that +had felled the timber, cut and half-notched the logs, and put the +bridge across; spanning the main channel, which was swimming deep, +with four or five pontoons that had been sent me for this purpose. +On the 2d and 3d of September my division crossed on the bridge in +safety, though we were delayed somewhat because of its giving way +once where the pontoons joined the trestles. We were followed by a +few detachments from other commands, and by nearly all the +transportation of McCook's corps. + +After getting to the south side of the Tennessee River I was ordered +to Valley Head, where McCook's corps was to concentrate. On the 4th +of September I ascended Sand Mountain, but had got only half way +across the plateau, on top, when night came, the march having been a +most toilsome one. The next day we descended to the base, and +encamped near Trenton. On the 10th I arrived at Valley Head, and +climbing Lookout Mountain, encamped on the plateau at Indian Falls. +The following day I went down into Broomtown Valley to Alpine. +The march of McCook's corps from Valley Head to Alpine was in +pursuance of orders directing it to advance on Summerville, the +possession of which place would further threaten the enemy's +communications, it being assumed that Bragg was in full retreat +south, as he had abandoned Chattanooga on the 8th. This assumption +soon proved erroneous, however, and as we, while in Broomtown Valley, +could not communicate directly with Thomas's corps, the scattered +condition of the army began to alarm us all, and McCook abandoned the +advance to Summerville, ordering back to the summit of Lookout +Mountain such of the corps trains as had got down into Broomtown +Valley. + +But before this I had grown uneasy in regard to the disjointed +situation of our army, and, to inform myself of what was going on, +determined to send a spy into the enemy's lines. In passing Valley +Head on the 10th my scout Card, who had been on the lookout for some +one capable to undertake the task, brought me a Union man with whom +he was acquainted, who lived on Sand Mountain, and had been much +persecuted by guerrillas on account of his loyal sentiments. He knew +the country well, and as his loyalty was vouched for I asked him to +go into the enemy's camp, which I believed to be near Lafayette, and, +bring me such information as he could gather. He said such a journey +would be at the risk of his life, and that at best he could not +expect to remain in that section of country if he undertook it, but +that he would run all the chances if I would enable him to emigrate +to the West at the end c f the "job," which I could do by purchasing +the small "bunch" of stock he owned on the mountain. To this I +readily assented, and he started on the delicate undertaking. He +penetrated the enemy's lines with little difficulty, but while +prosecuting his search for information was suspected, and at once +arrested and placed under guard. From this critical situation he +escaped; however, making his way through the enemy's picket-line in +the darkness by crawling on his belly and deceiving the sentinels by +imitating the grunts of the half-wild, sand-colored hogs with which +the country abounded. He succeeded in reaching Rosecrans's +headquarters finally, and there gave the definite information that +Bragg intended to fight, and that he expected to be reinforced by +Longstreet. + +By this time it was clear that Bragg had abandoned Chattanooga with +the sole design of striking us in detail as we followed in pursuit; +and to prevent his achieving this purpose orders came at 12 o'clock, +midnight, for McCook to draw in toward Chattanooga. This could be +done only by recrossing Lookout Mountain, the enemy's army at +Lafayette now interposing between us and Thomas's corps. The +retrograde march began at once. I moved back over the mountain on +the 13th and 14th to Stevens's Mills, and on the 15th and 16th +recrossed through Stevens's Gap, in the Lookout range, and encamped +at its base in McLamore's cove. The march was made with all possible +celerity, for the situation was critical and demanded every exertion. +The ascent and descent of the mountains was extremely exhausting, the +steep grades often rendering it necessary to drag up and let down by +hand both the transportation and artillery. But at last we were in +conjunction with the main army, and my division breathed easier. + +On the 17th I remained in line of battle all day and night in front +of McLamore's cove, the enemy making slight demonstrations against me +from the direction of Lafayette. The main body of the army having +bodily moved to the left meanwhile, I followed it on the 18th, +encamping at Pond Spring. On the 19th I resumed the march to the +left and went into line of battle at Crawfish Springs to cover our +right and rear. Immediately after forming this line, I again became +isolated by the general movement to the left, and in consequence was +directed to advance and hold the ford of Chickamauga Creek at Lee and +Gordon's Mills, thus coming into close communication with the balance +of our forces. I moved into this position rapidly, being compelled, +though, first to drive back the enemy's cavalry skirmishers, who, +having crossed to the west side of the creek, annoyed the right flank +of my column a good deal while en route. + +Upon arrival at Lee and Gordon's Mills I found the ford over +Chickamauga Creek temporarily uncovered, through the hurried movement +of Wood to the assistance of Davis's division. The enemy was already +present in small force, with the evident intention of taking +permanent possession, but my troops at once actively engaged him and +recovered the ford with some slight losses. Scarcely had this been +done when I was directed to assist Crittenden. Leaving Lytle's +brigade at the ford, I proceeded with Bradley's and Laiboldt's to +help Crittenden, whose main line was formed to the east of the +Chattanooga and Lafayette road, its right trending toward a point on +Chickamauga Creek about a mile and a half north of Lee and Gordon's +Mills. By the time I had joined Crittenden with my two brigades, +Davis had been worsted in an attack Rosecrans had ordered him to make +on the left of that portion of the enemy's line which was located +along the west bank of the Chickamauga, the repulse being so severe +that one of Davis's batteries had to be abandoned. Bradley's brigade +arrived on the ground first and was hastily formed and thrown into +the fight, which up to this moment had been very doubtful, fortune +inclining first to one side, then to the other. Bradley's brigade +went in with steadiness, and charging across an open corn-field that +lay in front of the Lafayette road, recovered Davis's guns and forced +the enemy to retire. Meanwhile Laiboldt's brigade had come on the +scene, and forming it on Bradley's right, I found myself at the end +of the contest holding the ground which was Davis's original +position. It was an ugly fight and my loss was heavy, including +Bradley wounded. The temporary success was cheering, and when +Lytle's brigade joined me a little later I suggested to Crittenden +that we attack, but investigation showed that his troops, having been +engaged all day, were not in condition, so the suggestion could not +be carried out. + +The events of the day had indicated that Bragg's main object was to +turn Rosecrans's left; it was therefore still deemed necessary that +the army should continue its flank movement to the left, so orders +came to draw my troops in toward the widow Glenn's house. By +strengthening the skirmish line and shifting my brigades in +succession from right to left until the point designated was reached, +I was able to effect the withdrawal without much difficulty, calling +in my skirmish line after the main force had retired. + +My command having settled down for the night in this new line I rode +to army headquarters, to learn if possible the expectations for the +morrow and hear the result of the battle in General Thomas's front. +Nearly all the superior officers of the army were at headquarters, +and it struck me that much depression prevailed, notwithstanding the +fact that the enemy's attempts during the day to turn our left flank +and also envelop our right had been unsuccessful. It was now +positively known, through prisoners and otherwise, that Bragg had +been reinforced to such an extent as to make him materially outnumber +us, consequently there was much apprehension for the future. + +The necessity of protecting our left was most apparent, and the next +day the drifting in that direction was to be continued. This +movement in the presence of the enemy, who at all points was actively +seeking an opportunity to penetrate our line and interpose a column +between its right and left, was most dangerous. But the necessity +for shifting the army to the left was obvious, hence only the method +by which it was undertaken is open to question. The move was made by +the flank in the face of an exultant foe superior in numbers, and was +a violation of a simple and fundamental military principle. Under +such circumstauces columns naturally stretch out into attenuated +lines, organizations become separated, and intervals occur, all of +which we experienced; and had the orders for the movement been +construed properly I doubt if it could have been executed without +serious danger. Necessity knows no law, however, and when all the +circumstances of this battle are fully considered it is possible that +justification may be found for the manoeuvres by which the army was +thus drifted to the left. We were in a bad strait unquestionably, +and under such conditions possibly the exception had to be applied +rather than the rule. + +At daylight on the morning of the 20th a dense fog obscured +everything; consequently both armies were passive so far as fighting +was concerned. Rosecrans took advantage of the inaction to rearrange +his right, and I was pulled back closer to the widow Glenn's house to +a strong position, where I threw together some rails and logs as +barricades, but I was disconnected from the troops on my left by a +considerable interval. Here I awaited the approach of the enemy, but +he did not disturb me, although about 9 o'clock in the forenoon he +had opened on our extreme left with musketry fire and a heavy +cannonade. Two hours later it was discovered by McCook that the +interval between the main army and me was widening, and he ordered me +to send Laiboldt's brigade to occupy a portion of the front that had +been covered by Negley's division. Before getting this brigade into +place, however, two small brigades of Davis's division occupied the +ground, and I directed Laiboldt to form in column of regiments on the +crest of a low ridge in rear of Carlin's brigade, so as to prevent +Davis's right flank from being turned. The enemy was now feeling +Davis strongly, and I was about sending for Lytle's and Bradley's +brigades when I received an order to move these rapidly to the, +extreme left of the army to the assistance of General Thomas. I rode +hastily back toward their position, but in the meanwhile, they had +been notified by direct orders from McCook, and were moving out at a +double-quick toward the Lafayette road. By this time the enemy had +assaulted Davis furiously in front and flank, and driven him from his +line, and as the confused mass came back, McCook ordered Laiboldt to +charge by deploying to the front. This he did through Davis's broken +ranks, but failed to check the enemy's heavy lines, and finally +Laiboldt's brigade broke also and fell to the rear. My remaining +troops, headed by Lytle, were now passing along the rear of the +ground where this disaster took place--in column on the road--en +route to Thomas, and as the hundreds of fugitives rushed back, McCook +directed me to throw in Lytle's and Bradley's brigades. This was +hastily done, they being formed to the front under a terrible fire. +Scarcely were they aligned when the same horde of Confederates that +had overwhelmed Davis and Laiboldt poured in upon them a deadly fire +and shivered the two brigades to pieces. We succeeded in rallying +them, however, and by a counter attack regained the ridge that +Laiboldt had been driven from, where we captured the colors of the +Twenty-fourth Alabama. We could not hold the ridge, though, and my +troops were driven back with heavy loss, including General Lytle +killed, past the widow Glenn's house, and till I managed to establish +them in line of battle on a range of low hills behind the Dry Valley +road. + +During these occurrences General Rosecrans passed down the road +behind my line, and sent word that he wished to see me, but affairs +were too critical to admit of my going to him at once, and he rode on +to Chattanooga. It is to be regretted that he did not wait till I +could join him, for the delay would have permitted him to see that +matters were not in quite such bad shape as he supposed; still, there +is no disguising the fact that at this juncture his army was badly +crippled. + +Shortly after my division had rallied on the low hills already +described, I discovered that the enemy, instead of attacking me in +front, was wedging in between my division and the balance of the +army; in short, endeavoring to cut me off from Chattanooga. This +necessitated another retrograde movement, which brought me back to +the southern face of Missionary Ridge, where I was joined by Carlin's +brigade of Davis's division. Still thinking I could join General +Thomas, I rode some distance to the left of my line to look for a way +out, but found that the enemy had intervened so far as to isolate me +effectually. I then determined to march directly to Rossville, and +from there effect a junction with Thomas by the Lafayette road. I +reached Rossville about o'clock in the afternoon, bringing with me +eight guns, forty-six caissons, and a long ammunition train, the +latter having been found in a state of confusion behind the widow +Glenn's when I was being driven back behind the Dry Valley road. + +The head of my column passed through Rossville, appearing upon +Thomas's left about 6 o'clock in the evening, penetrated without any +opposition the right of the enemy's line, and captured several of his +field-hospitals. As soon as I got on the field I informed Thomas of +the presence of my command, and asked for orders. He replied that +his lines were disorganized, and that it would be futile to attack; +that all I could do was to hold on, and aid in covering his +withdrawal to Rossville. + +I accompanied him back to Rossville, and when we reached the skirt of +the little hamlet General Thomas halted and we dismounted. Going +into one of the angles of a worm fence near by I took a rail from the +top and put it through the lower rails at a proper height from the +ground to make a seat, and General Thomas and I sat down while, my +troops were moving by. The General appeared very much exhausted, +seemed to forget what he had stopped for, and said little or nothing +of the incidents of the day. This was the second occasion on which I +had met him in the midst of misfortune, for during the fight in the +cedars at Stone River, when our prospects were most disheartening, we +held a brief conversation respecting the line he was then taking up +for the purpose of helping me. At other times, in periods of +inactivity, I saw but little of him. He impressed me, now as he did +in the cedars, his quiet, unobtrusive: demeanor communicating a +gloomy rather than a hopeful view of the situation. This apparent +depression was due no doubt to the severe trial through which he had +gone in the last forty-eight hours, which, strain had exhausted him +very much both physically and mentally. His success in maintaining +his ground was undoubtedly largely influenced by the fact that two- +thirds of the National forces had been sent to his succor, but his +firm purpose to save the army was the mainstay on which all relied +after Rosecrans left the field. As the command was getting pretty +well past, I rose to go in order to put my troops into camp. This +aroused the General, when, remarking that he had a little flask of +brandy in his saddle-holster, he added that he had just stopped for +the purpose of offering me a drink, as he knew I must be very tired. +He requested one of his staff-officers to get the flask, and after +taking a sip himself, passed it to me. Refreshed by the brandy, I +mounted and rode off to supervise the encamping of my division, by no +means an easy task considering the darkness, and the confusion that +existed among the troops that had preceded us into Rossville. + +This done, I lay down at the foot of a tree, with my saddle for a +pillow, and saddle-blanket for a cover. Some soldiers near me having +built a fire, were making coffee, and I guess I must have been +looking on wistfully, for in a little while they brought me a tin- +cupful of the coffee and a small piece of hard bread, which I +relished keenly, it being the first food that had passed my lips +since the night before. I was very tired, very hungry, and much +discouraged by what had taken place since morning. I had been +obliged to fight my command under the most disadvantageous +circumstances, disconnected, without supports, without even +opportunity to form in line of battle, and at one time contending +against four divisions of the enemy. In this battle of Chickamauga, +out of an effective strength Of 4,000 bayonets, I had lost 1,517 +officers and men, including two brigade commanders. This was not +satisfactory indeed, it was most depressing--and then there was much +confusion prevailing around Rossville; and, this condition of things +doubtless increasing my gloomy reflections, it did not seem to me +that the outlook for the next day was at all auspicious, unless the +enemy was slow to improve his present advantage. Exhaustion soon +quieted all forebodings, though, and I fell into a sound sleep, from +which I was not aroused till daylight. + +On the morning of the 21st the enemy failed to advance, and his +inaction gave us the opportunity for getting the broken and +disorganized army into shape. It took a large part of the day to +accomplish this, and the chances of complete victory would have been +greatly in Bragg's favor if he could have attacked us vigorously at +this time. But he had been badly hurt in the two days' conflict, and +his inactivity on the 21st showed that he too had to go through the +process of reorganization. Indeed, his crippled condition began to +show itself the preceding evening, and I have always thought that, +had General Thomas held on and attacked the Confederate right and +rear from where I made the junction with him on the Lafayette road, +the field of Chickamauga would have been relinquished to us; but it +was fated to be otherwise. + +Rosecrans, McCook, and Crittenden passed out of the battle when they +went back to Chattanooga, and their absence was discouraging to all +aware of it. Doubtless this had much to do with Thomas's final +withdrawal, thus leaving the field to the enemy, though at an immense +cost in killed and wounded. The night of the 21st the army moved +back from Rossville, and my division, as the rearguard of the +Twentieth Corps, got within our lines at Chattanooga about 8 o'clock +the morning of the 22d. Our unmolested retirement from Rossville +lent additional force to the belief that the enemy had been badly +injured, and further impressed me with the conviction that we might +have held on. Indeed, the battle of Chickamauga was somewhat like +that of Stone River, victory resting with the side that had the grit +to defer longest its relinquishment of the field. + +The manoeuvres by which Rosecrans had carried his army over the +Cumberland Mountains, crossed the Tennessee River, and possessed +himself of Chattanooga, merit the highest commendation up to the +abandonment of this town by Bragg on the 8th of September; but I have +always fancied that that evacuation made Rosecrans over-confident, +and led him to think that he could force Bragg south as far as Rome. +After the Union army passed the river and Chattanooga fell into our +hands; we still kept pressing the enemy's communications, and the +configuration of the country necessitated more or less isolation of +the different corps. McCook's corps of three divisions had crossed +two difficult ridges--Sand and Lookout mountains--to Alpine in +Broomtown Valley with intentions against Summerville. Thomas's corps +had marched by the way of Stevens's Gap toward Lafayette, which he +expected to occupy. Crittenden had passed through Chattanooga, at +first directing his march an Ringgold. Thus the corps of the army +were not in conjunction, and between McCook and Thomas there +intervened a positive and aggressive obstacle in the shape of Bragg's +army concentrating and awaiting reinforcement at Lafayette. Under +these circumstances Bragg could have taken the different corps in +detail, and it is strange that he did not, even before receiving his +reinforcements, turn on McCook in Broomtown Valley and destroy him. + +Intelligence that Bragg would give battle began to come to us from +various sources as early as the 10th of September, and on the 11th +McCook found that he could not communicate with Thomas by the direct +road through Broomtown Valley; but we did not begin closing in toward +Chattanooga till the 13th, and even then the Twentieth Corps had +before it the certainty of many delays that must necessarily result +from the circuitous and difficult mountain roads which we would be +obliged to follow. Had the different corps, beginning with McCook's, +been drawn in toward Chattanooga between the 8th and 12th of +September, the objective point of the campaign would have remained in +our hands without the battle of Chickamauga, but, as has been seen, +this was not done. McCook was almost constantly on the march day and +night between the 13th and the 19th, ascending and descending +mountains, his men worried and wearied, so that when they appeared on +the battle-field, their fatigued condition operated greatly against +their efficiency. This delay in concentration was also the original +cause of the continuous shifting toward our left to the support of +Thomas, by which manoeuvre Rosecrans endeavored to protect his +communications with Chattanooga, and out of which grew the intervals +that offered such tempting opportunities to Bragg. In addition to +all this, much transpired on the field of battle tending to bring +about disaster. There did not seem to be any well-defined plan of +action in the fighting; and this led to much independence of judgment +in construing orders among some of the subordinate generals. It also +gave rise to much license in issuing orders: too many people were +giving important directions, affecting the whole army, without +authority from its head. In view, therefore, of all the errors that +were committed from the time Chattanooga fell into our hands after +our first crossing the Tennessee, it was fortunate that the Union +defeat was not more complete, that it left in the enemy's possession +not much more than the barren results arising from the simple holding +of the ground on which the engagement was fought. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +AT CHATTANOOGA--THE ENEMY FORTIFIES LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN AND MISSIONARY +RIDGE--REORGANIZING THE ARMY--REMOVAL OF GENERAL ROSECRANS-- +PUNISHMENT OF DESERTERS--GRANT AT CHATTANOOGA--THE FIGHT ON LOOKOUT +MOUNTAIN--A BRAVE COLOR-BEARER--BATTLE OF MISSIONARY RIDGE. + +By 9 o'clock on the morning of September 22 my command took up a +position within the heavy line of intrenchments at Chattanooga, the +greater part of which defenses had been thrown up since the army +commenced arriving there the day before. The enemy, having now +somewhat recovered from the shock of the recent battle, followed +carefully, and soon invested us close into our lines with a parallel +system of rifle-pits. He also began at once to erect permanent lines +of earthworks on Missionary Ridge and to establish himself strongly +on Lookout Mountain. He then sent Wheeler's cavalry north of the +Tennessee, and, aided greatly by the configuration of the ground, +held us in a state of partial siege, which serious rains might +convert into a complete investment. The occupation of Lookout +Mountain broke our direct communication with Bridgeport-our sub- +depot--and forced us to bring supplies by way of the Sequatchie +Valley and Waldron's Ridge of the Cumberland Mountains, over a road +most difficult even in the summer season, but now liable to be +rendered impassable by autumn rains. The distance to Bridgeport by +this circuitous route was sixty miles, and the numerous passes, +coves, and small valleys through which the road ran offered tempting +opportunities, for the destruction of trains, and the enemy was not +slow to take advantage of them. Indeed, the situation was not +promising, and General Rosecrans himself, in communicating with the +President the day succeeding the battle of Chickamauga, expressed +doubts of his ability to hold the gateway of the Cumberland +Mountains. + +The position taken up by my troops inside the lines of Chattanooga +was near the old iron-works, under the shadow of Lookout Mountain. +Here we were exposed to a continual fire from the enemy's batteries +for many days, but as the men were well covered by secure though +simple intrenchments, but little damage was done. My own +headquarters were established on the grounds of Mr. William +Crutchfield, a resident of the place, whose devotion to the Union +cause knew no bounds, and who rendered me--and, in fact, at one time +or another, nearly every general officer in the Army of the +Cumberland--invaluable service in the way of information about the +Confederate army. My headquarters camp frequently received shots +from the point of Lookout Mountain also, but fortunately no +casualties resulted from this plunging fire, though, I am free to +confess, at first our nerves were often upset by the whirring of +twenty-pounder shells dropped inconsiderately into our camp at +untimely hours of the night. + +In a few days rain began to fali, and the mountain roads by which our +supplies came were fast growing impracticable. Each succeeding train +of wagons took longer to make the trip from Bridgeport, and the draft +mules were dying by the hundreds. The artillery horses would soon go +too, and there was every prospect that later the troops would starve +unless something could be done. Luckily for my division, a company +of the Second Kentucky Cavalry had attached itself to my +headquarters, and, though there without authority, had been left +undisturbed in view of a coming reorganization of the army incidental +to the removal of McCook and Crittenden from the command of their +respective corps, a measure that had been determined upon immediately +after the battle of Chickamauga. Desiring to remain with me, Captain +Lowell H. Thickstun, commanding this company, was ready for any duty +I might find, for him, so I ordered him into the Sequatchie Valley +for the purpose of collecting supplies for my troops, and sent my +scout, Card along to guide him to the best locations. The company +hid itself away in a deep cove in the upper end of the valley, and by +keeping very quiet and paying for everything it took from the people, +in a few days was enabled to send me large quantities of corn for my +animals and food for the officers and men, which greatly supplemented +the scanty supplies we were getting from the sub-depot at Bridgeport. +In this way I carried men and animals through our beleaguerment in +pretty fair condition, and of the turkeys, chickens, ducks, and eggs +sent in for the messes of my officers we often had enough to divide +liberally among those at different headquarters. Wheeler's cavalry +never discovered my detached company, yet the chances of its capture +were not small, sometimes giving much uneasiness; still, I concluded +it was better to run all risks than to let the horses die of +starvation in Chattanooga. Later, after the battle of Missionary +Ridge, when I started to Knoxville, the company joined me in +excellent shape, bringing with it an abundance of food, including a +small herd of beef cattle. + +The whole time my line remained near the iron-mills the shelling from +Lookout was kept up, the screeching shots inquisitively asking in +their well-known way, "Where are you? Where are you?" but it is +strange to see how readily, soldiers can become accustomed to the +sound of dangerous missiles under circumstances of familiarity, and +this case was no exception to the rule. Few casualties occurred, and +soon contempt took the place of nervousness, and as we could not +reply in kind on account of the elevation required for our guns, the +men responded by jeers and imprecations whenever a shell fell into +their camp. + +Meantime, orders having been issued for the organization of the army, +additional troops were attached to my command, and it became the +Second Division of the Fourth Army Corps, to which Major-General +Gordon Granger was assigned as commander. This necessitated a change +of position of the division, and I moved to ground behind our works, +with my right resting on Fort Negley and my left extending well over +toward Fort Wood, my front being parallel to Missionary Ridge. My +division was now composed of twenty-five regiments, classified into +brigades and demi-brigades, the former commanded by Brigadier-General +G. D. Wagner, Colonel C. G. Harker, and Colonel F. T. Sherman; the +latter, by Colonels Laiboldt, Miller, Wood, Walworth, and Opdyke. +The demi-brigade was an awkward invention of Granger's; but at this +time it was necessitated--perhaps by the depleted condition of our +regiments, which compelled the massing of a great number of +regimental organizations into a division to give it weight and force. + +On October 16, 1863, General Grant had been assigned to the command +of the "Military Division of the Mississippi," a geographical area +which embraced the Departments of the Ohio, the Cumberland, and the +Tennessee, thus effecting a consolidation of divided commands which +might have been introduced most profitably at an earlier date. The +same order that assigned General Grant relieved General Rosecrans, +and placed General Thomas in command of the Army of the Cumberland. +At the time of the reception of the order, Rosecrans was busy with +preparations for a movement to open the direct road to Bridgeport-- +having received in the interval, since we came back to Chattanooga, +considerable reinforcement by the arrival in his department of the +Eleventh and Twelfth corps, under General Hooker, from the Army of +the Potomac. With this force Rosecrans had already strengthened +certain important points on the railroad between Nashville and +Stevenson, and given orders to Hooker to concentrate at Bridgeport +such portions of his command as were available, and to hold them in +readiness to advance toward Chattanooga. + +On the 19th of October, after turning the command over to Thomas, +General Rosecrans quietly slipped away from the army. He submitted +uncomplainingly to his removal, and modestly left us without fuss or +demonstration; ever maintaining, though, that the battle of +Chickamauga was in effect a victory, as it had ensured us, he said, +the retention of Chattanooga. When his departure became known deep +and almost universal regret was expressed, for he was +enthusiastically esteemed and loved by the Army of the Cumberland, +from the day he assumed command of it until he left it, +notwithstanding the censure poured upon him after the battle of +Chickamauga. + +The new position to which my division had been moved, in consequence +of the reorganization, required little additional labor to strengthen +it, and the routine of fatigue duty and drills was continued as +before, its monotony occasionally broken by the excitement of an +expected attack, or by amusements of various kinds that were +calculated to keep the men in good spirits. Toward this result much +was contributed by Mr. James E. Murdock, the actor, who came down +from the North to recover the body of his son, killed at Chickamauga, +and was quartered with me for the greater part of the time he was +obliged to await the successful conclusion of his sad mission. He +spent days, and even weeks, going about through the division giving +recitations before the camp-fires, and in improvised chapels, which +the men had constructed from refuse lumber and canvas. Suiting his +selections to the occasion, he never failed to excite intense +interest in the breasts of all present, and when circumstances +finally separated him from us, all felt that a debt of gratitude was +due him that could never be paid. The pleasure he gave, and the +confident feeling that was now arising from expected reinforcements, +was darkened, however, by one sad incident. Three men of my division +had deserted their colors at the beginning of the siege and made +their way north. They were soon arrested, and were brought back to +stand trial for the worst offense that can be committed by a soldier, +convicted of the crime, and ordered to be shot. To make the example +effective I paraded the whole division for the execution, and on the +13th of November, in the presence of their former comrades, the +culprits were sent, in accordance with the terms of their sentence, +to render their account to the Almighty. It was the saddest +spectacle I ever witnessed, but there could be no evasion, no +mitigation of the full letter of the law; its timely enforcement was +but justice to the brave spirits who had yet to fight the rebellion +to the end. + +General Grant arrived at Chattanooga on October 23, and began at once +to carry out the plans that had been formed for opening the shorter +or river road to Bridgeport. This object was successfully +accomplished by the moving of Hooker's command to Rankin's and +Brown's ferries in concert with a force from the Army of the +Cumberland which was directed on the same points, so by the 27th of +October direct communication with our depots was established. The +four weeks which followed this cheering result were busy with the +work of refitting and preparing for offensive operations as soon as +General Sherman should reach us with his troops from West Tennessee. +During this period of activity the enemy committed the serious fault +of detaching Longstreet's corps--sending it to aid in the siege of +Knoxville in East Tennessee--an error which has no justification +whatever, unless it be based on the presumption that it was +absolutely necessary that Longstreet should ultimately rejoin Lee's +army in Virginia by way of Knoxville and Lynchburg, with a chance of +picking up Burnside en route. Thus depleted, Bragg still held +Missionary Ridge in strong force, but that part of his line which +extended across the intervening valley to the northerly point of. +Lookout Mountain was much attenuated. + +By the 18th of November General Grant had issued instructions +covering his intended operations. They contemplated that Sherman's +column, which was arriving by the north bank of the Tennessee, should +cross the river on a pontoon bridge just below the mouth of +Chickamauga Creek and carry the northern extremity of Missionary +Ridge as far as the railroad tunnel; that the Army of the Cumberland- +-the centre--should co-operate with Sherman; and that Hooker with a +mixed command should continue to hold Lookout Valley and operate on +our extreme right as circumstances might warrant. Sherman crossed on +the 24th to perform his alloted part of the programme, but in the +meantime Grant becoming impressed with the idea that Bragg was +endeavoring to get away, ordered Thomas to make a strong +demonstration in his front, to determine the truth or falsity of the +information that had been received. This task fell to the Fourth +Corps, and at 12 o'clock on the 23d I was notified that Wood's +division would make a reconnoissance to an elevated point in its +front called Orchard Knob, and that I was to support it with my +division and prevent Wood's right flank from being turned by an +advance of the enemy on Moore's road or from the direction of +Rossville. For this duty I marched my division out of the works +about 2 p.m., and took up a position on Bushy Knob. Shortly after we +reached this point Wood's division passed my left flank on its +reconnoissance, and my command, moving in support of it, drove in the +enemy's picket-line. Wood's took possession of Orchard Knob easily, +and mine was halted on a low ridge to the right of the Knob, where I +was directed by General Thomas to cover my front by a strong line of +rifle-pits, and to put in position two batteries of the Fourth +regular artillery that had joined me from the Eleventh Corps. After +dark Wood began to feel uneasy about his right flank, for a gap +existed between it and my left, so I moved in closer to him, taking +up a line where I remained inactive till the 25th, but suffering some +inconvenience from the enemy's shells. + +On the 24th General Sherman made an attack for the purpose of +carrying the north end of Missionary Ridge. His success was not +complete, although at the time it was reported throughout the army to +be so. It had the effect of disconcerting Bragg, however, and caused +him to strengthen his right by withdrawing troops from his left, +which circumstance led Hooker to advance on the northerly face of +Lookout Mountain. At first, with good glasses, we could plainly see +Hooker's troops driving the Confederates up the face of the mountain. +All were soon lost to view in the dense timber, but emerged again on +the open ground, across which the Confederates retreated at a lively +pace, followed by the pursuing line, which was led by a color-bearer, +who, far in advance, was bravely waving on his comrades. The +gallantry of this man elicited much enthusiasm among us all, but as +he was a considerable distance ahead of his comrades I expected to +see his rashness punished at any moment by death or capture. He +finally got quite near the retreating Confederates, when suddenly +they made a dash at him, but he was fully alive to such a move, and +ran back, apparently uninjured, to his friends. About this time a +small squad of men reached the top of Lookout and planted the Stars +and Stripes on its very crest. Just then a cloud settled down on the +mountain, and a heavy bank of fog obscured its whole face. + +After the view was lost the sharp rattle of musketry continued some +time, but practically the fight had been already won by Hooker's men, +the enemy only holding on with a rear-guard to assure his retreat +across Chattanooga Valley to Missionary Ridge. Later we heard very +heavy cannonading, and fearing that Hooker was in trouble I sent a +staff-officer to find out whether he needed assistance, which I +thought could be given by a demonstration toward Rossville. The +officer soon returned with the report that Hooker was all right, that +the cannonading was only a part of a little rear-guard fight, two +sections of artillery making all the noise, the reverberations from +point to point in the adjacent mountains echoing and reechoing till +it seemed that at least fifty guns were engaged. + +On the morning of the 25th of November Bragg's entire army was +holding only the line of Missionary Ridge, and our troops, being now +practically connected from Sherman to Hooker, confronted it with the +Army of the Cumberland in the centre--bowed out along the front of +Wood's division and mine. Early in the day Sherman, with great +determination and persistence, made an attempt to carry the high +ground near the tunnel, first gaining and then losing advantage, but +his attack was not crowned with the success anticipated. Meanwhile +Hooker and Palmer were swinging across Chattanooga Valley, using me +as a pivot for the purpose of crossing Missionary Ridge in the +neighborhood of Rossville. In the early part of the day I had driven +in the Confederate pickets in my front, so as to prolong my line of +battle on that of Wood, the necessity of continuing to refuse my +right having been obviated by the capture of Lookout Mountain and the +advance of Palmer. + +About 2 o'clock orders came to carry the line at the foot of the +ridge, attacking at a signal of six guns. I had few changes or new +dispositions to make. Wagner's brigade, which was next to Wood's +division, was formed in double lines, and Harker's brigade took the +same formation on Wagner's right. Colonel F. T. Sherman's brigade +came on Harker's right, formed in a column of attack, with a front of +three regiments, he having nine. My whole front was covered with a +heavy line of skirmishers. These dispositions made, my right rested +a little distance south of Moore's road, my left joined Wood over +toward Orchard Knob, while my centre was opposite Thurman's house-- +the headquarters of General Bragg--on Missionary Ridge. A small +stream of water ran parallel to my front, as far as which the ground +was covered by a thin patch of timber, and beyond the edge of the +timber was an open plain to the foot of Missionary Ridge, varying in +width from four to nine hundred yards. At the foot of the ridge was +the enemy's first line of rifle-pits; at a point midway up its face, +another line, incomplete; and on the crest was a third line, in which +Bragg had massed his artillery. + +The enemy saw we were making dispositions for an attack, and in plain +view of my whole division he prepared himself for resistance, +marching regiments from his left flank with flying colors; and +filling up the spaces not already occupied in his intrenchments. +Seeing the enemy thus strengthening himself, it was plain that we +would have to act quickly if we expected to accomplish much, and I +already began to doubt the feasibility of our remaining in the first +line of rifle-pits when we should have carried them. I discussed the +order with Wagner, Harker, and Sherman, and they were similarly +impressed, so while anxiously awaiting the signal I sent Captain +Ransom of my staff to Granger, who was at Fort Wood, to ascertain if +we were to carry the first line or the ridge beyond. Shortly after +Ransom started the signal guns were fired, and I told my brigade +commanders to go for the ridge. + +Placing myself in front of Harker's brigade, between the line of +battle and the skirmishers, accompanied by only an orderly so as not +to attract the enemy's fire, we moved out. Under a terrible storm of +shot and shell the line pressed forward steadily through the timber, +and as it emerged on the plain took the double-quick and with fixed +bayonets rushed at the enemy's first line. Not a shot was fired from +our line of battle, and as it gained on my skirmishers they melted +into and became one with it, and all three of my brigades went over +the rifle-pits simultaneously. They then lay down on the face of the +ridge, for a breathing-spell and for protection' from the terrible +fire, of canister and musketry pouring over us from the guns on the +crest. At the rifle-pits there had been little use for the bayonet, +for most of the Confederate troops, disconcerted by the sudden rush, +lay close in the ditch and surrendered, though some few fled up the +slope to the next line. The prisoners were directed to move out to +our rear, and as their intrenchments had now come under fire from the +crest, they went with alacrity, and without guard or escort, toward +Chattanooga. + +After a short pause to get breath the ascent of the ridge began, and +I rode, into the ditch of the intrenchments to drive out a few +skulkers who were hiding there. Just at this time I was joined by +Captain Ransom, who, having returned from Granger, told me that we +were to carry only the line at the base, and that in coming back, +when he struck the left of the division, knowing this interpretation +of the order, he in his capacity as an aide-de-camp had directed +Wagner, who was up on the face of the ridge, to return, and that in +consequence Wagner was recalling his men to the base. I could not +bear to order the recall of troops now so gallantly climbing the hill +step by step, and believing we could take it, I immediately rode to +Wagner's brigade and directed it to resume the attack. In the +meantime Harker's and F. T. Sherman's troops were approaching the +partial line of works midway of the ridge, and as I returned to the +centre of their rear, they were being led by many stands of +regimental colors. There seemed to be a rivalry as to which color +should be farthest to the front; first one would go forward a few +feet, then another would come up to it, the color-bearers vying with +one another as to who should be foremost, until finally every +standard was planted on the intermediate works. The enemy's fire +from the crest during the ascent was terrific in the noise made, but +as it was plunging, it over-shot and had little effect on those above +the second line of pits, but was very uncomfortable for those below, +so I deemed it advisable to seek another place, and Wagner's brigade +having reassembled and again pressed up the ridge, I rode up the face +to join my troops. + +As soon as the men saw me, they surged forward and went over the +works on the crest. The parapet of the intrenchment was too high for +my horse to jump, so, riding a short distance to the left, I entered +through a low place in the line. A few Confederates were found +inside, but they turned the butts of their muskets toward me in token +of surrender, for our men were now passing beyond them on both their +flanks. + +The right and right centre of my division gained the summit first, +they being partially sheltered by a depression in the face of the +ridge, the Confederates in their immediate front fleeing down the +southern face. When I crossed the rifle-pits on the top the +Confederates were still holding fast at Bragg's headquarters, and a +battery located there opened fire along the crest; making things most +uncomfortably hot. Seeing the danger to which I was exposed, for I +was mounted, Colonel Joseph Conrad, of the Fifteenth Missouri, ran up +and begged me to dismount. I accepted his excellent advice, and it +probably saved my life; but poor Conrad was punished for his +solicitude by being seriously wounded in the thigh at the moment he +was thus contributing to my safety. + +Wildly cheering, the men advanced along the ridge toward Bragg's +headquarters, and soon drove the Confederates from this last +position, capturing a number of prisoners, among them Breckenridge's +and Bates's adjutant-generals, and the battery that had made such +stout resistance on the crest-two guns which were named "Lady +Breckenridge" and "Lady Buckner" General Bragg himself having barely +time to escape before his headquarters were taken. + +My whole division had now reached the summit, and Wagner and Harker-- +the latter slightly wounded--joined me as I was standing in the +battery just secured. The enemy was rapidly retiring, and though +many of his troops, with disorganized wagon-trains and several pieces +of artillery, could be distinctly seen in much confusion about half a +mile distant in the valley below, yet he was covering them with a +pretty well organized line that continued to give us a desultory +fire. Seeing this, I at once directed Wagner and Harker to take up +the pursuit along Moore's road, which led to Chickamauga Station-- +Bragg's depot of supply--and as they progressed, I pushed Sherman's +brigade along the road behind them. Wagner and Harker soon overtook +the rearguard, and a slight skirmish caused it to break, permitting +nine guns and a large number of wagons which were endeavoring to get +away in the stampede to fall into our hands. + +About a mile and a half beyond Missionary Ridge, Moore's road passed +over a second ridge or high range of hills, and here the enemy had +determined to make a stand for that purpose, posting eight pieces of +artillery with such supporting force as he could rally. He was +immediately attacked by Harker and Wagner, but the position was +strong, the ridge being rugged and difficult of ascent, and after the +first onset our men recoiled. A staff-officer from Colonel Wood's +demi-brigade informing me at this juncture that that command was too +weak to carry the position in its front, I ordered the Fifteenth +Indiana and the Twenty-Sixth Ohio to advance to Wood's aid, and then +hastening to the front I found his men clinging to the face of the +ridge, contending stubbornly with the rear-guard of the enemy. +Directing Harker to put Opdyke's demi-brigade in on the right, I +informed Wagner that it was necessary to flank the enemy by carrying +the high bluff on our left where the ridge terminated, that I had +designated the Twenty-Sixth Ohio and Fifteenth Indiana for the work, +and that I wished him to join them. + +It was now dusk, but the two regiments engaged in the flanking +movement pushed on to gain the bluff. Just as they reached the crest +of the ridge the moon rose from behind, enlarged by the refraction of +the atmosphere, and as the attacking column passed along the summit +it crossed the moon's disk and disclosed to us below a most +interesting panorama, every figure nearly being thrown out in full +relief. The enemy, now outflanked on left and right, abandoned his +ground, leaving us two pieces of artillery and a number of wagons. +After this ridge was captured I found that no other troops than mine +were pursuing the enemy, so I called a halt lest I might become too +much isolated. Having previously studied the topography of the +country thoroughly, I knew that if I pressed on my line of march +would carry me back to Chickamauga station, where we would be in rear +of the Confederates that had been fighting General Sherman, and that +there was a possibility of capturing them by such action; but I did +not feel warranted in marching there alone, so I rode back to +Missionary Ridge to ask for more troops, and upon arriving there I +found Granger in command, General Thomas having gone back to +Chattanooga. + +Granger was at Braggy's late headquarters in bed. I informed him of +my situation and implored him to follow me up with the Army of the +Cumberland, but he declined, saying that he thought we had done well +enough. I still insisting, he told me finally to push on to the +crossing of Chickamauga Creek, and if I, encountered the enemy he +would order troops to my support. I returned to my division about +12 o'clock at night, got it under way, and reached the crossing, +about half a mile from the station, at 2 o'clock on the morning of +the 26th, and there found the bridge destroyed, but that the creek +was fordable. I did not encounter the enemy in any force, but feared +to go farther without assistance. This I thought I might bring up by +practicing a little deception, so I caused two regiments to simulate +an engagement by opening fire, hoping that this would alarm Granger +and oblige him to respond with troops, but my scheme failed. General +Granger afterward told me that he had heard the volleys, but +suspected their purpose, knowing that they were not occasioned by a +fight, since they were too regular in their delivery. + +I was much disappointed that my pursuit had not been supported, for I +felt that great results were in store for us should the enemy be +vigorously followed. Had the troops under Granger's command been +pushed out with mine when Missionary Ridge was gained, we could have +reached Chickamauga Station by 12 o'clock the night of the 25th; or +had they been sent even later, when I called for them, we could have +got there by daylight and worked incalculable danger to the +Confederates, for the force that had confronted Sherman did not pass +Chickamauga Station in their retreat till after daylight on the +morning of the 26th. + +My course in following so close was dictated by a thorough knowledge +of the topography of the country and a familiarity with its roads, +bypaths, and farm-houses, gained with the assistance of Mr. +Crutchfield; and sure my column was heading in the right direction, +though night had fallen I thought that an active pursuit would almost +certainly complete the destruction of Bragg's army. When General +Grant came by my bivouac at the crossing of Chickamauga Creek on the +26th, he realized what might have been accomplished had the +successful assault on Missionary Ridge been supplemented by vigorous +efforts on the part of some high officers, who were more interested +in gleaning that portion of the battle-field over which my command +had passed than in destroying a panic-stricken enemy. + +Although it cannot be said that the result of the two days' +operations was reached by the methods which General Grant had +indicated in his instructions preceding the battle, yet the general +outcome was unquestionably due to his genius, for the manoeuvring of +Sherman's and Hooker's commands created the opportunity for Thomas's +corps of the Army of the Cumberland to carry the ridge at the centre. +In directing Sherman to attack the north end of the ridge, Grant +disconcerted Bragg--who was thus made to fear the loss of his depot +of supplies at Chickamauga Station--and compelled him to resist +stoutly; and stout resistance to Sherman meant the withdrawal of the +Confederates from Lookout Mountain. While this attack was in process +of execution advantage was taken of it by Hooker in a well-planned +and well-fought battle, but to my mind an unnecessary one, for our +possession of Lookout was the inevitable result that must follow from +Sherman's threatening attitude. The assault on Missionary Ridge by +Granger's and Palmer's corps was not premeditated by Grant, he +directing only the line at its base to be carried, but when this fell +into our hands the situation demanded our getting the one at the top +also. + +I took into the action an effective force of 6,000, and lost 123 +officers and 1,181 men killed and wounded. These casualties speak +louder than words of the character of the fight, and plainly tell +where the enemy struggled most stubbornly for these figures comprise +one-third the casualties of the entire body of Union troops-- +Sherman's and all included. My division captured 1,762 prisoners +and, in all, seventeen pieces of artillery. Six of these guns I +turned over with caissons complete; eleven were hauled off the field +and appropriated by an officer of high rank--General Hazen. I have +no disposition to renew the controversy which grew out of this +matter. At the time the occurrence took place I made the charge in a +plain official report, which was accepted as correct by the corps and +army commanders, from General Granger up to General Grant. General +Hazen took no notice of this report then, though well aware of its +existence. Nearly a quarter of a century later, however, he +endeavored to justify his retention of the guns by trying to show +that his brigade was the first to reach the crest of Missionary +Ridge, and that he was therefore entitled to them. This claim of +being the first to mount the ridge is made by other brigades than +Hazen's, with equal if not greater force, so the absurdity of his +deduction is apparent: + +NOTE: In a book published by General Hazen in 1885, he endeavored to +show, by a number of letters from subordinate officers of his +command, written at his solicitation from fifteen to twenty years +after the occurrence, that his brigade was the first to mount +Missionary Ridge, and that it was entitled to possess these guns. +The doubtful character of testimony dimmed by the lapse of many years +has long been conceded, and I am content to let the controversy stand +the test of history, based on the conclusions of General Grant, as he +drew them from official reports made when the circumstances were +fresh in the minds of all. + +General Grant says: "To Sheridan's prompt movement, the Army of the +Cumberland and the nation are indebted for the bulk of the capture of +prisoners, artillery, and small-arms that day. Except for his prompt +pursuit, so much in this way would not have been accomplished." + +General Thomas says: "We captured all their cannon and ammunition +before they could be removed or destroyed. After halting a few +moments to reorganize the troops, who had become somewhat scattered +in the assault of the hill, General Sheridan pushed forward in +pursuit, and drove those in his front who had escaped capture across +Chickamauga Creek." + +REPORT OF COLONEL FRANCIS T. SHERMAN, COMMANDING FIRST BRIGADE: +"When within ten yards of the crest, our men seemed to be thrown +forward as if by some powerful engine, and the old flag was planted +firmly and surely on the last line of works of the enemy, followed by +the men, taking one battery of artillery." + +REPORT OF COLONEL MICHAEL GOODING, TWENTY-SECOND INDIANA: +...."I pushed men up to the second line of works as fast as possible; +on and on, clear to the top, and over the ridge they went, to the +hollow beyond, killing and wounding numbers of the enemy as we +advanced, and leaving the rebel battery in our rear. We captured +great numbers of prisoners, and sent them to the rear without guards, +as we deemed the pursuit of the enemy of greater importance.... +'I cannot give too much praise to Captain Powers, Company "H," +Lieutenant Smith, Company "K," Lieutenant Gooding, Company "A," and +Second Lieutenant Moser, Company "G," for their assistance, and for +the gallant manner in which they encouraged their men up the side of +the mountain, and charging the enemy's works right up to the muzzles +of their guns.'" + +REPORT OF COLONEL JASON MARSH, SEVENTY-FOURTH ILLINOIS: +...."The first on the enemy's works, and almost simultaneously, were +Lieutenant Clement, Company "A," Captain Stegner, Company "I," +Captain Bacon, Company "G," and Captain Leffingwell, with some of +their men. The enemy was still in considerable force behind their +works; but, for some unaccountable reason, they either fled or +surrendered instantly upon the first few of our men reaching them-- +not even trying to defend their battery, which was immediately +captured by Captain Stegner." + +REPORT OF LIEUTENANT-COLONEL PORTER C. OLSON, THIRTY-SIXTH ILLINOIS: +...."In connection with other regiments of this brigade, we assisted +in capturing several pieces of artillery, a number of caissons, and a +great quantity of small-arms." + +REPORT OF COLONEL JOHN Q. LANE: +...."At the house known as Bragg's headquarters, the enemy were +driven from three guns, which fell into our hands." + +REPORT OF BRIGADIER-GENERAL G. D. WAGNER, SECOND BRIGADE: +...."I ordered the command to storm the ridge, bringing up the +Fifteenth Indiana and Ninety-seventh Ohio, which had not yet been +engaged, although suffering from the enemy's artillery. The result +is a matter of history, as we gained the ridge, capturing artillery, +prisoners, and small-arms; to what amount, however, I do not know, as +we pushed on after the enemy as soon as I had re-formed the command. +....Captain Tinney, with his usual gallantry, dashed up the line with +the first troops, and with the aid of an orderly (George Dusenbury, +Fifteenth Indiana), turned the loaded gun of the enemy on his +retreating ranks." + +REPORT OF CAPTAIN BENJAMIN F. HEGLER, FIFTEENTH INDIANA: +...."Our captures amounted to prisoners not counted, representing +many different regiments; several pieces of artillery, and some +wagons." + +REPORT OF LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ELIAS NEFF, FORTIETH INDIANA: +...."As the regiment reached the top of the ridge and swept for. +ward, the right passed through, without stopping to take possession, +the battery at General Bragg's headquarters that had fired so +venomously during the whole contest." + +REPORT OF LIEUTENANT-COLONEL J. MOORE, FIFTY-EIGHTH INDIANA: +...."In passing to the front from Missionary Ridge, we saw several +pieces of artillery which had been abandoned by the enemy, though I +did not leave any one in charge of them." + +REPORT OF MAJOR C, M. HAMMOND, ONE HUNDREDTH ILLINOIS: +...."I immediately organized my regiment, and while so doing +discovered a number of pieces of artillery in a ravine on my left. I +sent Lieutenant Stewart, of Company A, to see if these guns which the +enemy had abandoned could not be turned upon them. He returned and +reported them to be four ten-pound Parrotts and two brass Napoleons; +also that it would require a number of men to place them in position. +I ordered him to report the same to General Wagner, and ask +permission, but before receiving a reply was ordered by you to move +forward my regiment on the left of the Fifty-Eighth Indiana +Volunteers." + +REPORT OF COLONEL CHARLES G. HARKER, THIRD BRIGADE: +...."My right and Colonel Sherman's left interlocked, so to speak, as +we approached the summit, and it was near this point that I saw the +first part of my line gain the crest. This was done by a few brave +men of my own and Colonel Sherman's command driving the enemy from +his intrenchments. The gap thus opened, our men rushed rapidly in, +and the enemy, loth to give up their position, still remained, firing +at my command toward the left, and the battery in front of the house +known as General Bragg's headquarters was still firing at the troops, +and was captured by our men while the gunners were still at their +posts.... +...."We captured and sent to division and corps headquarters 503 +prisoners and a large number of small-arms. In regard to the number +of pieces of artillery, it will probably be difficult to reconcile +the reports of my regimental commanders with the reports of other +regiments and brigades who fought so nobly with my own command, and +who alike are entitled to share the honors and glories of the day. +More anxious to follow the enemy than to appropriate trophies already +secured, we pushed to the front, while the place we occupied on +ascending the hill was soon occupied by other troops, who, I have +learned, claim the artillery as having fallen into their own hands. +It must therefore remain with the division and corps commanders, who +knew the relative position of each brigade and division, to accord to +each the trophies to which they are due. +...."From my personal observation I can claim a battery of six guns +captured by a portion of my brigade." + +REPORT OF COLONEL EMERSON OPDYKE, FIRST DEMI-BRIGADE: +...."My command captured Bragg's headquarters, house, and the six +guns which were near there; one of these I ordered turned upon the +enemy, which was done with effect." + +REPORT OF COLONEL H. C. DUNLAP, THIRD KENTUCKY: +...."The point at which the centre of my regiment reached the crest +was at the stable to the left of the house said to be Bragg's +headquarters, and immediately in front of the road which leads down +the southern slope of the ridge. One piece of the abandoned battery, +was to the left of this point, the remainder to the right, near by." + +REPORT OF LIEUTENANT-COLONEL W. A. BULLITT, SIXTY-FIFTH OHIO: +...."The position in which my regiment found itself was immediately +in front of a battery, which belched forth a stream of canister upon +us with terrible rapidity. In addition to this, the enemy, whenever +driven from other points, rallied around this battery, and defended +it with desperation. It cost a struggle to take it; but we finally +succeeded, and the colors of the Sixty-fifth Ohio were the first +planted upon the yet smoking guns. Captain Smith, of my regiment, +was placed in charge of the captured battery, which consisted of 5 +guns, 3 caissons, and 17 horses." + +REPORT OF CAPTAIN E. P. BATES, ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIFTH OHIO: +...."Perceiving that the ridge across which my regiment extended was +commanded to the very crest by a battery in front, also by those to +right and left, I directed the men to pass up the gorges on either +side. About forty men, with Captain Parks and Lieutenant Stinger, +passed to the left, the balance to the right, and boldly charged on, +till, foremost with those of other regiments, they stood on the +strongest point of the enemy's works, masters alike of his guns and +position.... Captain Parks reports his skirmish-line to have charged +upon and captured one gun, that otherwise would have been hauled +off." + +REPORT OF COLONEL ALLEN BUCKNER, SEVENTY-NINTH ILLINOIS: +...."The right of the regiment rested on the left of the road, where +it crossed the rebel fortification, leading up the hill toward +Bragg's headquarters. We took a right oblique direction through a +peach orchard until arriving at the woods and logs on the side of the +ridge, when I ordered the men to commence firing, which they did with +good effect, and continued it all the way up until the heights were +gained. At this point the left of the regiment was near the right of +the house, and I claim that my officers and men captured two large +brass pieces, literally punching the cannoniers from their guns. +Privates John Fregan and Jasper Patterson, from Company "A," rushed +down the hill, captured one caisson, with a cannonier and six horses, +and brought them back." + +REPORT OF COLONEL J. R. MILES, TWENTY-SEVENTH ILLINOIS: +...."The regiment, without faltering, finally, at about 4.30 P.M., +gained the enemy's works in conjunction with a party of the Thirty- +sixth Illinois, who were immediately on our right. The regiment, or +a portion of it, proceeded to the left, down the ridge, for nearly or +quite a quarter of a mile capturing three or four pieces of cannon, +driving the gunners from them." + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +ORDERED TO RETURN TO CHATTANOOGA--MARCH TO KNOXVILLE--COLLECTING +SUBSISTENCE STORES--A CLEVER STRATAGEM--A BRIDGE OF WAGONS--LOOKING +OUT FOR THE PERSONAL COMFORT OF THE SOLDIERS-A LEAVE OF ABSENCE-- +ORDERED TO WASHINGTON--PARTING WITH SHERIDAN'S DIVISION. + +The day after the battle of Missionary Ridge I was ordered in the +evening to return to Chattanooga, and from the limited supply of +stores to be had there outfit my command to march to the relief of +Knoxville, where General Burnside was still holding out against the +besieging forces of General Longstreet. When we left Murfreesboro' +in the preceding June, the men's knapsacks and extra clothing, as +well as all our camp equipage, had been left behind, and these +articles had not yet reached us, so we were poorly prepared for a +winter campaign in the mountains of East Tennessee. There was but +little clothing to be obtained in Chattanooga, and my command +received only a few overcoats and a small supply of India-rubber +ponchos. We could get no shoes, although we stood in great need of +them, for the extra pair with which each man had started out from +Murfreesboro' was now much the worse for wear. The necessity for +succoring Knoxville was urgent, however, so we speedily refitted as +thoroughly as was possible with the limited means at hand. My +division teams were in very fair condition in consequence of the +forage we had procured in the Sequatchie Valley, so I left the train +behind to bring up clothing when any should arrive in Chattanooga. + +Under these circumstances, on the 29th of November the Fourth Corps +(Granger's) took up the line of march for Knoxville, my men carrying +in their haversacks four days' rations, depending for a further +supply of food on a small steamboat loaded with subsistence stores, +which was to proceed up the Tennessee River and keep abreast of the +column. + +Not far from Philadelphia, Tennessee, the columns of General +Sherman's army, which had kept a greater distance from the river than +Granger's corps, so as to be able to subsist on the country, came in +toward our right and the whole relieving force was directed on +Marysville, about fifteen miles southwest of Knoxville. We got to +Marysville December 5, and learned the same day that Longstreet had +shortly before attempted to take Knoxville by a desperate assault, +but signally failing, had raised the siege and retired toward Bean's +Station on the Rutledge, Rogersville, and Bristol road, leading to +Virginia. From Marysville General Sherman's troops returned to +Chattanooga, while Granger's corps continued on toward Knoxville, to +take part in the pursuit of Longstreet. + +Burnside's army was deficient in subsistence, though not to the +extent that we had supposed before leaving Chattanooga. It had eaten +out the country in the immediate vicinity of Knoxville, however; +therefore my division did not cross the Holstein River, but was +required, in order to maintain itself, to proceed to the region of +the French Broad River. To this end I moved to Sevierville, and +making this village my headquarters, the division was spread out over +the French Broad country, between Big Pigeon and Little Pigeon +rivers, where we soon had all the mills in operation, grinding out +plenty of flour and meal. The whole region was rich in provender of +all kinds, and as the people with rare exceptions were +enthusiastically loyal, we in a little while got more than enough +food for ourselves, and by means of flatboats began sending the +surplus down the river to the troops at Knoxville. + +The intense loyalty of this part of Tennessee exceeded that of any +other section I was in during the war. The people could not do too +much to aid the Union cause, and brought us an abundance of +everything needful. The women were especially loyal, and as many of +their sons and husbands, who had been compelled to "refugee" on +account of their loyal sentiments, returned with us, numbers of the +women went into ecstasies of joy when this part of the Union army +appeared among them. So long as we remained in the French Broad +region, we lived on the fat of the land, but unluckily our stay was +to be of short duration, for Longstreet's activity kept the +department commander in a state of constant alarm. + +Soon after getting the mills well running, and when the shipment of +their surplus product down the river by flatboats had begun, I was +ordered to move to Knoxville, on account of demonstrations by +Longstreet from the direction of Blain's crossroads. On arriving at +Knoxville, an inspection of my command, showed that the shoes of many +of the men were entirely worn out, the poor fellows having been +obliged to protect their feet with a sort of moccasin, made from +their blankets or from such other material as they could procure. +About six hundred of the command were in this condition, plainly not +suitably shod to withstand the frequent storms of sleet and snow. +These men I left in Knoxville to await the arrival of my train, which +I now learned was en route from Chattanooga with shoes, overcoats, +and other clothing, and with the rest of the division proceeded to +Strawberry Plains, which we reached the latter part of December. + +Mid-winter was now upon us, and the weather in this mountain region +of East Tennessee was very cold, snow often falling to the depth of +several inches. The thin and scanty clothing of the men afforded +little protection, and while in bivouac their only shelter was the +ponchos with which they had been provided before leaving Chattanooga; +there was not a tent in the command. Hence great suffering resulted, +which I anxiously hoped would be relieved shortly by the arrival of +my train with supplies. In the course of time the wagons reached +Knoxville, but my troops derived little comfort from this fact, for +the train was stopped by General Foster, who had succeeded Burnside +in command of the department, its contents distributed pro rata to +the different organizations of the entire army, and I received but a +small share. This was very disappointing, not to say exasperating, +but I could not complain of unfairness, for every command in the army +was suffering to the same extent as mine, and yet it did seem that a +little forethought and exertion on the part of some of the other +superior officers, whose transportation was in tolerable condition, +might have ameliorated the situation considerably. I sent the train +back at once for more clothing, and on its return, just before +reaching Knoxville, the quartermaster in charge, Captain Philip +Smith, filled the open spaces in the wagons between the bows and load +with fodder and hay, and by this clever stratagem passed it through +the town safe and undisturbed as a forage train. On Smith's arrival +we lost no time in issuing the clothing, and when it had passed into +the hands of the individual soldiers the danger of its appropriation +for general distribution, like the preceding invoice, was very +remote. + +General Foster had decided by this time to move his troops to +Dandridge for the twofold purpose of threatening the enemy's left and +of getting into a locality where we could again gather subsistence +from the French Broad region. Accordingly we began an advance on the +15th of January, the cavalry having preceded us some time before. +The Twenty-third Corps and Wood's division of the Fourth Corps +crossed the Holstein River by a bridge that had been constructed at +Strawberry Plains. My division being higher up the stream, forded +it, the water very deep and bitter cold, being filled with slushy +ice. Marching by way of New Market, I reached Dandridge on the 17th, +and here on my arrival met General Sturgis, then commanding our +cavalry. He was on the eve of setting out to, "whip the enemy's +cavalry," as he said, and wanted me to go along and see him do it. I +declined, however, for being now the senior officer present, Foster, +Parke, and Granger having remained at Knoxville and Strawberry +Plains, their absence left me in command, and it was necessary that I +should make disposition of the infantry when it arrived. As there +were indications of a considerable force of the enemy on the +Russellville road I decided to place the troops in line of battle, so +as to be prepared for any emergency that might arise in the absence +of the senior officers, and I deemed it prudent to supervise +personally the encamping of the men. This disposition necessarily +required that some of the organizations should occupy very +disagreeable ground, but I soon got all satisfactorily posted with +the exception of General Willich, who expressed some discontent at +being placed beyond the shelter of the timber, but accepted the +situation cheerfully when its obvious necessity was pointed out to +him. + +Feeling that all was secure, I returned to my headquarters in the +village with the idea that we were safely established in ease of +attack, and that the men would now have a good rest if left +undisturbed; and plenty to eat, but hardly had I reached my own camp +when a staff-officer came post-haste from Sturgis with the +information that he was being driven back to my lines, despite the +confident invitation to me (in the morning) to go out and witness the +whipping which was to be given to the enemy's cavalry. Riding to the +front, I readily perceived that the information was correct, and I +had to send a brigade of infantry out to help Sturgis, thus relieving +him from a rather serious predicament. Indeed, the enemy was present +in pretty strong force, both cavalry and infantry, and from his +vicious attack on Sturgis it looked very much as though he intended +to bring on a general engagement. + +Under such circumstances I deemed it advisable that the responsible +commanders of the army should be present, and so informed them. My +communication brought Parke and Granger to the front without delay, +but Foster could not come, since the hardships of the winter had +reopened an old wound received during the Mexican War, and brought on +much suffering. By the time Parke and Granger arrived, however, the +enemy, who it turned out was only making a strong demonstration to +learn the object of our movement on Dandridge, seemed satisfied with +the results of his reconnoissance, and began falling back toward +Bull's Gap. Meanwhile Parke and Granger concluded that Dandridge was +an untenable point, and hence decided to withdraw a part of the army +to Strawberry Plains; and the question of supplies again coming up, +it was determined to send the Fourth Corps to the south side of the +French Broad to obtain subsistence, provided we could bridge the +river so that men could get across the deep and icy stream without +suffering. + +I agreed to undertake the construction of a bridge on condition that +each division should send to the ford twenty-five wagons with which +to make it. This being acceded to, Harker's brigade began the work +next morning at a favorable point a few miles down the river. As my +quota of wagons arrived, they were drawn into the stream one after +another by the wheel team, six men in each wagon, and as they +successively reached the other side of the channel the mules were +unhitched, the pole of each wagon run under thre hind axle of the one +just in front, and the tailboards used so as to span the slight space +between them. The plan worked well as long as the material lasted, +but no other wagons than my twenty-five coming on the ground, the +work stopped when the bridge was only half constructed. Informed of +the delay and its cause, in sheer desperation I finished the bridge +by taking from my own division all the wagons needed to make up the +deficiency. + +It was late in the afternoon when the work was finished, and I began +putting over one of my brigades; but in the midst of its crossing +word came that Longstreet's army was moving to attack us, which +caused an abandonment of the foraging project, and orders quickly +followed to retire to Strawberry Plains, the retrograde movement to +begin forthwith. I sent to headquarters information of the plight I +was in--baggage and supplies on the bank and wagons in the stream-- +begged to know what was to become of them if we were to hurry off at +a moment's notice, and suggested that the movement be delayed until I +could recover my transportation. Receiving in reply no assurances +that I should be relieved from my dilemma--and, in fact, nothing +satisfactory--I determined to take upon myself the responsibility of +remaining on the ground long enough to get my wagons out of the +river; so I sent out a heavy force to watch for the enemy, and with +the remainder of the command went to work to break up the bridge. +Before daylight next morning I had recovered everything without +interference by Longstreet, who, it was afterward ascertained, was +preparing to move east toward Lynchburg instead of marching to attack +us; the small demonstration against Dandridge, being made simply to +deceive us as to his ultimate object. I marched to Strawberry Plains +unmolested, and by taking the route over Bay's Mountain, a shorter +one than that followed by the main body of our troops, reached the +point of rendezvous as soon as the most of the army, for the road it +followed was not only longer, but badly cut up by trains that had +recently passed over it. + +Shortly after getting into camp, the beef contractor came in and +reported that a detachment of the enemy's cavalry had captured my +herd of beef cattle. This caused me much chagrin at first, but the +commissary of my division soon put in an appearance, and assured me +that the loss would not be very disastrous to us nor of much benefit +to the enemy, since the cattle were so poor and weak that they could +not be driven off. A reconnoissance in force verified the +Commissary's statement. From its inability to travel, the herd, +after all efforts to carry it off had proved ineffectual, had been +abandoned by its captors. + +After the troops from Chattanooga arrived in the vicinity of +Knoxville and General Sherman had returned to Chattanooga, the +operations in East Tennessee constituted a series of blunders, +lasting through the entire winter; a state of affairs doubtless due, +in the main, to the fact that the command of the troops was so +frequently changed. Constant shifting of responsibility from one to +another ensued from the date that General Sherman, after assuring +himself that Knoxville was safe, devolved the command on Burnside. +It had already been intimated to Burnside that he was to be relieved, +and in consequence he was inactive and apathetic, confining his +operations to an aimless expedition whose advance extended only as +far as Blain's crossroads, whence it was soon withdrawn. Meanwhile +General Foster had superseded Burnside, but physical disabilities +rendered him incapable of remaining in the field, and then the chief +authority devolved on Parke. By this time the transmission of power +seemed almost a disease; at any rate it was catching, so, while we +were en route to Dandridge, Parke transferred the command to Granger. +The latter next unloaded it on me, and there is no telling what the +final outcome would have been had I not entered a protest against a +further continuance of the practice, which remonstrance brought +Granger to the front at Dandridge. + +While the events just narrated were taking place, General Grant had +made a visit to Knoxville--about the last of December--and arranged +to open the railroad between there and Chattanooga, with a view to +supplying the troops in East Tennessee by rail in the future, instead +of through Cumberland Gap by a tedious line of wagon-trains. In +pursuance of his plan the railroad had already been opened to Loudon, +but here much delay occurred on account of the long time it took to +rebuild the bridge over the Tennessee. Therefore supplies were still +very scarce, and as our animals were now dying in numbers from +starvation, and the men were still on short allowance, it became +necessary that some of the troops east of Knoxville should get nearer +to their depot, and also be in a position to take part in the coming +Georgia campaign, or render assistance to General Thomas, should +General Johnston (who had succeeded in command of the Confederate +army) make any demonstration against Chattanooga. Hence my division +was ordered to take station at Loudon, Tennessee, and I must confess +that we took the road for that point with few regrets, for a general +disgust prevailed regarding our useless marches during the winter. + +At this time my faithful scout Card and his younger brother left me, +with the determination, as I have heretofore related, to avenge their +brother's death. No persuasion could induce Card to remain longer, +for knowing that my division's next operation would be toward +Atlanta, and being ignorant of the country below Dalton, he +recognized and insisted that his services would then become +practically valueless. + +At Loudon, where we arrived January 27, supplies were more plentiful, +and as our tents and extra clothing reached us there in a few days, +every one grew contented and happy. Here a number of my regiments, +whose terms of service were about to expire, went through the process +of "veteranizing," and, notwithstanding the trials and hardships of +the preceding nine months, they re-enlisted almost to a man. + +When everything was set in motion toward recuperating and refitting +my troops, I availed myself of the opportunity during a lull that +then existed to take a short leave of absence--a privilege I had not +indulged in since entering the service in 1853. This leave I spent +in the North with much benefit to my physical condition, for I was +much run down by fatiguing service, and not a little troubled by +intense pain which I at times still suffered from my experience in +the unfortunate hand-car incident on the Cumberland Mountains the +previous July. I returned from leave the latter part of March, +rejoining my division with the expectation that the campaign in that +section would begin as early as April. + +On the 12th of March, 1864, General Grant was assigned to the command +of the armies of the United States, as general-in-chief. He was +already in Washington, whither he had gone to receive his commission +as lieutenant-general. Shortly after his arrival there, he commenced +to rearrange the different commands in the army to suit the plans +which he intended to enter upon in the spring, and out of this grew a +change in my career. Many jealousies and much ill-feeling, the +outgrowth of former campaigns, existed among officers of high grade +in the Army of the Potomac in the winter of 1864, and several general +officers were to be sent elsewhere in consequence. Among these, +General Alfred Pleasonton was to be relieved from the command of the +cavalry, General Grant having expressed to the President +dissatisfaction that so little had hitherto been accomplished by that +arm of the service, and I was selected as chief of the cavalry corps +of the Army of the Potomac, receiving on the night of the 23d of +March from General Thomas at Chattanooga the following telegram: + +"MARCH 23, 1864. +"MAJOR-GENERAL THOMAS, Chattanooga + +"Lieutenant-General Grant directs that Major-General Sheridan +immediately repair to Washington and report to the Adjutant-General +of the Army. + +" H. W. HALLECK, +Major-General, Chief-of-Staff." + + +I was not informed of the purpose for which I was to proceed to +Washington, but I conjectured that it meant a severing of my +relations with the Second Division, Fourth Army Corps. I at once set +about obeying the order, and as but little preparation was necessary, +I started for Chattanooga the next day, without taking any formal +leave of the troops I had so long commanded. I could not do it; the +bond existing between them and me had grown to such depth of +attachment that I feared to trust my emotions in any formal parting +from a body of soldiers who, from our mutual devotion, had long +before lost their official designation, and by general consent within +and without the command were called "Sheridan's Division." When I +took the train at the station the whole command was collected on the +hill-sides around to see me off. They had assembled spontaneously, +officers and men, and as the cars moved out for Chattanooga they +waved me farewell with demonstrations of affection. + +A parting from such friends was indeed to be regretted. They had +never given me any trouble, nor done anything that could bring aught +but honor to themselves. I had confidence in them, and I believe +they had in me. They were ever steady, whether in victory or in +misfortune, and as I tried always to be with them, to put them into +the hottest fire if good could be gained, or save them from +unnecessary loss, as occasion required, they amply repaid all my care +and anxiety, courageously and readily meeting all demands in every +emergency that arose. + +In Kentucky, nearly two years before, my lot had been cast with about +half of the twenty-five regiments of infantry that I was just +leaving, the rest joining me after Chickamauga. It was practically a +new arm of the service to me, for although I was an infantry officer, +yet the only large command which up to that time I had controlled was +composed of cavalry, and most of my experience had been gained in +this arm of the service. I had to study hard to be able to master +all the needs of such a force, to feed and clothe it and guard all +its interests. When undertaking these responsibilities I felt that +if I met them faithfully, recompense would surely come through the +hearty response that soldiers always make to conscientious exertion +on the part of their superiors, and not only that more could be +gained in that way than from the use of any species of influence, but +that the reward would be quicker. Therefore I always tried to look +after their comfort personally; selected their camps, and provided +abundantly for their subsistence, and the road they opened for me +shows that my work was not in vain. I regretted deeply to have to +leave such soldiers, and felt that they were sorry I was going, and +even now I could not, if I would, retain other than the warmest +sentiments of esteem and the tenderest affection for the officers and +men of "Sheridan's Division," Army of the Cumberland. + +On reaching Chattanooga I learned from General Thomas the purpose for +which I had been ordered to Washington. I was to be assigned to the +command of the Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Potomac. The +information staggered me at first, for I knew well the great +responsibilities of such a position; moreover, I was but slightly +acquainted with military operations in Virginia, and then, too, the +higher officers of the Army of the Potomac were little known to me, +so at the moment I felt loth to undergo the trials of the new +position. Indeed, I knew not a soul in Washington except General +Grant and General Halleck, and them but slightly, and no one in +General Meade's army, from the commanding general down, except a few +officers in the lower grades, hardly any of whom I had seen since +graduating at the Military Academy. + +Thus it is not much to be wondered at that General Thomas's +communication momentarily upset me. But there was no help for it, so +after reflecting on the matter a little I concluded to make the best +of the situation. As in Virginia I should be operating in a field +with which I was wholly unfamiliar, and among so many who were +strangers, it seemed to me that it would be advisable to have, as a +chief staff-officer, one who had had service in the East, if an +available man could be found. In weighing all these considerations +in my mind, I fixed upon Captain James W. Forsyth, of the Eighteenth +Infantry, then in the regular brigade at Chattanooga--a dear friend +of mine, who had served in the Army of the Potomac, in the Peninsula +and Antietam campaigns. He at once expressed a desire to accept a +position on my staff, and having obtained by the next day the +necessary authority, he and I started for Washington, accompanied by +Lieutenant T. W. C. Moore, one of my aides, leaving behind Lieutenant +M. V. Sheridan, my other aide, to forward our horses as soon as they +should be sent down to Chattanooga from Loudon, after which he was to +join me. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +AT WASHINGTON--MEETING SECRETARY STANTON--INTERVIEW WITH PRESIDENT +LINCOLN--MADE COMMANDER OF THE CAVALRY CORPS OF THE ARMY OF THE +POTOMAC--ITS OFFICERS--GENERAL MEADE's METHOD OF USING CAVALRY-- +OPENING OF THE CAMPAIGN--SPOTTSYLVANIA C. H.--A DIFFERENCE WITH +GENERAL MEADE--PREPARING TO FIGHT STUART'S CAVALRY. + +Accompanied by Captain Forsyth and Lieutenant Moore, I arrived in +Washington on the morning of April, 4, 1864, and stopped at Willard's +Hotel, where, staying temporarily, were many officers of the Army of +the Potomac en route to their commands from leave at the North. +Among all these, however, I was an entire stranger, and I cannot now +recall that I met a single individual whom I had ever before known. + +With very little delay after reaching my hotel I made my way to +General Halleck's headquarters and reported to that officer, having +learned in the meantime that General Grant was absent from the city. +General Halleck talked to me for a few minutes, outlining briefly the +nature and duties of my new command, and the general military +situation in Virginia. When he had finished all he had to say about +these matters, he took me to the office of the Secretary of War, to +present me to Mr. Stanton. During the ceremony of introduction, I +could feel that Mr. Stanton was eying me closely and searchingly, +endeavoring to form some estimate of one about whom he knew +absolutely nothing, and whose career probably had never been called +to his attention until General Grant decided to order me East, after +my name had been suggested by General Halleck in an interview the two +generals had with Mr. Lincoln. I was rather young in appearance-- +looking even under than over thirty-three years--but five feet five +inches in height, and thin almost to emaciation, weighing only one +hundred and fifteen pounds. If I had ever possessed any self- +assertion in manner or speech, it certainly vanished in the presence +of the imperious Secretary, whose name at the time was the synonym of +all that was cold and formal. I never learned what Mr. Stanton's +first impressions of me were, and his guarded and rather calculating +manner gave at this time no intimation that they were either +favorable or unfavorable, but his frequent commendation in after +years indicated that I gained his goodwill before the close of the +war, if not when I first came to his notice; and a more intimate +association convinced me that the cold and cruel characteristics +popularly ascribed to him were more mythical than real. + +When the interview with the Secretary was over, I proceeded with +General Halleck to the White House to pay my respects to the +President. Mr. Lincoln received me very cordially, offering both his +hands, and saying that he hoped I would fulfill the expectations of +General Grant in the new command I was about to undertake, adding +that thus far the cavalry of the Army of the Potomac had not done all +it might have done, and wound up our short conversation by quoting +that stale interrogation so prevalent during the early years of the +war, "Who ever saw a dead cavalryman?" His manner did not impress +me, however, that in asking the question he had meant anything beyond +a jest, and I parted from the President convinced that he did not +believe all that the query implied. + +After taking leave I separated from General Halleck, and on returning +to my hotel found there an order from the War Department assigning me +to the command of the Cavalry Corps, Army of the Potomac. The next +morning, April 5, as I took the cars for the headquarters of the Army +of the Potomac, General Grant, who had returned to Washington the +previous night from a visit to his family, came aboard the train on +his way to Culpeper Court House, and on the journey down I learned +among other things that he had wisely determined to continue +personally in the field, associating himself with General Meade's +army; where he could supervise its movements directly, and at the +same time escape the annoyances which, should he remain in +Washington, would surely arise from solicitude for the safety of the +Capital while the campaign was in progress. When we reached Brandy +Station, I left the train and reported to General Meade, who told me +that the headquarters of the Cavalry Corps were some distance back +from the Station, and indicated the general locations of the +different divisions of the corps, also giving me, in the short time I +remained with him, much information regarding their composition. + +I reached the Cavalry Corps headquarters on the evening of April 5, +1864, and the next morning issued orders assuming command. General +Pleasonton had but recently been relieved, and many of his staff- +officers were still on duty at the headquarters awaiting the arrival +of the permanent commander. I resolved to retain the most of these +officers on my staff, and although they were all unknown to me when I +decided on this course, yet I never had reason to regret it, nor to +question the selections made by my predecessor. + +The corps consisted of three cavalry divisions and twelve batteries +of horse artillery. Brigadier-General A. T. A. Torbert was in +command of the First Division, which was composed of three brigades; +Brigadier-General D. McM. Gregg, of the Second, consisting of two +brigades; and Brigadier-General J. H. Wilson was afterward assigned +to command the Third, also comprising two brigades: Captain Robinson, +a veteran soldier of the Mexican war, was chief of artillery, and as +such had a general supervision of that arm, though the batteries, +either as units or in sections, were assigned to the different +divisions in campaign. + +Each one of my division commanders was a soldier by profession. +Torbert graduated from the Military Academy in 1855, and was +commissioned in the infantry, in which arm he saw much service on the +frontier, in Florida, and on the Utah expedition. At the beginning +of hostilities in April, 1861, he was made a colonel of New Jersey +volunteers, and from that position was promoted in the fall of 1862 +to be a brigadier-general, thereafter commanding a brigade of +infantry in the Army of the Potomac till, in the redistribution of +generals, after Grant came to the East, he was assigned to the First +Cavalry Division. + +Gregg graduated in 1855 also, and was appointed to the First +Dragoons, with which regiment, up to the breaking out of the war, he +saw frontier service extending from Fort Union, New Mexico, through +to the Pacific coast, and up into Oregon and Washington Territories, +where I knew him slightly. In the fall of 1861 he became colonel of +the Eighth Pennsylvania Cavalry, and a year later was made a +brigadier-general. He then succeeded to the command of a division of +cavalry, and continued in that position till the close of his +service, at times temporarily commanding the Cavalry Corps. He was +the only division commander I had whose experience had been almost +exclusively derived from the cavalry arm. + +Wilson graduated in 1860 in the Topographical Engineers, and was +first assigned to duty in Oregon, where he remained till July, 1861. +In the fall of that year his active service in the war began, and he +rose from one position to another, in the East and West, till, while +on General Grant's staff, he was made a brigadier-general in the fall +of 1863 in reward for services performed during the Vicksburg +campaign and for engineer duty at Chattanooga preceding the battle of +Missionary Ridge. At my request he was selected to command the Third +Division. General Grant thought highly of him, and, expecting much +from his active mental and physical ability, readily assented to +assign him in place of General Kilpatrick. The only other general +officers in the corps were Brigadier-General Wesley Merritt, +Brigadier-General George A. Custer, and Brigadier-General Henry E. +Davies, each commanding a brigade. + +In a few days after my arrival at Brandy Station I reviewed my new +command, which consisted of about twelve thousand officers and men, +with the same number of horses in passable trim. Many of the general +officers of the army were present at the review, among them Generals +Meade, Hancock, and Sedgwick. Sedgwick being an old dragoon, came to +renew his former associations with mounted troops, and to encourage +me, as he jestingly said, because of the traditional prejudices the +cavalrymen were supposed to hold against being commanded by an +infantry officer. The corps presented a fine appearance at the +review, and so far as the health and equipment of the men were +concerned the showing was good and satisfactory; but the horses were +thin and very much worn down by excessive and, it seemed to me, +unnecessary picket duty, for the cavalry picket-line almost +completely encircled the infantry and artillery camps of the army, +covering a distance, on a continuous line, of nearly sixty miles, +with hardly a mounted Confederate confronting it at any point. From +the very beginning of the war the enemy had shown more wisdom +respecting his cavalry than we. Instead of wasting its strength by a +policy of disintegration he, at an early day, had organized his +mounted force into compact masses, and plainly made it a favorite; +and, as usual, he was now husbanding the strength of his horses by +keeping them to the rear, so that in the spring he could bring them +out in good condition for the impending campaign. + +Before and at the review I took in this situation, and determined to +remedy it if possible; so in due time I sought an interview with +General Meade and informed him that, as the effectiveness of my +command rested mainly on the strength of its horses, I thought the +duty it was then performing was both burdensome and wasteful. I also +gave him my idea as to what the cavalry should do, the main purport +of which was that it ought to be kept concentrated to fight the +enemy's cavalry. Heretofore, the commander of the Cavalry Corps had +been, virtually, but an adjunct at army headquarters--a sort of chief +of cavalry--and my proposition seemed to stagger General Meade not a +little. I knew that it would be difficult to overcome the recognized +custom of using the cavalry for the protection of trains and the +establishment of cordons around the infantry corps, and so far +subordinating its operations to the movements of the main army that +in name only was it a corps at all, but still I thought it my duty to +try. + +At first General Meade would hardly listen to my proposition, for he +was filled with the prejudices that, from the beginning of the war, +had pervaded the army regarding the importance and usefulness of +cavalry, General Scott then predicting that the contest would be +settled by artillery, and thereafter refusing the services of +regiment after regiment of mounted troops. General Meade deemed +cavalry fit for little more than guard and picket duty, and wanted to +know what would protect the transportation trains and artillery +reserve, cover the front of moving infantry columns, and secure his +flanks from intrusion, if my policy were pursued. I told him that if +he would let me use the cavalry as I contemplated, he need have +little solicitude in these respects, for, with a mass of ten thousand +mounted men, it was my belief that I could make it so lively for the +enemy's cavalry that, so far as attacks from it were concerned, the +flanks and rear of the Army of the Potomac would require little or no +defense, and claimed, further, that moving columns of infantry should +take care of their own fronts. I also told him that it was my object +to defeat the enemy's cavalry in a general combat, if possible, and +by such a result establish a feeling of confidence in my own troops +that would enable us after awhile to march where we pleased, for the +purpose of breaking General Lee's communications and destroying the +resources from which his army was supplied. + +The idea as here outlined was contrary to Meade's convictions, for +though at different times since he commanded the Army of the Potomac +considerable bodies of the cavalry had been massed for some special +occasion, yet he had never agreed to the plan as a permanency, and +could not be bent to it now. He gave little encouragement, +therefore, to what I proposed, yet the conversation was immediately +beneficial in one way, for when I laid before him the true condition +of the cavalry, he promptly relieved it from much of the arduous and +harassing picket service it was performing, thus giving me about two +weeks in which to nurse the horses before the campaign opened. + +The interview also disclosed the fact that the cavalry commander +should be, according to General Meade's views, at his headquarters +practically as one of his staff, through whom he would give detailed +directions as, in his judgment, occasion required. Meade's ideas and +mine being so widely divergent, disagreements arose between us later +during the battles of the Wilderness, which lack of concord ended in +some concessions on his part after the movement toward Spottsylvania +Court House began, and although I doubt that his convictions were +ever wholly changed, yet from that date on, in the organization of +the Army of the Potomac, the cavalry corps became more of a compact +body, with the same privileges and responsibilities that attached to +the other corps--conditions that never actually existed before. + +On the 4th of May the Army of the Potomac moved against Lee, who was +occupying a defensive position on the south bank of the Rapidan. +After detailing the various detachments which I was obliged to supply +for escorts and other mounted duty, I crossed the river with an +effective force of about 10,000 troopers. In the interval succeeding +my assignment to the command of the cavalry, I had taken the pains to +study carefully the topography of the country in eastern Virginia, +and felt convinced that, under the policy Meade intended I should +follow, there would be little opportunity for mounted troops to +acquit themselves well in a region so thickly wooded, and traversed +by so many almost parallel streams; but conscious that he would be +compelled sooner or later either to change his mind or partially give +way to the pressure of events, I entered on the campaign with the +loyal determination to aid zealously in all its plans. + +General Lee's army was located in its winter quarters behind +intrenchments that lay along the Rapidan for a distance of about +twenty miles; extending from Barnett's to Morton's ford. The fords +below Morton's were watched by a few small detachments of Confederate +cavalry, the main body of which, however, was encamped below +Hamilton's crossing, where it could draw supplies from the rich +country along the Rappahannock. Only a few brigades of Lee's +infantry guarded the works along the river, the bulk of it being so +situated that it could be thrown to either flank toward which the +Union troops approached. + +General Grant adopted the plan of moving by his left flank, with the +purpose of compelling Lee to come out from behind his intrenchments +along Mine Run and fight on equal terms. Grant knew well the +character of country through which he would have to pass, but he was +confident that the difficulties of operation in the thickly wooded +region of the Wilderness would be counterbalanced by the facility +with which his position would enable him to secure a new base; and by +the fact that as he would thus cover Washington, there would be +little or no necessity for the authorities there to detach from his +force at some inopportune moment for the protection of that city. + +In the move forward two divisions of my cavalry took the advance, +Gregg crossing the Rapidan at Ely's ford and Wilson at Germania ford. +Torbert's division remained in the rear to cover the trains and +reserve artillery, holding from Rapidan Station to Culpeper, and +thence through Stevensburg to the Rappahannock River. Gregg crossed +the Rapidan before daylight, in advance of the Second Corps, and when +the latter reached Ely's ford, he pushed on to Chancellorsville; +Wilson preceded the Fifth Corps to Germania ford, and when it reached +the river he made the crossing and moved rapidly by Wilderness +Tavern, as far as Parker's Store, from which point he sent a heavy +reconnoissance toward Mine Run, the rest of his division bivouacking +in a strong position. I myself proceeded to Chancellorsville and +fixed my headquarters at that place, whereon the 5th I was joined by +Torbert's division. + +Meanwhile, General Meade had crossed the Rapidan and established his +headquarters not far from Germania ford. From that point he was in +direct communication with Wilson, whose original instructions from me +carried him only as far as Parker's Store, but it being found, during +the night of the 4th, that the enemy was apparently unacquainted with +the occurrences of the day, Meade directed Wilson to advance in the +direction of Craig's Meeting House; leaving one regiment to hold +Parker's Store. Wilson with the second brigade encountered Rosser's +brigade of cavalry just beyond the Meeting House, and drove it back +rapidly a distance of about two miles, holding it there till noon, +while his first brigade was halted on the north side of Robinson's +Run near the junction of the Catharpen and Parker's Store roads. + +Up to this time Wilson had heard nothing of the approach of the Fifth +Corps, and the situation becoming threatening, he withdrew the second +brigade to the position occupied by the first, but scarcely had he +done so when he learned that at an early hour in the forenoon the +enemy's infantry had appeared in his rear at Parker's Store and cut +off his communication with General Meade. Surprised at this, he +determined to withdraw to Todd's Tavern, but before his resolution +could be put into execution the Confederates attacked him with a +heavy force, and at the same time began pushing troops down the +Catharpen road. Wilson was now in a perplexing situation, sandwiched +between the Confederates who had cut him off in the rear at Parker's +store and those occupying the Catharpen road, but he extricated his +command by passing it around the latter force, and reached Todd's +Tavern by crossing the Po River at Corbin's bridge. General Meade +discovering that the enemy had interposed at Parker's store between +Wilson and the Fifth Corps, sent me word to go to Wilson's relief, +and this was the first intimation I received that Wilson had been +pushed out so far, but, surmising that he would retire in the +direction of Todd's Tavern I immediately despatched Gregg's division +there to his relief. Just beyond Todd's Tavern Gregg met Wilson, who +was now being followed by the enemy's cavalry. The pursuing force +was soon checked, and then driven back to Shady Grove Church, while +Wilson's troops fell in behind Gregg's line, somewhat the worse for +their morning's adventure. + +When the Army of the Potomac commenced crossing the Rapidan on the +4th, General J. E. B. Stuart, commanding the Confederate cavalry, +began concentrating his command on the right of Lee's infantry, +bringing it from Hamilton's crossing and other points where it had +been wintering. Stuart's force at this date was a little more than +eight thousand men, organized in two divisions, commanded by Generals +Wade Hampton and Fitzhugh Lee. Hampton's division was composed of +three brigades, commanded by Generals Cordon, Young, and Rosser; +Fitzhugh Lee's division comprised three brigades also, Generals W. H. +F. Lee, Lomax, and Wickham commanding them. + +Information of this concentration, and of the additional fact that +the enemy's cavalry about Hamilton's crossing was all being drawn in, +reached me on the 5th, which obviated all necessity for my moving on +that point as I intended at the onset of the campaign. The +responsibility for the safety of our trains and of the left flank of +the army still continued, however, so I made such dispositions of my +troops as to secure these objects by holding the line of the Brock +road beyond the Furnaces, and thence around to Todd's Tavern and +Piney Branch Church. On the 6th, through some false information, +General Meade became alarmed about his left flank, and sent me the +following note: + +"HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, +"May 6, 1864.--1 o'clock P. M. +"MAJOR-GENERAL SHERIDAN, +"Commanding Cavalry Corps + +"Your despatch of 11.45 a.m., received. General Hancock has been +heavily pressed, and his left turned. The major-general commanding +thinks that you had better draw in your cavalry, so as to secure the +protection of the trains. The order requiring an escort for the +wagons to-night has been rescinded. + +"A. A. HUMPHREYS, +"Major-General, Chief-of-Staff." + + +On the morning of the 6th Custer's and Devin's brigades had been +severely engaged at the Furnaces before I received the above note. +They had been most successful in repulsing the enemy's attacks, +however, and I felt that the line taken up could be held; but the +despatch from General Humphreys was alarming, so I drew all the +cavalry close in toward Chancellorsville. It was found later that +Hancock's left had not been turned, and the points thus abandoned had +to be regained at a heavy cost in killed and wounded, to both the +cavalry and the infantry. + +On the 7th of May, under directions from headquarters, Army of the +Potomac, the trains were put in motion to go into park at Piney +Branch Church, in anticipation of the movement that was about to be +made for the possession of Spottsylvania Court House. I felt +confident that the order to move the trains there had been given +without a full understanding of the situation, for Piney Branch +Church was now held by the enemy, a condition which had resulted from +the order withdrawing the cavalry on account of the supposed disaster +to Hancock's left the day before; but I thought the best way to +remedy matters was to hold the trains in the vicinity of Aldrich's +till the ground on which it was intended to park them should be +regained. + +This led to the battle of Todd's Tavern, a spirited fight for the +possession of the crossroads at that point, participated in by the +enemy's cavalry and Gregg's division, and two brigades of Torbert's +division, the latter commanded by Merritt, as Torbert became very ill +on the 6th, and had to be sent to the rear. To gain the objective +point--the crossroads--I directed Gregg to assail the enemy on the +Catharpen road with Irvin Gregg's brigade and drive him over Corbin's +bridge, while Merritt attacked him with the Reserve brigade on the +Spottsylvania road in conjunction with Davies's brigade of Gregg's +division, which was to be put in on the Piney Branch Church road, and +unite with Merritt's left. Davies's and Irvin Gregg's brigades on my +right and left flanks met with some resistance, yet not enough to +deter them from, executing their orders. In front of Merritt the +enemy held on more stubbornly, however, and there ensued an +exceedingly severe and, at times, fluctuating fight. Finally the +Confederates gave way, and we pursued them almost to Spottsylvania +Court House; but deeming it prudent to recall the pursuers about +dark, I encamped Gregg's and Merritt's divisions in the open fields +to the east of Todd's Tavern. + +During the preceding three days the infantry corps of the army had +been engaged in the various conflicts known as the battles of the +Wilderness. The success of the Union troops in those battles had not +been all that was desired, and General Grant now felt that it was +necessary to throw himself on Lee's communications if possible, while +preserving his own intact by prolonging the movement to the left. +Therefore, on the evening of the 7th he determined to shift his whole +army toward Spottsylvania Court House, and initiated the movement by +a night march of the infantry to Todd's Tavern. In view of what was +contemplated, I gave orders to Gregg and Merritt to move at daylight +on the morning of the 8th, for the purpose of gaining possession of +Snell's bridge over the Po River, the former by the crossing at +Corbin's bridge and the latter by the Block House. I also directed +Wilson, who was at Alsop's house, to take possession of Spottsylvania +as early as possible on the morning of the 8th, and then move into +position at Snell's bridge conjointly with the other two divisions. +Wilson's orders remained as I had issued them, so he moved +accordingly and got possession of Spottsylvania, driving the enemy's +cavalry a mile beyond, as will be seen by the following despatch sent +me at 9 A. M. of the 8th: + +"HEADQUARTERS THIRD DIVISION, CAVALRY CORPS, +"ARMY OF THE POTOMAC. +"SPOTTSYLVANIA COURT HOUSE, May 8, 1864 9 A. M. +" LIEUTENANT-COLONEL FORSYTH, CHIEF-OF-STAFF, C. C. + +"Have run the enemy's cavalry a mile from Spottsylvania Court House; +have charged them, and drove them through the village; am fighting +now with a considerable force, supposed to be Lee's division. +Everything all right. + +"J. H. WILSON, +"Brigadier-General Commanding. + + +During the night of the 7th General Meade arrived at Todd's Tavern +and modified the orders I had given Gregg and Merritt, directing +Gregg simply to hold Corbin's bridge, and Merritt to move out in +front of the infantry column marching on the Spottsylvania road. +Merritt proceeded to obey, but in advancing, our cavalry and infantry +became intermingled in the darkness, and much confusion and delay was +the consequence. I had not been duly advised of these changes in +Gregg's and Merritt's orders, and for a time I had fears for the +safety of Wilson, but, while he was preparing to move on to form his +junction with Gregg and Merritt at Snell's bridge, the advance of +Anderson (who was now commanding Longstreet's corps) appeared on the +scene and drove him from Spottsylvania. + +Had Gregg and Merritt been permitted to proceed as they were +originally instructed, it is doubtful whether the battles fought at +Spottsylvania would have occurred, for these two divisions would have +encountered the enemy at the Pa River, and so delayed his march as to +enable our infantry to reach Spottsylvania first, and thus force Lee +to take up a line behind the Po. I had directed Wilson to move from +the left by "the Gate" through Spottsylvania to Snell's bridge, while +Gregg and Merritt were to advance to the same point by Shady Grove +and the Block House. There was nothing to prevent at least a partial +success of these operations; that is to say, the concentration of the +three divisions in front of Snell's bridge, even if we could not +actually have gained it. But both that important point and the +bridge on the Block House road were utterly ignored, and Lee's +approach to Spottsylvania left entirely unobstructed, while three +divisions of cavalry remained practically ineffective by reason of +disjointed and irregular instructions. + +On the morning of the 8th, when I found that such orders had been +given, I made some strong remonstrances against the course that had +been pursued, but it was then too late to carry out the combinations +I had projected the night before, so I proceeded to join Merritt on +the Spottsylvania road. On reaching Merritt I found General Warren +making complaint that the cavalry were obstructing his infantry +column, so I drew Merritt off the road, and the leading division of +the Fifth Corps pushed up to the front. It got into line about 11 +o'clock, and advanced to take the village, but it did not go very far +before it struck Anderson's corps, and was hurled back with heavy +loss. This ended all endeavor to take Spottsylvania that day. + +A little before noon General Meade sent for me, and when I reached +his headquarters I found that his peppery temper had got the better +of his good judgment, he showing a disposition to be unjust, laying +blame here and there for the blunders that had been committed. He +was particularly severe on the cavalry, saying, among other things, +that it had impeded the march of the Fifth Corps by occupying the +Spottsylvania road. I replied that if this were true, he himself had +ordered it there without my knowledge. I also told him that he had +broken up my combinations, exposed Wilson's division to disaster, and +kept Gregg unnecessarily idle, and further, repelled his insinuations +by saying that such disjointed operations as he had been requiring of +the cavalry for the last four days would render the corps inefficient +and useless before long. Meade was very much irritated, and I was +none the less so. One word brought on another, until, finally, I +told him that I could whip Stuart if he (Meade) would only let me, +but since he insisted on giving the cavalry directions without +consulting or even notifying me, he could henceforth command the +Cavalry Corps himself--that I would not give it another order. + +The acrimonious interview ended with this remark, and after I left +him he went to General Grant's headquarters and repeated the +conversation to him, mentioning that I had said that I could whip +Stuart. At this General Grant remarked: "Did he say so? Then let him +go out and do it." This intimation was immediately acted upon by +General Meade, and a little later the following order came to me: + +"HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC +"May 8th, 1864 1 P. M. + +"GENERAL SHERIDAN, +"Commanding Cavalry Corps. + +"The major-general commanding directs you to immediately concentrate +your available mounted force, and with your ammunition trains and +such supply trains as are filled (exclusive of ambulances) proceed +against the enemy's cavalry, and when your supplies are exhausted, +proceed via New Market and Green Bay to Haxall's Landing on the James +River, there communicating with General Butler, procuring supplies +and return to this army. Your dismounted men will be left with the +train here. + +"A. A. HUMPHREYS, +"Major-General, Chief-of-staff." + + +As soon as the above order was received I issued instructions for the +concentration of the three divisions of cavalry at Aldrich's to +prepare for the contemplated expedition. Three days' rations for the +men were distributed, and half rations of grain for one day were +doled out for the horses. I sent for Gregg, Merritt, and Wilson and +communicated the order to them, saying at the same time, "We are +going out to fight Stuart's cavalry in consequence of a suggestion +from me; we will give him a fair, square fight; we are strong, and I +know we can beat him, and in view of my recent representations to +General Meade I shall expect nothing but success." I also indicated +to my division commanders the line of march I should take--moving in +one column around the right flank of Lee's army to get in its rear-- +and stated at the same time that it was my intention to fight Stuart +wherever he presented himself, and if possible go through to Haxall's +Landing; but that if Stuart should successfully interpose between us +and that point we would swing back to the Army of the Potomac by +passing around the enemy's left flank by way of Gordonsville. At +first the proposition seemed to surprise the division commanders +somewhat, for hitherto even the boldest, mounted expeditions had been +confined to a hurried ride through the enemy's country, without +purpose of fighting more than enough to escape in case of +molestation, and here and there to destroy a bridge. Our move would +be a challenge to Stuart for a cavalry duel behind Lee's lines, in +his own country, but the advantages which it was reasonable to +anticipate from the plan being quickly perceived, each division +commander entered into its support unhesitatingly, and at once set +about preparing for the march next day. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +THE EXPEDITION STARTS--DESTROYING SUPPLIES--OPENING OF THE FIGHT AT +YELLOW TAVERN--GENERAL CUSTER'S BRILLIANT CHARGE--DEATH OF GENERAL +STUART--REMOVING TORPEDOES--EXCITEMENT IN RICHMOND--A NIGHT MARCH-- +ENTERPRISING NEWSBOYS--THE EFFECTS OF STUART'S DEFEAT AND DEATH--END +OF THE FIRST EXPEDITION--ITS GREAT SUCCESS AND BENEFICIAL RESULTS. + +The expedition which resulted in the battle of Yellow Tavern and the +death of General Stuart started from the vicinity of Aldrich's toward +Fredericksburg early on the morning of May 9, 1864, marching on the +plank-road, Merritt's division leading. When the column reached +Tabernacle Church it headed almost due east to the telegraph road, +and thence down that highway to Thornburg, and from that point +through Childsburg to Anderson's crossing of the North Anna River, it +being my desire to put my command south of that stream if possible, +where it could procure forage before it should be compelled to fight. +The corps moved at a walk, three divisions on the same road, making a +column nearly thirteen miles in length, and marched around the right +flank of the enemy unsuspected until my rear guard had passed +Massaponax Church. Although the column was very long, I preferred to +move it all on one road rather than to attempt combinations for +carrying the divisions to any given point by different routes. +Unless the separate commands in an expedition of this nature are very +prompt in movement, and each fully equal to overcoming at once any +obstacle it may meet, combinations rarely work out as expected; +besides, an engagement was at all times imminent, hence it was +specially necessary to keep the whole force well together. + +As soon as the Ny, Po, and Ta rivers were crossed, each of which +streams would have afforded an excellent defensive line to the enemy, +all anxiety as to our passing around Lee's army was removed, and our +ability to cross the North Anna placed beyond doubt. Meanwhile +General Stuart had discovered what we were about, and he set his +cavalry in motion, sending General Fitzhugh Lee to follow and attack +my rear on the Childsburg road, Stuart himself marching by way of +Davenport's bridge, on the North Anna, toward Beaver Dam Station, +near which place his whole command was directed to unite the next +day. + +My column having passed the Ta River, Stuart attacked its rear with +considerable vigor, in the hope that he could delay my whole force +long enough to permit him to get at least a part of his command in my +front; but this scheme was frustrated by Davies's brigade, which I +directed to fight as a rear-guard, holding on at one position and +then at another along the line of march just enough to deter the +enemy from a too rapid advance. Davies performed this responsible +and trying duty with tact and good judgment, following the main +column steadily as it progressed to the south, and never once +permitting Fitzhugh Lee's advance to encroach far enough to compel a +halt of my main body. About dark Merritt's division crossed the +North Anna at Anderson's ford, while Gregg and Wilson encamped on the +north side, having engaged the enemy, who still hung on my rear up to +a late hour at night. + +After Merritt's division passed the river, Custer's brigade proceeded +on to Beaver Dam Station to cut the Virginia Central railroad. +Before reaching the station he met a small force of the enemy, but +this he speedily drove off, recapturing from it about four hundred +Union prisoners, who had been taken recently in the Wilderness and +were being conducted to Richmond. Custer also destroyed the station, +two locomotives, three trains of cars, ninety wagons, from eight to +ten miles of railroad and telegraph lines, some two hundred thousand +pounds of bacon and other supplies, amounting in all to about a +million and a half of rations, and nearly all they medical stores of +General Lee's army, which had been moved from Orange Court House +either because Lee wished to have them directly in his rear or +because he contemplated falling back to the North Anna. + +On the morning of the 10th Gregg and Wilson, while crossing the North +Anna, were again attacked, but were covered by the division on the +south side of the stream; the passage was effected without much loss, +notwithstanding the approach of Stuart on the south bank from the +direction of Davenport's bridge. The possession of Beaver Dam gave +us an important point, as it opened a way toward Richmond by the +Negro-foot road. It also enabled us to obtain forage for our well- +nigh famished animals, and to prepare for fighting the enemy, who, I +felt sure, would endeavor to interpose between my column and +Richmond. + +Stuart had hardly united his troops near Beaver Dam when he realized +that concentrating there was a mistake, so he began making +dispositions for remedying his error, and while we leisurely took the +Negro-foot toad toward Richmond, he changed his tactics and hauled +off from my rear, urging his horses to the death in order to get in +between Richmond and my column. This he effected about 10 o'clock on +the morning of the 11th, concentrating at Yellow Tavern, six miles +from the city, on the Brook turnpike. His change of tactics left my +march on the 10th practically unmolested, and we quietly encamped +that night on the south bank of the South Anna, near Ground Squirrel +Bridge. Here we procured an abundance of forage, and as the distance +traveled that day had been only fifteen to eighteen miles, men and +horses were able to obtain a good rest during the night. + +At 2 o'clock in the morning, May 11, Davies's brigade of Gregg's +division marched for Ashland to cut the Fredericksburg railroad. +Arriving there before the head of the enemy's column, which had to +pass through this same place to reach Yellow Tavern, Davies drove out +a small force occupying the town, burnt a train of cars and a +locomotive, destroyed the railroad for some distance, and rejoined +the main column at Allen's Station on the Fredericksburg and Richmond +railroad. From Allen's Station the whole command moved on Yellow +Tavern, Merritt in the lead, Wilson following, and Gregg in the rear. + +The appearance of Davies's brigade at Ashland in the morning had had +the effect of further mystifying the enemy as to my intentions; and +while he held it incumbent to place himself between me and Richmond, +yet he was still so uncertain of my movements that he committed the +same fault that he did the first day, when he divided his force and +sent a part to follow me on the Childsburg road. He now divided his +command again, sending a portion to hang upon my rear, while he +proceeded with the rest to Yellow Tavern. This separation not only +materially weakened the force which might have been thrown across my +line of march, but it also enabled me to attack with almost my entire +corps, while occupying the pursuers with a small rearguard. + +By forced marches General Stuart succeeded in reaching Yellow Tavern +ahead of me on May 11; and the presence of, his troops, on the +Ashland and Richmond road becoming known to Merritt as he was +approaching the Brook turnpike, this general pressed forward at once +to the attack. Pushing his division to the front, he soon got +possession of the turnpike and drove the enemy back several hundred +yards to the east of it. This success had the effect of throwing the +head of my column to the east of the pike, and I quickly brought up +Wilson and one of Gregg's brigades to take advantage of the situation +by forming a line of battle on that side or the road. Meanwhile the +enemy, desperate but still confident, poured in a heavy fire from his +line and from a battery which enfiladed the Brook road, and made +Yellow Tavern an uncomfortably hot place. Gibbs's and Devin's +brigades, however, held fast there, while Custer, supported by +Chapman's brigade, attacked the enemy's left and battery in a mounted +charge. + +Custer's charge, with Chapman on his flank and the rest of Wilson's +division sustaining him, was brilliantly executed. Beginning at a +walk, he increased his gait to a trot, and then at full speed rushed +at the enemy. At the same moment the dismounted troops along my +whole front moved forward, and as Custer went through the battery, +capturing two of the guns with their cannoneers and breaking up the +enemy's left, Gibbs and Devin drove his centre and right from the +field. Gregg meanwhile, with equal success, charged the force in his +rear-Gordon's brigadeand the engagement ended by giving us complete +control of the road to Richmond. We captured a number of prisoners, +and the casualties on both sides were quite severe, General Stuart +himself falling mortally wounded, and General James B. Gordon, one of +his brigade commanders, being killed. + +After Custer's charge, the Confederate cavalry was badly broken up, +the main portion of it being driven in a rout toward Ashland and a +small part in the direction of Richmond, which latter force finally +rejoined Fitzhugh Lee near Mechanicsville. A reconnoitring party +being now sent up the Brook turnpike toward the city, dashed across +the South Fork of the Chickahominy, drove a small force from the +enemy's exterior intrenchments and went within them. I followed this +party, and after a little exploration found between the two lines of +works a country road that led across to the pike which runs from +Mechanicsville to Richmond. I thought we could go around within the +outer line of works by this country road across to the Mechanicsville +pike on the south side of the Chickahominy, and encamp the next night +at Fair Oaks; so I determined to make the movement after dark, being +influenced in this to some extent by reports received during the +afternoon from colored people, to the effect that General B. F. +Butler's army had reached a small stream on the south side of the +James, about four miles south of Richmond. If I could succeed in +getting through by this road, not only would I have a shorter line of +march to Haxall's landing, but there was also a possibility that I +could help Butler somewhat by joining him so near Richmond. +Therefore, after making the wounded as comfortable as possible, we +commenced the march about 11 o'clock on the night of the 1lth, and +massed the command on the plateau south of the Meadow bridge near +daylight on the 12th. + +The enemy, anticipating that I would march by this route, had planted +torpedoes along it, and many of these exploded as the column passed +over them, killing several horses and wounding a few men, but beyond +this we met with no molestation. The torpedoes were loaded shells +planted on each side of the road, and so connected by wires attached +to friction-tubes in the shells, that when a horse's hoof struck a +wire the shell was exploded by the jerk on the improvised lanyard. +After the loss of several horses and the wounding of some of the men +by these torpedoes, I gave directions to have them removed, if +practicable, so about twenty-five of the prisoners were brought up +and made to get down on their knees, feel for the wires in the +darkness, follow them up and unearth the shells. The prisoners +reported the owner of one of the neighboring houses to be the +principal person who had engaged in planting these shells, and I +therefore directed that some of them be carried and placed in the +cellar of his house, arranged to explode if the enemy's column came +that way, while he and his family were brought off as prisoners and +held till after daylight. + +Meanwhile the most intense excitement prevailed in Richmond. The +Confederates, supposing that their capital was my objective point, +were straining every effort to put it in a state of defense, and had +collected between four and five thousand irregular troops, under +General Bragg, besides bringing up three brigades of infantry from +the force confronting General Butler south of the James River, the +alarm being intensified by the retreat, after the defeat at Yellow +Tavern, of Stuart's cavalry, now under General Fitzhugh Lee, by way +of Ashland to Mechanicsville, on the north side of the Chickahominy, +for falling back in that direction, left me between them and +Richmond. + +Our march during the night of the 11th was very tedious, on account +of the extreme darkness and frequent showers of rain; but at daylight +on the 12th the head of my column, under Wilson, reached the +Mechanicsville pike. Here Wilson, encountering the enemy's works and +batteries manned by General Bragg's troops, endeavored to pass. In +this he failed, and as soon as I was notified that it was +impracticable to reach Fair Oaks by passing between the works and the +Chickahominy, Custer's brigade was directed to make the crossing to +the north side of the Chickahominy, at the Meadow bridge. Custer +moved rapidly for the bridge, but found it destroyed, and that the +enemy's cavalry was posted on the north side, in front of +Mechanicsville. When this information came back, I ordered Merritt +to take his whole division and repair the bridge, instructing him +that the crossing must be made at all hazards; for, in view of an +impending attack by the enemy's infantry in Richmond, it was +necessary that I should have the bridge as a means of egress in case +of serious disaster. + +All the time that Merritt was occupied in this important duty, the +enemy gave great annoyance to the working party by sweeping the +bridge with a section of artillery and a fire from the supporting +troops, so a small force was thrown across to drive them away. When +Merritt had passed two regiments over, they attacked, but were +repulsed. The work on the, bridge continued, however, not- +withstanding this discomfiture; and when it was finished, Merritt +crossed nearly all his division, dismounted, and again attacked the +enemy, this time carrying the line, of temporary breastworks, built +with logs and rails, and pursuing his broken troops toward Gaines's +Mills. + +While Merritt was engaged in this affair, the Confederates advanced +from behind their works at Richmond, and attacked Wilson and Gregg. +Wilson's troops were driven back in some confusion at first; but +Gregg, in anticipation of attack, had hidden a heavy line of +dismounted men in a bushy ravine on his front, and when the enemy +marched upon it, with much display and under the eye of the President +of the Confederacy, this concealed line opened a destructive fire +with repeating carbines; and at the same time the batteries of horse- +artillery, under Captain Robinson, joining in the contest, belched +forth shot and shell with fatal effect. The galling fire caused the +enemy to falter, and while still wavering Wilson rallied his men, and +turning some of them against the right flank of the Confederates, +broke their line, and compelled them to withdraw for security behind +the heavy works thrown up for the defense of the city in 1862. + +By destroying the Meadow bridge and impeding my column on the +Mechanicsville, pike, the enemy thought to corner us completely, for +he still maintained the force in Gregg's rear that had pressed it the +day before; but the repulse of his infantry ended all his hopes of +doing us any serious damage on the limited ground between the +defenses of Richmond and the Chickahominy. He felt certain that on +account of the recent heavy rains we could not cross the Chickahominy +except by the Meadow bridge, and it also seemed clear to him that we +could not pass between the river and his intrenchments; therefore he +hoped to ruin us, or at least compel us to return by the same route +we had taken in coming, in which case we would run into Gordon's +brigade, but the signal repulse of Bragg's infantry dispelled these +illusions. + +Even had it not been our good fortune to defeat him, we could have +crossed the Chickahominy if necessary at several points that were +discovered by scouting parties which, while the engagement was going +on, I had sent out to look up fords. This means of getting out from +the circumscribed plateau I did not wish to use, however, unless +there was no alternative, for I wished to demonstrate to the Cavalry +Corps the impossibility of the enemy's destroying or capturing so +large a body of mounted troops. + +The chances of seriously injuring, us were more favorable to the +enemy this time than ever they were afterward, for with the troops +from Richmond, comprising three brigades of veterans and about five +thousand irregulars on my front and right flank, with Gordon's +cavalry in the rear, and Fitzhugh Lee's cavalry on my left flank, +holding the Chickahominy and Meadow bridge, I was apparently hemmed +in on every side, but relying on the celerity with which mounted +troops could be moved, I felt perfectly confident that the seemingly +perilous situation could be relieved under circumstances even worse +than those then surrounding us. Therefore, instead of endeavoring to +get away without a fight, I concluded that there would be little +difficulty in withdrawing, even should I be beaten, and none whatever +if I defeated the enemy. + +In accordance with this view I accepted battle; and the complete +repulse of the enemy's infantry, which assailed us from his +intrenchments, and of Gordon's cavalry, which pressed Gregg on the +Brook road, ended the contest in our favor. The rest of the day we +remained on the battle-field undisturbed, and our time was spent in +collecting the wounded, burying the dead, grazing the horses, and +reading the Richmond journals, two small newsboys with commendable +enterprise having come within our lines from the Confederate capital +to sell their papers. They were sharp youngsters, and having come +well supplied, they did a thrifty business. When their stock in +trade was all disposed of they wished to return, but they were so +intelligent and observant that I thought their mission involved other +purposes than the mere sale of newspapers, so they were held till we +crossed the Chickahominy and then turned loose. + +After Merritt had crossed the Chickahominy and reached +Mechanicsville, I sent him orders to push on to Gaines's Mills. Near +the latter place he fell in with the enemy's cavalry again, and +sending me word, about 4 o'clock in the afternoon I crossed the +Chickahominy with Wilson and Gregg, but when we overtook Merritt he +had already brushed the Confederates away, and my whole command went +into camp between Walnut Grove and Gaines's Mills. + +The main purposes of the expedition had now been executed. They were +"to break up General Lee's railroad communications, destroy such +depots of supplies as could be found in his rear, and to defeat +General Stuart's cavalry." Many miles of the Virginia Central and of +the, Richmond and Fredericksburg railroads were broken up, and +several of the bridges on each burnt. At Beaver Dam, Ashland, and +other places, about two millions of rations had been captured and +destroyed. The most important of all, however, was the defeat of +Stuart. Since the beginning of the war this general had +distinguished himself by his management of the Confederate mounted +force. Under him the cavalry of Lee's army had been nurtured, and +had acquired such prestige that it thought itself well-nigh +invincible; indeed, in the early years of the war it had proved to be +so. This was now dispelled by the successful march we had made in +Lee's rear; and the discomfiture of Stuart at Yellow Tavern had +inflicted a blow from which entire recovery was impossible. + +In its effect on the Confederate cause the defeat of Stuart was most +disheartening, but his death was even a greater calamity, as is +evidenced by the words of a Confederate writer (Cooke), who says: +"Stuart could be ill spared at this critical moment, and General Lee +was plunged into the deepest melancholy at the intelligence of his +death. When it reached him he retired from those around him, and +remained for some time communing with his own heart and memory. When +one of his staff entered and spoke of Stuart, General Lee said: 'I +can scarcely think of him without weeping.'" + +From the camp near Gaines's Mills I resumed the march to Haxall's +Landing, the point on the James River contemplated in my instructions +where I was to obtain supplies from General Butler. We got to the +James on the 14th with all our wounded and a large number of +prisoners, and camped between Haxall's and Shirley. The prisoners, +as well as the captured guns, were turned over to General Butler's +provost-marshal, and our wounded were quickly and kindly cared for by +his surgeons. Ample supplies, also, in the way of forage and +rations, were furnished us by General Butler, and the work of +refitting for our return to the Army of the Potomac was vigorously +pushed. By the 17th all was ready, and having learned by scouting +parties sent in the direction of Richmond and as far as Newmarket +that the enemy's cavalry was returning to Lee's army I started that +evening on my return march, crossing the Chickahominy at Jones's +bridge, and bivouacking on the 19th near Baltimore crossroads. + +My uncertainty of what had happened to the Army of the Potomac in our +absence, and as to where I should find it, made our getting back a +problem somewhat difficult of solution, particularly as I knew that +reinforcements for Lee had come up from the south to Richmond, and +that most likely some of these troops were being held at different +points on the route to intercept my column. Therefore I determined +to pass the Pamunkey River at the White House, and sent to Fort +Monroe for a pontoon-bridge on which to make the crossing. While +waiting for the pontoons I ordered Custer to proceed with his brigade +to Hanover Station, to destroy the railroad bridge over the South +Anna, a little beyond that place; at the same time I sent Gregg and +Wilson to Cold Harbor, to demonstrate in the direction of Richmond as +far as Mechanicsville, so as to cover Custer's movements. Merritt, +with the remaining brigades of his division, holding fast at +Baltimore crossroads to await events. + +After Gregg and Custer had gone, it was discovered that the railroad +bridge over the Pamunkey, near the White House, had been destroyed +but partially--the cross-ties and stringers being burned in places +only--and that it was practicable to repair it sufficiently to carry +us over. In view of this information General Merritt's two brigades +were at once put on the duty of reconstructing the bridge. By +sending mounted parties through the surrounding country, each man of +which would bring in a board or a plank, Merritt soon accumulated +enough lumber for the flooring, and in one day the bridge was made +practicable. On the 22d Gregg, Wilson, and Custer returned. The +latter had gone on his expedition as far as Hanover Station, +destroyed some commissary stores there, and burned two trestle +bridges over Hanover Creek. This done, he deemed it prudent to +retire to Hanovertown. The next morning he again marched to Hanover +Station, and there ascertained that a strong force of the enemy, +consisting of infantry, cavalry, and artillery, was posted at the +South Anna bridges. These troops had gone there from Richmond en +route to reinforce Lee. In the face of this impediment Custer's +mission could not be executed fully, so he returned to Baltimore +crossroads. + +The whole command was drawn in by noon of the 22d, and that day it +crossed the Pamunkey by Merritt's reconstructed bridge, marching to +Ayletts, on the Mattapony River, the same night. Here I learned from +citizens, and from prisoners taken during the day by scouting parties +sent toward Hanover Court House, that Lee had been, forced from his +position near Spottsylvania Court House and compelled to retire to +the line of the North Anna. I then determined to rejoin the Army of +the Potomac at the earliest moment, which I did by making for +Chesterfield Station, where I reported to General Meade on the 24th +of May. + +Our return to Chesterfield ended the first independent expedition the +Cavalry Corps had undertaken since coming under my command, and our +success was commended highly by Generals Grant and Meade, both +realizing that our operations in the rear of Lee had disconcerted and +alarmed that general so much as to aid materially in forcing his +retrograde march, and both acknowledged that, by drawing off the +enemy's cavalry during the past fortnight, we had enabled them to +move the Army of the Potomac and its enormous trains without +molestation in the manoeuvres that had carried it to the North Anna. +Then, too, great quantities of provisions and munitions of war had +been destroyed--stores that the enemy had accumulated at sub-depots +from strained resources and by difficult means; the railroads that +connected Lee with Richmond broken, the most successful cavalry +leader of the South killed, and in addition to all this there had +been inflicted on the Confederate mounted troops the most thorough +defeat that had yet befallen them in Virginia. + +When the expedition set out the Confederate authorities in Richmond +were impressed, and indeed convinced, that my designs contemplated +the capture of that city, and notwithstanding the loss they sustained +in the defeat and death of Stuart, and their repulse the succeeding +day, they drew much comfort from the fact that I had not entered +their capital. Some Confederate writers have continued to hold this +theory and conviction since the war. In this view they were and are +in error. When Stuart was defeated the main purpose of my +instructions had been carried out, and my thoughts then turned to +joining General Butler to get supplies. I believed that I could do +this by cutting across to the Mechanicsville pike and Fair Oaks on +the south side of the Chickahominy, but the failure of Wilson's +column to get possession of the outwork which commanded the pike +necessitated my crossing at Meadow bridge, and then moving by +Mechanicsville and Gaines's Mills instead of by the shorter route. +Moreover, my information regarding General Butler's position was +incorrect, so that even had I been successful in getting to Fair Oaks +by the direct road I should still have gained nothing thereby, for I +should still have been obliged to continue down the James River to +Haxall's. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +GENERAL WILSON'S ADVANCE TOWARD HANOVER COURT HOUSE--CROSSING THE +PAMUNKEY--ENGAGEMENT OF HAWE'S SHOP--FIGHT AT MATADEQUIN CREEK-- +CAPTURE OF COLD HARBOR--THE FIGHT TO RETAIN THE PLACE--MOVEMENTS OF +GENERAL WILSON. + +When I rejoined the Army of the Potomac, near Chesterfield Station, +the heavy battles around Spottsylvania had been fought, and the +complicated manoeuvres by which the whole Union force was swung +across the North Anna were in process of execution. In conjunction +with these manoeuvres Wilson's division was sent to the right flank +of the army, where he made a reconnoissance south of the North Anna +as far as Little River, crossing the former stream near Jericho +Mills. Wilson was to operate from day to day on that flank as it +swung to the south, covering to New Castle ferry each advance of the +infantry and the fords left behind on the march. From the 26th to +the 30th these duties kept Wilson constantly occupied, and also +necessitated a considerable dispersion of his force, but by the 31st +he was enabled to get all his division together again, and crossing +to the south side of the Pamunkey at New Castle ferry, he advanced +toward Hanover Court House. Near Dr Pride's house he encountered a +division of the enemy's cavalry under General W. H. F. Lee, and drove +it back across Mechamp's Creek, thus opening communication with the +right of our infantry resting near Phillips's Mills. Just as this +had been done, a little before dark, Wilson received an order from +General Meade directing him to push on toward Richmond until he +encountered the Confederates in such strength that he could no longer +successfully contend against them, and in compliance with this order +occupied Hanover Court House that same day. Resuming his march at +daylight on June 1, he went ahead on the Ashland road while sending +Chapman's brigade up the south bank of the South Anna to destroy the +bridges on that stream. Chapman having succeeded in this work, +Wilson re-united his whole command and endeavored to hold Ashland, +but finding the Confederate cavalry and infantry there in strong +force, he was obliged to withdraw to Dr. Price's house. Here he +learned that the army had gone to the left toward Cold Harbor, so on +the 2d of June he moved to Hawe's Shop. + +While Wilson was operating thus on the right, I had to cover with +Gregg's and Torbert's divisions the crossing of the army over the +Pamunkey River at and near Hanovertown. Torbert having recovered +from the illness which overtook him in the Wilderness, had now +returned to duty. The march to turn the enemy's right began on the +26th. Torbert and Gregg in advance, to secure the crossings of the +Pamunkey and demonstrate in such manner as to deceive the enemy as +much as possible in the movement, the two cavalry divisions being +supported by General D. A. Russell's division of the Sixth Corps. + +To attain this end in the presence of an ever-watchful foe who had +just recently been reinforced in considerable numbers from Richmond +and further south--almost enough to make up the losses he had +sustained in the Wilderness and at Spottsylvania--required the most +vigorous and zealous work on the part of those to whom had been +allotted the task of carrying out the initial manoeuvres. Torbert +started for Taylor's ford on the Pamunkey with directions to +demonstrate heavily at that point till after dark, as if the crossing +was to be made there, and having thus impressed the enemy, he was to +leave a small guard, withdraw quietly, and march to Hanovertown ford, +where the real crossing was to be effected. Meanwhile Gregg marched +to Littlepage's crossing of the Pamunkey, with instructions to make +feints in the same manner as Torbert until after dark, when he was to +retire discreetly, leaving a small force to keep up the +demonstration, and then march rapidly to Hanovertown crossing, taking +with him the pontoon-bridge. + +At the proper hour Russell took up the march and followed the +cavalry. The troops were in motion all night, undergoing the usual +delays incident to night marches, and, early on the morning of the +27th the crossing was made, Custer's brigade of Torbert's division +driving from the ford about one hundred of the enemy's cavalry, and +capturing between thirty and forty prisoners. The remainder of +Torbert's division followed this brigade and advanced to Hanovertown, +where General Gordon's brigade of Confederate cavalry was met. +Torbert attacked this force with Devin's brigade, while he sent +Custer to Hawe's Shop, from which point a road leading to the right +was taken that brought him in rear of the enemy's cavalry; when the +Confederates discovered this manoeuvre, they retired in the direction +of Hanover Court House. Pursuit continued as far as a little stream +called Crump's Creek, and here Torbert was halted, Gregg moving up on +his line meanwhile, and Russell encamping near the crossing of the +river. This completed our task of gaining a foothold south of the +Pamunkey, and on the 28th the main army crossed unharassed and took +up a position behind my line, extending south from the river, with +the Sixth Corps on the right across the Hanover Court House road at +Crump's Creek, the Second Corps on the left of the Sixth, and the +Fifth Corps about two miles in front of Hanovertown, its left +extending to the Tolopotomy. + +There was now much uncertainty in General Grant's mind as to the +enemy's whereabouts, and there were received daily the most +conflicting statements as to the nature of Lee's movements. It +became necessary, therefore, to find out by an actual demonstration +what Lee was doing, and I was required to reconnoitre in the +direction of Mechanicsville. For this purpose I moved Gregg's +division out toward this town by way of Hawe's Shop, and when it had +gone about three-fourths of a mile beyond the Shop the enemy's +cavalry was discovered dismounted and disposed behind a temporary +breastwork of rails and logs. + +This was the first occasion on which, since the battle of Yellow +Tavern, the Confederate troopers had confronted us in large numbers, +their mounted operations, like ours, having been dependent more or +less on the conditions that grew out of the movements in which Lee's +infantry had been engaged since the 14th of May. + +On that date General Lee had foreshadowed his intention of using his +cavalry in connection with the manoeuvres of his infantry by issuing +an order himself, now that Stuart was dead, directing that the "three +divisions of cavalry serving with the army [Lee's] will constitute +separate commands, and will report directly to and receive orders +from the headquarters of the army." The order indicates that since +Stuart's death the Confederate cavalry had been re-organized into +three divisions, that were commanded respectively by General Wade +Hampton, General Fitzhugh Lee, and General W. H. F. Lee, the +additional division organization undoubtedly growing out of the fact, +that General M. C. Butler's brigade of about four thousand men had +joined recently from South Carolina. + +When this force developed in Gregg's front, he attacked the moment +his troops could be dismounted; and the contest became one of +exceeding stubborness, for he found confronting him Hampton's and +Fitzhugh Lee's divisions, supported by what we then supposed to be a +brigade of infantry, but which, it has since been ascertained, was +Butler's brigade of mounted troops; part of them armed with long- +range rifles. The contest between the opposing forces was of the +severest character and continued till late in the evening. The +varying phases of the fight prompted me to reinforce Gregg as much as +possible, so I directed Custer's brigade to report to him, sending, +meanwhile, for the other two brigades of Torbert, but these were not +available at the time--on account of delays which occurred in +relieving them from the line at Crump's Creek--and did not get up +till the fight was over. As soon as Custer joined him, Gregg +vigorously assaulted the Confederate position along his whole front; +and notwithstanding the long-range rifles of the South Carolinians, +who were engaging in their first severe combat it appears, and fought +most desperately, he penetrated their barricades at several points. + +The most determined and obstinate efforts for success were now made +on both sides, as the position at Hawe's Shop had become of very +great importance on account of the designs of both Lee and Grant. +Lee wished to hold this ground while he manoeuvred his army to the +line of the Tolopotomy, where he could cover the roads to Richmond, +while Grant, though first sending me out merely to discover by a +strong reconnoissance the movements of the enemy, saw the value of +the place to cover his new base at the White House, and also to give +us possession of a direct road to Cold Harbor. Hawe's Shop remained +in our possession finally, for late in the evening Custer's brigade +was dismounted and formed in close column in rear of Gregg, and while +it assaulted through an opening near the centre of his line, the +other two brigades advanced and carried the temporary works. The +enemy's dead and many of his wounded fell into our hands; also a +considerable number of prisoners, from whom we learned that +Longstreet's and Ewell's corps were but four miles to the rear. + +The battle was a decidedly severe one, the loss on each side being +heavy in proportion to the number of troops engaged. This fight took +place almost immediately in front of our infantry, which, during the +latter part of the contest, was busily occupied in throwing up +intrenchments. Late in the afternoon I reported to General Meade the +presence of the enemy's infantry, and likewise that Hampton's and +Fitzhugh Lee's divisions were in my front also, and asked, at the +same time; that some of our infantry, which was near at hand, be sent +to my assistance. I could not convince Meade that anything but the +enemy's horse was fighting us, however, and he declined to push out +the foot-troops, who were much wearied by night marches. It has been +ascertained since that Meade's conclusions were correct in so far as +they related to the enemy's infantry; but the five cavalry brigades +far outnumbered my three, and it is to be regretted that so much was +risked in holding a point that commanded the roads to Cold Harbor and +Meadow bridge, when there was at hand a preponderating number of +Union troops which might have been put into action. However, Gregg's +division and Custer's brigade were equal to the situation, all +unaided as they were till dark, when Torbert and Merritt came on the +ground. The contest not only gave us the crossroads, but also +removed our uncertainty regarding Lee's movements, clearly +demonstrating that his army was retiring by its right flank, so that +it might continue to interpose between Grant and the James River; as +well as cover the direct route to Richmond. + +General Lee reported this battle to his Government as a Confederate +victory, but his despatch was sent early in the day, long before the +fight ended, and evidently he could not have known the final result +when he made the announcement, for the fight lasted until dark. +After dark, our own and the Confederate dead having been buried, I +withdrew, and moving to the rear of our infantry, marched all night +and till I reached the vicinity of Old Church, where I had been +instructed to keep a vigilant watch on the enemy with Gregg's and +Torbert's divisions. As soon as I had taken position at Old Church +my pickets were pushed out in the direction of Cold Harbor, and the +fact that the enemy was holding that point in some force was clearly +ascertained. But our occupation of Cold Harbor was of the utmost +importance; indeed, it was absolutely necessary that we should +possess it, to secure our communications with the White House, as +well as to cover the extension of our line to the left toward the +James River. Roads from Bethesda Church, Old Church, and the White +House centred at Cold Harbor, and from there many roads diverged also +toward different crossings of the Chickahominy, which were +indispensable to us. + +The enemy too realized the importance of the place, for as soon as he +found himself compelled to take up the line of the Tolopotomy he +threw a body of troops into Cold Harbor by forced marches, and +followed it up by pushing a part of this force out on the Old Church +road as far as Matadequin Creek, where he established a line of +battle, arranging the front of it parallel to the road along the +south bank of the Pamunkey; this for the purpose of endangering our +trains as they moved back and forth between the army and the White +House. + +Meanwhile I had occupied Old Church and pushed pickets down toward +Cold Harbor. The outposts struck each other just north of Matadequin +Creek, and a spirited fight immediately took place. At first our +pickets were sorely pressed, but Torbert, who was already preparing +to make a reconnoissance, lost no time in reinforcing them on the +north side of the creek with Devin's brigade. The fight then became +general, both sides, dismounted, stubbornly contesting the ground. +Of the Confederates, General Butler's South Carolinians bore the +brunt of the fight, and, strongly posted as they were on the south +bank of the creek, held their ground with the same obstinacy they had +previously shown at Hawe's Shop. Finally, however, Torbert threw +Merritt's and Custer's brigades into the action, and the enemy +retired, we pursuing to within a mile and a half of Cold Harbor and +capturing a number of prisoners. Gregg's division took no part in +the actual fighting, but remained near Old Church observing the roads +on Torberts flanks, one leading toward Bethesda Church on his right, +the other to his left in the direction of the White House. This +latter road Gregg was particularly instructed to keep open, so as to +communicate with General W. F. Smith, who was then debarking his +corps at the White House, and on the morning of the 3ist this +general's advance was covered by a brigade which Gregg had sent him +for the purpose. + +Torbert having pursued toward Cold Harbor the troops he fought at +Matadequin Creek, had taken up a position about a mile and a half +from that place, on the Old Church road. The morning of the 31st I +visited him to arrange for his further advance, intending thus to +anticipate an expected attack from Fitzhugh Lee, who was being +reinforced by infantry. I met Torbert at Custer's headquarters, and +found that the two had already been talking over a scheme to capture +Cold Harbor, and when their plan was laid before me it appeared so +plainly feasible that I fully endorsed it, at once giving directions +for its immediate execution, and ordering Gregg to come forward to +Torbert's support with such troops as he could spare from the duty +with which he had been charged. + +Torbert moved out promptly, Merritt's brigade first, followed by +Custer's, on the direct road to Cold Harbor, while Devin's brigade +was detached, and marched by a left-hand road that would bring him in +on the right and rear of the enemy's line, which was posted in front +of the crossroads. Devin was unable to carry his part of the +programme farther than to reach the front of the Confederate right, +and as Merritt came into position to the right of the Old Church road +Torbert was obliged to place a part of Custer's brigade on Merritt's +left so as to connect with Devin. The whole division was now in +line, confronted by Fitzhugh Lee's cavalry, supported by Clingman's +brigade from Hoke's division of infantry; and from the Confederate +breastworks, hastily constructed out of logs, rails, and earth, a +heavy fire was already being poured upon us that it seemed impossible +to withstand. None of Gregg's division had yet arrived, and so +stubborn was the enemy's resistance that I began to doubt our ability +to carry the place before reinforcements came up, but just then +Merritt reported that he could turn the enemy's left, and being +directed to execute his proposition, he carried it to a most +successful issue with the First and Second regular cavalry. Just as +these two regiments passed around the enemy's left and attacked his +rear, the remainder of the division assailed him in front. This +manoeuvre of Merritt's stampeded the Confederates, and the defenses +falling into our hands easily, we pushed ahead on the Bottom's bridge +road three-fourths of a mile beyond Cold Harbor. + +Cold Harbor was now mine, but I was about nine miles away from our +nearest infantry, and had been able to bring up only Davies's brigade +of cavalry, which arrived after the fight. My isolated position +therefore made me a little uneasy. I felt convinced that the enemy +would attempt to regain the place, for it was of as much importance +to him as to us, and the presence of his infantry disclosed that he +fully appreciated this. My uneasiness increased as the day grew +late, for I had learned from prisoners that the balance of Hoke's +division was en route to Cold Harbor, and Kershaw near at hand, +interposing between the Union left near Bethesda Church and my +position. In view of this state of affairs, I notified General Meade +that I had taken Cold Harbor, but could not with safety to my command +hold it, and forthwith gave directions to withdraw during the night. +The last of my troops had scarcely pulled out, however, when I +received a despatch from Meade directing me to hold Cold Harbor at +every hazard. General Grant had expected that a severe battle would +have to be fought before we could obtain possession of the place; and +its capture by our cavalry not being anticipated, no preparation had +been made for its permanent occupancy. No time was to be lost, +therefore, if the advantages which possession of Cold Harbor gave us +were to be improved, so at the same hour that Meade ordered me to +hold the place at all hazards the Sixth Corps was started on a forced +march, by Grant's directions, to aid in that object, and on arrival +to relieve my cavalry. + +The moment Meade's order was received, I directed a reoccupation of +Cold Harbor, and although a large portion of Torbert's command was +already well on its way back to the line we held on the morning of +the 31st, this force speedily retraced its steps, and re-entered the +place before daylight; both our departure and return having been +effected without the enemy being aware of our movements. We now +found that the temporary breastworks of rails and logs which the +Confederates had built were of incalculable benefit to us in +furnishing material with which to establish a line of defense, they +being made available by simply reversing them at some points, or at +others wholly reconstructing them to suit the circumstances of the +ground: The troops, without reserves, were then placed behind our +cover dismounted, boxes of ammunition distributed along the line, and +the order passed along that the place must be held. All this was +done in the darkness, and while we were working away at our cover the +enemy could be distinctly heard from our skirmish-line giving +commands and making preparations to attack. + +Just after daylight on the 1st of June the Confederate infantry under +General Kershaw endeavored to drive us out, advancing against my +right from the Bethesda Church road. In his assault he was permitted +to come close up to our works, and when within short range such afire +was opened on him from our horse-artillery and repeating carbines +that he recoiled in confusion after the first onset; still, he seemed +determined to get the place, and after reorganizing, again attacked; +but the lesson of the first repulse was not without effect, and his +feeble effort proved wholly fruitless. After his second failure we +were left undisturbed, and at 9 A.M. I sent the following despatch to +army headquarters: + +"HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY CORPS, +"ARMY OF THE POTOMAC. +"Cold Harbor, Va., June 1, 1864--9 A.M. + +"MAJOR-GENERAL HUMPHREYS, +"Chief-of-Staff. + +"GENERAL: In obedience to your instructions I am holding Cold Harbor. +I have captured this morning more prisoners; they belong to three +different infantry brigades. The enemy assaulted the right of my +lines this morning, but were handsomely repulsed. I have been very +apprehensive, but General Wright is now coming up. I built slight +works for my men; the enemy came up to them, and were driven back. +General Wright has just arrived. + +"P. H. SHERIDAN, +"Major-General Commanding." + + +About 10 o'clock in the morning the Sixth Corps relieved Torbert and +Davies, having marched all night, and these two generals moving out +toward the Chickahominy covered the left of the infantry line till +Hancock's corps took their place in the afternoon. By this time +Gregg had joined me with his two brigades, and both Torbert and Gregg +were now marched to Prospect Church, from which point I moved them to +a position on the north side of the Chickahominy at Bottom's bridge. +Here the enemy's cavalry confronted us, occupying the south bank of +the stream, with artillery in position at the fords prepared to +dispute our passage; but it was not intended that we should cross; so +Gregg and Torbert lay quiet in camp at Bottom's bridge and at Old +Church without noteworthy event until the 6th of June. + +As before related, Wilson's division struck the enemy's infantry as +well as W. H. F. Lee's cavalry near Ashland on the 1st of June, and +although Chapman destroyed the bridges over the South Anna, which was +his part of the programme, Wilson found it necessary to return to +Price's Store. From this point he continued to cover the right of +the Army of the Potomac, on the 2d of June driving the rear-guard of +the enemy from Hawe's Shop, the scene of the battle of May 28. The +same day he crossed Tolopotomy Creek, and passed around the enemy's +left flank so far that Lee thought his left was turned by a strong +force, and under cover of darkness withdrew from a menacing position +which he was holding in front of the Ninth Corps. This successful +manoeuvre completed, Wilson returned to Hawe's Shop, and on the 4th +went into camp at New Castle ferry, in anticipation of certain +operations of the Cavalry Corps, which were to take place while the +Army of the Potomac was crossing to the south side of the James. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +THE MOVEMENT TO THE JAMES--THE SECOND EXPEDITION--BATTLE OF +TREVILLIAN STATION--DEFEAT OF GENERAL WADE HAMPTON--MALLORY'S +CROSSROADS--SUFFERING OF THE WOUNDED--SECURING THE TRAINS--GENERAL +GREGG'S STUBBORN FIGHT. + +By the 6th of June General Grant again determined to continue the +movement of the army by its left flank to the south bank of the James +River, his unsuccessful attack on the enemy's works near Cold Harbor +having demonstrated that Lee's position north of the Chickahominy +could not be carried by assault with results that would compensate +for the enormous loss of life which must follow; therefore a further +attempt to fight a decisive battle north of Richmond was abandoned. +In carrying the army to the James River the hazardous manoeuvres +would be hampered by many obstacles, such as the thick timber, +underbrush, and troublesome swamps to be met in crossing the +Chickahominy. Besides, Lee held an interior line, from which all the +direct roads to Richmond could be covered with his infantry, leaving +his cavalry free to confront our advance on the south bank of the +Chickahominy as far down as Jones's bridge, and thence around to +Charles City Court House. In view of these difficulties it became +necessary to draw off the bulk of the enemy's cavalry while the +movement to the James was in process of execution, and General Meade +determined to do this by requiring me to proceed with two divisions +as far as Charlottesville to destroy the railroad bridge over the +Rivanna River near that town, the railroad itself from the Rivanna to +Gordonsville, and, if practicable, from Gordonsville back toward +Hanover Junction also. + + +"HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, +"June 5, 1864. 3.30 P. M. + +"MAJOR-GENERAL SHERIDAN, Commanding Cavalry Corps. + +"I am directed by the major-general commanding to furnish the +following instructions for your guidance in the execution of the duty +referred to in the order for movements and changes of position to- +night, a copy of which order accompanies this communication. + +"With two divisions of your corps you will move on the morning of the +7th instant to Charlottesville and destroy the railroad bridge over +the Rivanna near that town; you will then thoroughly destroy the +railroad from that point to Gordonsville, and from Gordonsville +toward Hanover Junction, and to the latter point, if practicable. +The chief engineer, Major Duane, will furnish you a canvas pontoon- +train of eight boats. The chief quartermaster will supply you with +such tools, implements, and materials as you may require for the +destruction of the road. Upon the completion of this duty you will +rejoin this army. + +"A. HUMPHREYS, +"Major-General, Chief-of-Staff." + + +After Meade's instructions reached me they were somewhat modified by +General Grant, who on the same evening had received information that +General Hunter, commanding the troops in West Virginia, had reached +Staunton and engaged with advantage the Confederate commander, +General Jones, near that place. General Grant informed me orally +that he had directed Hunter to advance as far as Charlottesville, +that he expected me to unite with him there, and that the two +commands, after destroying the James River canal and the Virginia +Central road, were to join the Army of the Potomac in the manner +contemplated in my instructions from General Meade; and that in view +of what was anticipated, it would be well to break up as much of the +railroad as possible on my way westward. A copy of his letter to +Hunter comprised my written instructions. A junction with this +general was not contemplated when the expedition was first conceived, +but became an important though not the paramount object after the +reception of the later information. The diversion of the enemy's +cavalry from the south side of the Chickahominy was its main purpose, +for in the presence of such a force as Lee's contracted lines would +now permit him to concentrate behind the Chickahominy, the +difficulties of crossing that stream would be largely increased if he +also had at hand a strong body of horse, to gain the time necessary +for him to oppose the movement at the different crossings with masses +of his infantry. + +The order calling for two divisions for the expedition, I decided to +take Gregg's and Torbert's, leaving Wilson's behind to continue with +the infantry in its march to the James and to receive instructions +directly from, the headquarters of the army. All my dismounted men +had been sent to the White House some days before, and they were +directed to report to Wilson as they could be provided with mounts. + + + +"COLD HARBOR, VA., June 6, 1964. + +"MAJOR-GENERAL D. HUNTER, Commanding Dept West Virginia. + +"General Sheridan leaves here to-morrow morning with instructions to +proceed to Charlottesville, Va., and to commence there the +destruction of the Virginia Central railroad, destroying this way as +much as possible. The complete destruction of this road and of the +canal on James River is of great importance to us. According to the +instructions I sent to General Halleck for your guidance, you will +proceed to Lynchburg and commence there. It would be of great value +to us to get possession of Lynchburg for a single day. But that +point is of so much importance to the enemy, that in attempting to +get it such resistance may be met as to defeat your getting into the +road or canal at all. I see, in looking over the letter to General +Halleck on the subject of your instructions, that it rather indicates +that your route should be from Staunton via Charlottesville. If you +have so understood it, you will be doing just what I want. The +direction I would now give is, that if this letter reaches you in the +valley between Staunton and Lynchburg, you immediately turn east by +the most practicable road until you strike the Lynchburg branch of +the Virginia Central road. From there move eastward along the line +of the road, destroying it completely and thoroughly, until you join +General Sheridan. After the work laid out for General Sheridan and +yourself is thoroughly done, proceed to join the Army of the Potomac +by the route laid out in General Sheridan's instructions. If any +portion of your force, especially your cavalry, is needed back in +your department, you are authorized to send it back. If on receipt +of this you should be near to Lynchburg and deem it practicable to +reach that point, you will exercise your judgment about going there. +If you should be on the railroad between Charlottesville and +Lynchburg, it may be practicable to detach a cavalry force to destroy +the canal. Lose no opportunity to destroy the canal. + +"U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General." + + +Owing to the hard service of the preceding month we had lost many +horses, so the number of dismounted men was large; and my strength +had also been much reduced by killed and wounded during the same +period of activity. The effective mounted force of my two divisions +was therefore much diminished, they mustering only about six thousand +officers and men when concentrated on June 6 at New Castle ferry. +Here they were provided with three days' rations, intended to last +five days, and with two days' grain for the horses. The rations and +forty rounds of ammunition per man were to be carried on the persons +of the troopers, the grain on the pommel of the saddle, and the +reserve ammunition in wagons. One medical wagon and eight ambulances +were also furnished, and one wagon was authorized for each division +and brigade headquarters; enough canvas-covered boats for a small +pontoon-bridge were also provided. + +My instructions permitting latitude in the route I should take, I +decided to march along the north bank of the North Anna River, cross +that stream at Carpenter's ford, strike the Virginia Central railroad +at Trevillian Station, destroy it toward Louisa Court House, march +past Gordonsville, strike the railroad again at Cobham's Station, and +destroy it thence to Charlottesville as we proceeded west. The +success of the last part of this programme would of course depend on +the location of General Hunter when I should arrive in the region +where it would be practicable for us to communicate with each other. + +From my camp at New Castle ferry we crossed the Pamunkey, marched +between Aylett's and Dunkirk on the Mattapony River, and on the 8th +of June encamped at Polecat Station. The next day we resumed the +march along the North Anna--our advance guard skirmishing with a few +mounted men of the enemy, who proved to be irregulars--and bivouacked +on Northeast Creek, near Young's Mills. This day I learned from some +of these irregulars whom we made prisoners that Breckenridge's +division of infantry, en route to the Shenandoah Valley by way of +Gordonsville, was passing slowly up the railroad parallel to me, and +that the enemy's cavalry had left its position on the south side of +the Chickahominy, and was marching on the old Richmond and +Gordonsville road toward Gordonsville, under command of General Wade +Hampton, the information being confirmed by a scouting party sent out +to cut the telegraph wires along the railroad in the night. +Breckenridge had been ordered back to the valley by General Lee as +soon as he heard of Hunter's victory near Staunton, but now that my +expedition had been discovered, the movement of Breckenridge's troops +on the railroad was being timed to correspond with the marches of my +command till Hampton could get more nearly parallel with me. + +On the 10th we resumed the march, passing by Twyman's store, crossing +the North Anna at Carpenter's ford and encamping on the road leading +along the south fork of the North Anna to Trevillian Station. During +the evening and night of the Loth the boldness of the enemy's +scouting parties, with which we had been coming into collision more +or less every day, perceptibly increased, thus indicating the +presence of a large force, and evidencing that his shorter line of +march had enabled him to bring to my front a strong body of cavalry, +although it started from Lee's army nearly two days later than I did +from Grant's. The arrival of this body also permitted Breckenridge +to pass on to Gordonsville, and from there to interpose between +General Hunter and me at either Charlottesville or Waynesboro' as +circumstances might determine. + +On the night of the Loth General Hampton's division camped about +three miles northwest of Trevillian, at a place called Green Spring +Valley and Fitzhugh Lee's division not far from Louisa Court House, +some six miles east of Trevillian. Learning that I was at +Carpenter's ford, Hampton marched his division by way of Trevillian +Station toward Clayton's store, on the road from Trevillian to +Carpenter's ford, intending to attack me at Clayton's. Fitzhugh +Lee's division was to join Hampton at Clayton's store from Louisa +Court House; but on the morning of the 11th the two generals were +separated by several miles. + +At daylight of the 11th my march, to Trevillian Station was resumed +on the direct road to that point, and engaging the enemy's pickets +and advanced parties soon after setting out, we began to drive them +in. Torbert had the lead with Merritt's and Devin's brigades, and as +he pressed back the pickets he came upon the enemy posted behind a +line of barricades in dense timber about three miles from Trevillian. +Meanwhile Custer's brigade had been sent from where we bivouacked, by +a wood road found on our left, to destroy Trevillian Station. In +following this road Custer got to the rear of Hampton's division, +having passed between its right flank and Fitzhugh Lee's division, +which was at the time marching on the road leading from Louisa Court +House to Clayton's store to unite with Hampton. + +Custer, the moment he found himself in Hampton's rear, charged the +led horses, wagons, and caissons found there, getting hold of a vast +number of each, and also of the station itself. The stampede and +havoc wrought by Custer in Hampton's rear compelled him to turn +Rosser's brigade in that direction, and while it attacked Custer on +one side, Fitzhugh Lee's division, which had followed Custer toward +Trevillian, attacked him on the other. There then ensued a desperate +struggle for the possession of the captured property, resulting +finally in its being retaken by the enemy. Indeed, the great number +of horses and vehicles could not be kept on the limited space within +Custer's line, which now formed almost a complete circle; and while +he was endeavoring to remove them to a secure place they, together +with Custer's headquarters wagon and four of his caissons, fell into +the hands of their original owners. + +As soon as the firing told that Custer had struck the enemy's rear, I +directed Torbert to press the line in front of Merritt and Devin, +aided by one brigade of Gregg's division on their left, Gregg's other +brigade in the meantime attacking Fitzhugh Lee on the Louisa Court +House road. The effect of this was to force Hampton back, and his +division was so hard pushed that a portion of it was driven pell-mell +into Custer's lines, leaving there about five hundred prisoners. The +rest of Hampton's men did not rally till they got some distance west +of Trevillian, while, in the meantime, Gregg had driven Fitzhugh Lee +toward Louisa Court House so far that many miles now intervened +between the two Confederate divisions, precluding their union until +about noon the next day, when Fitzhugh Lee effected the junction +after a circuitous march in the night. The defeat of Hampton at the +point where he had determined to resist my further advance, and his +retreat westward, gave me undisturbed possession of the station; and +after destroying the railroad to some extent toward Gordonsville, I +went into camp. + +From prisoners taken during the day, I gathered that General Hunter, +instead of coming toward Charlottesville, as I had reason to expect, +both from the instructions given me and the directions sent him by +General Grant, was in the neighborhood of Lexington--apparently +moving on Lynchburg--and that Breckenridge was at Gordonsville and +Charlottesville. I also heard, from the same source, that Ewell's +corps was on its way to Lynchburg, but this intelligence proved +afterward to be incorrect, for these troops, commanded by General +Early, did not leave Richmond till two days later. + +There was no doubt as to the information about Hunter's general +location, however. He was marching toward Lynchburg, away from +instead of toward me, thus making the junction of our commands beyond +all reasonable probability. So in view of this, I made up my mind to +abandon that part of the scheme, and to return by leisurely marches, +which would keep Hampton's cavalry away from Lee while Grant was +crossing the James River. I was still further influenced to this +course by the burden which was thrown on me in the large number of +wounded--there being about five hundred cases of my own--and the five +hundred prisoners that I would probably be forced to abandon, should +I proceed farther. Besides, the recent battle had reduced my supply +of ammunition to a very small amount--not more than enough for one +more respectable engagement; and as the chances were that I would +have to fight a great deal before I could reach Hunter, now that the +enemy's cavalry and Breckenridge's infantry were between us, the +risks of the undertaking seemed too great to warrant it. + +The morning of June 12 Gregg's division commenced destroying the +railroad to Louisa Court House, and continued the work during the +day, breaking it pretty effectually. While Gregg was thus occupied, +I directed Torbert to make a reconnoissance up the Gordonsville road, +to secure a by-road leading over Mallory's ford, on the North Anna, +to the Catharpen road, as I purposed following that route to +Spottsylvania Court House on my return, and thence via Bowling Green +and Dunkirk to the White House. About a mile beyond Trevillian the +Gordonsville road fork--the left fork leading to Charlottesville--and +about a mile beyond the fork Hampton had taken up and strongly +intrenched a line across both roads, being reinforced by Fitzhugh +Lee, who, as before related, had joined him about noon by a +roundabout march. Torbert soon hotly engaged this line, and by the +impetuosity of his first attack, gained some advantage; but the +appearance of Fitzhugh Lee's troops on the right, and Hampton's +strong resistance in front, rendered futile all efforts to carry the +position; and, although I brought up one of Gregg's brigades to +Torbert's assistance, yet the by-road I coveted was still held by the +enemy when night closed in. + +This engagement, like that off the day before around Trevillian, was +mostly fought dismounted by both sides, as had also been the earlier +fights of the cavalry during the summer in the Wilderness, at Todd's +Tavern, Hawe's Shop, and Matadequin Creek. Indeed, they could hardly +have been fought otherwise than on foot, as there was little chance +for mounted fighting in eastern Virginia, the dense woods, the +armament of both parties, and the practice of barricading making it +impracticable to use the sabre with anything like a large force; and +so with the exception of Yellow Tavern the dismounted method +prevailed in almost every engagement. + +The losses at Mallory's Crossroads were very heavy on both sides. +The character of the fighting, together with the day's results, +demonstrated that it was impossible to make the passage of the North +Anna at Mallory's ford without venturing another battle the next day. +This would consume the little ammunition left, and though we might +gain the road, yet the possibility of having no ammunition whatever +to get back with was too great a hazard, so I gave orders to withdraw +during the night of the 12th. We retired along the same road by +which we had come, taking with us the prisoners, and all of our +wounded who could be moved. Those who could not be transported, some +ninety in number, and all the Confederate wounded in my hands, were +left at Trevillian in hospitals, under charge of one of our surgeons, +with plenty of medical and other stores. + +We recrossed the North Anna at Carpenter's ford the following +morning, and halting there, unsaddled and turned the horses out to +graze, for they were nearly famished, having had neither food nor +water during the preceding forty-eight hours. Late in the afternoon +we saddled up and proceeded to Twyman's Store, while General +Hampton's main body moved down the south bank of the North Anna, with +the purpose of intervening between me and the Army of the Potomac, in +the hope of preventing my return to it; but his movements took no +definite shape beyond watching me, however, till several days later, +near St. Mary's Church, when I was crossing the peninsula to the +James River. + +On the 14th the march was continued, and we reached the Catharpen +road, upon which it was originally intended to move if we had been +able to cross at Mallory's ford, and this conducted me to Shady Grove +Church. The next day we passed over the battle-field of +Spottsylvania Court House. The marks of the recent conflicts about +there were visible on every hand, and in the neighboring houses were +found many Union and Confederate wounded, who had been too severely +hurt to be removed from the field-hospitals at the time of the +battles. Such of our wounded as were able to travel were brought +away. + +On the 16th I marched from Edge Hill on the Ta River through Bowling +Green to Dr. Butler's, on the north side of the Mattapony. When I +arrived here I was unable to ascertain the position of the Army of +the Potomac, and was uncertain whether or not the base at the White +House had been discontinued. I had heard nothing from the army for +nine days except rumors through Southern sources, and under these +circumstances did not like to venture between the Mattapony and +Pamunkey rivers, embarrassed as I was with some four hundred wounded, +five hundred prisoners, and about two thousand negroes that had +joined my column in the hope of obtaining their freedom. I therefore +determined to push down the north bank of the Mattapony far enough to +enable me to send these impediments directly to West Point, where I +anticipated finding some of our gunboats and transports, that could +carry all to the North. Following this plan, we proceeded through +Walkerton to King and Queen Court House, and bivouacked in its +vicinity the night of the 18th. Next day I learned that the depot at +the White House had not yet been broken up entirely, and that +supplies were in store for me there; so after sending the wounded, +prisoners, and negroes to West Point under an escort of two +regiments, I turned back to Dunkirk, on the Mattapony, and crossed to +the south side at a place where the stream was narrow enough to +bridge with my pontoon-boats. + +In returning from Trevillian, as the most of our wounded were hauled +in old buggies, carts, and such other vehicles as could be made +available in the absence of a sufficient number of ambulances, the +suffering was intense, the heat of the season and dusty roads adding +much to the discomfort. Each day we halted many times to dress the +wounds of the injured and to refresh them as much as possible, but +our means for mitigating their distress were limited. The fortitude +and cheerfulness of the poor fellows under such conditions were +remarkable, for no word of complaint was heard. The Confederate +prisoners and colored people being on foot, our marches were +necessarily made short, and with frequent halts also, but they too +suffered considerably from the heat and dust, though at times the +prisoners were relieved by being mounted on the horses of some of our +regiments, the owners meantime marching on foot. Where all the +colored people came from and what started them was inexplicable, but +they began joining us just before we reached Trevillian--men, women, +and children with bundles of all sorts containing their few worldly +goods, and the number increased from day to day until they arrived at +West Point. Probably not one of the poor things had the remotest +idea, when he set out, as to where he would finally land, but to a +man they followed the Yankees in full faith that they would lead to +freedom, no matter what road they took. + +On the morning of the 20th, at an early hour, we resumed our march, +and as the column proceeded sounds of artillery were heard in the +direction of the White House, which fact caused us to quicken the +pace. We had not gone far when despatches from General Abercrombie, +commanding some fragmentary organizations at the White House, +notified me that the place was about to be attacked. I had +previously sent an advance party with orders to move swiftly toward +the cannonading and report to me by couriers the actual condition of +affairs. From this party I soon learned that there was no occasion +to push our jaded animals, since the crisis, if there had been one, +was over and the enemy repulsed, so the increased gait was reduced to +a leisurely march that took us late in the afternoon to the north +bank of the Pamunkey, opposite Abercrombie's camp. When I got to the +river the enemy was holding the bluffs surrounding the White House +farm, having made no effort to penetrate General Abercrombie's line +or do him other hurt than to throw a few shells among the teamsters +there congregated. + +Next day Gregg's division crossed the Pamunkey dismounted, and +Torbert's crossed mounted. As soon as the troops were over, Gregg, +supported by Merritt's brigade, moved out on the road to Tunstall's +Station to attack Hampton, posted an the west side of Black Creek, +Custer's brigade meanwhile moving, mounted, on the road to +Cumberland, and Devin's in like manner on the one to Baltimore +crossroads. This offer of battle was not accepted, however, and +Hampton withdrew from my front, retiring behind the Chickahominy, +where his communications with Lee would be more secure. + +While at the White House I received orders to break up that depot +wholly, and also instructions to move the trains which the Army of +the Potomac had left there across the peninsula to the pontoon-bridge +at Deep Bottom on the James River. These trains amounted to hundreds +of wagons and other vehicles, and knowing full well the dangers which +would attend the difficult problem of getting them over to +Petersburg, I decided to start them with as little delay as +circumstances would permit, and the morning of the 22d sent Torbert's +division ahead to secure Jones's bridge on the Chickahominy, so that +the wagons could be crossed at that point. The trains followed +Torbert, while Gregg's division marched by a road parallel to the one +on which the wagons were moving, and on their right flank, as they +needed to be covered and protected in that direction only. + +The enemy made no effort to attack us while we were moving the trains +that day, and the wagons were all safely parked for the night on the +south side of the Chickahominy, guarded by General Getty, who had +relieved Abercrombie from command of the infantry fragments before we +started off from the White House. + +To secure the crossing at Jones's bridge, Torbert had pushed Devin's +brigade out on the Long Bridge road, on the side of the Chickahominy +where, on the morning of the 23d, he was attacked by Chambliss's +brigade of W. H. F. Lee's division. Devin was driven in some little +distance, but being reinforced by Getty with six companies of colored +troops, he quickly turned the tables on Chambliss and re-established +his picketposts. From this affair I learned that Chambliss's brigade +was the advance of the Confederate cavalry corps, while Hampton +discovered from it that we were already in possession of the Jones's +bridge crossing of the Chickahominy; and as he was too late to +challenge our passage of the stream at this point he contented +himself with taking up a position that night so as to cover the roads +leading from Long Bridge to Westover, with the purpose of preventing +the trains from following the river road to the pontoon-bridge at +Deep Bottom. + +My instructions required me to cross the trains over the James River +on this pontoon-bridge if practicable, and to reach it I should be +obliged to march through Charles City Court House, and then by +Harrison's Landing and Malvern Hill, the latter point being held by +the enemy. In fact, he held all the ground between Long Bridge on +the Chickahominy and the pontoon-bridge except the Tete de pont at +the crossing. Notwithstanding this I concluded to make the attempt, +for all the delays of ferrying the command and trains would be +avoided if we got through to the bridge; and with this object in view +I moved Torbert's division out on the Charles City road to conduct +the wagons. Just beyond Charles City Court House Torbert encountered +Lomax's brigade, which he drove across Herring Creek on the road to +Westover Church; and reporting the affair to me, I surmised, from the +presence of this force in my front, that Hampton would endeavor to +penetrate to the long column of wagons, so I ordered them to go into +park near Wilcox's landing, and instructed Gregg, whose division had +been marching in the morning along the road leading from Jones's +bridge to St. Mary's Church for the purpose of covering the exposed +flank of the train, to hold fast near the church without fail till +all the transportation had passed Charles City Court House. + +Meanwhile, General Hampton, who had conjectured that I would try to +get the train across the James by the pontoonbridge at Deep Bottom, +began concentrating all his troops except Lomax's brigade, which was +to confront the head of my column on the river road, in the vicinity +of Nance's Shop. This was discovered by Gregg at an early hour, and +divining this purpose he had prepared to meet it by constructing +hasty cover for his men before receiving my instructions. About 4 +o'clock in the afternoon Hampton got his force in hand, and with +Fitzhugh Lee's division assailed the whole front of Gregg's line, and +his left flank with Chambliss's and Geary's brigades. For two hours +he continued to attack, but made little impression on Gregg--gain at +one point being counterbalanced by failure at another. Because of +the evident strength of Hampton, Gregg had placed all his troops in +line of battle from the first, and on discovery of the enemy's +superior numbers sent message after message to me concerning the +situation, but the messengers never arrived, being either killed or +captured, and I remained in total ignorance till dark of the strait +his division was in. + +Toward night it became clear to Gregg that he could maintain the +unequal contest no longer, and he then decided to retreat, but not +until convinced that the time won had enabled all the trains to pass +Charles City Court House in safety. When he had got all his led +horses fairly on the way, and such of the wounded as could be +transported, he retired by his right flank-in some confusion, it is +true, but stubbornly resisting to Hopewell Church, where Hampton +ceased to press him. + +Gregg's losses were heavy, and he was forced to abandon his dead and +most seriously wounded, but the creditable stand made ensured the +safety of the train, the last wagon of which was now parked at +Wilcox's Landing. His steady, unflinching determination to gain time +for the wagons to get beyond the point of danger was characteristic +of the man, and this was the third occasion on which he had exhibited +a high order of capacity and sound judgment since coming under my +command. The firmness and coolness with which he always met the +responsibilities of a dangerous place were particularly strong points +in Gregg's make-up, and he possessed so much professional though +unpretentious ability, that it is to be regretted he felt obliged a +few months later to quit the service before the close of the war. + +Gregg's fight fully satisfied me that we could not get the trains up +to the pontoon-bridge, for of course Hampton would now throw all his +cavalry in my front, on the river road, where it could be backed up +by Lee's infantry. Meanwhile, General Meade had become assured of +the same thing, and as he was now growing anxious about the fate of +Wilson's division--which, during my absence, had been sent out to +break the enemy's communications south of Petersburg, by destroying +the Southside and Danville railroads--he sent ferryboats to cross me +over the James. During the night'of the 24th, and next morning, the +immense train--which ought never to have been left for the cavalry to +escort, after a fatiguing expedition of three weeks--was moved back +through Charles City Court House to Douthard's landing, and there +ferried over the river, followed by my troops in like manner. When +General Hampton discovered this, he moved to Drury's Bluff, and +there, on the morning of the 27th, crossed the James by the +Confederate pontoon-bridge. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +GENERAL WILSON'S RAID--DESTROYING RAILROADS--HIS DISCOMFITURE-- +RESULTS OF HIS RAID--REMOUNTS--MOVEMENT TO THE NORTH SIDE OF THE +JAMES--DECEIVING LEE--MY ISOLATED POSITION--ESTIMATE OF HANCOCK-- +SUCCESS OF THE CAVALRY--THEIR CONSTANT DUTIES. + +While I was absent on the expedition to Trevillian, the movement of +the Army of the Potomac across the James River was effected, and +Wilson, whom I had left behind for the purpose, was engaged in the +duty of covering its front and rear. Late on the night of June 12 +he, with Chapman's brigade, crossed the Chickahominy at Long Bridge, +in advance of the Fifth Corps, and by 7 o'clock next morning had +driven the enemy's pickets up to White Oak bridge, where he waited +for our infantry. When that came up, he pushed on as far as Riddle's +Shop, but late that evening the Confederate infantry forced him to +withdraw to St. Mary's Church; for early in the morning General Lee +had discovered the movement of our army, and promptly threw this +column of infantry south of the Chickahominy to White Oak Swamp, with +the design of covering Richmond. From St. Mary's Church Wilson +guarded all the roads toward White Oak Swamp and Riddle's Shop, +McIntosh's brigade joining him on the 14th, by way of Long Bridge, as +the rear of the Army of the Potomac passed the Chickahominy. In the +performance of this duty Wilson did not have to fight any engagement +of magnitude, for the bulk of the enemy's cavalry had followed me to +Trevillian. During the 15th and 16th Wilson drew his troops in +toward the James River, and next day crossed it on the pontoon-bridge +and camped on the Blackwater, near Mt. Sinai Church. Here he +remained till the 22d of June--the same day I reached the White House +with Gregg and Torbert--when, under orders from General Meade, he set +out to cut the enemy's communications to the south and southwest of +Petersburg. + +His instructions implied that the breaking up of the Petersburg and +Lynchburg, and Richmond and Danville railroads at Burkeville was the +most important part of his mission, and that when the work of +destruction began, it should be continued till he was driven off by +the enemy. Wilson's force consisted of about 5,500 men, General A. +V. Kautz, with the cavalry of the Army of the James, having joined +him for the expedition. In moving out Wilson crossed the Weldon road +near Ream's Station, first destroying it effectually at that point. +About fourteen miles west of Petersburg he struck the Southside +railroad, and broke it up clear to Burkeville, a distance of thirty +miles. Having destroyed everything at Burkeville Junction, he moved +along the Danville road to Staunton River, completely wrecking about +thirty miles of that line also. At Staunton River he found the +railroad bridge strongly guarded, and seeing that he could not burn +it, he began his return march that night, and reached Nottoway River, +some thirty miles south of Petersburg, at noon of the next day--the +28th. + +In this expedition Wilson was closely followcd from the start by +Barringer's brigade of W. H. F. Lee's cavalry, but the operations +were not interfered with materially, his success being signal till he +reached the vicinity of Stony Creek depot on his return. At this +point General Hampton, with his own and Fitzhugh Lee's cavalry, got +between Wilson and the Army of the Potomac, there being behind them +at Ream's Station, at the same time, two brigades of infantry under +General Mahone. A severe battle ensued, resulting in Wilson's +defeat, with the loss of twelve guns and all his wagons. In +consequence of this discomfiture he was obliged to fall back across +the Nottoway River with his own division, and rejoined the army by +way of Peter's bridge on that stream, while Kautz's division, unable +to unite with Wilson after the two commands had become separated in +the fight, made a circuit of the enemy's left, and reached the lines +of our army in the night of the 28th. + +Neither the presence of Hampton's cavalry at Stony Creek depot, nor +the possession of Ream's Station by the Confederate infantry, seems +to have been anticipated by Wilson, for in the report of the +expedition he states: + +"Foreseeing the probability of having to return northward, I wrote to +General Meade the evening before starting that I anticipated no +serious difficulty in executing his orders; but unless General +Sheridan was required to keep Hampton's cavalry engaged, and our +infantry to prevent Lee from making detachments, we should probably +experience great difficulty in rejoining the army. In reply to this +note, General Humphreys, chief-of-staff, informed me it was intended +the Army of the Potomac should cover the Weldon road the next day, +the Southside road the day after, and that Hampton having followed +Sheridan toward Gordonsville, I need not fear any trouble from him." + +I doubt that General Meade's letter of instructions and Wilson's note +of the same evening, warrant what General Wilson here says. It is +true that the Weldon railroad near Ream's Station was not covered by +our infantry, as General Humphreys informed him it would be, but +Wilson is in error when he intimates that he was assured that I would +look after Hampton. I do not think General Meade's instructions are +susceptible of this interpretation. I received no orders requiring +me to detain Hampton. On the contrary, when I arrived at the White +House my instructions required me to break up the depot there, and +then bring the train across the Peninsula as soon as practicable, nor +were these instructions ever modified. I began the duty imposed on +me on the morning of the 23d, totally in the dark as to what was +expected of Wilson, though it seems, from some correspondence between +Generals Grant and Meade, which I never saw till after the war, that +Grant thought Wilson could rely on Hampton's absence from his field +of operations throughout the expedition. + + +"HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, +"June 21, 1864. 9:20 A. M. + +"BRIGADIER-GENERAL WILSON, +"Commanding Third Division Cavalry Corps. + +"The major-general commanding directs that you move your command at +2 A. M. to-morrow, the 22d instant, in execution of the duty assigned +you of destroying certain railroads. Despatches received from the +White House state that Hampton's cavalry was before that place +yesterday evening, and that General Sheridan had also reached there, +hence it is desirable that you should march at the earliest moment. +In passing Petersburg you will endeavor to avoid the observation of +the enemy, and then move by the shortest routes to the intersection +of the Petersburg and Lynchburg, and the Richmond and Danville +railroads, and destroy both these roads to the greatest extent +possible, continuing their destruction until driven from it by such +attacks of the enemy as you can no longer resist. The destruction of +those roads to such an extent that they cannot be used by the enemy +in connection with Richmond during the remainder of the campaign is +an important part of the plan of campaign. The latest information +from Major-General Hunter represents him to be a few miles west of +Lynchburg. He may endeavor to form a junction with this army; you +will communicate with him if practicable, and have delivered to him +verbally the contents of the following copy of a communication from +Lieutenant-General Grant to the major-general commanding this army. +Lieutenant Brooks, who will accompany your expedition part of the +way, should be informed where General Hunter will probably be found. + +"The success of your expedition will depend upon the secrecy with +which it is commenced, and the celerity with which its movements are +conducted; your command will, therefore, have with it the lightest +supplies and smallest number of wheels consistent with the thorough +execution of the duty, the supplies of the section of country you +will operate in being taken into account. Upon the completion of the +work assigned you, you will rejoin this army. + +"The chief quartermaster was directed yesterday to supply you with +the implements and material for the destruction of railroads obtained +for General Sheridan. + +"[Signed] "A. A. HUMPHREYS, +"Major-General, Chief-of-Staff." + + + +"HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY FORCES, +Mount Sinai Church, June 21, 1864--6 P.M. + +"MAJOR-GENERAL HUMPHREYS," +"Chief-of-Staff. +"The instructions of the major-general commanding, of this date, are +received. I shall march in obedience thereto at 2 A. M. to-morrow. +Before starting I would like to know if our infantry forces cover the +Weldon road. + +"I propose striking the Southside road first at Sutherland Station, +or some point in that vicinity, tearing up the track sufficiently to +delay railroad communication ten or twelve hours. At this place I +shall detach a force to strike the Richmond and Danville road, by a +rapid march, at the nearest point, tearing up the track at every +practicable point between there and Burkeville. + +"From Sutherlands I shall move the main body of my command by the +Great road (breaking the railroad at every convenient point) directly +to Burkeville, which, if we succeed in capturing, will afford us the +opportunity of prosecuting our work with great advantage. As soon as +I have made dispositions for communicating with Hunter and done all +the damage possible, I shall move with all possible rapidity for +Danville and Grenboro'. + +"Circumstances must, however, is a great degree control our movements +after leaving Burkeville. + +"If Sheridan will look after Hampton, I apprehend no difficulty, and +hope to be able to do the enemy great damage. The ammunition issued +to my command is very defective. The implements for destroying roads +have not yet arrived, but I learn from General Ingalls that they will +certainly be here early to-morrow. + +"[Signed] J. H. WILSON, +"Brigadier-General Commanding." + + +The moment I received orders from General Meade to go to the relief +of Wilson, I hastened with Torbert and Gregg by way of Prince George +Court House and Lee's Mills to Ream's Station. Here I found the +Sixth Corps, which Meade had pushed out on his left flank immediately +on hearing of Wilson's mishap, but I was too late to render any +material assistance, Wilson having already disappeared, followed by +the enemy. However, I at once sent out parties to gather +information, and soon learned that Wilson had got safe across the +Nottoway at Peter's bridge and was making for the army by way of +Blunt's bridge, on the Blackwater. + +The benefits derived from this expedition, in the destruction of the +Southside and Danville railroads, were considered by General Grant as +equivalent for the losses sustained in Wilson's defeat, for the +wrecking of the railroads and cars was most complete, occasioning at +this, time serious embarrassment to the Confederate Government; but I +doubt if all this compensated for the artillery and prisoners that +fell into the hands of the enemy in the swamps of Hatcher's Run and +Rowanty Creek. Wilson's retreat from the perilous situation at +Ream's station was a most creditable performance--in the face of two +brigades of infantry and three divisions of cavalry--and in the +conduct of the whole expedition the only criticism that can hold +against him is that he placed too much reliance on meeting our +infantry at Ream's station, seeing that uncontrollable circumstances +might, and did, prevent its being there. He ought to have marched on +the 28th by Jarrett's Station to Peter's bridge, on the Nottoway, and +Blunts bridge on the Blackwater, to the rear of the Army of the +Potomac. + +When the safety of Wilson's command was assured, I was ordered back +to Light House Point, where I had gone into camp after crossing the +James River to rest and recruit my command, now very much reduced in +numbers by reason of casualties to both horses and men. It had been +marching and fighting for fifty consecutive days, and the fatiguing +service had told so fearfully on my animals that the number of +dismounted men in the corps was very large. With the exception of +about four hundred horses that I received at the White House, no +animals were furnished to supply the deficiencies which had arisen +from the wearing marches of the past two months until I got to this +camp at Light House Point; here my needs were so obvious that they +could no longer be neglected. + +I remained at Light House Point from the 2d to the 26th of July, +recuperating the cavalry, the intensely warm weather necessitating +almost an entire suspension of hostilities on the part of the Army of +the Potomac. Meanwhile fifteen hundred horses were sent me here, and +these, with the four hundred already mentioned, were all that my +troops received while I held the personal command of the Cavalry +Corps, from April 6 to August 1, 1864. This was not near enough to +mount the whole command, so I disposed the men who could not be +supplied in a dismounted camp. + +By the 26th of July our strength was pretty well restored, and as +General Grant was now contemplating offensive operations for the +purpose of keeping Lee's army occupied around Richmond, and also of +carrying Petersburg by assault if possible, I was directed to move to +the north side of the James River in conjunction with General +Hancock's corps, and, if opportunity offered, to make a second +expedition against the Virginia Central railroad, and again destroy +the bridges on the North Anna, the Little and the South Anna rivers. + +I started out on the afternoon of the 26th and crossed the Appomattox +at Broadway landing. At Deep Bottom I was joined by Kautz's small +division from the Army of the James, and here massed the whole +command, to allow Hancock's corps to take the lead, it crossing to +the north bank of the James River by the bridge below the mouth of +Bailey's Creek. I moved late in the afternoon, so as not to come +within the enemy's view before dark, and after night-fall Hancock's +corps passed me and began crossing the pontoon-bridge about 2 o'clock +in the morning. + +By daylight Hancock was across, the cavalry following. Soon a +portion of his corps attacked the enemy's works on the east side of +Bailey's Creek, and, aided by the cavalry moving on its right, +captured four pieces of artillery. This opened the way for Hancock +to push out his whole corps, and as he advanced by a wheel, with his +left as a pivot, the cavalry joined in the movement, pressing forward +on the New Market and Central or Charles City roads. + +We did not go far before we found the enemy's infantry posted across +these two roads behind a strong line of intrenchments on the west +bank of Bailey's Creek. His videttes in front of Ruffin's house on +the New Market road were soon driven in on their main line, and the +high ground before the house was immediately occupied by Torbert and +Gregg, supported by Kautz's division. By the time the cavalry line +was formed the Confederate General Kershaw, with his own division of +infantry and those of Wilcox and Heath, advanced to attack us. +Directing the most of his troops against the cavalry, which was still +mounted, Kershaw drove it back some distance over the high ground. +When it reached the eastern face of the ridge, however, it was +quickly dismounted, and the men directed to lie down in line of +battle about fifteen yards from the crest, and here the onset of the +enemy was awaited. When Kershaw's men reached the crest such a +severe fire was opened on them, and at such close quarters, that they +could not withstand it, and gave way in disorder. They were followed +across the plain by the cavalry, and lost about two hundred and fifty +prisoners and two battle-flags. The counter attack against the +infantry by Torbert and Gregg re-established our line and gave us the +victory of Darbytown, but it also demonstrated the fact that General +Lee had anticipated the movement around his left flank by +transferring to the north side of the James a large portion of his +infantry and W. H. F. Lee's division of cavalry. + +This development rendered useless any further effort on Hancock's +part or mine to carry out the plan of the expedition, for General +Grant did not intend Hancock to assault the enemy's works unless +there should be found in them but a very thin line of infantry which +could be surprised. In such event, Hancock was to operate so that +the cavalry might turn the Confederates on the Central or Charles +City road, but the continually increasing force of the enemy showed +this to be impracticable. The long front presented by Hancock's +corps and the cavalry deceived General Lee, and he undoubtedly +thought that nearly all of Grant's army had been moved to the north +side of the James River; and to meet the danger he transferred the +most of his own strength to the same side to confront his adversary, +thinning the lines around Petersburg to reinforce those opposing us +on the Central and New Market roads. This was what Grant hoped Lee +would do in case the operations of Hancock and myself became +impracticable, for Grant had an alternative plan for carrying +Petersburg by assault in conjunction with the explosion of a mine +that had been driven under the enemy's works from the front of +Burnside's corps. + +Now that there was no longer a chance for the cavalry to turn the +enemy's left, our attention was directed to keeping up the deception +of Lee, and on the afternoon of the 28th Hancock's corps withdrew to +a line nearer the head of the bridge, the cavalry drawing back to a +position on his right. From now on, all sorts of devices and +stratagems were practiced--anything that would tend to make the +Confederates believe we were being reinforced, while Hancock was +preparing for a rapid return to Petersburg at the proper time. In +order to delude the enemy still more after night-fall of the 28th I +sent one of my divisions to the south side of the James, first +covering the bridgeway with refuse hay to keep the tram of the horses +from being heard. After daylight the next morning, I marched this +division back again on foot, in full view of the enemy, to create the +impression of a continuous movement large bodies of infantry to the +north side, while the same time Kautz was made to skirmish with the +enemy on our extreme right. These various artifices had the effect +intended, for by the evening of the 29th Lee had transferred all his +infantry to the north bank of the James, except three divisions, and +all his cavalry save one. + +The morning of the 30th had been fixed upon to explode the mine and +assault the enemy's works, so after dark on the evening of the 29th +Hancock hastily but quietly withdrew his corps to the south side to +take part in the engagement which was to succeed the explosion, and I +was directed to follow Hancock. This left me on the north side of +the river confronting two-thirds of Lee's army in a perilous +position, where I could easily be driven into Curl's Neck and my +whole command annihilated. The situation, therefore, was not a +pleasant one to contemplate, but it could not be avoided. Luckily +the enemy did not see fit to attack, and my anxiety was greatly +relieved by getting the whole command safely across the bridge +shortly after daylight, having drawn in the different brigades +successively from my right. By 10 o'clock on the morning of the 3oth +my leading division was well over toward the left of our army in +front of Petersburg, marching with the purpose to get around the +enemy's right flank during the operations that were to succeed the +mine explosion, but when I reached General Meade's headquarters I +found that lamentable failure had attended the assault made when the +enemy's works were blown up in the morning. Blunder after blunder +had rendered the assault abortive, and all the opportunities opened +by our expedition to the north side were irretrievably lost, so +General Meade at once arrested the movement of the cavalry. + +In the expedition to Deep Bottom I was under the command of Major- +General Hancock, who, by seniority, was to control my corps as well +as his own until the way was opened for me to get out on the Virginia +Central railroad. If this opportunity was gained, I was to cut loose +and damage Lee's communications with the Shenandoah Valley in such +manner as best suited the conditions, but my return was not to be +jeopardized nor long delayed. This necessitated that Hancock's line +should extend to Bottom's bridge on the Chickahominy. The enemy's +early discovery of the movement and his concentration of troops on +the north side prevented Hancock from accomplishing the programme +laid out for him. Its impracticability was demonstrated early on the +27th, and Hancock's soldierly instincts told him this the moment he +unexpectedly discovered Kershaw blocking the New Market and Charles +City roads. To Hancock the temptation to assault Kershaw's position +was strong indeed, but if he carried it there would still remain the +dubious problem of holding the line necessary for my safe return, so +with rare judgment he desisted zealously turning to the alternative +proposition--the assault on Petersburg--for more significant results. +This was the only occasion during the war in which I was associated +with Hancock in campaign. Up till then we had seldom met, and that +was the first opportunity I had to observe his quick apprehension, +his physical courage, and the soldierly personality which had long +before established his high reputation. + +On the 1st of August, two days after the mine explosion, I was. +relieved from the personal command of the Cavalry Corps, and ordered +to the Shenandoah Valley, where at a later date Torbert's and +Wilson's divisions joined me. Practically, after I went to the +valley, my command of the Cavalry Corps became supervisory merely. +During the period of my immediate control of the corps, I tried to +carry into effect, as far as possible, the views I had advanced +before and during the opening of the Wilderness campaign, i.e., "that +our cavalry ought to fight the enemy's cavalry, and our infantry the +enemy's infantry"; for there was great danger of breaking the spirit +of the corps if it was to be pitted against the enemy's compact +masses of foot-troops posted behind intrenchments, and unless there +was some adequate tactical or strategical advantage to be gained, +such a use of it would not be justified. Immediately succeeding the +battles of the Wilderness, opportunity offered to put this plan into +execution to some extent, and from that time forward--from the battle +of Yellow Tavern--our success was almost continuous, resulting +finally, before the close of the war, in the nearly total +annihilation of the enemy's cavalry. + +The constant activity of the corps from May 5 till August 1 gave +little opportunity for the various division and brigade commanders to +record its work in detail; so there exists but meagre accounts of the +numerous skirmishes and graver conflicts in which, in addition to the +fights mentioned in this narrative, it engaged. A detailed history +of its performances is not within the province of a work of this +nature; but in review, it can be said, without trespassing on the +reader's time, that the Cavalry Corps led the advance of the Army of +the Potomac into the Wilderness in the memorable campaign of 1864; +that on the expedition by way of Richmond to Haxall's it marked out +the army's line of march to the North Anna; that it again led the +advance to the Tolopotomy, and also to Cold Harbor, holding that +important strategic point at great hazard; and that by the Trevillian +expedition it drew away the enemy's cavalry from the south side of +the Chickahominy, and thereby assisted General Grant materially in +successfully marching to the James River and Petersburg. +Subsequently, Wilson made his march to Staunton bridge, destroying +railroads and supplies of inestimable value, and though this was +neutralized by his disaster near Ream's Station, the temporary set- +back there to one division was soon redeemed by victory over the +Confederate infantry at the battle of Darbytown. + +In the campaign we were almost always on the march, night and day, +often unable to care properly for our wounded, and obliged to bury +our dead where they fell; and innumerable combats attest the part the +cavalry played in Grant's march from the Rapidan to Petersburg. In +nearly all of these our casualties were heavy, particularly so when, +as was often the case, we had to engage the Confederate infantry; but +the enemy returned such a full equivalent in dead and wounded in +every instance, that finally his mounted power, which from the +beginning of the war had been nurtured with a wise appreciation of +its value, was utterly broken. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +GENERAL HUNTER'S SUCCESSFUL MARCH AND SUBSEQUENT RETREAT--GENERAL +JUBAL A. EARLY THREATENS WASHINGTON--CHAMBERSBURG, PA., BURNED-- +SELECTED TO OPERATE AGAINST GENERAL EARLY--THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY-- +THE CONFEDERATE ARMY. + +When the attempt to take Petersburg in conjunction with the mine +explosion resulted in such a dismal failure, all the operations +contemplated in connection with that project came to a standstill, +and there was every prospect that the intensely hot and sultry +weather would prevent further activity in the Army of the Potomac +till a more propitious season. Just now, however, the conditions +existing in the Shenandoah Valley and along the upper Potomac +demanded the special attention of General Grant, for, notwithstanding +the successful march that Major-General David Hunter had made toward +Lynchburg early in the summer, what he had first gained was +subsequently lost by strategical mistakes, that culminated in +disaster during the retreat he was obliged to make from the vicinity +of Lynchburg to the Kanawha Valley. This route of march uncovered +the lower portion of the Valley of the Shenandoah, and with the +exception of a small force of Union troops under General Franz Sigel +posted aft Martinsburg for the purpose of covering the Baltimore and +Ohio railroad, there was nothing at hand to defend the lower valley. + +The different bodies of Confederates which compelled Hunter's retreat +were under command of General Jubal A. Early, who had been sent to +Lynchburg with Ewell's corps after the defeat of the Confederate +General W. C. Jones near Staunton on the 5th of June, to take command +of the Valley District. When Early had forced Hunter into the +Kanawha region far enough to feel assured that Lynchburg could not +again be threatened from that direction, he united to his own corps +General John C. Breckenridge's infantry division and the cavalry of +Generals J. H. Vaughn, John McCausland. B. T. Johnson, and J. D. +Imboden, which heretofore had been operating in southwest and western +Virginia under General Robert Ransom, Jr., and with the column thus +formed, was ready to turn his attention to the lower Shenandoah +Valley. At Early's suggestion General Lee authorized him to move +north at an opportune moment, cross the upper Potomac into Maryland +and threaten Washington. Indeed, General Lee had foreshadowed such a +course when Early started toward Lynchburg for the purpose of +relieving the pressure in front of Petersburg, but was in some doubt +as to the practicability of the movement later, till persuaded to it +by the representations of Early after that general had driven Hunter +beyond the mountains and found little or nothing opposing except the +small force of Sigel, which he thought he could readily overcome by +celerity of movement. + +By rapid marching Early reached Winchester on the 2d of July, and on +the 4th occupied Martinsburg, driving General Sigel out of that place +the same day that Hunter's troops, after their fatiguing retreat +through the mountains, reached Charlestown, West Virginia. Early was +thus enabled to cross the Potomac without difficulty, when, moving +around Harper's Ferry, through the gaps of the South Mountain, he +found his path unobstructed till he reached the Monocacy, where +Ricketts's division of the Sixth Corps, and some raw troops that had +been collected by General Lew Wallace, met and held the Confederates +till the other reinforcements that had been ordered to the capital +from Petersburg could be brought up. Wallace contested the line of +the Monocacy with obstinacy, but had to retire finally toward +Baltimore. The road was then open to Washington, and Early marched +to the outskirts and began against the capital the demonstrations +which were designed to divert the Army of the Potomac from its main +purpose in front of Petersburg. + +Early's audacity in thus threatening Washington had caused some +concern to the officials in the city, but as the movement was looked +upon by General Grant as a mere foray which could have no decisive +issue, the Administration was not much disturbed till the +Confederates came in close proximity. Then was repeated the alarm +and consternation of two years before, fears for the safety of the +capital being magnified by the confusion and discord existing among +the different generals in Washington and Baltimore; and the imaginary +dangers vanished only with the appearance of General Wright, who, +with the Sixth Corps and one division of the Nineteenth Corps, pushed +out to attack Early as soon as he could get his arriving troops in +hand, but under circumstances that precluded celerity of movement; +and as a consequence the Confederates escaped with little injury, +retiring across the Potomac to Leesburg, unharassed save by some +Union cavalry that had been sent out into Loudoun County by Hunter, +who in the meantime had arrived at Harper's Ferry by the Baltimore +and Ohio railroad. From Leesburg Early retired through Winchester +toward Strasburg, but when the head of his column reached this place +he found that he was being followed by General Crook with the +combined troops of Hunter and Sigel only, Wright having returned to +Washington under orders to rejoin Meade at Petersburg. This +reduction of the pursuing force tempting Early to resume the +offensive, he attacked Crook at Kernstown, and succeeded in +administering such a check as to necessitate this general's retreat +to Martinsburg, and finally to Harper's Ferry. Crook's withdrawal +restored to Early the line of the upper Potomac, so, recrossing this +stream, he advanced again into Maryland, and sending McCausland on to +Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, laid that town in ashes, leaving three +thousand non-combatants without shelter or food. + +When Early fell back from the vicinity of Washington toward +Strasburg, General Grant believed that he would rejoin Lee, but later +manoeuvres of the enemy indicated that Early had given up this idea, +if he ever, entertained it, and intended to remain in the valley, +since it would furnish Lee and himself with subsistence, and also +afford renewed opportunities for threatening Washington. Indeed, the +possession of the Valley of the Shenandoah at this time was of vast +importance to Lee's army, and on every hand there were indications +that the Confederate Government wished to hold it at least until +after the crops could be gathered in to their depots at Lynchburg and +Richmond. Its retention, besides being of great advantage in the +matter of supplies, would also be a menace to the North difficult for +General Grant to explain, and thereby add an element of considerable +benefit to the Confederate cause; so when Early's troops again +appeared at Martinsburg it was necessary for General Grant to +confront them with a force strong enough to put an end to incursions +north of the Potomac, which hitherto had always led to National +discomfiture at some critical juncture, by turning our army in +eastern Virginia from its chief purpose--the destruction of Lee and +the capture of the Confederate capital. + +This second irruption of Early, and his ruthless destruction of +Chambersburg led to many recommendations on the part of General Grant +looking to a speedy elimination of the confusion then existing among +the Union forces along the upper Potomac, but for a time the +authorities at Washington would approve none of his propositions. +The President and Secretary Stanton seemed unwilling to adopt his +suggestions, and one measure which he deemed very important--the +consolidation into a single command of the four geographical +districts into which, to relieve political pressure no doubt, the +territory had been divided--met with serious opposition. Despite +Grant's representations, he could not prevail on the Administration +to approve this measure, but finally the manoeuvres of Early and the +raid to Chambersburg compelled a partial compliance, though Grant had +somewhat circumvented the difficulty already by deciding to appoint a +commander for the forces in the field that were to operate against +Early. + +On the 31st of July General Grant selected me as this commander, and +in obedience to his telegraphic summons I repaired to his +headquarters at City Point. In the interview that followed, he +detailed to me the situation of affairs on the upper Potomac, telling +me that I was to command in the field the troops that were to operate +against Early, but that General Hunter, who was at the head of the +geographical department, would be continued in his position for the +reason that the Administration was reluctant to reconstruct or +consolidate the different districts. After informing me that one +division of the Cavalry Corps would be sent to my new command, he +went on to say that he wanted me to push the enemy as soon as this +division arrived, and if Early retired up the Shenandoah Valley I was +to pursue, but if he crossed the Potomac I was to put myself south of +him and try to compass his destruction. The interview having ended, +I returned to Hancock Station to prepare for my departure, and on the +evening of August 1 I was relieved from immediate duty with the Army +of the Potomac, but not from command of the cavalry as a corps +organization. + +I arrived at Washington on the 4th of August, and the next day +received instructions from General Halleck to report to General Grant +at Monocacy Junction, whither he had gone direct from City Point, in +consequence of a characteristic despatch from the President +indicating his disgust with the confusion, disorder, and helplessness +prevailing along the upper Potomac, and intimating that Grant's +presence there was necessary. + +In company with the Secretary of War I called on the President before +leaving Washington, and during a short conversation Mr. Lincoln +candidly told me that Mr. Stanton had objected to my assignment to +General Hunter's command, because he thought me too young, and that +he himself had concurred with the Secretary; but now, since General +Grant had "ploughed round" the difficulties of the situation by +picking me out to command the "boys in the field," he felt satisfied +with what had been done, and "hoped for the best." Mr. Stanton +remained silent during these remarks, never once indicating whether +he, too, had become reconciled to my selection or not; and although, +after we left the White House, he conversed with me freely in regard +to the campaign I was expected to make, seeking to impress on me the +necessity for success from the political as well as from the military +point of view, yet he utterly ignored the fact that he had taken any +part in disapproving the recommendation of the general-in-chief. + +August 6, I reported to General Grant at the Monocacy, and he there +turned over to me the following instructions, which he had previously +prepared for General Hunter in the expectation that general would +continue to command the department: + +"HEADQUARTERS IN THE FIELD, +"Monocacy Bridge, Md., Aug. 5, 1864. + +"GENERAL: Concentrate all your available force without delay in the +vicinity of Harper's Ferry, leaving only such railroad guards and +garrisons for public property as may be necessary. + +"Use in this concentration the railroad, if by so doing time can be +saved. From Harper's Ferry, if it is found that the enemy has moved +north of the Potomac in large force, push north, following and +attacking him wherever found; following him, if driven south of the +Potomac, as long as it is safe to do so. If it is ascertained that +the enemy has but a small force north of the Potomac, then push south +the main force, detaching, under a competent commander, a sufficient +force to look after the raiders and drive them to their homes. In +detaching such a force, the brigade of cavalry now en route from +Washington via Rockville may be taken into account. + +"There are now on the way to join you three other brigades of the +best of cavalry, numbering at least five thousand men and horses. +These will be instructed, in the absence of further orders, to join +you by the south side of the Potomac. One brigade will probably +start to-morrow. + +"In pushing up the Shenandoah Valley, as it is expected you will have +to go first or last, it is desirable that nothing should be left to +invite the enemy to return. Take all provisions, forage, and stock +wanted for the use of your command. Such as cannot be consumed, +destroy. It is not desirable that the buildings should be destroyed- +-they should, rather, be protected; but the people should be informed +that so long as an army can subsist among them recurrences of these +raids must be expected, and we are determined to stop them at all +hazards. + +"Bear in mind, the object is to drive the enemy south; and to do this +you want to keep him always in sight. Be guided in your course by +the course he takes. + +"Make your own arrangements for supplies of all kinds, giving regular +vouchers for such as may be taken from loyal citizens in the country +through which you march. + +"Very respectfully, +"U. S. GRANT, Lieut.-General." + +"Major-General D. HUNTER, +"Commanding Department of West Virginia." + + +When I had read the letter addressed to Hunter, General Grant said I +would be expected to report directly to him, as Hunter had asked that +day to be wholly relieved, not from any chagrin at my assignment to +the control of the active forces of his command, but because he +thought that his fitness for the position he was filling was +distrusted by General Halleck, and he had no wish to cause +embarrassment by remaining where he could but remove me one degree +from the headquarters of the army. The next day Hunter's unselfish +request was complied with, and an order was issued by the President, +consolidating the Middle Department, the Department of Washington, +the Department of the Susquehanna, and the Department of West +Virginia. + +Under this order these four geographical districts constituted the +Middle Military Division, and I was temporarily assigned to command +it. Hunter's men had been bivouacking for some days past in the +vicinity of Monocacy Junction and Frederick, but before General +Grant's instructions were written out, Hunter had conformed to them +by directing the concentration at Halltown, about four miles in front +of Harper's Ferry, of all his force available for field service. +Therefore the different bodies of troops, with the exception of +Averell's cavalry, which had followed McCausland toward Moorefield +after the burning of Chambersburg, were all in motion toward Halltown +on August 6. + +Affairs at Monocacy kept me but an hour or two, and these disposed +of, I continued on to Harper's Ferry by the special train which had +brought me from Washington, that point being intended as my +headquarters while making preparations to advance. The enemy was +occupying Martinsburg, Williamsport, and Shepherdstown at the time; +sending occasional raiding parties into Maryland as far as +Hagerstown. The concentration of my troops at Halltown being an +indication to Early that we intended to renew the offensive, however, +he immediately began counter preparations by drawing in all his +detached columns from the north side of the Potomac, abandoning a +contemplated raid into Maryland, which his success against Crook at +Kernstown had prompted him to project, and otherwise disposing +himself for defense. + +At Harper's Ferry I made my headquarters in the second story of a +small and very dilapidated hotel, and as soon as settled sent for +Lieutenant John R. Meigs, the chief engineer officer of the command, +to study with him the maps of my geographical division. It always +came rather easy to me to learn the geography of a new section, and +its important topographical features as well; therefore I found that, +with the aid of Meigs, who was most intelligent in his profession, +the region in which I was to operate would soon be well fixed in my +mind. Meigs was familiar with every important road and stream, and +with all points worthy of note west of the Blue Ridge, and was +particularly well equipped with knowledge regarding the Shenandoah +Valley, even down to the farmhouses. He imparted with great +readiness what he knew of this, clearly pointing out its +configuration and indicating the strongest points for Confederate +defense, at the same time illustrating scientifically and forcibly +the peculiar disadvantages under which the Union army had hitherto +labored. + +The section that received my closest attention has its northern limit +along the Potomac between McCoy's ferry at the eastern base of the +North Mountain, and Harper's Ferry at the western base of the Blue +Ridge. The southern limit is south of Staunton, on the divide which +separates the waters flowing into the Potomac from those that run to +the James. The western boundary is the eastern slope of the +Alleghany Mountains, the eastern, the Blue Ridge; these two distinct +mountain ranges trending about southwest inclose a stretch of quite +open, undulating country varying in width from the northern to the +southern extremity, and dotted at frequent intervals with patches of +heavy woods: At Martinsburg the valley is about sixty miles broad, +and on an east and west line drawn through Winchester about forty- +five, while at Strasburg it narrows down to about twenty-five. Just +southeast of Strasburg, which is nearly midway between the eastern +and western walls of the valley, rises an abrupt range of mountains +called Massanutten, consisting of several ridges which extend +southward between the North and South Forks of the Shenandoah River +until, losing their identity, they merge into lower but broken ground +between New Market and Harrisonburg. The Massanutten ranges, with +their spurs and hills, divide the Shenandoah Valley into two valleys, +the one next the Blue Ridge being called the Luray, while that next +the North Mountain retains the name of Shenandoah. + +A broad macadamized road, leading south from Williamsport, Maryland, +to Lexington, Virginia, was built at an early day to connect the +interior of the latter State with the Chesapeake and Ohio canal, and +along this road are situated the principal towns and villages of the +Shenandoah Valley, with lateral lines of communication extending to +the mountain ranges on the east and west. The roads running toward +the Blue Ridge are nearly all macadamized, and the principal ones +lead to the railroad system of eastern Virginia through Snicker's, +Ashby's Manassas, Chester, Thornton's Swift Run, Brown's and Rock- +fish gaps, tending to an ultimate centre at Richmond. These gaps are +low and easy, offering little obstruction to the march of an army +coming from eastern Virginia, and thus the Union troops operating +west of the Blue Ridge were always subjected to the perils of a flank +attack; for the Confederates could readily be brought by rail to +Gordonsville and Charlottesville, from which points they could move +with such celerity through the Blue Ridge that, on more than one +occasion, the Shenandoah Valley had been the theatre of Confederate +success, due greatly to the advantage of possessing these interior +lines. + +Nature had been very kind to the valley, making it rich and +productive to an exceptional degree, and though for three years +contending armies had been marching up and down it, the fertile soil +still yielded ample subsistence for Early's men, with a large surplus +for the army of Lee. The ground had long been well cleared of +timber, and the rolling surface presented so few obstacles to the +movement of armies that they could march over the country in any +direction almost as well as on the roads, the creeks and rivers being +everywhere fordable, with little or no difficulty beyond that of +leveling the approaches. + +I had opposing me an army largely composed of troops that had +operated in this region hitherto under "Stonewall" Jackson with +marked success, inflicting defeat on the Union forces almost every +time the two armies had come in contact. These men were now commanded +by a veteran officer of the Confederacy-General Jubal A. Early--whose +past services had so signalized his ability that General Lee +specially selected him to take charge of the Valley District, and, +notwithstanding the misfortunes that befell him later, clung to him +till the end, of the war. The Confederate army at this date was +about twenty thousand strong, and consisted of Early's own corps, +with Generals Rodes, Ramseur, and Gordon commanding its divisions; +the infantry of Breckenridge from southwestern Virginia; three +battalions of artillery; and the cavalry brigades of Vaughn, Johnson, +McCausland, and Imboden. This cavalry was a short time afterward +organized into a division under the command of General Lomax. + +After discovering that my troops were massing in front of Harper's +Ferry, Early lost not a moment in concentrating his in the vicinity +of Martinsburg, in positions from which he could continue to obstruct +the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, and yet be enabled to retire up the +valley under conditions of safety when I should begin an offensive +campaign. + +When I took command of the Army of the Shenandoah its infantry force +comprised the Sixth Corps, one division of the Nineteenth Corps, and +two divisions from West Virginia. The Sixth Corps was commanded by +Major-General Horatio G. Wright; its three divisions by Brigadier- +Generals David A. Russell, Geo. W. Getty, and James B. Ricketts. +The single division of the Nineteenth Corps had for its immediate +chief Brigadier-General William Dwight, the corps being commanded by +Brigadier-General Wm. H. Emory. The troops from West Virginia were +under Brigadier-General George Crook, with Colonels Joseph Thoburn +and Isaac H. Duval as division commanders, and though in all not more +than one fair-sized division, they had been designated, on account of +the department they belonged to, the Army of West Virginia. General +Torbert's division, then arriving from the Cavalry Corps of the Army +of the Potomac, represented the mounted arm of the service, and in +the expectation that Averell would soon join me with his troopers, I +assigned General Torbert as chief of cavalry, and General Wesley +Merritt succeeded to the command of Torbert's division. + +General Wright, the commander of the Sixth Corps, was an officer of +high standing in the Corps of Engineers, and had seen much active +service during the preceding three years. He commanded the +Department of the Ohio throughout the very trying period of the +summer and fall of 1862, and while in that position he, with other +prominent officers, recommended my appointment as a brigadier- +general. In 1863 he rendered valuable service at the battle of +Gettysburg, following which he was assigned to the Sixth Corps, and +commanded it at the capture of the Confederate works at Rappahannock +Station and in the operations at Mine Run. He ranked me as a major- +general of volunteers by nearly a year in date of commission, but my +assignment by the President to the command of the army in the valley +met with Wright's approbation, and, so far as I have ever known, he +never questioned the propriety of the President's action. The Sixth +Corps division commanders, Getty, Russell, and Ricketts, were all +educated soldiers, whose records, beginning with the Mexican War, had +already been illustrated in the war of the rebellion by distinguished +service in the Army of the Potomac. + +General Emory was a veteran, having graduated at the Military Academy +in 1831, the year I was born. In early life he had seen much service +in the Artillery, the Topographical Engineers, and the Cavalry, and +in the war of the rebellion had exhibited the most soldierly +characteristics at Port Hudson and on the Red River campaign. At +this time he had but one division of the Nineteenth Corps present, +which division was well commanded by General Dwight, a volunteer +officer who had risen to the grade of brigadier-general through +constant hard work. Crook was a classmate of mine--at least, we +entered the Military Academy the same year, though he graduated a +year ahead of me. We had known each other as boys before we entered +the army, and later as men, and I placed implicit faith in his +experience and qualifications as a general. + +The transfer of Torbert to the position of chief of cavalry left +Merritt, as I have already said, in command of the First Cavalry +Division. He had been tried in the place before, and from the day he +was selected as one of a number of young men to be appointed general +officers, with the object of giving life to the Cavalry Corps, he +filled the measure of expectation. Custer was one of these young men +too, and though as yet commanding a brigade under Merritt, his +gallant fight at Trevillian Station, as well as a dozen others during +the summer, indicated that he would be equal to the work that was to +fall to him when in a few weeks he should succeed Wilson. But to go +on down the scale of rank, describing the officers who commanded in +the Army of the Shenandoah, would carry me beyond all limit, so I +refrain from the digression with regret that I cannot pay to each his +well-earned tribute. + +The force that I could take with me into the field at this time +numbered about 26,000 men. Within the limits of the geographical +division there was a much greater number of troops than this. +Baltimore, Washington, Harper's Ferry, Hagerstown, Frederick, +Cumberland, and a score of other points; besides the strong +detachments that it took to keep the Baltimore and Ohio railroad open +through the mountains of West Virginia, and escorts for my trains, +absorbed so many men that the column which could be made available +for field operations was small when compared with the showing on +paper. Indeed, it was much less than it ought to have been, but for +me, in the face of the opposition made by different interests +involved, to detach troops from any of the points to which they had +been distributed before I took charge was next to impossible. + +In a few days after my arrival preparations were completed, and I was +ready to make the first move for the possession of the Shenandoah +Valley. For the next five weeks the operations on my part consisted +almost wholly of offensive and defensive manoeuvring for certain +advantages, the enemy confining himself meanwhile to measures +intended to counteract my designs. Upon the advent of Torbert, Early +immediately grew suspicious, and fell back twelve miles south of +Martinsburg, to Bunker Hill and vicinity, where his right flank would +be less exposed, but from which position he could continue to +maintain the break in the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, and push +reconnoitring parties through Smithfield to Charlestown. These +reconnoitring parties exhibited considerable boldness at times, but +since they had no purpose in view save to discover whether or not we +were moving, I did not contest any ground with them except about our +outposts. Indeed, I desired that Early might remain at some point +well to the north till I was fully prepared to throw my army on his +right and rear and force a battle, and hence I abstained from +disturbing him by premature activity, for I thought that if I could +beat him at Winchester, or north of it, there would be far greater +chances of weighty results. I therefore determined to bring my +troops, if it were at all possible to do so, into such a position +near that town as to oblige Early to fight. The sequel proved, +however, that he was accurately informed of all my movements. To +anticipate them, therefore, he began his retreat up the valley the +day that I moved out from Halltown, and consequently was able to +place himself south of Winchester before I could get there. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +MOVING ON GENERAL EARLY--GENERAL GRANT'S LETTER OF INSTRUCTIONS-- +DESTROYING THE RESOURCES OF THE VALLEY--REASON FOR THE DESTRUCTION-- +WITHDRAWAL TO HALLTOWN--ALARM IN THE NORTH OVER THE RETROGRADE +MOVEMENT--RENEWING THE ADVANCE UP THE VALLEY--GENERAL ANDERSON'S +ATTEMPT TO RETURN TO PETERSBURG--STRENGTH OF THE ARMIES. + +For a clear understanding of the operations which preceded the +victories that resulted in almost annihilating General Early's army +in the Shenandoah Valley, it is necessary to describe in considerable +detail the events that took place prior to the 19th of September. My +army marched from Harper's Ferry on the 10th of August, 1864, General +Torbert with Merritt's division of cavalry moving in advance through +Berryville, going into position near White Post. The Sixth Corps, +under General Wright, moved by way of Charlestown and Summit Point to +Clifton; General Emory, with Dwight's division of the Nineteenth +Corps, marched along the Berryville pike through Berryville to the +left of the position of the Sixth Corps at Clifton; General Crook's +command, moving on the Kabletown road, passed through Kabletown to +the vicinity of Berryville, and went into position on the left of +Dwight's division, while Colonel Lowell, with a detached force of two +small regiments of cavalry, marched to Summit Point; so that on the +night of August 10 my infantry occupied a line stretching from +Clifton to Berryville, with Merritt's cavalry at White Post and +Lowell's at Summit Point. The enemy, as stated before, moved at the +same time from Bunker Hill and vicinity, and stretched his line from +where the Winchester and Potomac railroad crosses Opequon Creek to +the point at which the Berryville and Winchester pike crosses the +same stream, thus occupying the west bank to cover Winchester. + +On the morning of the 11th the Sixth Corps was ordered to move across +the country toward the junction of the Berryville-Winchester pike and +the Opequon, and to take the crossing and hold it, Dwight's division +being directed to move through Berryville on the White Post road for +a mile, then file to the right by heads of regiments at deploying +distances, and carry the crossing of Opequon Creek at a ford about +three-fourths of a mile from the left of the Sixth Corps, while Crook +was instructed to move out on the White Post road, a mile and a half +beyond Berryville, then head to the right and secure the ford about a +mile to the left of Dwight; Torbert's orders were to push Merritt's +division up the Millwood pike toward Winchester, attack any force he +might run against, and ascertain the movements of the Confederate +army; and lastly, Lowell received instructions to close in from +Summit Point on the right of the Sixth Corps. + +My object in securing the fords was to further my march on Winchester +from the southeast, since, from all the information gathered during +the 10th, I still thought Early could be brought to a stand at that +point; but in this I was mistaken, as Torbert's reconnoissance +proved, for on the morning of the 11th, when Merritt had driven the +Confederate cavalry, then covering the Millwood pike west of the +Opequon, off toward Kernstown, he found that their infantry and +artillery were retreating south, up the Valley pike. + +As soon as this information was obtained Torbert moved quickly +through the toll-gate on the Front Royal and Winchester road to +Newtown, to strike the enemy's flank and harass him in his retreat, +Lowell following up through Winchester, on the Valley pike; Crook was +turned to the left and ordered to Stony Point, while Emory and +Wright, marching to the left also, were directed to take post on the +night of the 11th between the Millwood and Front Royal roads, within +supporting distance of Crook. Merritt meeting some of the enemy's +cavalry at the tollgate, drove it in the direction of Newtown till it +got inside the line of Gordon's division of infantry, which had been +thrown out and posted behind barricades to cover the flank of the +main force in its retreat. A portion of Merritt's cavalry attacked +this infantry and drove in its skirmish-line, and though not able to +dislodge Gordon, Merritt held the ground gained till night-fall, when +the Confederate infantry moved off under cover of darkness to Hupp's +Hill, between Strasburg and Cedar Creek + +The next morning Crook marched from Stony Point to Cedar Creek, Emory +followed with Dwight, and the cavalry moved to the same point by way +of Newtown and the Valley pike, the Sixth Corps following the +cavalry. That night Crook was in position at Cedar Creek, on the +left of the Valley pike, Emory on the right of the pike, the Sixth +Corps on the right of Emory, and the cavalry on the flanks. In the +afternoon a heavy skirmish-line had been thrown forward to the +heights on the south side of Cedar Creek, and a brisk affair with the +enemy's pickets took place, the Confederates occupying with their +main force the heights north of Strasburg. On the morning of the +13th my cavalry went out to reconnoitre toward Strasburg, on the +middle road, about two and a half miles west of the Valley pike, and +discovered that Early's infantry was at Fisher's Hill, where he had +thrown up behind Tumbling Run earthworks extending clear across the +narrow valley between the Massanutten and North mountains. On the +left of these works he had Vaughan's, McCausland's, and Johnson's +brigades of cavalry under General Lomax, who at this time relieved +General Ramseur from the command of the Confederate mounted forces. + +Within the past day or two I had received information that a column +of the enemy was moving up from Culpeper Court House and approaching +Front Royal through Chester Gap, and although the intelligence was +unconfirmed, it caused me much solicitude; for there was strong +probability that such a movement would be made, and any considerable +force advancing through Front Royal toward Winchester could fall upon +my rear and destroy my communication with Harper's Ferry, or, moving +along the base of Massanutten Mountain, could attack my flank in +conjunction with the force at Fisher's Hill without a possibility of +my preventing it. + +Neither Wilson's cavalry nor Grower's infantry had yet joined me, and +the necessities, already explained, which obliged me to hold with +string garrisons Winchester and other points heretofore mentioned. +had so depleted my line of battle strength that I knew the enemy +would outnumber me when Anderson's corps should arrive in the valley. +I deemed it advisable, therefore, to act with extreme caution, so, +with the exception of a cavalry reconnoissance on the 13th, I +remained on the defensive, quietly awaiting developments. In the +evening of that day the enemy's skirmishers withdrew to Tumbling Run, +his main force remaining inactive behind the intrenchments at +Fisher's Hill waiting for the arrival of Anderson. + +The rumors in regard to the force advancing from Culpeper kept +increasing every hour, so on the morning of the 14th I concluded to +send a brigade of cavalry to Front Royal to ascertain definitely what +was up. At the same time I crossed the Sixth Corps to the south side +of Cedar Creek, and occupied the heights near Strasburg. That day I +received from the hands of Colonel Chipman, of the Adjutant-General's +Department, the following despatch, to deliver which he had ridden in +great haste from Washington through Snicker's Gap, escorted by a +regiment of cavalry: + +"CITY POINT, August 12, 1864--9 A. M. + +"MAJOR-GENERAL HALLECK + +"Inform General Sheridan that it is now certain two (2) divisions of +infantry have gone to Early, and some cavalry and twenty (20) pieces +of artillery. This movement commenced last Saturday night. He must +be cautious, and act now on the defensive until movements here force +them to detach to send this way. Early's force, with this increase, +cannot exceed forty thousand men, but this is too much for General +Sheridan to attack. Send General Sheridan the remaining brigade of +the Nineteenth Corps. + +"I have ordered to Washington all the one-hundred-day men. Their +time will soon be out, but for the present they will do to serve in +the defenses. + +"U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General." + + +The despatch explained the movement from Culpeper, and on the morning +of the 15th Merritt's two remaining brigades were sent to Front Royal +to oppose Anderson, and the Sixth Corps withdrawn to the north side +of Cedar Creek, where it would be in a position enabling me either to +confront Anderson or to act defensively, as desired by General Grant. + +To meet the requirements of his instructions I examined the map of +the valley for a defensive line--a position where a smaller number of +troops could hold a larger number--for this information led me to +suppose that Early's force would greatly exceed mine when Anderson's +two divisions of infantry and Fitzhugh Lee's cavalry had joined him. +I could see but one such position, and that was at Halltown, in front +of Harper's Ferry. Subsequent experience convinced me that there was +no other really defensive line in the Shenandoah Valley, for at +almost any other point the open country and its peculiar topography +invites rather than forbids flanking operations. + +This retrograde movement would also enable me to strengthen my +command by Grower's division of the Nineteenth Corps and Wilson's +cavalry, both of which divisions were marching from Washington by way +of Snicker's Gap. + +After fully considering the matter, I determined to move back to +Halltown, carrying out, as I retired, my instructions to destroy all +the forage and subsistence the country afforded. So Emory was +ordered to retire to Winchester on the night of the 15th, and Wright +and Crook to follow through Winchester to Clifton the next night. + +For the cavalry, in this move to the rear, I gave the following +instructions: + +"....In pushing up the Shenandoah Valley, as it is expected you will +have to go first or last, it is desirable that nothing should be left +to invite the enemy to return. Take all provisions, forage, and +stock wanted for the use of your command. Such as cannot be +consumed, destroy. It is not desirable that buildings should be +destroyed--they should, rather, be protected; but the people should +be informed that so long as an army can subsist among them, +recurrences of these raids must be expected, and we are determined to +stop them at all hazards...." [Grant's letter of instructions.] + + +"HEADQUARTERS MIDDLE MILITARY DIVISION, +"Cedar Creek, Va., August 16, 1864. + +"GENERAL: In compliance with instructions of the Lieutenant-General +commanding, you will make the necessary arrangements and give the +necessary orders for the destruction of the wheat and hay south of a +line from Millwood to Winchester and Petticoat Gap. You will seize +all mules, horses, and cattle that may be useful to our army. Loyal +citizens can bring in their claims against the Government for this +necessary destruction. No houses will be burned, and officers in +charge of this delicate but necessary duty must inform the people +that the object is to make this valley untenable for the raiding +parties of the rebel army. + +"Very respectfully, + +"P. H. SHERIDAN, +"Major-General Commanding. + +"BRIGADIER-GENERAL A. T. A. TORBERT, +"Chief of Cavalry, Middle Military Division." + + +During his visit to General Hunter at the Monocacy, General Grant had +not only decided to retain in the Shenandoah Valley a large force +sufficient to defeat Early's army or drive it back to Lee, but he had +furthermore determined to make that sections by the destruction of +its supplies, untenable for continued occupancy by the Confederates. +This would cut off one of Lee's main-stays in the way of subsistence, +and at the same time diminish the number of recruits and conscripts +he received; the valley district while under his control not only +supplying Lee with an abundance of food, but also furnishing him many +men for his regular and irregular forces. Grant's instructions to +destroy the valley began with the letter of August 5 to Hunter, which +was turned over to me, and this was followed at intervals by more +specific directions, all showing the earnestness of his purpose. + + +"CITY POINT, Va., Aug. 16--3:30 P. M., 1864. +"MAJOR-GENERAL SHERIDAN, Winchester, Va.: + +"If you can possibly spare a division of cavalry, send them through +Loudoun County to destroy and carry off the crops, animals, negroes, +and all men under fifty years of age capable of bearing arms. In +this way you will get many of Mosby's men. All male citizens under +fifty can fairly be held as prisoners of war, not as citizen +prisoners. If not already soldiers, they will be made so the moment +the rebel army gets hold of them. + +"U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General." + + + +"HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES, +"CITY POINT, Aug. 21, 1864. + +"MAJOR-GENERAL SHERIDAN, Charlestown, Va.: + +"In stripping Loudoun County of supplies, etc., impress from all +loyal persons so that they may receive pay for what is taken from +them. I am informed by the Assistant Secretary of War that Loudoun +County has a large population of Quakers, who are all favorably +disposed to the Union. These people may be exempted from arrest. + +"U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General." + + + +"HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES +"CITY POINT, Va., Aug. 26,2:30 P. M. 1864. + +"MAJOR-GENERAL SHERIDAN, Halltown, Va.: + +"Telegraphed you that I had good reason for believing that Fitz Lee +had been ordered back here. I now think it likely that all troops +will be ordered back from the valley except what they believe to be +the minimum number to detain you. My reason for supposing this is +based upon the fact that yielding up the Weldon road seems to be a +blow to the enemy he cannot stand. I think I do not overstate the +loss of the enemy in the last two weeks at 10,000 killed and wounded. +We have lost heavily, mostly in captured when the enemy gained +temporary advantages. Watch closely, and if you find this theory +correct, push with all vigor. Give the enemy no rest, and if it is +possible to follow to the Virginia Central road, follow that far. Do +all the damage to railroads and crops you can. Carry off stock of +all descriptions and negroes, so as to prevent further planting. If +the war is to last another year we want the Shenandoah Valley to +remain a barren waste. + +"U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General. + + + +"HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES, +"CITY POINT, Va., Sept. 4,--10 A. M.--1864. + +"MAJOR-GENERAL SHERIDAN, Charlestown, Va.: + +"In cleaning out the arms-bearing community of Loudoun County and the +subsistence for armies, exercise your own judgment as to who should +be exempt from arrest, and as to who should receive pay for their +stock, grain, etc. It is our interest that that county should not be +capable of subsisting a hostile army, and at the same time we want to +inflict as little hardship upon Union men as possible. + +"U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General." + + + +"CITY POINT, Va., Nov. 9, 1864. +"MAJOR-GENERAL SHERIDAN, Cedar Creek, Va.: + +"Do you not think it advisable to notify all citizens living east of +the Blue Ridge to move out north of the Potomac all their stock, +grain, and provisions of every description? There is no doubt about +the necessity of clearing out that country so that it will not +support Mosby's gang. And the question is whether it is not better +that the people should save what they can. So long as the war lasts +they must be prevented from raising another crop, both there and as +high up the valley as we can control. + +"U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General." + + + +He had rightly concluded that it was time to bring the war home to a +people engaged in raising crops from a prolific soil to feed the +country's enemies, and devoting to the Confederacy its best youth. I +endorsed the programme in all its parts, for the stores of meat and +grain that the valley provided, and the men it furnished for Lee's +depleted regiments, were the strongest auxiliaries he possessed in +the whole insurgent section. In war a territory like this is a +factor of great importance, and whichever adversary controls it +permanently reaps all the advantages of its prosperity. Hence, as I +have said, I endorsed Grant's programme, for I do not hold war to +mean simply that lines of men shall engage each other in battle, and +material interests be ignored. This is but a duel, in which one +combatant seeks the other's life; war means much more, and is far +worse than this. Those who rest at home in peace and plenty see but +little of the horrors attending such a duel, and even grow +indifferent to them as the struggle goes on, contenting themselves +with encouraging all who are able-bodied to enlist in the cause, to +fill up the shattered ranks as death thins them. It is another +matter, however, when deprivation and suffering are brought to their +own doors. Then the case appears much graver, for the loss of +property weighs heavy with the most of mankind; heavier often, than +the sacrifices made on the field of battle. Death is popularly +considered the maximum of punishment in war, but it is not; reduction +to poverty brings prayers for peace more surely and more quickly than +does the destruction of human life, as the selfishness of man has +demonstrated in more than one great conflict. + +In the afternoon of the 16th I started back to Winchester, whence I +could better supervise our regressive march. As I was passing +through Newtown, I heard cannonading from the direction of Front +Royal, and on reaching Winchester, Merritt's couriers brought me word +that he had been attacked at the crossing of the Shenandoah by +Kershaw's division of Anderson's corps and two brigades of Fitzhugh +Lee's cavalry, but that the attack had been handsomely repulsed, with +a capture of two battle-flags and three hundred prisoners. This was +an absolute confirmation of the despatch from Grant; and I was now +more than satisfied with the wisdom of my withdrawal. + +At daylight of the 17th Emory moved from Winchester to Berryville, +and the same morning Crook and Wright reached Winchester, having +started from Cedar Creek the day before. From Winchester, Crook and +Wright resumed their march toward Clifton, Wright, who had the rear +guard, getting that day as far as the Berryville crossing of the +Opequon, where he was ordered to remain, while Crook went ahead till +he reached the vicinity of Berryville. On the afternoon of the 17th +Lowell with his two regiments of troopers came into Winchester, where +he was joined by Wilson's mounted division, which had come by a rapid +march from Snicker's ferry. In the mean time Merritt, after his +handsome engagement with Kershaw near Front Royal, had been ordered +back to the neighborhood of White Post, so that my cavalry outposts +now extended from this last point around to the west of Winchester. + +During all these operations the enemy had a signal-station on Three +Top Mountain, almost overhanging Strasburg, from which every movement +made by our troops could be plainly seen; therefore, early on the +morning of the 17th he became aware of the fact that we were retiring +down the valley, and at once made after us, and about sundown drove +Torbert out of Winchester, he having been left there-with Wilson and +Lowell, and the Jersey brigade of the Sixth Corps, to develop the +character of the enemy's pursuit. After a severe skirmish Wilson and +Lowell fell back to Summit Point, and the Jersey brigade joined its +corps at the crossing of the Opequon. This affair demonstrated that +Early's whole army had followed us from Fisher's Hill, in concert +with Anderson and Fitzhugh Lee from Front Royal, and the two columns +joined near Winchester the morning of the 18th. + +That day I moved the Sixth Corps by way of Clifton to Flowing Spring, +two and a half miles west of Charlestown, on the Smithfield pike; and +Emory, with Dwight's and Grower's divisions (Grower's having joined +that morning from Washington), to a position about the same distance +south of Charlestown, on the Berryville pike. Following these +movements, Merritt fell back to Berryville, covering the Berryville +pike crossing of the Opequon, and Wilson was stationed at Summit +Point, whence he held a line along the Opequon as far north as the +bridge at Smithfield. Crook continued to hold on near Clifton until +the next day, and was then moved into place on the left of Emory. + +This line was practically maintained till the 21st, when the enemy, +throwing a heavy force across the Opequon by the bridge at +Smithfield, drove in my cavalry pickets to Summit Point, and followed +up with a rapid advance against the position of the Sixth Corps near +Flowing Spring. A sharp and obstinate skirmish with a heavy picket- +line of the Sixth Corps grew out of this manoeuvre, and resulted very +much in our favor, but the quick withdrawal of the Confederates left +no opportunity for a general engagement. It seems that General Early +thought I had taken position near Summit Point, and that by moving +rapidly around through Smithfield he could fall upon my rear in +concert with an attack in front by Anderson, but the warm reception +given him disclosed his error, for he soon discovered that my line +lay in front of Charlestown instead of where he supposed. + +In the manoeuvre Merritt had been attacked in front of Berryville and +Wilson at Summit Point, the former by cavalry and the latter by +Anderson's infantry. The exposed positions of Merritt and Wilson +necessitated their withdrawal if I was to continue to act on the +defensive; so, after the army had moved back to Halltown the +preceding night, without loss or inconvenience, I called them in and +posted them on the right of the infantry. + +My retrograde move from Strasburg to Halltown caused considerable +alarm in the North, as the public was ignorant of the reasons for it; +and in the excited state of mind then prevailing, it was generally +expected that the reinforced Confederate army would again cross the +Potomac, ravage Maryland and Pennsylvania, and possibly capture +Washington. Mutterings of dissatisfaction reached me from many +sources, and loud calls were made for my removal, but I felt +confident that my course would be justified when the true situation +was understood, for I knew that I was complying with my instructions. +Therefore I paid small heed to the adverse criticisms pouring down +from the North almost every day, being fully convinced that the best +course was to bide my time, and wait till I could get the enemy into +a position from which he could not escape without such serious +misfortune as to have some bearing on the general result of the war. +Indeed, at this time I was hoping that my adversary would renew the +boldness he had exhibited the early part of the month, and strike for +the north side of the Potomac, and wrote to General Grant on the 20th +of August that I had purposely left everything in that direction open +to the enemy. + +On the 22d the Confederates moved to Charlestown and pushed well up +to my position at Halltown. Here for the next three days they +skirmished with my videttes and infantry pickets, Emory and Cook +receiving the main attention; but finding that they could make no +impression, and judging it to be an auspicious time to intensify the +scare in the North, on the 25th of August Early despatched Fitzhugh +Lee's cavalry to Williamsport, and moved all the rest of his army but +Anderson's infantry and McCausland's cavalry to Kerneysville. This +same day there was sharp picket firing along the whole front of my +infantry line, arising, as afterward ascertained, from a heavy +demonstration by Anderson. During this firing I sent Torbert, with +Merritt's and Wilson's divisions, to Kerrteysville, whence he was to +proceed toward Leetown and learn what had become of Fitz. Lee. + +About a mile from Leetown Torbert met a small force of Confederate +cavalry, and soon after encountering it, stumbled on Breckenridge's +corps of infantry on the march, apparently heading for Shepherdstown. +The surprise was mutual, for Torbert expected to meet only the +enemy's cavalry, while the Confederate infantry column was +anticipating an unobstructed march to the Potomac. Torbert attacked +with such vigor as at first to double up the head of Breckenridge's +corps and throw it into confusion, but when the Confederates realized +that they were confronted only by cavalry, Early brought up the whole +of the four infantry divisions engaged in his manoeuvre, and in a +sharp attack pushed Torbert rapidly back. + +All the advantages which Torbert had gained by surprising the enemy +were nullified by this counter-attack, and he was obliged to withdraw +Wilson's division toward my right, to the neighborhood of Duffield's +Station, Merritt drawing back to the same point by way of the +Shepherdstown ford. Custer's brigade becoming isolated after the +fight while assisting the rear guard, was also obliged to retire, +which it did to Shepherdstown and there halted, picketing the river +to Antietam ford. + +When Torbert reported to me the nature of his encounter, and that a +part of Early's infantry was marching to the north, while Fitzhugh +Lee's cavalry had gone toward Martinsburg, I thought that the +Confederate general meditated crossing his cavalry into Maryland, so +I sent Wilson by way of Harper's Ferry to watch his movements from +Boonesboro', and at the same time directed Averell, who had reported +from West Virginia some days before, to take post at Williamsport and +hold the crossing there until he was driven away. I also thought it +possible that Early might cross the Potomac with his whole army, but +the doubts of a movement like this outweighed the probabilities +favoring it. Nevertheless, to meet such a contingency I arranged to +throw my army on his rear should the occasion arise, and deeming my +position at Halltown the most advantageous in which to await +developments, my infantry was retained there. + +If General Early had ever intended to cross the Potomac, Torbert's +discovery of his manoeuvre put an end to his scheme of invasion, for +he well knew that and success he might derive from such a course +would depend on his moving with celerity, and keeping me in ignorance +of his march till it should be well under way; so he settled all the +present uncertainties by retiring with all his troops about +Kerneysville to his old position at Bunker Hill behind the Opequon, +and on the night of the 26th silently withdrew Anderson and +McCausland from my front at Halltown to Stephenson's depot. + +By the 27th all of Early's infantry was in position at Brucetown and +Bunker Hill, his cavalry holding the outposts of Leetown and +Smithfield, and on that day Merritt's division attacked the enemy's +horse at Leetown, and pressed it back through Smithfield to the west +side of the Opequon. This reconnoissance determined definitely that +Early had abandoned the projected movement into Maryland, if he ever +seriously contemplated it; and I marched my infantry out from +Halltown to the front of Charlestown, with the intention of occupying +a line between Clifton and Berryville the moment matters should so +shape themselves that I could do so with advantage. The night of the +28th Wilson joined me near Charlestown from his points of observation +in Maryland, and the next day Averell crossed the Potomac at +Williamsport and advanced to Martinsburg. + +Merritt's possession of Smithfield bridge made Early somewhat uneasy, +since it afforded opportunity for interposing a column between his +right and left flanks, so he concluded to retake the crossing, and, +to this end, on the 29th advanced two divisions of infantry. A +severe fight followed, and Merritt was forced to retire, being driven +through the village toward Charlestown with considerable loss. As +Merritt was nearing my infantry line, I ordered. Ricketts's division +of the Sixth Corps to his relief, and this in a few minutes turned +the tide, the Smithfield crossing of the Opequon being regained, and +afterward held by Lowell's brigade, supported by Ricketts. The next +morning I moved Torbert, with Wilson and Merritt, to Berryville, and +succeeding their occupation of that point there occurred along my +whole line a lull, which lasted until the 3d of September, being +undisturbed except by a combat near Bunker Hill between Averell's +cavalry and a part of McCausland's, supported by Rodes's division of +infantry, in which affair the Confederates were defeated with the +loss of about fifty prisoners and considerable property in the shape +of wagons and beef-cattle. + +Meanwhile Torbert's movement to Berryville had alarmed Early, and as +a counter move on the 2d of September he marched with the bulk of his +army to Summit Point, but while reconnoitring in that region on the +3d he learned of the havoc that Averell was creating in his rear, and +this compelled him to recross to the west side of the Opequon and +mass his troops in the vicinity of Stephenson's depot, whence he +could extend down to Bunker Hill, continue to threaten the Baltimore +and Ohio railroad, and at the same time cover Winchester. + +The same day I was moving my infantry to take up the Clifton- +Berryville line, and that afternoon Wright went into position at +Clifton, Crook occupied Berryville, and Emory's corps came in between +them, forming almost a continuous line. Torbert had moved to White +Post meanwhile, with directions to reconnoitre as far south as the +Front Royal Pike. + +My infantry had just got fairly into this position about an hour +before sunset, when along Crook's front a combat took place that at +the time caused me to believe it was Early's purpose to throw a +column between Crook and Torbert, with the intention of isolating the +latter; but the fight really arose from the attempt of General +Anderson to return to Petersburg with Kershaw's division in response +to loud calls from General Lee. Anderson started south on the 3d of +September, and possibly this explains Early's reconnoissance that day +to Summit Point as a covering movement, but his rapid withdrawal left +him in ignorance of my advance, and Anderson marched on heedlessly +toward Berryville, expecting to cross the Blue Ridge through Ashby's +Gap. At Berryville however, he blundered into Crook's lines about +sunset, and a bitter little fight ensued, in which the Confederates +got so much the worst of it that they withdrew toward Winchester. +When General Early received word of this encounter he hurried to +Anderson's assistance with three divisions, but soon perceiving what +was hitherto unknown to him, that my whole army was on a new line, he +decided, after some slight skirmishing, that Anderson must remain at +Winchester until a favorable opportunity offered for him to rejoin +Lee by another route. + +Succeeding the discomfiture of Anderson, some minor operations took +place on the part of, Averell on the right and McIntosh's brigade of +Wilson's division on the left, but from that time until the 19th of +September no engagement of much importance occurred. The line from +Clifton to Berryville was occupied by the Sixth Corps and Grower's +and Dwight's divisions of the Nineteenth, Crook being transferred to +Summit Point, whence I could use him to protect my right flank and my +communication with Harper's Ferry, while the cavalry threatened the +enemy's right flank and line of retreat up the valley. + +The difference of strength between the two armies at this date was +considerably in my favor, but the conditions attending my situation +in a hostile region necessitated so much detached service to protect +trains, and to secure Maryland and Pennsylvania from raids, that my +excess in numbers was almost canceled by these incidental demands +that could not be avoided, and although I knew that I was strong, +yet, in consequence of the injunctions of General Grant, I deemed it +necessary to be very cautious; and the fact that the Presidential +election was impending made me doubly so, the authorities at +Washington having impressed upon me that the defeat of my army might +be followed by the overthrow of the party in power, which event, it +was believed, would at least retard the progress of the war, if, +indeed, it did not lead to the complete abandonment of all coercive +measures. Under circumstances such as these I could not afford to +risk a disaster, to say nothing of the intense disinclination every +soldier has for such results; so, notwithstanding my superior +strength, I determined to take all the time necessary to equip myself +with the fullest information, and then seize an opportunity under +such conditions that I could not well fail of success. + + + + +End of this Project Gutenberg of Personal Memoirs of P. H. Sheridan, v1 +By Philip Henry Sheridan + diff --git a/old/1shdn11.zip b/old/1shdn11.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..02a3961 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/1shdn11.zip |