Murfreesboro--General Greene--The Mule Brigade--Congratulatory.
While at Murfreesboro scouts reported that Wheeler’s cavalry was in
the vicinity, and the Second division (Geary’s) was pushed forward to
meet it, the First division remaining to guard the post and railway
communication. Geary moved forward in the direction of Bridgeport,
encountering Wheeler’s force near the line of the railway. A brief but
sharp skirmish ensued, which resulted in the repulse and hasty retreat
of the rebels. We then advanced without delay to Bridgeport. October
27th the Second division, Geary commanding, with Creighton and Greene
in command of the First and Second brigades, crossed the Tennessee, the
object to open communication on the south side of the river by way of
Wauhatchie valley and Lookout mountain for the relief of General Thomas
at Chattanooga.
Brigadier-general Greene, with three regiments of infantry and four
pieces of Knapp’s battery, numbering about fifteen hundred men, with
a wagon train of provisions, was sent to the relief of the famishing
army at Chattanooga, the balance of our command following as fast as
practicable with the immense supply train in charge. After we had
encamped for the night the signal corps of General Greene informed
us that his command had encamped at Wauhatchie, within six miles of
Chattanooga. The knoll occupied by them derived its name from an Indian
battle fought there years before. It is situated in the valley not far
from the base of Lookout mountain. Knapp’s guns were placed in position
facing Lookout, and pickets stationed perhaps fifty yards to the front.
About midnight General Hood’s division came down from the heights of
Lookout and quietly surrounded General Greene’s small force, and at
once commenced an attack. Greene’s men, aroused from their slumber,
hastily formed line under a most deadly fire from all sides, and one
of the most desperate struggles on record ensued. We were awakened by
the sound of the distant combat, and forming into line hastily advanced
to their rescue. When we arrived Hood’s rebels had been routed and
were flying in all directions, intent only on reaching their mountain
stronghold. There was a regular stampede of the mules, which had broken
loose and were braying furiously. This, with loud shouts from our men,
must have induced a belief in the valorous rebel horde that a large
force of cavalry was charging down upon them, and their fears and
flight was indeed a grand burlesque finale to a terrible tragedy.
General Greene had lost one-third of his force, killed and wounded,
his ammunition was exhausted, and ordering the mules cut loose, he
made a desperate bayonet charge to cut his way to freedom. The mules
providentially moved in the same direction, mingling the thunder of
their tread and their awful voices with the shouts of Greene’s men, and
our own, to let them know that assistance was coming. The effect was to
throw Hood’s rebel army into a wild panic and put them to rout. Three
hundred prisoners and about one thousand stand of arms were captured.
Every man of Knapp’s battery, save one only, was either killed or
wounded. Among the former was Lieutenant Geary, son of General John W.
Geary. The ground was covered with the dead and injured of both the
blue and the gray.
While assisting the wounded and burying the dead, Generals Grant,
Hooker, and Thomas, with their respective staffs, arrived from
Chattanooga. The former coolly remarked as he surveyed the bloody
scene: “Well, boys, you must have had a hot time of it, judging from
appearances.” There was silence among the men, who knew that an army
was cosily reposing but four miles away, which could easily have
averted the terrible bloodshed, but were so completely disheartened
by the defeat at Chickamauga that they dare not venture from their
stronghold to the relief of gallant “Corporal” Greene, who happily
turned defeat into a heroic victory.
The following lines, composed by one of our command, fully relates the
grand finale and
CHARGE OF THE MULE BRIGADE.
Half a mile, half a mile,
Half a mile onward,
Right towards the Georgia troops
Broke the two hundred.
“Forward the Mule Brigade,
Charge for the rebs!” they neighed;
Straight for the Georgia troops
Broke the two hundred.
“Forward the Mule Brigade!”
Was there a mule dismayed?
Not when the long ears felt
All their ropes sundered.
Theirs not to make reply;
Theirs not to reason why;
Theirs but to make them fly;
On to the Georgia troops
Broke the two hundred.
Mules to the right of them,
Mules to the left of them,
Mules behind them
Pawed, neighed, and thundered.
Breaking their own confines,
Breaking through Longstreet’s lines,
Into the Georgia troops
Stormed the two hundred.
Wild all their eyes did glare,
Whisked all their tails in air,
Scatt’ring the chivalry there,
While all the world wondered.
Not a mule’s back bestraddled,
Yet how they all skedaddled;
Fled every Georgian
Unsabred, unsaddled,
Scattered and sundered.
How they were routed there
By the two hundred.
Mules to the right of them,
Mules to the left of them.
Mules behind them
Pawed, neighed, and thundered;
Followed by hoof and head
Full many a hero fled,
Fain in the last ditch dead;
Back from an “ass’s jaw,”
All that was left of them--
Left by the two hundred.
When can their glory fade?
Oh! the wild charge they made!
All the world wondered.
Honor the charge they made,
Honor the Mule Brigade--
Long-eared two hundred.
Major-general George H. Thomas issued an order complimenting the column
under Major-general Hooker, which took possession of the line from
Bridgeport to the foot of Lookout Mountain, for their brilliant success
in driving the enemy from every position which they attacked. The
repulse by General Geary’s command of the greatly superior numbers who
attempted to surprise him, will rank among the most distinguished feats
of arms of the war.
We moved forward the next evening, and threw up a line of works on the
site of this night attack.