WOODSONVILLE.
Terry, anxious to be doing something, was ordered to lead the regiment
to the front on picket and scouting duty. On the 17th of December,
Brigadier General Hindman led an expedition to Greene river. When
he reached that stream he found the north bank in possession of the
enemy’s outposts. He deployed some infantry skirmishers, who engaged
the enemy at long range but with little effect. Called himself from the
immediate front, he left Colonel Terry in charge with instructions to
decoy the enemy up the hill and away from support to a point where our
infantry and artillery could be used to better advantage.
The enemy allowed themselves to be decoyed, and came across in large
numbers. Terry, however, was not the man to invite visitors and then
leave someone else to entertain them. Sending Ferrell with about
seventy-five men against their left, he led the rest against their
right. We charged, yelling, each man riding as fast as his horse could
go. Terry fell, dying almost instantly.
Ferrell led his force into an open field against a body of the enemy,
who rallied behind a straw stack and such fences as they could find,
pouring a galling fire into us. On our part it was a furious but
disorderly charge of comparatively undrilled men into one of the best
drilled regiments of the Federal army. This was the Thirty-second
Indiana Infantry. The officers and men were Germans, who had probably
learned their tactics in the old country. They were ignorant of the
English language. They were brave fellows, and stood like veterans till
shot down.
In view of the great disparity of the forces engaged and the losses
sustained, this was one of the most remarkable of all the conflicts of
this very remarkable war. One of the very few actions where mounted men
engaged infantry on their own ground. It also shows of what stuff the
Southern volunteer was made. In support of these statements I invite
attention to the official reports. The first is by Colonel Willich.
Omitting some unimportant details, it is as follows:
“But now ensued the most earnest and bloody part of the struggle. With
lightning speed, under infernal yelling, great numbers of Texas Rangers
rushed upon our whole force. They advanced to fifteen or twenty yards
of our lines, some of them even between them, and opened fire with
rifles and revolvers. Our skirmishers took the thing very coolly, and
permitted them to approach very close, when they opened a destructive
fire on them. They were repulsed with severe loss, but only after
Lieutenant Sachs, who left his covered position with one platoon, was
surrounded by about fifty Rangers, several of them demanding of him
three times to give up his sword, and let his men lay down their arms.
He firmly refused, and defended himself till he fell, with three of his
men, before the attack was repulsed.
“Lieutenant Colonel Von Trebra now led on another advance of the center
and left flank, when he drew down upon his forces a second attack
of the Rangers in large numbers, charging into the very ranks, some
dashing through to the rear, which might have proved disastrous.
“In the fight participated three field officers, one staff and sixteen
officers of the line, twenty-three sergeants and 375 men. Our loss is
one officer and ten men dead, twenty-two wounded and five missing.
According to reports of our surgeons several of the wounded are beyond
hope of recovery.”
I have omitted from the foregoing interesting and more or less
instructive details of the parts played by Lieutenant Colonel Von
Trebra, Major Snachenberg, Captain Wilchbilling, Adjutant Schmidt,
Lieutenant Mank and other heroes whose names are hard to spell and
harder to pronounce. Valiant men all, and all doubtless recommended for
promotion. As will be seen hereafter, to fight with the Rangers was to
be in line of advancement in this world or the next.
I now give General Hindman’s report from the Confederate side:
“The firing ceased for about half an hour, and I went in person to
select a suitable place for camp, leaving Colonel Terry in command,
with instructions to decoy the enemy up the hill, where I could use
my infantry and artillery with effect, and be out of the range of the
enemy’s batteries.
“Before returning to the column the fire from the skirmishers
recommenced. The enemy appeared in force on my right and center.
Colonel Terry, at the head of seventy-five Rangers, charged about 300
of the enemy, routed and drove them back, but fell mortally wounded.
A body of the enemy about the same size attacked the Rangers under
Captain Ferrell on the right of the turnpike, and were repulsed with
heavy loss.[1]
[1] Attack was really made by Ferrell on the enemy, advancing under
command of Von Trebra, as Colonel Willich reports.--G.
“My loss in this affair was as follows: Killed, Colonel Terry and three
men of his regiment; dangerously wounded, Lieutenant Morris and three
men of the Texas Rangers; slightly wounded, Captain Walker and three
men of the Texas Rangers and two men of the First Arkansas battalion.”
From General Hindman’s report it will be seen that the Rangers had 150
men in the fight, seventy-five with Terry, seventy-five with Ferrell;
there being, in fact, two charges. Our loss was twelve altogether.
Colonel Willich reported that he had, officers and men, 418 engaged.
He had eleven killed, twenty-two wounded and reported five missing, a
total of thirty-eight; his missing being prisoners in our hands. Thus
150 men charged 418, inflicting a loss of thirty-eight, sustaining a
loss of twelve. Of this number Company D lost five: W. W. Beal and
Frank Loftin killed, L. L. Giles mortally wounded, L. B. Giles and John
R. Henry slightly wounded.
If a complete record could be obtained I believe a similar disparity
of losses would appear in nearly all the engagements in which we bore
a part. The splendid horsemanship of our men, and their skill with
firearms, made them easily superior to any foe they went against. In
this fight our loss was irreparable in the death of our gallant leader.
Had he lived he would, without doubt, have reached the highest rank and
would have achieved a fame second to none. We had other brave leaders,
but none like the matchless Terry.
In the election of officers which followed the death of Terry,
Lieutenant Colonel Lubbock was advanced to the command of the regiment,
and Captain John G. Walker became lieutenant colonel. Lubbock, who was
at that time in bad health, died a few days later. Captain John A.
Wharton was chosen to fill his place.
Wharton was a man of ability, of a distinguished family, liberally
educated, a lawyer and a captivating public speaker. Enterprising and
ambitious, he never forgot during a wakeful moment that the soldier who
survived the war would be a voter. He distinguished himself on many
fields and became, successively, brigadier general and major general.
About this time Lieutenant Morgan of Company D resigned and Fergus
Kyle was elected first lieutenant. Kyle was subsequently promoted to
captain, and made a very efficient officer, distinguishing himself on
many fields.
The regiment now resumed its duty of guarding the front. The weather
was cold, varied with rain, sleet and snow. The men suffered greatly.
Some suffering, as to the weather, I escaped, having received a slight
wound. I was sent to the hospital at Nashville, Tennessee, where I
stayed two days, going from there to the home of a relative, where
I spent nearly seven weeks. In the care of my kindred I had all the
comforts and some of the luxuries of life. I reported for duty just
before the retreat from Bowling Green.
The burial squad informed me that my poor horse, who received some of
the lead intended for his master, and yet had no personal interest
in the row, had five bullet wounds. He fell under me near the straw
stacks. I rode off the field behind John B. Rector, who halted in a
shower of bullets and kindly assisted me to mount.