and raise the question, "where are your trophies?" There is not a true
soldier in our army but will bear me out in my statement.
The enemy were here scattered; some going out through Owen county, while
Morgan himself took the pike toward the Ohio river through Claysville,
crossing the Maysville and Lexington pike at Mayslick, and on through Mt.
Sterling. Col Garrard's brigade following in his trail picking up
stragglers until we lost him in the mountains of eastern Kentucky in his
retreat to Pound Gap.
Thence we returned by way of Lexington to Nicholasville where we camped
for a short time recuperating our men and horses.
Moving to Camp Nelson, we were paid on the 3rd of July, to June 30th 1864.
On the following morning, July 4th, we set out on our long march to
Atlanta, Ga., crossing the Tennessee river at Kingston, passing through
Athens, Cleveland and all the towns between that place and Atlanta,
reaching the works around that place July 24th, and reporting to Gen.
Stoneman to whose command we then belonged.
We were ordered to join him on his expedition to Macon, Ga., which
expedition was to move at 9 o'clock on the following morning.
Lt. Col. Minor, on his return to the regiment after dark, missed his way
and did not join us until about 12 o'clock, thereby the regiment was saved
the dishonor of being made prisoner before Macon, on Gen. Stoneman's
surrender. Company D, however, being his escort, was surrendered with him.
The regiment was immediately put on picket on the left flank of our army.
On the 26th, Col. Garrard's brigade was dismounted and put in the
trenches, the Seventh occupying the extreme left of our army, which
position they held while the terrible engagement of that day took place.
This being the same ground that was so desperately fought over during the
22nd,--the day the gallant McPherson fell.
The next day, we were moved to the right, the Seventh being on the extreme
right during the fierce fight of the 28th,--the rebels making seven
different bayonet charges, and were repulsed each time, by Gen. Howard's
command.
When the grand flank movement commenced on the right, which ultimately
gave us possession of Atlanta, Col. Garrard's brigade bore a conspicuous
part, for there was scarcely a position gained that was not first gained
by Col. Garrard's cavalry, and in many instances we fought the enemy in
front, until the infantry came up and intrenched themselves in our rear.
This being done, they would send a brigade to relieve us, and we would be
placed further out on the flank.
On the first of September, near Rough and Ready Station, which is south of
Atlanta, on the road leading to Macon, Capt. Rankin commanding a battalion
of the Seventh, was the first to find the works evacuated at this point.
On reporting the same to Gen. Thomas, he was ordered to return and go
through the works and gain a high ridge road, about a mile and a half
beyond the intrenchments, and on gaining the road, to take the end leading
toward Atlanta and go as far as he deemed practicable.
On returning to the works, he found it occupied by Gen. Cooper's division
of infantry, with a line of skirmishers in front skirmishing with the
enemy.
Upon reaching this line, the Captain dismounted his battalion, leaving
number four to hold horses, deployed as skirmishers and moved them
directly through the infantry lines, through woods to fields and fields to
woods until they gained the road above mentioned.
This being done, the horses were ordered to be brought forward. The
infantry also came forward and moved along the road leading to the
Station, which was less than one mile off.
Upon the arrival of the horses, the battalion mounted and moved toward
Atlanta.
After proceeding a mile and a half they received a volley from the enemy,
secreted in the woods, whereupon a fight took place which lasted till
dark, resulting in our driving the enemy about a mile and a half further,
after which the Captain returned to his picket post which he had occupied
the night previous, at the crossings of the Atlanta, Jonesboro, Shoal
creek and McDonald roads.
Atlanta was evacuated the following day, and a general engagement took
place at Jonesboro, twenty miles south of Atlanta, resulting in a heavy
loss to both sides.
In the night, the enemy fell back, the cavalry followed to Lovejoy's
Station, six miles further south, being on the left of our army, occupying
the McDonald and Fayetteville road, nine miles south-east of Jonesboro. We
remained at this point on picket one week, where we saw fighting more or
less every day.
Leaving this point, we moved back and went into camp near Decatur, which
is six miles east of Atlanta on the railroad leading to Augusta.
During our campaign in Georgia, we subsisted chiefly upon the country,
which was gathered in by foraging parties, detached for that purpose, and
under the command of an officer.
As a general thing, some of the parties would be skirmishing with the
enemy while the remainder would be gathering forage.
Skirmishing, while in Georgia, was more of an every day business than
otherwise.
When General Hood set his flank machine in operation and was followed by a
portion of General Sherman's command, the Seventh remained at Atlanta with
the 23rd corps, and was engaged in those mammoth foraging expeditions of
which you have read the newspaper accounts.
We continued in this business until Gen. Sherman returned to Atlanta and
commenced his "masterly retreat" on Richmond, via Savanna, Ga., Charleston
and Columbia, S. C., when we turned over our horses and arms to complete
the mounting and arming of Gen. Kilpatrick's cavalry, and returned to
Nashville, arriving there on the 15th of November, 1864.
On the 25th, Col. Garrard was put in command of two regiments, the Seventh
O. V. C. and Tenth Tennessee.
The brigade formerly commanded by Col. Garrard, the Seventh excepted, it
having been assigned to Gen. Kirkpatrick's command prior to our leaving
Atlanta, and accompanied him on the Sherman expedition.
Lt. Col. Minor was put in command of a dismounted cavalry camp near
Nashville, and Capt. Rankin in command of the regiment, by order of Gen.
Wilson, commanding cavalry corps, C. C. M. D. M.
The regiment was mounted, armed and equipped, under the superintendent of
Captain Rankin, and started for Columbia, Tenn.
On reaching Spring Hill, it was ordered to take the left-hand road to
Hardison's Ford, on Duck river, to support Col. Capron, and on reaching
there, found him engaging the enemy at the ford.
The Seventh was formed in columns of squadrons in the rear of two
brigades.
Company A, Captain Ketterman, was sent to watch a crossing a little down
ways the river from where we were.
Companies B and C were ordered to make a scout of three miles on the road
leading to Columbia, under Lieuts. Burton and Shuler.
Company E was ordered to make a scout up the river five miles, under
Lieut. Srofe.
Soon after this, the brigade train was ordered to move out on the road
leading to Franklin, with a guard of one company.
The train had not more than straightened on the road, when Companies B and
C found a strong force of the enemy in their front.
Company E was cut off, the enemy having got between it and the command,
and about the same time the head of the wagon train was attacked which
created a stampede in the train.
Capt. Rankin wheeled two companies into position and moved out to meet the
enemy, ordering Adj't. Mitchell to bring out the remainder as soon as the
wagon train could be got into our rear.
A volley was poured into the enemy by the two companies already in
position and a saber charge was immediately made, the remainder of the
regiment coming into position in time, thereby driving the enemy from the
road and held them in check until the train and the brigade that was
fighting at the river could be got out.
This fighting continued until 9 o'clock, P. M., when Col. Garrard, who had
joined us, ordered the command to fall back.
In this affair the timely action of the Seventh saved the entire brigade
and train from capture, but with the loss of near one hundred men killed,
wounded and captured, including Capt. Ketterman, and the whole of Co. A,
also our regimental colors, for which the enemy had no credit, as it was
captured in the following manner: It being quite dark and everything
having passed the road, the Colonel wished to fall back and asked some one
to go and notify Capt. Rankin, who was a short distance off, of his
movement.
The Color Serg't tendered his services and immediately started on his
mission.
The fighting men at this point were not more than thirty yards apart, and
the Serg't rode directly into the rebel lines and was captured.
The Captain brought off his command and fell back, about six miles across
Flat creek, leaving our dead and wounded on the field.
In this fight, much honor and credit are due to the officers and men of
the Seventh for the bold manner in which they struck the enemy. It was
this that gave us success, for we were far inferior in point of numbers.
Private John Turner of Co. E, deserves especial mention in this, that he
was bearing the guidon of his company, and while running the gauntlet of
the enemy was thrown from his horse, but held fast to his colors and
joined his command, after remaining six days in the enemy's lines,
bringing his colors with him.
On the following day, the most desperate engagement perhaps of the war,
all things considering, of Franklin took place.
The Seventh O. V. C. occupied the left flank of the 23rd A. C., as they
faced the enemy.
We continued our operations on the flank of Gen. Thomas' army until it
reached the fortifications around Nashville.
About the 1st of December, the regiment crossed the Cumberland river and
was engaged in guarding ferries below Nashville, patrolling the country
as far as Harpeth Shoals, and pressing in horses until the 13th, when we
moved to Edgefield opposite Nashville.
Here the cavalry command was reorganized.
The Seventh was assigned to the First Brigade, Sixth Division, Brig-Gen.
Johnson, commanding. Col. Garrard having been returned to his command of
the Seventh, and Col. Harrison, of Indiana, commanding the brigade.
On the 14th, all the cavalry was brought from the north to the south side
of the Cumberland river, and on the following morning, the 15th, at an
early hour, everything was in motion.
Our division occupied the extreme right of our army.
As soon as the fog was sufficiently cleared away we marched through our
breastworks, the Seventh being placed in the reserve.
Soon fighting commenced in the front along the river below the city. (I
should have mentioned that the Sixth Div. had but one brigade in it
mounted and that was the First.)
The rebels were soon driven from their first line of works and contested
every inch of ground with artillery and musketry, but they were steadily
driven back by the two regiments in front of the Seventh.
Up to this time the Seventh had not been engaged.
At two o'clock, P. M., the Seventh was ordered forward and formed on the
right of the road in a cornfield, near the river, and moved forward in
line of battle.
In this field the ground was very wet and soft and there were many ditches
several feet deep, which made it impossible to preserve a correct line,
but we did the best we could under the circumstances, and by the time we
reached the woodland the enemy were in full retreat down the pike.
On seeing this, Col. Garrard ordered a charge by squadrons or companies in
columns of fours, and ordered Captain Rankin's battalion to charge down
the pike and out to the enemy's left.
A universal shout went up from the regiment and at them they went, the
woods being open and favorable for a charge.
This chase was for one and a half miles, and to within one hundred and
fifty yards of a battery which opened on us and compelled us to fall back
near one-fourth of a mile.
The regiment was soon formed and commenced skirmishing with the Johnnies.
Col. Garrard not being satisfied with anything short of the battery which
had caused us such trouble, (it being the battery that had blockaded the
Cumberland river and captured our transports, among them the Prima Donna,
commanded by Capt. Joe. Scott, formerly of Ripley, and had withstood the
combined efforts of our gun-boats and iron-clads to dislodge them,) the
order to have the regiment formed in readiness to make the charge.
The order was first given to Captain Rankin to form his battalion on the
slope of a hill in front of the battery, at a distance of about six
hundred yards.
Co. E, Lt. Srofe, on the right, near the pike; then Co. F, Lt. Boggs, Co.
B, Lt. Burton, Co. C, Lt. Archer, and Co. A, Lt. Derstine.
These companies were formed in fair musket range, and their battery was
cutting the timber all around us, yet the men stood firm and unflinching.
The order of charge was by squadrons in columns of fours.
This battallion was to charge the center and to move first, Capt. Eylar
was to charge down the pike with two companies, I and M, Capt. Hall was to
cross the creek at its mouth and charge on the right with three companies,
H, K and L.
Everything being in readiness, the word "forward!" was given.
The center battalion moved first at a walk then at a trot.
By this time the storm of leaden hail from musketry and iron missiles from
the battery began to come thick and fast about us.
A shout went up and off the boys went at full speed through the fences,
down steep banks and across the creek, over a narrow ridge and another
creek and up to within fifty yards of the battery, when suddenly a large
force of the rebel infantry raised from behind a barricade of rails and
poured a deadly fire into our columns.
Captain Eylar was repulsed on the bridge, and Capt. Hall failed to cross
the creek at its mouth, therefore Captain Rankin was compelled to fall
back to his former position.
We dismounted and went at them again on foot. Their musketry was too high,
their grape and cannister too low, creating however, considerable
mortality among the horses.
Capt. Rankin was sent to signal the gunboats to come down, which they did.
Our own battery, the 4th U. S., opened on them with twelve pounders and
compelled them to leave their position, the gunboats sending a few shots
up the ravine after them, added speed to their flight.
They left four pieces of artillery in the woods, which we have the credit
of capturing.
On the morning of the 16th, at 4 o'clock, everything was in readiness for
a forward move.
We continued our pursuit on the Charlotte pike for a few miles to where
the enemy had camped. At this point the enemy had left the pike and took a
dirt road.
We followed this road about seven miles, and found several wagons and one
piece of artillery stuck in the mud.
Here a halt was made, and Captain Rankin was ordered with his battalion to
move across the country, through the fields or otherwise and endeavor to
reach the Harding pike. This being accomplished, the Captain sent the
following dispatch to Col. Garrard:
"COLONEL--I hold the Harding pike at the brick church and where the
Franklin road crosses the said pike. Gen. Chalmer's division passed this
point, taking the Franklin road, this A. M. They left some wagons here. As
soon as the command could be brought up, our pursuit was continued, the
Fifth Iowa Cavalry being in the advance. Skirmishing soon commenced but
nothing of importance occurred on this day's march, except taking a few
prisoners, twelve being the largest number at any one time."
Night coming on, we went into camp. The next morning, the 17th, our
regiment took the advance, Capt. Eylar having the right of the regiment.
The pursuit was vigorously prosecuted, so much so that orderlies were sent
forward several times to request Col. Garrard not to move so fast, but all
to no purpose, for skirmishing had already commenced, and it is an utter
impossibility to hold the Colonel back when a fight is in progress.
On we went, crossing the big Harpeth river below Franklin.
Skirmishing became quite lively, as we neared the town, but we steadily
pressed them back until we arrived in full view of the town.
Capt. Rankin was ordered to take his battalion and move to the right and
occupy some buildings in the suburbs.
Here the enemy was discovered, drawn up in three lines of battle, but
manifesting no disposition to fight save by artillery which threw a few
shells at us.
The enemy seeing our advance taking position in so close proximity to
them, about faced and commenced moving off.
Col. Garrard on seeing this movement of the enemy ordered a charge.
Capt. Rankin's battalion was on the extreme right and Company E on the
right of the battalion.
Now for the charge. The order was given to forward, and as soon as we
crossed a small stream, it was increased to full speed.
Some columns passed through the principal streets, while others passed to
the right and left of the town, and on reaching the first line of works
beyond the town we captured a great many of the enemy who had taken
position there.
At four hundred yards distant from their works, the enemy had planted a
battery, and as soon as the confused mass we were driving could be got
away, they opened up on us, but to no purpose, for we were now behind our
outer line of works.
The works were also thrown up by our men on the retreat from Columbia, but
were not so formidable as the first near the town.
In this position we fought the enemy more than one hour without receiving
aid from any quarter whatever.
So rapid were the movements of the 7th and so far were they in advance of
our own brigade that our battery moved to the point first held by Captain
Rankin's battalion and mistaking us for the enemy commenced shelling us.
The shells fell in close proximity to the battallion which had been sent
out to watch and guard against any movements of the enemy to flank our
position.
The firing was kept up until Captain Rankin's battalion had to be removed,
and had scarcely been placed in position on the left of the pike, when a
battery belonging to Gen. Hatch's division opened on us from a fort on the
opposite side of the river.
At this, Col. Garrard ordered the regiment to form in close column of
squadrons in a low piece of ground to get out of their range, but the
first being on very high ground, our position was a very hazardous one.
We were quickly deployed into line, took up our former position behind our
works and again engaged the enemy.
A fire was kept up by our battery until a courier could be sent to stop
it.
Thus did the 7th stand for more than an hour, firm and unshaken, with the
enemy's battery playing on their front at four hundred yards distant, and
two of our own playing on their rear.
By this time, Gen. Hatch's Division moved up and flanked the Johnnies on
our left and they lit out again, losing their artillery and many
prisoners.
Here Col. Harrison commanding our brigade, congratulated Colonel Garrard
on the success of the 7th, and remarked, "you have done enough for one
day, I will throw the 5th Iowa in advance and you can fall in the
reserve."
We moved out two miles and went into camp on a road to the right of the
Columbia road.
The 5th Iowa was sent on further with orders to go across the country to
intercept the enemy and if possible to capture their battery, while
Hatch's Division pressed their rear.
A stand was made by the enemy between 6 and 7 o'clock p. m., in which they
lost one thousand prisoners besides their killed and wounded and four
pieces of artillery. Thus ended the third day's operation.
On the 17th of December nothing of interest occurred except the usual
amount of skirmishing and gathering in of stragglers from a retreating
army until the 25th of December, (Christmas day), our brigade had the
advance and the 5th Iowa the advance of the brigade.
Skirmishing commenced but we drove the rebels back, and through Pulaski.
Just beyond the place is a large stream called Richland creek, spanned by
a large covered bridge.
A charge was made by a portion of the 5th Iowa, but they were repulsed.
The enemy ran six pieces of artillery into the creek without even spiking
them. They also run three pieces into Duck river. They fired the bridge in
several places.
Capt. Rankin was ordered to move forward with his battalion and if
possible put the fire out.
The battallion set out at a brisk trot until near the bridge when they
dismounted and made a rush for it, gathering from the houses along the
road tubs, buckets, pans and everything else available, for carrying and
throwing water on the flames, which had already penetrated to the roof in
several places.
By the timely arrival of this battalion the bridge was saved with but
little damage except to the roof.
In passing through the town we found several places where amunition had
been piled and burnt.
On the railroad near the bridge were several cars laden with amunition,
and loaded muskets, all surrounded by fire, and the discharge of these
muskets was a matter of considerable annoyance to our men while working at
the bridge.
Our advance soon crossed to the opposite side of the stream, even before
the flames were extinguished.
Captain Rankin was left to complete the work.
The enemy had made a halt a short distance beyond and in plain view of the
bridge seeing that they had been foiled in their attempt to burn the
bridge, now commenced firing their amunition in heaps all along their line
and their main column began to move leaving a few skirmishers in the rear,
but not however, without receiving a few shots from the 4th regular
battery which was attached to our brigade.
The fire being put out on the bridge and every thing being in readiness,
we moved on, the 5th Iowa being deployed as skirmishers.
They soon struck the enemy's rear driving them before them.
A mile further we came to two abandoned wagons loaded with amunition.
We passed to the right of them and when opposite the explosion took place
and thousands of blue blazes could be seen shooting heavenward. It was a
magnificent sight. A few hundred yards further on were two wagons of the
same kind and the same scene occurred.
Now the country became mountainous and the valleys were reduced to narrow
passes between hills, and the enemy became more stubborn and resentful
taking possession of every available position to plant their batteries,
and impede our progress, and in short when they reached the broken country
they did not drive worth a cent.
But by moving through the woods, thickets and underbrush and over the
hills and rocks, and tearing our clothes almost at every step we succeeded
in driving them about six miles beyond Pulaski.
At this point they made a bold stand upon a high hill, and behind
barricades of logs and rails.
Some time was spent in skirmishing and getting the brigade into position.
The 7th was on the right and not finding anything formidable in our front
we mounted and moved by file down a very steep hill. On the opposite side
of the valley, two-thirds of the way up met a few skirmishers.
The regiment was then thrown into columns of squadrons, preparatory to
fighting on foot.
Capt. Rankin's battalion being in advance moved out by the right and at
once engaged the enemy's skirmishers which were not more than thirty yards
in advance of his line, and finding that the enemy's line extended far
beyond his right, reported the same to Col. Garrard.
Here the Col. ordered him to take company F in order to extend his line
further out.
This company had hardly been put in position when our line gave way on the
left and center and a grand rush was made by the enemy on our right
causing us to drop back. Now the driving was all on the other side.
We had found out for the first time that our line was not more than thirty
yards from their main line, and our led horses two hundred and fifty yards
from their battery which had all been concealed up to this time. This
battery opened fire cutting the timber over our horses and at the same
time a charge was made upon us.
The enemy proved to be eight brigades of infantry as we learned from a
prisoner who was a little more daring than his comrades and followed a
little too close on our retreating line. Upon noticing him, one of the
boys 'bout faced and took the chap in.