MARCH TO CHATTANOOGA--BATTLE OF CHICKAMAUGA.
On the 20th of August, 1863, Colonel Dan. McCook's brigade, belonging
to Steedman's division of Granger's reserves, marched from Nashville in
a southerly direction. The design of this move was to repair the
Nashville and Decatur railroad. On its route the brigade stopped a
short time at Brentwood, where it had been encamped some two months
previous. Summer had made a vast change in this place. Fruits were
ripe, and we partook freely, on the score of old acquaintance.
From Brentwood the brigade continued the march to Franklin, where it
also remained a short time in order to complete the necessary
arrangements to repair the railroad. Franklin is an old fashioned
Southern town, and a place of much historic interest on account of the
tragic scenes that have transpired there. Various battles have been
fought there, and two notorious spies were hung. One regiment of the
brigade was left at that place, and the rest strung along the road
further down. The Eighty-sixth was stationed at West Harpeth, where it
began getting out timber with which to repair a bridge. Details were at
work every day chopping and hewing, but it was not long till it
received orders to discontinue the work and prepare for a march. West
Harpeth is situated some eight miles south from Franklin in a fine
portion of the country. The regiment was there in the fruit season of
the year, enjoying soldier life in the first degree, for plenty sat
smiling on every hand. And here it celebrated its first anniversary,
Mr. Millsaps, who was afterwards its Chaplain, delivering an address
suitable to the occasion.
From West Harpeth the Eighty-sixth took up the line of march for
Columbia. On its route it passed through Spring Hill, a very noted
place. It was here that Gen. Van Dorn, of the Confederate army, was
shot for a gross insult extended to the wife of a prominent doctor.
On the evening of the 28th of August the regiment reached Columbia,
Tenn., where it joined the brigade which had arrived there a short time
previous, taking up quarters in the outskirts of the town until the
30th, when it was taken into it as a garrison. The remainder of the
brigade continued the march in the direction of Huntsville, leaving the
Eighty-sixth with orders to follow up as soon as relieved by a command
of mounted infantry on its road from Kentucky. Columbia was a handsome
place and of much interest. James K. Polk had lived there, and Gen.
Pillow's plantation was not far distant from it. It had also several
fine literary institutions, one of which continued in operation while
the regiment was staying there. It was at Columbia Colonel Magee
procured the famous whistle that ever afterwards remained with the
regiment. By the mandates of this little instrument, in the hands of
its successive commanders, the actions of the Eighty-sixth were
controlled. It would advance, halt, retreat, lie down and get up, as
designated by this tiny whistle. Other regiments have prided themselves
in their eagles and pets, and the Eighty-sixth too, had long since
concluded she "paid too dear for the whistle," not to cherish it in
lasting remembrance. In years hence, when all things else will seem to
have passed away, memory will not prove recreant to the faithful friend
of all--the tiny whistle.
The regimental officers held an election here, and voted Captain A. L.
Fahnestock Major of the regiment, though it was a long time after this
before he was commissioned. The desired relief came on the 3rd of
September, and the 86th took up the march on the 4th, following up the
brigade, which by this time had reached Huntsville. The 28th Kentucky
mounted infantry relieved us.
The weather was warm and the command marched slowly, feeling its way as
it went. Colonel Magee did a good part by his men, always keeping their
good and comfort in view; he would not compel them to overmarch
themselves for personal gratification or that of his superiors, though
always prompt in the execution of orders.
The regiment was now alone, surrounded by all manner of enemies. The
brigade, on its passage down, was fired upon from houses in the little
village of Lynnville, it now becoming a question whether a single
regiment could make the passage at all. For the purpose of warding off
all danger, the regiment observed the following order of march: One
company two hundred yards in advance of the main column, and two
companies in rear of the regimental train. It passed through Lynnville,
the scene of former disturbances, without molestation, and camped near
it.
Col. McCook had issued an order to the citizens, declaring that for
every life taken by concealed enemies he would retaliate on the
country. This order had a good effect, for afterwards a citizen would
not harbor a guerrilla or bushwhacker.
The members of the Eighty-sixth will not forget how they transcended
the liberties of the Colonel, while camped at Lynnville, by killing
hogs in camp, and raising "Ned" generally--the lecture they received in
consequence will not be forgotten. He admonished them never to permit a
rebel hog to be too insinuating without the proper chastisement, and at
the same time not to be too noisy and reckless, thus exposing him to
the reprimand of his superiors.
The next place of encampment was at Pulaski, a small town that lay
almost in ruins from some cause or other. A novel incident occurred
here respecting a couple of doctors. The first one tried to elude the
advance guard by riding off in break-neck style, but he was
apprehended, brought before Colonel Magee, and examined. He declared
his object to be to save his favorite pony and nothing more; he was of
course released, but on further suspicion of being a spy, was searched
for, but could not be found. The other doctor came into camp of his own
accord, and going to the surgeon's tent, asked for a dose of morphine;
whereupon, seeing a good opportunity, he stole the whole bottle, and
putting it in his hat walked off. He was detected, arrested, and taken
before the Colonel. He plead insanity and such like things to no
purpose, but was tied up to a tree and made to suffer punishment. No
one can rightly determine the object of these two men; they were
doubtless enlisted sons of the Southern chivalry intent upon mischief.
The march was continued the next day from Pulaski, crossing Elk river
at a place known as Elktown, the boys dismantling themselves and
wading, as the bridge had been destroyed. Four miles beyond this stream
is the State line, the regiment marching there and camping for the
night near a beautiful brook of water.
On the 7th of September, it crossed the line and camped twelve miles
south of it. The next day it reached Huntsville, and passing through,
took up quarters in the outskirts. The Eighty-sixth was the only Union
troops in the vicinity, the brigade having passed on, leaving orders
for it to follow immediately. When night came on, the Colonel became
uneasy, for citizens reported a force of the enemy near at hand. Upon
this intelligence he moved his command into town, and took up position
on the square. Companies were stationed in the different streets
leading to it, in anticipation of a surprise. The night passed in
suspense, but no enemy appeared.
Huntsville was a beautiful town with a fine location. It was, before
the war, the mart of Northern Alabama. There is a large and handsome
spring there, well worth the visit of the tourist and passer-by. By its
own force it runs machinery which pumps water for the whole town in
sufficient quantity.
The regiment greatly disliked to leave this place, and, in after times,
when it was wont to wish itself in some pleasant abode, it would fondly
revert to Huntsville. But, early on the morning of the 10th, it took up
the line of march for Stevenson, Alabama, where it expected it would
certainly join the brigade. It had not marched from Huntsville more
than three miles when a soldier from Company H, Mr. Church by name,
while walking in the woods near the road, espied a squad of concealed
bushwhackers, whereupon he fired at them, and killed one. The dead body
was brought to the road and left in plain view, being labeled with
these words: "A bushwhacker." A great number of negroes--men, women and
children, of every age and size, of every hue of the skin from yellow
to concentrated blackness, followed out from Huntsville, presenting a
jolly scene.
The march to Bridgeport attaches nothing of much importance to it, only
the usual occurring incidents. The sick and barefooted were left at
Brownville, to be transported from thence to Stevenson on the cars,
where they joined the command. The regiment reached Bridgeport on the
14th, where it received a mail--the first since Columbia. The brigade
had gone on from this place to Chattanooga, to join General Rosecrans'
army, which was on the eve of battle with Bragg.
On the morning of the 15th, the regiment left Bridgeport, and on the
evening of the 16th, tired and worn out, it crossed Lookout mountain,
and joined the brigade at Rossville, six miles south from Chattanooga.
In this vicinity was collected a large army, and the great battles that
succeeded were imminent. Here ended these hard marches after so long a
time. The Eighty-sixth had been in the campaign nearly twenty-seven
days, seventeen of which it formed its own company, having passed over
the hostile country lying between Columbia and Chattanooga, which was
infested with strong bands of guerrillas of the most desperate kind,
without the loss of a man. It was now much fatigued and hoped to have a
short respite from its labors--but not so, something of a more terrible
nature was forthcoming--the bloody battle of Chickamauga. General Bragg
turned on our forces under Rosecrans, on the 16th of September, on the
17th, skirmishing began, and on the 18th, very hard skirmishing and
some fighting came off. It was on the 18th that the brigade, under
command of Colonel Dan. McCook, was sent out to the Chickamauga creek
to burn a bridge, which it successfully accomplished. A force of the
enemy came near capturing it, having nearly surrounded it. During the
fight that ensued, it lost a good many men. On the evening of the 19th,
the brigade returned to Rossville, afterwards moving out on the road
leading to McAfee church, and took up position just inside the
Rossville Gap. Here it remained in readiness for any emergency, all the
night of the 19th.
Our corps, commanded by General Gordon Granger, was held in reserve at
this battle, and was not generally engaged on the 19th. The battle of
the 19th was a hard contested one, and, when night came, the advantages
were about equal. The enemy were vastly superior in numbers, in about
the ratio of five to three, making him buoyant and desperate on this
day and the next. On the next day, the 20th of September, the fate of
Chickamauga was to be decided.
The battle commenced at half-past eight A.M., the effort of the enemy
being, as on the previous day, to turn the left flank of our army, and
then gain access to the Lafayette and Chattanooga road. Thomas, who was
in command at the left, was hard pressed from the start, and General
Rosecrans directed him to hold on, assuring him that he should be
reinforced if necessary, by the entire army. Our brigade was moved,
early on the morning of the 20th, from its position of the night
previous, and marched out on the left wing of the army to an old
church, known as the McAfee church. Here it maneuvered about on the
left flank of the army, taking different positions, in readiness for
the expected advance of the enemy in that quarter. The battle continued
to rage furiously on our right. From some misunderstanding, there was a
gap left in the line of battle on the right centre of the army. The
rebels instantly worked into this breach, striking our troops in flank
and rear, throwing them into complete confusion, from which they never
recovered till they reached Rossville. Seven brigades, or about
one-fourth of our entire force, were thus swept away by this
misfortune, and though the loss in killed and wounded was not very
heavy, and that in prisoners less than would have been expected, they
were effectually cut off from rendering further aid to the rest of the
army during that day. Among those in this rout, were, without fault of
their own, Major-Generals Rosecrans, McCook, and Crittenden. Each made
repeated efforts to join the main body, but in vain, and finally fell
back to Rossville, whence General Rosecrans sent his chief of staff,
General Garfield, to ascertain how Thomas was succeeding in holding the
rebels at bay, and himself, with Generals McCook and Crittenden, went
on to Chattanooga, to secure the trains and put the city in a state of
defense, if, as he feared, the army should be driven to retreat
thither. The rout on the right wing took place about one o'clock P.M.
Notwithstanding the break on the right, General Thomas, though opposed
by a force at least five to two, stood grim and defiant, resisting the
repeated assaults upon his lines with a persistency never surpassed.
From two o'clock till sunset, a terrible battle raged along Thomas'
line. About two in the afternoon, our brigade was ordered to the
assistance of Thomas, it then being some three miles to his left, and
going this distance on the double-quick. The General saw a cloud of
dust in the direction we were coming, and, it is said, he was uneasy at
first, not knowing whose forces they were, Confederate or Union. A
messenger was sent to ascertain who they were and whence they came.
When the brigade arrived and was taking up position, the enemy opened a
furious fire upon it, and had it advanced a short distance further,
would certainly have been captured. When the brigade got into position,
Battery I, replied with spirit to the fire of the enemy, which, by this
time, had got the right range on us. Our position now became fairly
hideous; the woods roared and the very heavens quaked, while shot and
shell filled the air with frightful sounds. The grass and woods between
our brigade and the enemy had caught fire, which conspired to make our
position more disagreeable than ever, though it doubtless saved us a
hard fight, for the rebels would not advance through it.
The other two brigades of our division, still on our right, led by
General Steedman in person, rushed upon the enemy in a furious charge,
which was passing through a low gap to the rear and flank of Brannan's
position. The shock was terrible; and for a time, as the opposing
forces met in a hand-to-hand fight, success swayed from side to side;
in a few minutes more the enemy was repulsed, and dared not make the
attempt again. A thousand of these brave men fell, killed or wounded,
in that brief half hour's struggle; but they held the gap.
When night came, the battle ceased, everything becoming still and
hushed. The enemy now fell back, leaving the field of battle in
possession of General Thomas; but finding the ammunition, food and
water necessary for his men were exhausted, the General withdrew with
his troops about midnight to Rossville, where they arrived in good
order. McCook's brigade was the last that left the field, and the
Eighty-sixth, the last regiment. It was after one o'clock at night when
it passed the Rossville Gap and went into camp. There laid down to
sleep that night a tired set of men, the fatigues of the day having
almost overcome them. Many a brave comrade fell on the bloody field of
Chickamauga; and another such would have ruined our army.
On the next day, the 31st, our brigade took a position on the right of
Rossville Gap. A strong force was left here to keep back the enemy till
the army could fall back on Chattanooga. The rebels pushed buoyantly
forward and opened on us a heavy cannonade. Our forces held the gap
until night, when they abandoned it, and retreated on Chattanooga. Our
brigade arrived in Chattanooga very late at night, and after much
changing about, took up position and laid down to rest.
Here ends the battle and the retreat, a stirring epoch in our history.
During this battle, the regiment had the honor of conducting itself in
a praiseworthy manner. There is but one exception, and that is
personal. It was the case of Major O. Fountain, who conducted himself
in a disrespectful manner by becoming intoxicated. On this account he
was soon afterwards recommended for a discharge, which was duly
furnished him. Major Fountain had many qualifications of a good
soldier, and previous to this, had conducted himself in a proper
manner.
After the battle, our brigade remained in Chattanooga three days,
during which time it was formed in line and held as a reserve. The
enemy was hourly expected to pounce upon our forces and attempt to
regain the place, for unless they did, no real advantages were gained
by their successes at Chickamauga. Our troops were not disheartened or
hopeless, but eager and determined to conquer in a second engagement.
The enemy, however, was severely punished, otherwise he would have
followed up his successes.