THE SEVENTH JOINS GRANT'S ARMY.--THE BATTLES OF LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN,
MISSION RIDGE, AND RINGGOLD.
After remaining for some time at Bridgeport, the regiment was ordered
to the vicinity of Lookout Mountain. It marched to the little village
of Wahatcha, at the base of this mountain, and went into camp. It
remained, however, but a short time, and then returned to Bridgeport,
where it went into permanent camp.
Late in the fall, General Grant had perfected his arrangements to
attack the rebel stronghold on Lookout Mountain; and, as a preparatory
measure, his vast army was concentrated in the vicinity of Chattanooga.
An immense quantity of stores had been gathered, while garrisons were
placed at points to be held for the purpose of keeping up communication
with the army after its advance. Early in November, the Seventh left
its quarters in Alabama, and joined the grand army.
On the 24th of November, the army was set in motion. The Seventh passed
up the northern slope of the mountain, and crossing Lookout Creek,
formed in line of battle. It now steadily advanced, arriving at the
rebel camp to find it in the hands of our men. But desultory firing was
kept up by the rebel sharpshooters concealed in the timber and behind
rocks on the summit of the mountain. The regiment was now ordered on
picket. Passing around to the east side of the mountain, it was fired
upon by the enemy; but owing to their being entirely hidden from view
by the dense fog that had settled over the combatants, it did not
return the fire, but secured a safe harbor behind rocks and trees. This
fire was kept up for nearly two hours, with a loss to the regiment of
only four men wounded. Before night the regiment was relieved from duty
and marched to the rear, bivouacking in a peach orchard.
About ten A.M. of the 25th, it moved down the opposite side of the
mountain, and passing through a small valley, soon reached Mission
Ridge. Without halting, the command moved steadily up this mountain,
and on arriving on its summit, found that the rebels had fled. Passing
into another valley, it bivouacked for the night. On the 26th, the
command moved to the vicinity of Pigeon Mountain, where it remained
till the following day. Early on the morning of the 27th, it moved on
to Ringgold, Georgia, where it found the enemy securely posted on
Taylor's Ridge. On arriving in this town, the brigade was ordered to
scale the mountain. It was formed on the railroad, in two lines of
battle; the second line being ordered to preserve a distance of one
hundred yards. Two Pennsylvania regiments formed the first line, and
the Sixty-sixth and Seventh Ohio the second line; the Seventh being on
the left. The enemy soon discovered the intention of our troops, and
made his dispositions to meet the attack by extending his right. As
soon as the advance began, the enemy opened fire. Arriving at the foot
of the hill, the first line halted to return the fire, and the second
line passed through. The Seventh now moved into a ravine, where it was
exposed to a terrible fire from the front and both flanks, but it
pressed on without firing a shot. Arriving almost on the crest of the
hill, the fire became too effective for even these gallant veterans to
withstand, and the line gave way, fighting as it went. In this manner,
the surviving few reached the foot of the hill.
This engagement was short, but terrible in its results to the regiment.
It may be said that with this struggle its star of glory began to
fade--its pride and spirit were broken. But one officer escaped
uninjured, while many were killed. The number of men in the action was
two hundred and six, of whom fourteen was killed and forty-nine
wounded.
For what purpose this handful of men were ordered to storm the enemy's
position on the hill has never been explained. There was no artillery
used to cover the assault, without which it was impossible to carry the
position with such a force, and hazardous to attempt it with any.
Within a short distance there was a large amount of artillery, which
could have been placed in position, after which Taylor's Ridge would
have been untenable by the enemy. On seeing such dispositions being
made, he would probably have anticipated the movement, and fled without
firing a gun. But thus far Hooker and his almost invincible corps had
carried every thing before them. This success seemed to bring with it a
contempt for the rebel soldiers, which finally resulted in the great
disaster at Taylor's Ridge. A good general will resist the influences
growing out of success, and not be led by these to undertake
impossibilities, and by such rashness endanger that which he has
already gained. It requires greater self-control to resist the
temptations following victory, than to overcome the demoralizing
influences of defeat. Victory must never elate a general, while defeat
must never depress him.
After this battle, an unsuccessful attempt was made to get the regiment
ordered home. But the response of Halleck, to a similar application,
made after the battle of Cedar Mountain, was reiterated. "No!" said the
old warrior; "not so long as there is a lame drummer-boy left; not if
you will send us a whole new regiment in place of this handful. We know
these men--they are just such as we want." This compliment, from an
officer who was in command of all of the armies of the United States,
was worth many a hard march, as well as battle.
The following is a list of the killed and wounded in the three battles
of Lookout Mountain, Mission Ridge, and Taylor's Ridge:
_Killed._--Colonel W. R. Creighton; Lieutenant-Colonel O. J. Crane;
Adjutant Moris Baxter; second-lieutenants, Isaac C. Jones and Joseph
Cryne; sergeants, J. C. Corlet, William Van Wye; corporals, Alfred
Austin, W. H. Bennett; privates, C. F. King, C. E. Wall, D. P. Wood, J.
L. Fish, Thomas Sweet, Oliver Grinels, Lawrence Remmel, H. Hanson, J.
H. Merrill, William Pfuel.
_Wounded._--Captains, W. D. Braden, Samuel McClelland; first-lieutenants,
George A. McKay, George D. Lockwood; second-lieutenants, D. H. Brown,
E. H. Bohm, H. N. Spencer, Christian Nesper; sergeants, M. M. Cutler,
John Gardner, L. Wilson, Isaac Stratton, Elmore Hemkston; corporals,
James W. Raymond, E. V. Nash, John Baptee, C. Glendenning, Hiram Deeds,
Thomas Dowse, George Spencer, William Senfert, J. E. Hine, W. H.
Petton, J. H. Cleverton, H. C. Hunt, M. H. Sheldon, John Phillips, W.
O. Barnes, M. Fitzgerald, J. Tuttle, George Eikler, W. J. Lowrie, H. O.
Pixley, W. H. Johnson, John Bergin, W. Wise, H. B. Pownell, J. N. Hall,
V. Reynolds, R. White, H. Wright, R. D. Gates, Otis Martin, Joseph
Kincaid, W. O. Johnson, J. Decker, J. Hall, C. Cowden, D. F. Dow,
George Mandall, H. Fezer, George Raynette, L. Habbig, John Schwinck,
Joseph Rowe, C. Deitz.
The following were wounded at Lookout Mountain:
John H. Galvin, M. C. Stone, M. W. Bartlett, James A. Garrison, Louis
Owen, A. Gordon.