From Northern Alabama to Nashville, Tenn., and Its Occupation by the
Federals.
Early on the morning of Aug. 28, 1862, the bugle sounded for boots
and saddles. About fifty or sixty of Co. C, including myself, mounted
and prepared to move, thinking that we were going on a scouting
expedition some distance from camp. Therefore our blankets and small
trinkets were left, with the supposition that we would return in the
evening. We moved out, and after riding quite a distance, perhaps
eight or ten miles, we met Gen. Palmer and staff, with a division of
infantry and artillery. He was on his way north, to Nashville, Tenn.,
a distance of over one hundred and fifty miles. Co. C was employed as
escort for the General on the journey, and we never returned to
Cortland, losing our blankets and other things.
We were on the way a number of days, occasionally seeing a few of the
enemy in our front and having a skirmish with them. During the fore
part of the journey a scene was witnessed which I considered very
aggravating. A short distance north of Pulaski, Tenn., we passed a
cotton mill by the roadside. It was a two-story frame building, with
quite a number of windows on the side next the road, and from each of
these windows there peered many heads of women. As we were passing
they hissed at us, and called out, “Run you cowards.” “They will
catch you before you get to Nashville,” and many other insulting
phrases. Gen. Palmer halted in front of the factory, and after
listening to them a few minutes he said: “Ladies, do you know that
these soldiers carry matches in their pockets? This building would
burn nicely.” They took the hint and all was quiet.
One day when three of us were on advance guard we occasionally
started forward on the gallop, and left quite a distance between us
and the main force. When in the vicinity of Columbia, Tenn., my horse
had gained some distance on the other two, and the road winding
through the woods, I was unable to see whether the others were in
supporting distance. I continued riding until the business street of
Columbia was reached, when I halted and looked back, but could see
neither of the boys. I waited, momentarily expecting their arrival.
At a little distance I saw a small group of men in citizens’ dress. I
rode up near them and ordered them to disperse, which they did. Why
this was done I hardly know, unless because I thought a bold front
would intimidate them, and cause them to believe that reinforcements
were very near at hand. I felt somewhat uneasy, as previous to this
we had found Confederate soldiers dressed in citizens’ clothes, and
therefore had good reason to suspect some of the group as such.
I remained here on my horse in suspense, with carbine in hand, a
minute or more before the arrival of my two comrades. The minutes
seemed long on account of being in doubt. We waited here until the
main column arrived, then passed on through the town, skirmishing
with a few of the enemy during several days as we advanced, arriving
at Nashville the 12th of September. Gen. Palmer was in command of the
troops composing his division, and Gen. Negley, being senior, was in
command of the district. Communication with the North and other parts
of our army was entirely cut off, and we were unable to receive mail
or supplies of any kind. The main part of the Union army in this
vicinity had gone into Kentucky in pursuit of Bragg. The commissary
stores were scant, and we were obliged to go out foraging sometimes
in order to get enough to eat. While here we experienced a number of
exciting incidents by way of skirmishing and small engagements with
the enemy, who were continually lurking about our picket lines. I was
now detailed as orderly at Gen. Palmer’s headquarters, in which
position I served until Sept. 20, 1863, when I was made a prisoner of
war at the battle of Chickamauga.
After being at Nashville some time Gen. Negley was informed that a
force of Confederates, consisting mostly of infantry, to the number
of several thousand, were encamped at Lavergne, Tenn., about thirteen
miles from Nashville. The generals immediately laid plans for the
capture of this camp. One night they sent out a brigade of infantry,
which marched by a circuitous route to the rear of the Confederate
camp, arriving there a little before daylight, but did not disturb
the enemy until we attacked them in front. Our forces who made that
attack were composed of Gen. Palmer and staff, Co. C, and a small
force of infantry and cavalry; also several pieces of artillery.
At first we merely attacked their pickets, which drew the enemy’s
attention toward us. At the same time the infantry assaulted them in
the rear, causing their surrender to us, with the exception of their
cavalrymen, who escaped. The Confederates had one piece of artillery,
a four-pounder, which was disabled after firing a number of shots.
This fell into our hands along with their entire camp equipage,
including a large quantity of new uniforms which they had just
received. We also captured a brigadier-general. During this
engagement I witnessed something that I had never seen or heard of
before. As I was looking directly at the Confederate four-pound
cannon, which was perhaps eighty or one hundred rods from us, it was
discharged and the instant that I saw the smoke issue from the mouth
of the gun a small black speck was seen coming toward me and in a
second or two it crashed into a rail fence close by. After it had
struck the fence I was satisfied that the black speck I had seen was
the ball from the cannon. Soon after this I heard a rattling noise to
the left. I turned and looked in that direction and saw brick rolling
down over the roof of a residence which was in close proximity.
Evidently a ball from the Confederate gun came in contact with the
chimney, causing a confusion about the house. While looking that way
a man came out of the house and looked up at the chimney, apparently
surprised at the condition of things. I concluded that the people in
the house were in a perilous condition.
While this small engagement was in progress Gen. Palmer was busily
engaged with his telescope, viewing the battlefield and directing the
movements of troops. He stood upon a small strawstack in good view of
the enemy, giving directions as composedly as if talking to pupils in
a schoolroom. After the firing ceased we rode into the Confederate
camp and found that we had captured many wagon-loads of property,
which was loaded and hauled with us to Nashville.
The reader can comprehend to some extent (by the former descriptions
of battle scenes) the hardships and desolation that people are
compelled to undergo in countries where armies pass through in time
of war. I often felt grieved for people in the South when their
stock, grain and fences were appropriated for the use of the army. Of
course a commander will not allow his soldiers to starve. If his
trains cannot keep up with the troops he will order the commissary to
gather provisions from the country through which they are passing (of
course citizens were not allowed to starve), and when an army is on
the march and goes into camp in the evening, the soldiers have not
time to chop down trees for fuel, but take fences, and thereby the
country is more or less desolated, generally more. I can remember
when orders were given to the soldiers allowing them to take only the
top rail off a fence for fuel, but each rail in turn became a top
rail and in a few minutes the whole fence would disappear.
An exciting chase and skirmish.—One afternoon Lieut. Shaw of Co. C
was ordered to take a squad of Co. C, some ten or twelve in number,
and go outside the picket lines to see what he could discover in
regard to the location of the enemy. After riding some distance
across the country, Charles Evitts, William Orris and myself, who
were advance guard, arrived near the top of a hill, and looking over
its brow discovered three Confederates seemingly on outpost picket
duty. We thought they were performing their duty in a very careless
manner as they were dismounted. We fired, and of course the instant
they heard the report of our guns they mounted their horses and rode
away as fast as they could, one of them leaving his gun leaning
against the fence. We immediately started to follow them at full
speed. As we passed the picket station I slowed up and grabbed the
gun which the Confederates had left and destroyed it (by throwing it
down upon the stone road, which broke the stock off), so that it was
of no further use to the enemy, and it would have been of no use to
Uncle Sam. Then I followed on at a fast gait, overtaking the other
two boys.
During the chase one of the three Confederates fell from his horse
and we made him a prisoner; he having been shot through the arm by
our first fire. We pushed on after the other two Johnnies, who gave
the alarm to their reserve force which numbered probably fifty or
sixty, who were just cooking their suppers beside the road in a
ravine. As soon as the alarm was given of our approach they all
mounted their horses and rode up the opposite hill in confusion,
leaving their suppers cooking. Some of them even left their saddles
which they had removed from their horses. The fun this time was on
our side. It was laughable to see the Confederates hustling up the
hill in such confusion with us, perhaps less than one-fifth of their
number, in pursuit. The roads being very dusty at this time, and no
wind blowing, the trail of dust we left behind us caused them to
believe that there was a large force in pursuit, thus causing their
hasty flight.
In this little skirmish we captured one prisoner, a fine
double-barreled shotgun, a horse, some saddles and numerous other
small articles, and returned to camp after dark in the evening.
Attacking the Confederates behind a stone wall.—Some days later while
at Nashville we went out on another reconnoitering expedition into
the enemy’s country, with a small force consisting of Co. C, Capt.
Bartlett in command, two pieces of artillery and several companies of
infantry, with Gen. Palmer in command of the whole. After marching
some distance from camp we discovered a small force of the enemy,
which gradually fell back before our advance until they reached a
farmhouse, where a thick stone wall was found, used as a fence
between the house and barn. The Confederates thought the wall a good
stronghold, and took a position behind it, not being aware that we
had artillery with us, and therefore considering themselves safe
behind the wall. They opened fire on us, but we did not like to
attack them with our small arms while in their fortified position.
Therefore the general ordered the artillerymen to open fire on them.
The first or second shot passed through the wall, and another one
through the barn, which caused quite a commotion among them. The
house also received a number of shots from the rifles. They
immediately took to flight and we went down to inspect the barn and
wall. I found one large hardwood timber in the barn nearly cut in two
by a shot from our artillery. I do not remember of any one in our
command being seriously injured during this engagement. We returned
to camp, performing our military duties as usual. We experienced a
number of skirmishes similar to the above during our stay at
Nashville.
Nov. 7, 1862, brought good news to us. The Federal army from Kentucky
arrived at Nashville, which opened communication once more with the
North and our homes. We had not received any mail for about three
months and were very glad indeed to receive letters from home, some
of which had been on the way two or three months. The army was now
being thoroughly reorganized, and named Army of the Cumberland, with
Gen. Rosecrans in command; and preparations were made for the advance
on Murfreesboro. We remained here at Nashville until Dec. 26, 1862.