THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN--BATTLES AROUND ATLANTA--JONESBORO--HOOD'S
CAMPAIGN IN NORTH GEORGIA--THE DEFENSE OF SHIP'S GAP--LAST CAMPAIGN IN
TENNESSEE--BATTLE OF FRANKLIN.
Simultaneous with the crossing of the Rapidan river in Virginia by the
Federal army of Meade, Gen. W. T. Sherman, in command of the armies
of the Cumberland, Tennessee and Ohio, under Thomas, McPherson and
Schofield, in all about 100,000 strong, advanced against the army of
Tennessee, then under Gen. J. E. Johnston, and occupying the valley and
mountain strongholds about Dalton, on the railroad from Chattanooga
to Atlanta. South Carolina was represented in each of Johnston's two
corps, in Hardee's by the Sixteenth regiment, Col. James McCullough,
and Twenty-fourth, Col. Ellison Capers, in Gist's brigade of W. H. T.
Walker's division, and Ferguson's battery, Lieut. R. T. Beauregard;
and in Hood's corps by the Tenth regiment, Col. James F. Pressley,
and Nineteenth, Lieut.-Col. Thomas P. Shaw, in Manigault's brigade
of Hindman's division. Upon the junction of Polk's forces, Waties'
battery, with Jackson's cavalry division, increased the South Carolina
contingent. Brig.-Gen. C. H. Stevens commanded a Georgia brigade of
Walker's division.
The South Carolinians shared fully in the campaign which followed, in
the course of which General Johnston skillfully withdrew his forces,
with inconsiderable loss, from one position to another, as each became
untenable, also firmly holding the enemy for weeks on the New Hope
church and Kenesaw mountain lines, repulsing fierce assaults and
permitting Sherman to gain no advantages except such as were due to
the power of flanking inevitable to superior numbers.
The official reports of the campaign are meager, and afford no
particulars of the service of Manigault's brigade. Colonel Capers,
reporting September 10th, for Gist's brigade, said that on May 6th
the brigade marched out of its winter quarters near Atlanta, and
took position near Mill Creek gap. Captain Wever's company, of the
Twenty-fourth, was the first engaged at this point, but the brigade
was soon transferred to Resaca, to meet the Federal flanking column
under McPherson. Then crossing the river the two regiments were engaged
below Resaca against the enemy, whose crossing endangered Johnston's
position. Meanwhile the battle of Resaca came on and Walker's division
hurried back across the river, the Twenty-fourth leading, under fire of
the enemy's batteries. They took position at the center, but Johnston
was compelled to withdraw that night. On the 16th Hardee's corps was
in bivouac on the Rome road, when the enemy drove in his pickets and
the Federal shells began to fall in his camp. Colonel Capers, with his
regiment and Shaaff's Georgia sharpshooters, was sent to re-establish
the pickets, and his men were successful in a gallant charge, but
lost 9 killed and 30 wounded, among the latter Capt. T. C. Morgan and
Sergt.-Maj. J. B. Dotterer.
At Cassville, "the greatest enthusiasm prevailed in our ranks as the
men and officers saw the army formed for battle;" but the order was
countermanded, and May 25th found them in rear of and supporting
Stewart's division at New Hope church. They were not engaged in the
battle, but lost several killed and wounded. After various changes
of position they were formed on June 19th south and west of Kenesaw
mountain. The right of the Twenty-fourth touched French's division,
which occupied the mountain.
The line, which was strongly intrenched, was soon under the fire of
the enemy, who established his intrenched line within 300 yards, and
maintained such a constant fire of small-arms and artillery that the
men had to keep close behind the works. Maj. C. C. O'Neill, of the
Sixteenth, was killed on the picket line, which gallantly faced the
enemy. On the 24th Colonel Capers' regiment went forward to assist the
pickets in covering the brigade front, facing a Federal line of battle.
The famous assault occurred three days later, and was repulsed from the
line of the North Carolinians by their steady fire, assisted by the
raking artillery fire from General French's batteries. But the Federals
drove in the picket line and planted themselves within 100 yards,
whence they maintained a galling fire of musketry. After thirteen days
of such fighting at Kenesaw mountain the brigade was retired, with the
army, the Twenty-fourth having lost 57 men. The experience of all the
South Carolina regiments was similar.
On July 9th Gist's brigade crossed the Chattahoochee. "On the 17th,"
Colonel Capers wrote in his report, "the commanding general (Johnston)
published an address to the army, and announced that he would attack
General Sherman's army so soon as it should cross the Chattahoochee."
I had the honor to read the address to the brigade, and to
congratulate the command upon the prospect of successful battle. The
order of battle was received with enthusiasm and the most confident
spirit prevailed. Next day ... the farewell address of General
Johnston was received and read to the regiment. It is due to truth to
say that the reception of these orders produced the most despondent
feelings in my command. The loss of the commanding general was felt to
be irreparable. Continuing the march and passing by his headquarters
Walker's division passed at the shoulder, the officers saluting, and
most of the latter and hundreds of the men taking off their hats. It
had been proposed to halt and cheer, but General Johnston, hearing of
our intention, requested that the troops march by in silence.
On the 20th, the Federal army having crossed the river and become
separated in a movement toward the southeast of Atlanta, General Hood
caused an attack upon Thomas on Peachtree creek by Hardee and Stewart
(Polk's corps), while his corps, under Cheatham, met the enemy on the
east. In this fight Walker's division made a gallant but unsuccessful
assault and suffered considerable loss. On the 21st the fighting was
brisk on the east of the city, participated in by Manigault's brigade.
Next day Hardee made a circuitous march and fell upon the enemy's
southeastward flank and rear, while Cheatham and Stewart attacked in
front. In this hard-fought battle of July 22d the Federal right was
rolled up and severely punished, but the Confederate loss was great,
including General Walker, killed.
Gist's brigade fought in the front line on the Federal flank, and
Manigault's brigade, in another part of the field, charged forward
against the works occupied by the Federals on the Georgia railroad.
Part of the Nineteenth regiment entered a large white house to fire
from the windows, and seeing the enemy breaking, soon the men were
leaping over the works and capturing prisoners. Capt. E. W. Horne
reported: "Then mingling with men of other regiments, they passed
about 150 yards left along the works, on the enemy's side of them,
to the brick house, where they captured other prisoners. Maj. James
L. White, who was in command of the regiment, acted well his part."
The brigade was taken back to the white house, and formed, and then
advanced again under the heavy enfilade fire of the batteries that
Sherman had hurried up to protect his center, and occupied the trenches
left of the brick house, where Major White was severely wounded. The
brigade was soon afterward withdrawn. The loss of the Nineteenth was
97. The Tenth advanced on the right of the Nineteenth, the right of the
brigade line, and was conspicuous in the fight. It was there, where
the South Carolinians fought, that the Illinois batteries of Captain
DeGress were captured, and the honor of this achievement is claimed by
Manigault's brigade. After this battle Gist's brigade was transferred
to Cheatham's division.
On July 27th Stephen D. Lee, who went to Virginia in 1861 as a South
Carolina artillery officer, took command of Hood's corps, with the
rank of lieutenant-general, and on the next day he was ordered to
attack the Federal right, being extended southward west of the city.
In this fight Manigault's brigade was again engaged. Capt. T. W.
Getzen was in command of the Twenty-fourth, and after he and Captain
Home were wounded, the gallant "Adjt. James O. Ferrell reported to
General Manigault that all his captains were now wounded or killed,
and the general ordered the adjutant himself to take command." The
loss of the Twenty-fourth that day was 53. The Tenth was engaged
with like gallantry, its commander, Lieut.-Col. C. Irvin Walker,
falling painfully wounded. Lieuts. G. A. Jennison and W. E. Huger, of
Manigault's staff, were among the wounded. The brigade made repeated
assaults, and left dead and wounded within a few feet of the Federal
intrenchments, but the Confederate battle was not successful.
The investment of Atlanta was actively pressed after the battles of the
latter part of July to the 25th of August, 1864. During that period the
Federal line was firmly established on the east, north and west of the
city, and steadily pushed southwestward. On August 25th, Hood's line,
west and south of Atlanta, had extended to cover East Point, on the
Macon railroad, 5 miles distant from the city.
Early in August General Hood sent General Wheeler with half his cavalry
force to operate on Sherman's railroad communications with Chattanooga.
Satisfied of his ability to hold Atlanta and keep open his Macon
communications, he was equally well satisfied that Wheeler's success
would compel Sherman to assault or raise the siege and recross the
Chattahoochee. But Sherman had already determined to raise the siege,
to intrench one of his corps on the Chattahoochee to guard his supplies
and protect that crossing, and to throw the Federal army first on the
West Point and then on the Macon road, south of Atlanta. After an
ineffective cavalry expedition, Sherman's movement began on the night
of the 25th, and by the morning of the 28th nearly his whole army was
in position on the West Point railroad, tearing up the track from East
Point to Fairburn. Finishing this work of destruction on the 29th,
Howard and Thomas were ordered to march on the 30th across to the Macon
road and take possession of General Hood's only remaining railroad
communications. Howard's destination was Jonesboro, 20 miles south of
Atlanta.
Meanwhile General Hood had been uncertain as to the real character
of the Federal general's movements, but supposed his main force was
actually recrossing the Chattahoochee in retreat. Not until the evening
of the 30th was General Hood convinced that his rear was seriously
attacked. General Hardee was then ordered to march immediately with
his own and Lee's corps, and to attack and drive across Flint river
the force reported to be marching for Jonesboro. The head of Hardee's
corps reached Jonesboro about sunrise, and the last of Lee's corps
did not arrive before 1 p. m. Howard had crossed Flint river with one
corps in the afternoon of the 30th, and occupied and fortified a ridge
of high ground parallel with the railroad and between the river and
Jonesboro. He could just as well have occupied the hamlet of Jonesboro
and intrenched himself across the coveted railroad facing the city
of Atlanta, for he had nothing to oppose his army but a brigade of
cavalry. But he was deceived by reports that Jonesboro was occupied by
a large force of infantry. Before "bedtime" of the 30th, General Howard
had two corps in position, the Fifteenth east and the Sixteenth west of
the river. Early on the morning of the 31st the Seventeenth corps came
up, and his army of the Tennessee was ready for battle.
As the troops of Hardee and Lee arrived on the 31st, they were quickly
put in line of battle facing west, and immediately confronting the
Fifteenth corps, commanded by Gen. John A. Logan. Lee's corps occupied
the right, the divisions of Patton Anderson (including Manigault's
brigade) and Stevenson in front, and Clayton's in reserve. Hardee's
corps, commanded by General Cleburne, occupied the left, the divisions
of Bate (under J. C. Brown) and Cleburne (under Lowrey) in front, and
Cheatham's (under General Maney, and including Gist's brigade) in
reserve. General Hardee ordered the attack to begin on the extreme
left by Lowrey, to be followed up from left to right, Lowrey and Brown
wheeling to their right and Lee attacking directly in front. Lowrey
engaged the skirmishers in his front at 3 o'clock, and Lee, hearing
his fire, led his corps forward. Lee was repulsed, but Lowrey on the
extreme left was brilliantly successful, driving the enemy in his
front across the river. He established his line on the east bank of
the river, but the attack having failed on his right, he was recalled
to his original position. Patton Anderson's division was conspicuous
in the attack of Lee's corps. He was severely wounded and his division
suffered heavily. Persuaded of the certain advance of General Thomas,
and interpreting General Howard's defensive attitude as indicative of
his near approach, Hardee wisely decided not to risk another assault
and also stood on the defensive.
In the attacks, right and left, the brigades of Manigault and Gist
were each in the line of support to the line of attack. Gist's brigade
(commanded by Lieut.-Col. James McCullough, General Gist being absent
wounded) was on the extreme left of Cheatham's division, and followed
Lowrey's advance; but was not actively engaged and suffered only 4
casualties. Manigault had a more exciting experience. His brigade
for this engagement was assigned to Clayton's division, supporting
Anderson and Stevenson. General Clayton describes the attack of the
front line as wanting in dash and persistency. Ordered up on its
first repulse, Manigault on his left, Holtzclaw next, and Gibson on
his right, Clayton led his division with spirit. Encountering a rail
fence, parallel to his advance, and the enemy's rifle-pits near it, a
large part of the division halted at these obstructions to return the
enemy's fire of musketry and canister which raked their ranks. To this
circumstance the repulse of the division was due. "Never (says General
Clayton) was a charge begun with such enthusiasm terminated with
accomplishing so little."
Gibson led the brigade with the Confederate battle-flag in his grasp,
and lost half his men. Manigault on the left was equally unsuccessful.
This was the experience of each division in the assault with the one
exception of Cleburne's, led by Lowrey. The whole attack was most
unsatisfactory and disappointing. The troops went forward with spirit,
but were soon discouraged and halted behind any and every obstruction
to reply to the enemy's fire. This was fatal to the attack, though much
determination and courage were shown by fighting from shelter, or even
in the open. The corps of Hardee and Lee were physically unfit for the
heroic exertion demanded of them on the 31st of August. To expect men
who are worn out physically and wanting food, to carry intrenchments
held by equal numbers, is unreasonable. The great Jackson failed to
push his corps across White Oak swamp and join the battle at Frayser's
farm, and his friend and biographer explains this unusual want of his
characteristic energy by telling of his absolute physical exhaustion.
However much we may deplore the disappointing results of the battle of
the 31st of August, no true man, who knew the men who failed there,
would charge their failure to a lack of spirit or courage.
The situation on the night of the 31st was critical. Thomas' two corps
were on the railroad in the rear of Howard and in supporting distance,
and Schofield, with another corps, having eluded Hood at East Point,
was in supporting distance of Thomas, on the railroad at Rough and
Ready. Thus Sherman had thrown his entire army (the Twentieth corps
excepted) between General Hood and the two corps at Jonesboro, and was
hard at work breaking up the Macon railroad. Hood was holding on to
Atlanta with Stewart's corps, and the militia of Georgia, the latter
under Gen. G. W. Smith. Hearing late at night of the 31st, of Howard's
success in repelling Hardee, Sherman at once ordered everything against
Jonesboro, while General Hood directed Hardee to return Lee's corps to
Atlanta, saying: "There are some indications that the enemy may make an
attempt upon Atlanta to-morrow." The execution of this order exposed
Lee to what seemed almost certain capture, and left Hardee to defend
the supplies and ordnance trains of the army and the very existence of
the army itself, against the whole of the force of General Sherman. Lee
left Hardee before day on September 1st. That he succeeded in reaching
General Hood, with Thomas and Schofield directly in his front, is a
wonderful comment on the value of bypaths and a brilliant testimony to
Lee's skill in finding them.
Hardee made the best possible disposition of his three divisions
of infantry, and his small cavalry force, and stood behind such a
defensive line as he could make. The troops worked all night of the
31st, the entire corps being in position from the railroad (a deep
cut) on the right, to a position covered by cavalry on the left, and
north of the hamlet of Jonesboro, Lowrey on the right, Brown in the
center and Carter (Anderson) on the left. Gist's South Carolina and
Georgia brigade was on the extreme left flank. The whole line was in
one rank. From sunrise, Howard was threatening attack, with three corps
in position, and his artillery commanding every part of Hardee's line.
The Confederates took the shelling patiently and worked hard upon their
line of defense, well aware of the responsibility of their position.
At the railroad on the right the line was turned back, almost parallel
with the deep railroad cut which passed through the ridge, north and
south, on which Hardee's line was formed. This turn in the line was
made to meet a fire from the opposite side of the cut, which was
densely wooded, with a growth of small trees. The cut was too deep to
be crossed at that point. About 1 o'clock Gist's brigade was ordered
from the left, and put in position in one rank in the wood just
described, by the lieutenant-general in person, and charged with the
defense of the right flank. The Second battalion Georgia sharpshooters,
Maj. R. H. Whiteley, and the Twenty-fourth South Carolina, Col.
Ellison Capers, occupied the position at the railroad cut, and Colonel
Capers was specially charged with its defense. On the right of the
Twenty-fourth was the Sixteenth South Carolina and on its right the
Forty-sixth Georgia. The men climbed up the smaller trees, bent them
down, cut across the trunks with their pocket knives, and made a
first-rate abatis of small trees, interlaced, covering the front for
some distance. A barricade of rails, small trees, and timbers brought
up from a settlement in rear, was quickly made, and these preparations
saved the right when the attack came.
Early in the afternoon, the Fourteenth corps, of Thomas' army, came up
and took position between the railroad and Howard's left. Still later,
at 4 o'clock, the Fourth corps came up, and the leading division,
Kimball's, deployed in front of Gist's brigade. At 5 o'clock Newton's
division, of the Fourth corps, got into position in the woods on
Kimball's left, the two divisions far overlapping Gist's brigade,
and extending a quarter of a mile beyond the right flank of Hardee's
position. General Sherman's plan of attack was to assault with the
Fourteenth and Fourth corps, and send the Seventeenth (Blair's)
around Hardee's left flank to his rear, on the railroad, assured by
these combinations of his certain capture. Davis brought his corps
(Fourteenth) up in handsome style, about 4 o'clock, concentrated his
assault on Lowrey, carried the position on the railroad, and captured
most of Govan's brigade, with its brigadier-general and two 4-gun
batteries. The brigade on Govan's left, Granbury's, threw back its
right and defended itself on that flank and in the front. Lowrey and
Hardee were promptly on the scene. Vaughan's brigade was brought up
from Cheatham's division, and with the Fifth and Fifteenth Arkansas of
Govan's brigade, charged the position of the enemy in Govan's line,
recaptured most of it and confined the assaulting force to the position
immediately on the railroad, from which they fired directly down
Lowrey's line. Meanwhile the assaults in front were unsuccessful.
Simultaneous with the attack of Davis, Kimball's skirmishers east of
the railroad engaged those of Gist's brigade, and at 5 o'clock an
assault was made which fell on Whiteley's sharpshooters and Capers'
regiment. Davis' troops on the west side of the cut fired into
Whiteley's flank, and he withdrew his battalion from the barricade.
Kimball's troops pushed up and occupied Whiteley's position, and drove
back the three left companies of the Twenty-fourth South Carolina.
On the left of his regiment Colonel Capers had made a barricade of
logs, at right angles to the line, as a protection against a fire
from the west side of the cut. Assisted by the adjutant-general of
the brigade, Maj. B. B. Smith, and Lieutenant Holmes, adjutant of the
Twenty-fourth, Colonel Capers rallied his companies, which, led by
their commanding lieutenants, Easterling (Company B), Beckham (Company
G) and Seigler (Company K), charged the barricade, drove Kimball's men
out, and reoccupied their positions. Turning on the position which the
sharpshooters had vacated, Major Smith and Lieutenants Easterling
and Beckham, with Companies B and K, immediately attacked it, and
Major Whiteley bringing up his battalion in gallant style, the whole
left of Gist's brigade was re-established and the enemy driven to the
bottom of the ridge. In this battle the brave Maj. D. F. Hill, of the
Twenty-fourth, was killed, while directing the fire of the left of
the regiment. It was now growing dark, and the lieutenant-general in
person rode up and congratulated Colonel Capers on the success of his
regiment. The commander of the Fourth corps, General Stanley, in his
report explained his delayed attack as "in part owing to the dense
undergrowth in front of the enemy, and further, to the slow progress
the skirmishers made in pushing back those of the enemy. Grose and
Kirby both reported that they could not carry the position in their
front owing to the perfect entanglement made by cutting down the thick
undergrowth in front of the rail barricade the rebels had hastily
thrown up." This was the entanglement made by Gist's men with their
pocket-knives. General Stanley continues: "Newton's division had a
much longer circuit to make and when moved forward the right brigade
(Wagner's) found no enemy in front [Wagner was far to the right and
on the rear of Gist's right regiment], but received a fire from the
rear of their right flank." This was from the right of the Forty-sixth
Georgia. That regiment and the Sixteenth South Carolina kept up a
steady fire in their front and on their flanks, that of the Sixteenth
materially assisting the Twenty-fourth in its contest over the left
barricades.
Night came on and it was unusually dark, so that the active fighting
ceased. Hardee had stood the shock and held his position, with the
single exception of Govan's brigade front, and that had been in part
gallantly restored under his eye. About midnight General Hardee had
successfully left his lines, and by daylight of the 2d he was in line
of battle at Lovejoy, 5 miles in the rear of Jonesboro, with all
trains packed and his weary and heroic battalions hard at work on a
defensive line.
It is of this battle on the 1st and of its results, that General Hood
reported to Richmond: "Hardee's corps was attacked in position at
Jonesboro. The result was the loss of eight guns and some prisoners.
Hardee then retired to Lovejoy's Station, where he was joined by
Stewart's and Lee's corps." No dates were given by General Hood.
Stewart and Lee did not reach Lovejoy's until the evening of the 3d,
and Sherman's advance was deploying in Hardee's front by sunrise on
the 2d. A battle was successfully fought all that day by the pickets,
and again on the 3d, so that when Stewart and Lee came up from Atlanta
on General Hardee's right rear, the Federal line of battle had been
held at bay and the Confederate commander had only to strengthen a
well-chosen position by the reinforcement of Lee's and Stewart's corps.
If the attack of August 31st was disappointing, surely the splendid
defense of September 1st, the successful retreat to Lovejoy's and
the defiant resistance of a single corps on the 2d and 3d, with the
safety of the trains, ought to have cheered the heart of the commanding
general and inspired a gallant soldier's commendation.
Following these events, Sherman retreated to Atlanta, Hood concentrated
his army at Palmetto, near the Chattahoochee, Hardee was supplanted by
Cheatham in corps command, and General Gist took command of Cheatham's
division. In Manigault's brigade, of Edward Johnson's division, the
Tenth South Carolina was under command of Lieut.-Col. C. Irvine Walker,
the Nineteenth of Capt. Thomas W. Getzen. Gist's brigade was commanded
by Col. Ellison Capers, the Sixteenth regiment by Capt. John W. Boling,
and the Twenty-fourth by Capt. W. C. Griffith.
On September 29, 1864, Cheatham's corps broke camp at Palmetto, crossed
the Chattahoochee, and marched northward on the west of Atlanta and
Sherman's army. Gist's brigade camped on the road to Lost mountain
on the 4th and 5th of October. After a dreadful night of storm, they
marched through rain and mud on the Dalton road, and pushed on for
the next three days through Van Wert, Cedartown and Cave Springs to
Coosaville on the Coosa river, on the 9th. Thence marching through the
beautiful valley of the Armuchee and through Sugar valley, they came
before Dalton on the 13th at 1 p. m. General Hood summoned the fort,
which surrendered after John C. Brown's division (including Gist's
brigade) was ordered to carry it by assault.
Leaving Dalton on the afternoon of October 14th, Gist's brigade passed
Rocky Face, through Mill Creek gap, familiar places to the soldiers
of that army. After camping a night at Villanow, they resumed their
march, passing Taylor's ridge through Ship's gap, and camped in the
Chattooga valley. Early next morning, October 16th, Colonel Capers was
ordered to march back with his regiment, and hold Ship's gap until
ordered to retire. In disposing his regiment for the defense of the
gap, Colonel Capers placed Companies A and F, Captains Steinmeyer and
Sherard, under Captain Roddey, acting major, about a quarter of a mile
in advance down the mountain, and instructed Roddey to deploy his
companies, taking advantage of the woods, and to detain the enemy as
long as he could, falling back on the right and left of the regiment
when pressed too hard. Colonel Capers, from an open place on the ridge,
seeing the enemy's columns and counting seventeen flags, reported by
courier to General Gist, who sent him a dispatch to hold the gap as
long as he could, but not to lose his regiment. It was then about 11
o'clock, and Roddey was skirmishing heavily. Colonel Capers sent his
adjutant-general, Holmes, to Roddey. Just as that officer had returned
and was talking to the colonel, the enemy was heard to raise a shout
from the direction of both flanks of Roddey's force, and suddenly the
firing ceased. In a few minutes some men of Companies A and F, who
had escaped capture, came in and reported that the enemy had passed
around each flank of their line, and charging from the rear had cut
off Roddey and most of his command. Soon after this the Federals came
up the mountain, and charged the Twenty-fourth, which was holding the
gap with the right and left companies deployed to protect the flanks.
The well-directed fire of the gallant Carolinians repulsed the attack.
Learning soon after that a force was moving around to get in his rear,
Colonel Capers conducted his regiment to the rear by the right flank,
each company firing up to the moment of marching. At the foot of the
ridge they were relieved by cavalry, and the regiment was conducted to
the bivouac of the brigade on the Summerville road. The Twenty-fourth
lost 4 officers and about 40 men in this spirited skirmish at Ship's
gap. Captains Roddey, Steinmeyer and Sherard and Lieutenant Gray were
captured with about half of the force they commanded. It could not be
ascertained how many of those cut off were killed or wounded. Only 8
were wounded in the gap.
On the next day the march of Cheatham's corps was continued. On October
18th they crossed the line of Georgia and Alabama, and on the 21st
halted at Gadsden, where they received their mail and drew blankets,
clothing and shoes, not enough to supply all necessities, but to
relieve the most needy. Twenty men of the Twenty-fourth were absolutely
barefooted when they reached Gadsden. That evening General Hood
communicated to the army his purpose to cross the Tennessee and march
into that State. The route lay through the beautiful valley of the
Tennessee, desolated by the enemy, and Hood addressed a field circular
to the army, calling attention of the troops to the ruined homes
on every hand and exhorting officers and men to resolutely vow the
redemption of Tennessee from the grasp of the foe. It was noted in the
report of the colonel: "The circular was received by the Twenty-fourth
with a hearty cheer, though many of the gallant soldiers who cheered
were absolutely suffering for clothing and shoes."
The march to the Tennessee, then across that river and on to Franklin,
was through rain and mud and snow, with sometimes not more than three
biscuits a day to the man. Yet the troops were cheerful and dutiful.
Finally, on the afternoon of November 30th, they came upon the field at
Franklin. Cheatham's corps was deployed on the left. The divisions were
formed in two lines from right to left as follows: Cleburne's, Brown's
and Bate's. In Brown's division, Gist's and Gordon's brigades occupied
the front and Carter's and Strahl's the rear line. Stewart's corps was
on the right of the pike. At 4 o'clock p. m. the two corps moved down
the hills, Brown's division marching by the right flank of regiments
until they had descended the slopes, then forming forward into line. As
they advanced, the front line of the enemy was steadily driven back.
Says Colonel Capers in his report:
Just before the charge was ordered, the brigade passed over an
elevation, from which we beheld the magnificent spectacle the
battlefield presented. Bands were playing, general and staff officers
and gallant couriers were riding in front of and between the lines, a
hundred flags were waving in the smoke of battle, and bursting shells
were wreathing the air with great circles of smoke, while 20,000 brave
men were marching in perfect order against the foe. The sight inspired
every man of the Twenty-fourth with the sentiment of duty. As we were
pressing back the enemy's advance forces, Lieut.-Col. J. S. Jones fell
mortally wounded in front of the right of the regiment. General Gist,
attended by Capt. H. D. Garden and Lieut. Frank Trenholm of his staff,
rode down our front, and returning ordered the charge, in concert with
General Gordon. In passing from the left to the right of the regiment,
General Gist waved his hat to us, expressed his pride and confidence
in the Twenty-fourth, and rode away in the smoke of the battle, never
more to be seen by the men he had commanded on so many fields. His
horse was shot, and dismounting he was leading the right of the
brigade when he fell pierced through the heart.
Thus died Gen. S. R. Gist, a gallant son of South Carolina, who had
nobly defended on many a field the cause for which he now so heroically
yielded up his life. But without a halt, his noble brigade pressed on,
driving the advance force of the enemy pell-mell into a locust abatis,
where many were captured and sent to the rear. Colonel Capers, of the
Twenty-fourth, fell wounded just before reaching the Union works.
Gist's and Gordon's brigades charged on, reached the ditch of the
main works and then mounted the parapet, on which the colors of the
Twenty-fourth South Carolina were planted, and there remained.
Strahl's and Carter's brigades went gallantly to the assistance of
Gist and Gordon. Though this line was torn to pieces by a terrible
enfilade fire, by which Strahl and his entire staff were killed and
Carter mortally wounded, there was no backward movement of the line.
The gallant fellows pressed on to the ditch. Maj. B. Burgh Smith, of
the brigade staff, who was commanding the Sixteenth South Carolina, was
now the senior officer of the brigade, every superior officer being
either killed or wounded. About 10:30 p. m. Lieut. James A. Tillman, of
the Twenty-fourth, led his own company (I) and men from other companies
of the regiment in a charge over the work, and captured the colors
of the Ninety-seventh Ohio volunteer infantry and some 40 prisoners.
The whole of Gist's brigade, Carolinians and Georgians, held their
position against repeated attempts of the Federals to regain the works,
until about midnight when the enemy retired, leaving the Confederates
in possession of the bloody field of Franklin.[K] The Tenth and
Nineteenth South Carolina, in Manigault's brigade, Edward Johnson's
division, got into the battle late in the evening, but did their duty
well.
[Footnote K: Colonel Capers, in his report commended Lieutenant
Tillman, who in turn praised the gallantry of Privates J. P. Blackwell,
Anderson Walls and J. E. O. Carpenter. "I would also mention specially
the gallantry of Privates Prewett and Mock, both of whom were killed on
the line of the enemy. Lieut. W. M. Beckham, acting adjutant; Captain
Bowers, Lieuts. Claude F. Beaty, Adrian C. Appleby, C. D. Easterling,
McDaniel, and Andrews were conspicuous in the field for their gallant
conduct. Private Adam Carpenter bore the flag with courage and
faithfulness, and Color-Corporals Jones and Morgan were both wounded.
Lieutenants Weeks, Tatum and Millen were severely wounded. I would
specially commend the gallantry and devotion of the litter corps under
Private Joseph Breland. They kept up with the regiment and rendered
prompt assistance to the wounded, several of them being themselves
wounded on the field." At the close of the battle the ranking officer
of the brigade was Captain Gillis, of the Forty-sixth Georgia. Of the
general's staff Capt. H. D. Garden alone remained. When the generals
and field officers of Gist's brigade were either killed or wounded, the
company officers led their men in the assault upon the enemy's works.]
Gen. Stephen D. Lee reported: "Brigadier-General Manigault, commanding
a brigade of Alabamians and South Carolinians, was severely wounded
while gallantly leading his troops to the fight, and of his two
successors in command, Col. T. P. Shaw [Nineteenth South Carolina] was
killed and Colonel Davis wounded. I have never seen greater evidence
of gallantry than was displayed by this division under command of that
admirable soldier, Maj.-Gen. Ed. Johnson."
On no battlefield of the war was South Carolina more nobly illustrated
by her gallant sons. But their valor was equaled by their endurance of
hardships. "Once during the campaign," says Colonel Capers' report,
"the men received as a ration three ears of corn to each man, and
frequently we had nothing but cornmeal. But I am happy to report that
no man deserted the flag of his regiment."
The records are meager as to the battle of Nashville. In the great
disaster that befell the Confederate arms at that place and the
terrible hardships of the retreat, the South Carolinians bore their
full share of peril and suffering, and maintained the honor of the
gallant Palmetto State.