yaleUmyersiti'Libfan;' 39002002928779 fli I'll i> YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY TIIE OLD NINETEENTH TENNESSEE REGIMENT, C. S. A. June, 1861. * April, 1865. BY DR. Vv^. J. ^?SrORSHA]VI, Ivrao^cvllle, Tenn. SupplemtMitnrs' Chapter bs' COL. C. W. HEISKELL, MemplTiis, Tenn. KNOXVILLE, TENN. PRKSS C)F P.M^VHON PRINTING OtIMPANV. 1902. Entered according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1902, Copyrighted by Dr. W. j. Worsham, Iu the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. YALE C'. /4 L.J 0 DEDICATION. 'T^O the survivors, and in memory of the dead of the Nineteenth Tennessee Regiment, C. S. A., who, through sunshine and storm, summer's heat and winter's blast — whose bed, often, was the frozen ground, and who.se cover was the beautiful white snow — the many hardships endured and the privations of army life suffered, all for loved ones at home and their loved Sunny South, is this book respectfully dedicated by THE AUTHOR. Knoxville, Tenn., January 10, 1902. preface:. This is not a history of the "late war," or of the Confederacy. The reader of this modest volume will need to keep in mind the fact the author proposes to confine himself, historically, to what one regiment of Teniies- seeans did in the civil war. He will find a simple and truthful statement of facts, without comment or criticism , without bitterness or exaggeration. Him self au honest and faithful soldier, the author tells in a straightforward way, what he and his comrades of the Nineteenth Tennessee regiment did and suf fered in that cruel war. There is no reference to the long line of social and political infiuences which led up to the painful necessity on the part of the Southern people, to either forfeit their own self-respect, and the respect of all brave men, or go to war. And this is well. Let the dead bury their dead. There is no "bloody-shirt" here. But this will not surprise the reader when he remembers that the author was himself a soldier. For it is a well known fact that it is uot the brave and patriotic men in Blue and Gray, who stood on the firing-line in the day of battle that would keep the flres of fraternal strife still burning. But a different breed, whelps from another kennel, who cow ardly came out after the killing was done, with the instincts of the hyena, to dig up dead and putrid things. Thank God the tribe is about extinct, died of pure air and sunshine. These East Tennesseeans surrendered as the brave surrender, meaning peace and conciliation. They returned td the union in good faith as equals, they remain in the union as its trustworthy friends. "With no humble apologies, no unmanly servility, cherishing no petty strife, and indulging no sullen treachery, they are frank, honest, patriotic citizens of the United States, accepting the present, trusting the future, and proud of the past." For myself, I want to thank the author for this book. It calls up and puts in permanent form, facts, long since familiar, which would otherwise soon be lost. Comrades of the old Nineteenth, remnant of the 1060 who went out with us, we owe more than a vote of thanks to the author, for his efforts to preserve the history of the patriotic courage and deeds of noble daring of these men, many of whom fell in battle, and many others since the war have "crossed over the river and rest under the shade of the trees." Our children will thank him for thus putting in simple narrative the incidents, in regular order, of our marches, our camp-life and our battles. But this will not help pay for the publication of the book. Remember it has a limited scope, and under the conditions can not have a very extensive circulation. Let us see that the good Doctor has readers enough to meet the cost of the work. And when the roll is called up yonder, may we all be there, is the earnest prayer of your long-time and loving chaplain. D. SULLINS. Cleveland, Tenn., January, 1902. DR. W. J. WORSHAM. Dr. W. J. Worsham was born on the Hiwassee, one mile above Calhoun, Tenn., January, 1840. Joined the Nineteenth Tennessee Confederati- regi ment in June, 1861. Was made Chief Musician of the regiment, which he filled to the close of the war. Called the men into line for their flr.'-t roll-call; was with the regiment through the war and called the men into line foi- the last roll-call in May, 1865. THE OLD NINETEENTH TENNESSEE, C. S. A. CHAPTER I. THE late "Rebellion" or the war between the North and the South will furnish themes for discussion, and battle scenes to be gone over again by all who were engaged in it, and after they have passed into the beyond, its history will go down the ages to be read by coming generations. The war cloud that spread over this country in 1861, grew from a dark spot not bigger than a man's hand, seen flrst in 1620, and out of which issued the edict calling forth the 19th Ten nessee regiment, and enrolling her name upon the War God's histoi'ic scroll. When the "Mayflower" landed her cargo of Puritan Pilgrims on Plymouth Rock, they found negro slavery, evidently the germ of ihe late rebellion, planted in the soil of American civilization. There it germinated and matured, until in the spring of 1861 its agitation resulted in civil war. This negro question, not yet observed by the masses, was evidently the dark background of the coming struggle. Of all the storm clouds that have passed over this country, none ever blackened political flrmanent as did this. The darkness was so black aud ominous as to attract the anxious gaze of the civilized world, and nations looked on with profound interest. It is true this land has heard the roar of musketry and cannon through her hills and valleys in the long years gone by, but the fearful destructiveness of this coming storm, was all undreamed of by her people. Soon the, nation's heartstrings would be torn asunder, and her life blood let out through thousands of pores, and the North and Sunny South would lament their fallen sons and ruined homes. The tocsin of war was now heard throughout the whole land, from the north to the south, from the east to the west. The line was drawn, and in the division the South was the 8 THE OLD NINETEENTH TENNESSEE. smaller in territory and resources. Practically she had nothing, yet there was excitement and a gathering of people. Compa nies, regiments, and brigades were formed. Tennessee cast her lot with the South June 8, 1861. She had no ammunition and no guns save a few old flint-locks, the relics of the Mexi can war; yet Generals Pillow and Polk in Middle and West Tennessee, and General Zollicofiier in East Tennessee, were organizing. In East Tennesse companies from Bristol to Chat tanooga were gathering at Knoxville. Col. J. C. Vaughn, having completed one regiment had gone on to Virginia. On June the 10th, 1861, the old 19th organ ized with companies made up all along the line of East Ten nessee, Virginia and Georgia Railroad from Bristol to Chatta nooga. We organized in the old fair ground, about one mile east of the city of Knoxville. ORGANIZATION. The camp was called Camp Cummings, in honor of Col. D. H. Cummings, the first colonel of the regiment; The following officers were elected to command the regiment and companies : David H. Cummings Colonel. Frank M. Walker JLiieutenant-Colonel. Abe Fulkerson Major. V. Q. Johnson Adjutant. H. Mell Doak Sergeant-Major. Dr. Joe E. Dulany Surgeon. A. D. Taylor Quartermaster. Rev. D. SuUins Chaplain. BY APPOINTMENT. W. J. Worsham, ) Rufus Lamb, [ Regimental Musicians, James Tyner, ) COMPANIES. Co. A— John D. Powell Captain Hamilton Co. " 1st Lieutenant. . . " " Daniel Kennedy 2d " Frank Foust 3d Co. B— Zeb T. Willett Captain Washington Co. " Joseph Conley 1st Lieutenant. . . " " " Nathan Gregg 2d " James G. Deaderick.. 3d Co. Co. Co Co ORGANIZATION. I ^'^\ p— J?™e,s K. Snapp Captain Sullivan Co Charles St. John 1st Lieutenant. . . " Geo. H. HuH 2d ' John M. Jones ;)d p— Elmon E. Colvill Captain Rhea Pete Miller 1st Lieutenant James A. Wallace... 2d ' S. J. A. Frazier 3d E— John W. Paxton Captain Knoxville. • John M. Miller 1st Lieutenant ' J.K.Graham 2d ' Wm. W. Lackey 3d F— J. H. Hannah Captain Polk P. C. Gaston, 1st Lieutenant " ' J.M.Sims 2d ' J. C. Holms 3d G — A. L. Gammon Captain Sullivan Jas. A. Rhea 1st Lieutenant " ' Robt. L. Blair 2d ' James Carlton 3d Co Co. H — Wm. H. Lowery Captain McMinn U. S. York 1st Lieutenant. . " ' D. A. Wilds 2d ' Thomas Maston 3d I— T. H. Walker Captain Hamilton ' B. F. Moore 1st Lieutenant ' Warren Hooper 2d ' JohnLovejoy 3d Co. K— C. W. Heiskell Captain Hawkins Robt. D. Powell 1st Lieutenant " SamP. PoweH 2d Sam Spears 3d " " Company A had 97 Company F had 93 '^ B " .100 ^ G " 110 C " 104 " H " 94 D " 103 " I " 110 E " 106 " K " 100 The number of men enrolled of rank and file was one thou sand and twelve, and of commissioned officers forty-eight, mak ing a total of one thousand and sixty (1,060.) Now we began camp life in earnest. Formed messes of four to six in each mess. Each mess had one tent, tin plates, cups and cooking utensils. Each man had one blanket, one can teen, one napsack and one haversack. CHAPTER II. CAMP CUMMINGS. THIS was indeed a new life to us, and a more restless set of men could not be found than were we. Every hour of the long day from the dim, gray, misty light of dawn to the soft glow of shadowy evening was full of excitement and new delights to us. Although drill was the order of the day, yet when not drill ing the men were on the move all the time, until taps put an end to the restlessness and quiet reigned. The different maneuvers in drill and in the manual of arms occupied our attention during the day. There were guards at regular intervals around the encampment. These were called sentinels and had so far to walk back and forth, called beats. During the hours of the night, when the dull tramp of the soldier was hushed in sleep, no sound was heard save that of the slow tread of the sentinel on his beat, and the calling of the post and hour by the sentinels. How lonely it did sound in the dead hours of the night as they called out, "Post number one, all is well." Col. Cummings had an old negro man named "Munger," old Munger was a fifer and could play only one tune, which he called "My wife is sick, my wife is sick." Poor Munger, I can hear him now. Munger stayed with the regiment till we reached Cumberland Ford, Ky. On one occasion in order to try the men, the enemy was announced advancing and we were ordered out, as we supposed, to fight. The test being made, the regi ment r(^turiied to camp. Old Munger had a tent. In his fright he run and stuck his head into the tent, lying on his belly with his feet outside shaking as if he had a regular buck-ague. Munger was a Guinea negro aud believed he was four hundred years old. June the 22iid, comijanies A and E were ordered to Cum berland Gap under command of Capt. J. D. Powell. The field band, of which we had charge, was ordered with them. We boarded the cars at the depot and moved out for Morristown, CAMP CUMMINGS. H Tenn., from which pla,ce we marched across tln^ country to the Gap. We camped the first night at Bean Station, a fine water ing place, at the foot of Clinch Mountain. There were black and white sulphur besides other waters. BARBECUE. As we entered the gorge in which the springs are situated the air was perceptibly loaded with sulphurated hydrogen, one of the boys cried out, "We are at the headquarters for rotten eggs." The next day, by pre-arrangement of the ladies, they gave us a "barbecue" at the Station. Men, women and chil dren were there, from all around. Our two companies marched and countermarched, while our band did its best, marching at the head of the column. We were the "elephant" that day. On the morning of the 24th we moved on towards the Gap, encountering rough roads, and crossing Clinch and Powell rivers. We pitched our tents within two miles of the Gap, where we remained two or three days. While here Sergeant David Kuhn accidentally shot him self with a pistol through the hand, and was registered upon the surgeon's book as the first casualty of the regiment. June the 27th we moved up in the Gap and pitched our tents on the mountain top, "Up in the region of the clouds Where the cold winds blow Our tents of fancy stuck." Our encampment here was on high, steep and rough ground —so steep the boys declared they had to tie themselves in the bed at night to keep from rolling out. Lieut. Col. F. W. Walker came on to the Gap in a few days after our arrival. When Companies A and E left Knoxville, Companies F and H, under command of Maj. Fulkerson, went to Jamestown, about seventy-five miles from the Gap, ou the Cumberland range. Soon after these, Col. Cummings left with four companies, B, D, G and I, and moved out by way of Clinton and camped for a while near his old home. From this place he proceeded to Big Creek Gap in the Cumberland Mountains, where he remained until the 4th of July. Companies C and K were sent to Loudon, Tenn., to guard the railroad bridge at that place. We had not been long in the Gap, when one of Company A was taken sick and died, and was buried with military honors. His 12 THE OLD NINETEENTH TENNESSEE. death was the first recorded in the regiment. Men, women and children came into the camp daily, bringing butter, chickens, eggs, etc., to sell. Soon we had the Confederate flag floating in the breeze from the "Pinnacle," one of the highest points of the mountains. Up in Virginia, some ten miles, were a few cavalrymen, who did picket duty along this part of the moun tain. One day in July these cavalrymen brought into camp some twenty men as prisoners, whom they had captured, who were making their way across the mountain into Kentucky. Among them was Thos. A. R. Nelson, of Jonesboro, Tenn. Col. Walker seut them onto Knoxville. Frequently men would come into camp and remain until late at night and go home. Here we had sentinels all around our encampment, as the ground was so rough. One post was within ten steps of my tent,- which was twenty feet above the road leading up the mountain. The sentinel was posted in the road. One evening a Virgin ian came into camp riding a fine horse, hitched him and entered, remaining late. The night was dark and the overhanging trees where the sentinel stood rendered the darkness more intense. About nine o'clock the sentry heard steps approaching in the road on the inside of the camp, as if some one was trying to slip by him, or upon him. Whatever it was, it would make one or two steps cautiously and halt, then two or three more, then halt again. Being so dark the sentry could not see any thing. Close and closer came the steps, when we heard the sentinel challenge the approaching footsteps : ' 'Halt, halt ! Who comes there?" But no response. A step or two more, and "halt," cried the sentinel, yet the steps came closer. Click, click, we heard the sentinel's gun, as he made ready to fire. "Halt," once more he cried, and bang went his gun. A horse wheeled and ran back some twenty steps and fell dead. It was the fine horse the Virginian rode in the evening before. It had gotten loose and was trying to get by the sentinel. Col. Walker was carelessly handling or shaking a box of caps in his hand when they exploded, blowing open the box, and pieces of the caps cut his hand in several places. July the 4th Col. Cummings came up to the Gap with the four companies he had with him, and the third day after Maj. Fulkerson came up with the two he had. All the regiment was here now, and drill was the order of the day. We had to go down into the valley on the Tennessee side to find ground on FOG. V,>, which to drill. We fortified the Gap by throwing up works across the Gap. Building the breastworks and drill gave us something to do. The Rev. David Sullins was our Chaplain with whom we all were in love. He preached for us regularly every Sunday morning, and in the evening we had Sunday-school— our chap lain, our superintendent. Now and then false-alarms would be given, and such a hustling of the men on the mountain side to get into line. When the alarm would be given at night, the men in their hurry to form line, would fall down and sometimes roll down the mountain side several feet before getting a foothold. In the Gap our camps were up in the clouds. And fre quently we would be in the center of a storm cloud and the lightning would seem to leap out of the clouds and fall in round balls to the ground. A DENSE FOG. One clear, bright morning about nine o'clock, the sun seemed to shine with unusual brightness. A dense fog came drifting down the mountain hunting a place to cross. Itwas so heavy it could not rise above the mountain top and sought an opening in the Gap. On reaching the Gap it began pouring itself through, and so dense was it, for an hour the sun could not be seen, and part of the time we could not see an object ten feet ahead of us. Our short stay in the Gap will long be remembered. About the last of August Col. Branners' battalion of cavalry came up to the Gap, and they were closely followed by the Fifteenth Mis sissippi, (Col. W. S. Statham) , the Eleventh Tennessee, (Rains) , Seventeenth Tennessee, (Col. Newman), Twentieth Tennessee, (Col. Battle) , Twenty-ninth Tennessee, (Col. Powell) , and Capt. Rutledge's Artillery. The next day Brig. General F. K. ZoUicoffer with his staff came and took command of the entire force at the Gap. On the fourth of September General ZoUicoffer moved the command out to Cumberland Ford on the Cumberlaind river and established CAMP ZOLLICOFFER. Here the cavalry were kept at the front all the time on picket duty. While here our regiment received ten instruments for the brass band and music complete. We formed a band and 14 THE OLD NINETEENTH TENNESSEE. after a little practice began playing on duty. We liked our young band but its life, like that of the "May-Fly," was short in duration. Our encampment looked quite military. We had about six thousand two hundred men. September twelfth General ZoUicoffer sent out a detachment under Col. Battle, - composed of two companies from each regiment and one battal ion of cavalry to Barboursville, Kentucky where it was reported a force of the eneniy was encamped. Companies B and K were detaUed from the Nineteenth Tennessee regiment. Early in the morning of the thirteenth they ran upon the enemy in a corn field just this side of the town. Company K, of the Nine teenth Tennessee was thrown out as a skirmish line, and it ad vanced on the enemy and began firing. While it was but a small skirmish line, and this being their first under fire, it seemed like fighting and sounded of battle. In this little battle Lieutenant Robert Powell, of Co. K was killed, and a few oth ers were wounded . This made the Nineteenth Tennessee lose the first man killed outside of Virginia. The detachment returned next day, and Lieut. Powell's remains were sent home for burial. General ZoUicoffer sent our regiment accompanied by Colonel Carter's regiment of cavalry on an expedition to GOOSE CREEK SALT WORKS, about forty miles north in the Kentucky mountains . It had been raining for several days, and the morning of September 25th, we started out in one of the hardest rains that had fallen for some time. We encountered rough mountainous roads and swollen streams. Some' places on our journey we could not see a hun dred yards except by looking up. We passed but few habita tions and they were up on the side of the mountain. The rain continued pouring in torrents all the day, rendering our pro gress difficult, yet on we went. The morning of the third day we arrived at Goose Creek about two miles above the salt works the objective point of our journey. We found the creek much swollen from the recent rains. The road and the creek ran down between the ridges together. They took it time about in crossing each other, and always went through each other. In the two miles we had to go down this creek, we had to wade it seventeen times. At each crossing we lost some mud we gath ered on our way. We loaded our wagons with two hundred bushels of salt. There was plenty of honey here, and the boys filled themselves with honey until it became too sweet to .be REV. DAVID SULLINS. _Brotlier Sullins was born in McMinn County, Tenn., near Athen.s, in 182/ . He joined the Nineteenth Tennessee Confederate regiment in June, 1861, and was made Chaplain of the regiment, which place he filled until the re-ora-anizati(in of the army in 1862. At that time was nuule division Cliai)lain and division Quarter-Master of (len. Breekenridge's division, where he remained for two years or longer. GOOSE CREEK SALT WOliKS. 15 good. So sick were many of the Ijoys that they cared for neither honey nor salt. For some time after, just to speak of honey the boys would gag. We returned to camp, after being gone five days, tired and almost fagged out ; having fulfilled our mission for which we were sent, we sat down in camp and rested. Mr. White who had charge of the salt works, had a fine lot of ducks and geese. The boys had killed several of them, and Mr. White was com plaining to John Webster, of Company K, aljout it. Webster told him it was a shame and he would see that the men were punished, and that no more would be killed. Just then a duck he had concealed under his coat began to quack and he at once had business with the regiment, and the old man returned to the house none' the less pacified. CHAPTER III. EOCK CASTLE. WE had now been out nearly four months playing the roUof soldier. The exMlarating life in the beginning had now somewhat worn away, and camp life had become a mo notonous routine of military duties. We had done but little as yet, but from indications we would soon enter the arena of war in truth. After the wire edge of our martial chivalry shall have been worn away, we may and will be more able to stand the storm of battle. While we lay idle in Camp ZoUicoffer, the Federals concentrated a considerable force under Gen. Schoeff at Rock Castle, or WUd Cat, in Kentucky. The Federal Col. Garrard had three regiments there, and on the fifteenth of Octo ber had been reinforced by Gen. Schoeff with three more, and one battery of artillery and one battalion of cavalry. The morn ing of the sixteenth of October Gen. ZoUicoffer with his entire force moved out to attack this force at WUd Cat. The route through the mountains was rough and heavily timbered, the greater part of the way was between precipitous ridges which rendered our march hazardous. To retard our advance the en emy had fallen trees across the road and in other ways had ob structed our way. We did not reach the enemy until early in the morning of the twentieth , and having marched and worked all the night before, did not feel like attacking the enemy in his den that morning. Gov. A. S. Marks, who was with us and who commanded a company in the Seventeenth Tennessee regiment says, "The hill on which the enemy had fortified was at the head of a gorge about a quarter of a mile wide. This fortified hill commanded the road over Rock Castle hills. The day before the enemy was reached, we found the road approaching the Mils, and miles away from it, obstructed by fallen trees. Men were put to work to clear away the obstruction. We were not allowed to eat or sleep until the enemy was reached next morning. We moved a hundred yards at a time as the fallen trees were gotten ROCK CASTLE. 17 out of the way. When the hill was reached the road was found impassable from the fallen trees. The advance was through the woods. We found the face of the hUl a precipitous bluff, with but a small place accessible. My company only could find ground to ascend which we did, and found the entrenchments of the enemy but sixty yards from the crest, with abatis in front. We opened fire, which was briskly returned. My com pany filled all the avaUable space, so we could not be reinforced and we were recalled. I lost in my company six kiUed, and twenty wounded. Some were killed and wounded in the other companies. No other attempt was made to assault anywhere else." Col. Newman's regiment was the only one engaged, and his loss in all was eleven killed, and tweuty-seven wounded. The loss of the enemy was but five killed and eleven wounded. Zol- licoffer returned to camp at Cumberland Ford, and after a few days' rest he began an evacuation of this part of Kentucky. October the thirtieth we bid adieu to Camp ZoUicoffer. Mov ing out early in the morning we headed for the Gap, through which we passed and turned down the mountain toward Jacks- boro, Tennessee. Two regiments, Col. Rains' (Eleventh Ten nessee), and Col. Newman's (Seventeenth Tennessee), were left at the Gap to hold it against occupation by the enemy. We reached Jacksboro November the fourth where we re mained a few days blockading the passes along the mountain. At this place unfavorable indications began to show regarding the future usefulness of our young brass band. Col. Cummings ordered all the men belonging to the band, (except the old field band), to carry their guns; this, the men did not feel like doing, carry their guns and horns. So, on the morning of our leaving Jacksboro, we stacked our horns and left them. This was the demise of our brass band. The regiment fell back on the old field band, which she never abandoned, nor did the little faithful band ever prove truant to its trust, and on the morning of the regiment's last roll-call, this same faithful field band called them into line. Leaving Jacksboro we passed through Wartburg and Mont gomery, and crossing Little Emory river, we ascended the Cum berland Mountains again, on whose top we traveled for thirty miles, through as lonely and desolate a country as could be found. We passed a residence about every six miles, till we 18 THE OLD NINETEENTH TENNESSEE. reached Jamestown, the county site of Fentress County, a small cluster of houses in a rocky, barren country, almost destitute of any sign of life, where the winds' only song is a sad requium of starvation. Leaving the mountain just beyond Jamestown we turned our course northward, and the second day we entered the valley of Monticello, Kentucky, beautiful and fertUe. We passed through the town of Monticello, December the 2nd, with colors flying and jubilant in spirits, moving on for Mill Springs on the Cumberland, where we pitched our tents the evening of the second day. After reaching MUl Springs, Gen. ZoUicoffer wrote to Gen. A. S. Johnson of his intention to cross the river and fortify on the opposite side. To accomplish this he built two flat boats and with these he crossed the Cumberland with tive regiments of infantry, seven companies of cavalry and four pieces of artiUery. Moving out from the river about one mile on an elevation, he fortified his position, pitching our tent in a beautiful beech grove. After ZoUicoffer had settled down in his uew quarters he received two dispatches from Gen. A. S. Johnson, and in one of them he says, "Mills Springs would seem to answer best all the demands of the service, and from this point you may be able to observe the river without crossing." But before these reached Gen. ZoUicoffer, he had crossed the river, and to these dispatches he replied as follows : Camp Beech Grove, Ky., December 10th, 1861. Gen. Johnson— Your two dispatches reached me late last night. I infer from yours that I should not have crossed the river. But it is now too late. My means of recrossing the river are so limited I could hardly accomplish it in the face of the enemy, besides winter is now on us. Yours, F. K. ZoLLicoFFEE, Brig. Gen. It was said, Gen. Crittenden sent word to Gen. ZoUicoffer to speedily recross the river; but be that as it may, when Gen. Crittenden came he found Gen. ZoUicoffer stUl on the north side of the river, behind breast works and comfortably fixed in log cabins for the winter, which now had set in, in earnest. Our regiment occupied a position on the line of works on the extreme right, on a high bluff overlooking the river above. We were in a bend of the river, and our line of work extended ROCK CASTLE. 19 from the river above nearly to the river below. We had not had any kind of drill since we left Cumberland Gap, and as for brigade drill, such a thing had not been done. Here we were too busy building breastworks and quarters to think of drUling. Just now a peep into our inner life as soldiers, shows that in our short outing as such, the morals of the men had degen erated. Strange, how quickly men from under the influence of home and mother, loose sight of the good and with what tenac ity they take hold of the bad, and, too, right in the face of dan ger. Our army tactics, like that of the mariner's when off sounding, knew no Sunday, only as a day of extra duty. Since our crossing the Cumberland river, the Federals had concen trated under Gen. Schoeff at Summerset several regiments of infantry, some cavalry and artillery. And under Gen. Thomas at Lebanon sixteen regiments of infantry, cavalry and artillery. Our cavalry were now at the front all the time, and every uow and then would have a spat with the enemy. On the eighth of January our cavalry brought into camp fifteen or sixteen priso ners, among whom were Maj. Helveti, and Capt. Prime, both of the engineering corps. It was reported that a regiment of infantry was encamped on the creek not far from the river, nor very far from our encampment. So, the morning of the tenth the Nineteenth Tennessee was sent out to see after them. We left camp about three o'clock in the morning. It was very dark, and a cold, drizzling rain falling and very muddy. As we drew near the supposed camp of the enemy our movements were at a snail's gait, so slow we could not keep up sufficient circulation to keep warm, and freeze we thought we would. We moved on so cautiously, we were not allowed to step so as to make a noise. Our feet were so numbed with cold we eould not stand on one foot, and to move was painful. They felt as if a thousand needles were sticking them. At daylight we reached the creek, but found no trace of the enemy. We must cross the creek and the only way was to wade. How could we, this bitter cold morning and almost frozen, but there was no alternative. So, after disrobing partly, in we went and the cold water, as it crept up our legs, seemed fuU of needles pricking them. This cold wade proved to be the very thing for us, after getting out,' reaction set in and soon we were warm and comfortable. We returned to camp with only a fisherma|ii's luck. 20 THE OLD NINETEENTH TENNESSEE. January the fifteenth Maj. Gen. Geo. B. Crittenden with Brig. Gen. CarroU's brigade composed of the following regi ments, viz: Col. Newman's 17th Tennessee, Col. Stanton's 25th Tennessee, Col. Murray's 28th Tennessee, Col. Powell's 29th Tennessee, Col. White's 27th Tennessee, Col. Wood's 16th Ala bama, McClung's battery of two guns, and Col. Branner's and Col. McCleUand's battalions of cavalry arrived. Col. Mose White with his regiment remained at Mill Springs and did not cross the river. Gen. Thomas at this time had joined Gen. Schoeff' at Somerset, with his eight thousand infantry, cavalry and artillery. The combined force of the enemy now was twelve regiments of infantry, two regiments of cavalry and four bat teries. He began an advanced movement on our forces on the 17th of January. For several days previous the rains had been heavy land incessant and the streams were all swollen. Such was the condition of Fishing Creek when Thomas reached it, compelling him to remain on his side of the creek until the evening of the 18th when he crossed a part of his men. Fri day night of the 17th Gen. Crittenden called a council of war, composed of the brigades and regimental commanders and cap tains of batteries, to consider the best thing to do; whether to attack Thomas before he could cross all his forces over the now swollen creek, or wait for him to attack us in our entrench ments. The result of the council was to move on the enemy at the earliest moment possible. It was said in camp, the next morning. Gen. ZoUicoffer and Col. Cummings opposed the advance and the attack. All day Saturday the men were busy inspecting their arms and getting everything ready for the attack. Fishing Creek runs nearly south and empties into the Cumberland river about six miles above MUl Springs. The crossing was on the road leading from Somerset to Mill Springs, and about ten miles from our encamp ment. On our side of the creek is a low bottom land for some distance. For two or three hundred yards out from the creek was heavily timbered, and from this to the top of the ridge was cleared and under cultivation, and was about three hundred yards wide, the public road dividing it into two large fields. On the west side and near the foot of the ridge stood a log cabin which was used as a field hospital. Saturday at mid night the army was put in motion. The night was dark and cold, and the bitter winds drove the sleet and rain in our faces, yet ROCK CASTLE. 21 on we went, plodding in the gloom and mud to the front and to battle. The order of the march was as follows: FIRST BRIGADE— BRIG. GEN. ZOLLICOFFER. Fifteenth Mississippi, Colonel W. S. Statham. Nineteenth Tennesse, Colonel Cummings. Twentieth Tennessee, Colonel Battle. Twenty-fifth Tennessee, Colonel Stanton. Rutledge's Artillery. SECOND BRIGADE — BRIG. GEN. CARROLL. Seventeenth Tennessee, Colonel Newman. Twenty-eighth Tennessee, Colonel Murray. Twenty-ninth Tennessee, Colonel Powell. Sixteenth Alabama, Colonel Wood. McClung's Battery. Of cavalry there were Bledsaw's, Sander's, Branner's and McCleUand's. Bledsaw's and Sander's battalions were in front of ZoUicoffer, the other two battalions were behind Carroll's brigade. Sunday morning at daylight the cavalry ran upon the ene my's pickets one and a half miles out in their front. A few shots were exchanged and the enemy slowly fell back to his main line. Our cavalry did not push them. The 15th Missis sippi took the front, closely followed by the 19th Tennessee. Soon we encountered their main picket line at the foot of the ridge, which as we approached fell back to the top of the hill. We formed line of battle at the foot of the ridge. The balls began passing over our heads pretty fast with a zip, zip, but they did not seem to be doing any harm for they were two hun dred yards away on the hill above us. The 15th Mississippi formed on the right of the road, with the 20th Tennessee, Col. Battle joining them also on the right. These two regiments formed the right wing of our line of battle. The 19th Tennessee fell into line facing the front just on the left and touching the road, while the 25th Tennessee formed to our left and just a little in our rear. Gen. Carroll had not yet come up and had not formed line of battle. For our regi ment to get into position we had to file through an old persim mon thicket, and as we entered it Col. Cummings said to me, "We will hang our overcoat, blanket and haversacks on this bush" (a large persimmon we were just passing,) "and we will 22 THE OLD NINETEENTH TENNESSEE. get them on our return." We did so, but neither of us ever saw them again. Getting into line we moved up the hill to the left of the road, and firing on the enemy who retired over and beyond the top of the ridge. By the time we reached the sum mit, the firing was getting pretty brisk. The 15th Mississippi first opened the battle, engaging the 12th Kentucky, then Battle opened on the enemy. The 19th Tennessee encountered first the 10th Indiana, about half way between the top of the ridge and the woods and the bottom. We charged at a double quick, closely followed by the 25th Ten nessee, and drove the enemy under shelter of the woods. The 15th Mississippi and the 20th Tennessee by this time had also driven the enemy from the top of the ridge into the woods below, thus forcing the whole Federal Une from the clearing into the woods on the creek. The rain continued falling, some times in heavy showers. Many of the men had the old flintlock guns which were, in this rain, utterly useless. The writer saw two or three of the boys break their guns over the fence, after several attempts to fire them. Rutledge's battery was planted on the hill just to the right of the road, and opened with- two or three shots only. Our own men being in danger of his shots he fired no more. While in this position Capt. Rutledge had his horse killed under him by a cannon shot from the enemy's gun. Gen. Carroll formed his brigade just under cover of the ridge and awaited orders. The morning was dark, the smoke from the guns was beaten back by the rain, and settling on the ground increased the gloom. By this time time the 19th Tennessee was in the edge of the woods to which point we had driven the 10th Indiana. The 4th Kentucky regiment commanded by Col. Fry, came to the assist ance of the 10th Indiana and was not more than thirty or forty yards in our front. Unfortunately, Gen. ZoUicoffer, owing to the darkness of the morning, mistook the 4th Kentucky regi ment for one of his own, and passing through our regiment he rode up to that of the enemy and said to Col. Fry, "We must not fire on our friends," to which Col. Fry replied, "I will not if I know it." Just then Maj. Fogg, of Gen. ZoUicoffer's staff, discovered they were Federals and fired at Col. Fry hitting his horse. Immediately a shot from the head of Fry's regiment hit Gen. ZoUicoffer in the chest killing him instantly. •- Y^ W* t^x 4 ;^^/ml if II ^ ' .»^^^^^^l^^^^^l ¦ ^K, ^ j£^#W-, ¦¦ ^^^^^59^ nmHU^i L^ &-, &-'^p|^HteB It^H ^^^^gBBBk Hflj^P ^^v ^^^^l^^^^^l H^BH ^1^^^^ ^H^ V|feu.i||| BIK 3^ ^ -« «L fl^^BH^^a^B^IH ^^H^^^B J ^, ^•^ w ^S9^^^ ^^^^H I i^r^ i^v m|^^H 1^1 ^2?P^S HHkIkIP _^£a^3^^H^^^^^^H ^^^^^H ¦I^^BH|^2s£^^Sh BRIGADIER-GENERAL F. K. ZOLLICOFFER. General ZoUicoffer was born in Columbia, Tenn., May 19th, 1812. At the beginning of the war between the States, F. K. ZoUicoffer was made a Briga dier-General and assigned to duty in East Tennessee in May, 1861. General ZoUicoffer was killed m the battle of Fishing Creek, January 19th, 1862. He was a brave soldier, generous and kind, and loved by all his command. ROCK ('.\STI>E. 2,'J Col. Cummings had been (irdcred by (len. ZoUicoffer as he passed by our regiment to ('(-asc firing, whicli they (Ud, and all this time oiu' regiment was receiving a galling fire from the 4th Kentucky regiment witJiout returnhig it, and in this confusion the regiment fell liaek a short distance in some disorder. The enemy pressed forward, capturing the body of Geu. ZoUicoffer and also that (^f Lieut. Baily Peyton, who was kUled at the same time. Lieut. Peyton was one of ZoUicoft'er's staff'. The 25th Ten nessee came to our relief and we checked for the time any fur ther advance of the enemy. Here Col. Cummings took charge of the brigade and Lieut. Col. Walker took command of the regiment, The 9th Ohio reinforce Chief Musicians. James Tyner, ) COMPANIES. Co. A — D. A. Kennedy Captain. F. M. Foust First Lieutenant. " Thomas Carney Second Lieutenant. N. P. Nail Third Lieutenant. Co. B — J. D. Deaderick Captain. " J. C. Hammer First Lieutenant. " R. J. Tipton Second Lieutenant. T. M. Brabson Third Lieutenant. Co. C — W. C. Harvey Captain. " M. J. Miles First Lieutenant. " A. W. Smith Second Lieutenant. " William Miles Third Lieutenant. Co. D — J. G. Frazier Captain. " S. J. A. Frazier First Lieutenant. " A. B. Hodge Second Lieutenant. " Thos. Cunningham Third Lieutenant. Co. E— W. W. Lackey Captain. " S. B. Abbernathy First Lieutenant. " Henry A. Waller Second Lieutenant. " Jake L. Waller Third Lieutenant. Co. F —J. H. Hannah Captain. " J. M. Sims First Lieutenant. " J. F. Sharp Second Lieutenant. " Robt. Rhea Third Lieutenant. 48 THE OLD NINETEENTH TENNESSEE. Co. G— A. L. Gammon Captain. Jas. A. Rhea First Lieutenant. J. K. P. Gammon " " Second Lieutenant. H. D. Hawk Third Lieutenant. Co. H-W. Paul McDermott Captain. J. H. Kimborough First Lieutenant, Frank S. Hale Second Lieutenant. Benj. F. Hoyle Third Lieutenant. Co. I— J. D. Lively Captain. " J. E. Wooding First Lieutenant. " W. H. Lovejoy Second Lieutenant. Wm. Hale Third Lieutenant. Co . K— C, W. Heiskell Captain. ' ¦ J. H. Huffmaster First Lieutenant. " W. W. Etter Second Lieutenant. W. B. MUler Third Lieutenant. All the old officers who were not re-elected left us for other commands, preferring to be privates under other men, than those over whom they had had command. Some were elected to higher rank of command in other regiments. After the battle of Shiloh, Beauregard began fortifying extensively around Corinth. The Federals followed slowly and did not press their suit to any greater degree than a cavalry picket line. We remained here nearly two months, during which time the pickets kept up almost daily a musket and artillery duel. The water we had to use was of the poorest kind, very bad and only accessible by digging holes in the ground one or two feet deep, and allowing them to fill up with seep water. After exposure to the sun but a day or two, the water would be full of wiggletails, and the use of this water soon began to tell upon the health of the army. The sick list ran up at a fearful rate, and the mortality increased daily. Beauregard sent the sick away as fast as they could be moved. While many died from sickness contracted in camp, many died from their wounds re ceived in the battle at Shiloh. We give but a partial list of deaths of the old 19th, from sickness while around Corinth. DIED. McKinney, William Co. A. Burnett, James Co. H. Salts, John " B. Graves, Wash " " Hampton, William " " Douglas, H. D " " Webb, Lieut. Ben " C. WiUiams, C. F. . " " AROUND CORINTH. 49 Cook, John " " HaU, John M Co. 1 Flenor, Pete " " Melton, A. J Roberts, Sam " " Parker, L. D Harr, Robert " " Langrace, R " K DePue " B. Cross, A. J Gray, James " " Duncan, William Grant, -John " G Drake Samuel Soon after Gen. Beauregard had reached Corinth, Gen. Vandorn, with his command of seventeen thousand (17,000) men, arrived. He should have reached the battlefield of Shiloh Sunday evening, and met Gen. Buel's fresh troops. If he had, we would have made it more lively for Grant, Monday, than we did. May the 25th, 1862, Beauregard began moving all his munitions of war from Corinth, and as soon as this was accom plished, the army began falling back towards Tupelo, Miss. The morning of the 25th our regiment was sent down the INIobile and Ohio Railroad, about eight miles to protect a bridge across a creek running through a low, swampy country, and a perfect jungle. In this place we lay about one week, with scarcely enough ground above water on which to lie down. The undergrowth was so dense that just now and then, and here and there, the sun could get through the foliage to give life to the struggling vegetation, dying for want of sun-light. About noon of the second day of June we crawled out from our hiding place in the swamp, out of the mud and water, onto dry ground, to sun and dry ourselves. We moved out from this place without a single regret, and took the railroad for Baldwin, Miss., where we stopped but a day. From here we moved on to Tupelo, where now the entire army was encamped. In the jungle or on the high-lands, in camp or on the march, in the rain or stretched out lizzard-like taking a sun-bath, no jollier set of men could be found than the Old Nineteenth Tennessee; always willing, ever ready to go where duty called. Gen. Beauregard took command of the army on the field of Shiloh, and finished the battle when he could scarcely keep in the saddle. His ill health was his great impediment. And o-wing to the continued failure of health, he turned over, the command of the army to Gen. Braxton Bragg June the 10th, 1862. Soon after taking command, Gen. Bragg sent a portion of the ariny to Vicksburg, under Gen. Breckenridge, and with the remainder of the army he returned to Tennessee. Statham's 50 THE OLD NINETEENTH TENNESSEE. brigade, in which was the Old Nineteenth, was one of the brig ades sent to Vicksburg. June the 19th, Gen. Breckenridge re ceived the folh)wing order: Special order, 1 Headquarters Western Department. No. j Tupelo, Miss., June 18th, 1862. Breekenridge's division of the Army of Mississippi, will be preiiared to move in light marching order with all possible celerity, with six days' rations, one hundred rounds of ammu nition for small arms and the current supply for fleld batteries. Brig. Geu. Preston will report at once to the commander of the forces for special instructions. By command of Gen. Bragg. Geo. W. Brent, Act. Chief of Staff. McClung's battery, having been transferred to our brigade, became part of it. We moved out from Tupelo on the 20th with one division, composed of four brigades. Our line of march from Tupelo, was northwest across the country, through aland not very rich and poorly watered. We suffered for water, often going miles without finding a well, cistern or running stream. The horses suffered alike with the raen. We reached AbbeviUe on the N. 0. & N. W. R. Ry, on the 25th of June, where we rested for the day. Here we took the train and passed through Jackson on to Vicksburg, which place we reached on the evening of July 1st, 1862. CHAPTER VII. VICKSBURG. \7'ICKSBURG, the city on the hills, like her ancient sister, Rome, her foundations are the eternal hills. The hills ai-e called "Walnut Hills," and each one stands alone, or seemingly so, while in truth it is a ridge broken along here by deep ravines. The railroad from Jackson finds its way to the wharf through one of these ravines. On these hills we had our large siege guns, making a splendid fort, underneath which was the magazine, deep beneath the reach of the enemy's shells. Vicksburg was a romantic place. Her several hills were cov ered with beautiful residences, with large yards full of flowers and shrubbery, and many gardens growing figs, pomegranates, artichokes, etc., not such as we were used to, for these were ou trees ahd shrubbery instead of in the ground. We lived well here. The scenes and the surroundings were so different from anything we had yet met. Our encampment was out from the city about two miles. Our water supply for the first few days was from an old pond, full of green moss and wiggletails, and we had to filter the water we used. We were on picket duty along the levy about five days and nights in each week. Here again we were under fire of the enemy's gunboats. There were two fleets, one above and one below the city. The third day of July we lay on the levee, below the city, and remained there all night. We expected the enemy to begin the celebra tion of the Fourth of July early the next morning by shelling us from the two fleets. Early in the morning of the Fourth we moved up from the bottoms ou to higher grounds, directly under one of our large batteries, and were in plain view of both fleets all day. Our most sanguine expectations of a lively day from shot and shell of the enemy's gunboats and mortar boats were sadly disappointed. Everything was strangely silent. The sun this morning (the fourth) seemed to spread a pall of sUence ¦yl the old nineteenth Tennessee. over everything, and not until it had climbed the eastern hori zon and passed the zenith was the monotony broken. There had not been a day, not even a Sabbath day, so quiet as this one so far had been. About two o'clock in the evening one of our large guns sent a shell whizzing through the air, inquiring of the enemy why they were so silent, when one solitary shot from the enemy's lower fleet came in reply, and silence reigned again until night spread her dark mantle over all. Constantly the two fleets kept us on the lookout day and night. Shells, two hundred-pounders, were bursting over our heads and all around us continually. The air was kept full of flying missiles, falling here and there, and often wounding women and children in their homes and on the streets. Shells would go crashing through their residences. The streets were kept torn up bythe shells going into the ground and bursting, tearing up holes suf- flcient to bury a horse in. The soil being sandy, it was fun for the boys when one of these would go four or five feet in the ground, to gather around the opening, when the explo sion of the shell would throw dirt all over them. The lower fleet was about three and a half miles below the city and the upper one about three miles above, directly opposite the city across the peninsular. The hills around the city and below had many beautiful residences on them. There was one large house on one of these hills not far from the lower fleet, from the top of which the fleet could be seen plainly. The boys would gather on top of this house and watch the maneuvering of the fleet. One day the boys of the Old Nineteenth were on top of the house and had attracted the attention of the enemy and they made the house a target. The first shot came so close the boys got down and off, none too soon for the second shot demol ished the house. The gunboats were very restless, moving about, staying in one position but a short time. Each fleet had a small boat, the boys called the "fiee," they were continually on the run, to first one boat and then another. While we were here, the Federals Ijegan cutting a canal across the peninsular. They worked principally at night, for during the day our guns made it too warm for them to stay in the canal. GUNBOAT HUNT. For several days the Federals had two mortar boats tied up to the bank on our side of the river. The Old Nineteenth and a part of the Fifteenth Miss., under Col. Walker, were sent down 54 THE OLD NINETEENTH TENNESSEE. to investigate the right they had taken in so doing, and to take them in if necessary. The' day was an exceedingly hot one, and but little air was stirring. The road was graded, cutting through the small hills and when we would get into one of these cuts the heat was so oppressive that it was almost intolerable. The distance we had to go was about four miles, and many of the men were overcome by the heat, fell by the wayside, com pletely exhausted. There were more Mississippians fell out on account of the heat than Tennesseeans. The writer gathered leaves and put them in his hat changing them every few min utes, yet he came very near giving it up at one time. The sun light seemed to have gone out, everything became dark. He staggered and came very near falling. Sitting down for a while this soon wore off and he moved on alright. Finally we reached the river bottoms across which we must go, through marshy places, mud and lagoons. There were bamboo briars in abundance, whose long thorny arms reaching out for every thing that passed, were ahead of and awaiting us. We fail to express it when we say that it was with great difficulty we picked our way acrosse the bottom and reached the levee beyond, upon whose crest for, some distance above and below us was a thick, heavy cane brake, which completely hid us from view of the enemy. On reaching the cane brake we found the object of our search lay about one hundred yards below us. Moving cautiously down the levee behind the cane, until we thought we were far enough, and were even with the boats, we made a rush forward to the river. The lower end or left wing of our column fell in about twenty yards above the nearest boat. Out in the river before us lay the entire fleet like a small viUage on the water. The two boats were moored close to the liank and the men were out, some on th^ bank sleeping, some playing cards and others on the deck. Little did they dream of danger. One or two volleys from our guns sent several of them to their long homes, just how many were kUled we could not tell. It was only a moment's work and we had to take shelter behuid the elevation of the levee just in time to save ourselves, where we had to remain for some time. Oh, my! It seemed as if the v(M-y gravels and rocks from the river's bed arose in their defense and came crashing through the cane after us. From the side of every boat came shot and shell, grape and canister until the boat seemed a blaze of flre and one continuous roar of cannon. As soon as the firing subsided sufficiently for us to VICKSBURG. 55 venture from our hiding, we moved out while the enemy kept up the firing which hurried us on. We did not go out in as as good order as we went in, nor were we as partic ular in picking our way. The grape kept coming too plenti fully for comfort and the writer made for a large cypress tree that stood just ahead of him, when just before he rea,ched it and within two steps of it, a four pound shot went through the tree a little above his head. Thinking it but little safer behind the tree than anywhere else, he moved on. Several of the men lost their shoes in the mud. Capt. Deaderick mired up in the quick sand so he could not move, and two men had to help him and they too, came near sticking. It was said one man lost his breeches, torn off by the bamboo and the thorns. We lost two men, supposed killed and two wounded. It was certainly a "wild goose chase," and was not as successful as was our trip to Goose Creek in Kentucky. But then, gunboats are not as easUy handled as salt. We returned to camp and had many a hearty laugh over our adventure in the "gunboat hunt." On one of these walnut hUls, an Englishman had a fine residence in a beautiful, large, grassy yard full of shrubery and flowers. In this yard our regiment passed one or two afternoons and nights each week resting under the shade of the trees. Here we were in plain view of the upper fleet. Our continued presence at tracted the attention of the enemy and they would shell us, the shells passing through the yard and burst near by. This raised the ire of the old Englishman and he soured on us. He would have quickly driven us out and off of his premises had he the power. After a few shells had gone through his yard and had demolished some of his shrubbery, thinking to fortify against the enemy's shell he raised the English flag on top of his house and also on his barn. So we rested under the shadow of the English flag as well as that of the Confederate ; while in sight in the distance, the stars and stripes floated in the breeze. The old Englishman soon learned that his flag did not put eyes to the shells of the Federal guns. For one day he was in his barn currying his cow, which was a daily business with him, when a shell came crashing through the barn, barely missing him and his cow and went on, on its frightful mission to scare some one else. As usual we had to keep up drill and inspec tion. We had in our regiment a dutchman, and judging from his physique he was of lager beer fame, having a large "bay window." One morning Lieut. Col. Moore was inspecting the 56 THE OLD NINETEENTH TENNESSEE. regiment and was getting the men in line. This dutchman whose name was Godhelp, seemed with great difficulty to get into line, his "bay window" being too large. The Colonel caUed out to him, "You dutchman, Godhelp, put m your belly." On July 10th General Breckenridge issued the foUowing order : General Order ) Headquarters Breckenridge's Division, No. 2. I Vicksburg, Miss., July 10, 1862. Hereafter the several brigades composing this division will be numbered as follows: First brigade. Brig. Gen. Bowen; Second brigade, Brig. Gen. Helm; Third brigade. Brig. Gen. Preston; Fourth brigade, Col. W. S. Statham. By command of Maj. Gen. Breckenridge. John T. Pickett, Asst. Adj. Gen. Our brigade was composed of the same regiments as when at the battle of Shiloh, and was the fourth in the present divis ion. On the 16th there was read in the brigade the following order concerning a boat that was then anchored in the Yazoo river, above Vicksburg: Camp of the Hudson Battery, Near Vicksburg, Miss., July 16, 1862. Capt. W. C. McCawley, Assistant Adjutant- General of the Sec ond Brigade, Breckinridge's Division: Dear Sir— I received a circular, of date July 15th, calling for volunteers to go on board the Arkansas Ram to attack the fleet just below us. Respectfully, H. B. Helm, Brig. Gen. Second Brigade. This was news to us, for we did not know we had a gunboat so near. This caU was made in aU the regiments of the brigade. The Old Nineteenth responded, which she always did, to any duty in any emergency. A detail was sent from our regiment to Captain Brown, who was in command of the boat. A few days after the detaU had been sent from the brigade, there was read the following notice, which seemed to show there had been 5ome trouble : vicksburg. 5/ Headquarters Fourth Brigade, Vicksburg, Miss., July 20, 1862. Major Pickett, Assistant Adjutant-General : Dear Sir — I have the honor to i-eport, after making exam ination, that the lieutenant and men who volunteered from my brigade and went on board the Arkansas are there yet and have not been ashore with the purpose of leaving the boat. The lieutenant is distressed that such a report should be made con cerning him and his men. Direction will be given that they remain until otherwise ordered from your headquarters or by Captain Brown. I make this report at the request of Col. W. S. Statham, commanding brigade, who is now in bed with a very hot fever. The six volunteer firemen called for yesterday were sent to the Arkansas late yesterday evening. I am, very respectfully, Harry P. Thornton, Act'g. Ass't. Adjt. Gen. Col. W. S. Statham, our brigade commander, had been complaining for several days, although he had been out nearly every day. The communication just given was the last one he ever wrote or dictated. He grew worse rapidly and August 1st he surrendered to the grim monster death. All the men loved Colonel Statham and sorrowfully gave up their brigade com mander, and while they deeply mourned his departure, they consoled themselves that his was but a transfer of his enroll ment from the army on earth to the one in the beautiful beyond. While here we were kept busy day and night on the lookout for first one thing and another. The enemy's shells annoyed us, but there was another foe we had to contend with, more annoying than the enemy's shells — the musquitoes, or, as the boys called them, "gallinippers." Roll up in your blanket ever so well, they would bite you. They would either get on the blanket with you and roll up with you, or they would bite you through all the folds. The boys said "gal or no gal, they had the nippers, ' ' and right well did they ply them. There were barking lizards and .other curious things. When we first moved on to the hills overlooking the river, there was a cluster of bushes near by. In them were these lizards, and they would, every now and then, begin to yelp just like puppies. After night the enemy's shells were more entertaining than any other time, the fuse of the shells could be seen from the time they left the 58 the old nineteenth Tennessee. gun untU they burst. Often six or eight would go up at one time following each other, if the night was cloudy, the shells would go up through the clouds and be lost to sight for a time. When the bursting time came they lost all their beauty for the flying pieces of shells made it uncomfortable and dangerous. "the ARKANSAS RAM." The Arkansas Ram, a gun-boat of which notice has already been made, was then in the Yazoo river about twenty mUes above Vicksburg. Her sides, top and bottom were of railroad iron, she floated deep in the water, was well equipped with large guns. She made her appearance in the Mississippi July 16th. To get into Viccksburg she had to pass the upper fleet. Soon as the black smoke began to ascend from the low smoke stack of the Ram, and was seen nearing the Mississippi river, a small swift steamer belonging to the enemy that had been for some time lying in wait, watching the movements of the Ram, turned her course homeward as fast as the current of the river and her engines could propel her, to give warning that the Ram was coming. Out of the mouth of the Yazoo into the "Father of waters" she came midway of the stream, she floated quietly yet deflantly for the wharf at Vicksburg. About six o'clock in in the morning she came in sight of the fleet that was awaiting her and was careful to give ample room. The enemy was en thusiastic in their demonstrations and gave the Ram loud and continuous salute. The Ram was as courteous and returned the flre with a vim. She moved slowly, nor turned out of her way, and when her broadside presented to their boat she gave them shot after shot the enemy did not relish. On she came triumphantly into court, having suffered considerably from the enemy's shot and shell, and with her crew almost annihUated. Having lost twenty-flve kUled, thirty wounded. Hair, brains and blood were strewn everywhere in the boat. James Tyner, who was just only fifteen years old when he enlisted in Co. I, was given an honorable discharge by Lieut. J. E. Wooding, commanding company. Rev. D. SuUins, Brig- adge Quartermaster, gave him transportation home. James Tyner was our bass drummer and whUe he made a good and faithful soldier, yet his young and tender age forbid his remain ing longer. Lode Walker, Henry and Rufus Staples, of Com pany H, were transferred to other companies in other com mands. CHAPTER VIII. OUR stay in Vicksburg was, for us, romantic and full of thrilling events, though some of them were of too shaky a nature to be pleasant. Towards the close of our stay here nearly all the men contracted chills, which constituted the shaking part of our experience. The weather was very hot and sultry. Dr. Montgomery, of Mississippi, assisted our surgeon, Dr. Delaney, and had charge of the chill department. Our boys began to be homesick and long to leave the land of flowers, magnolias and chills, but no furloughs nor transfers were granted. As has been stated, the death of Col. W. S. Statham oc curred August 1st, and after his death, Brig. Gen. Clark took command of our brigade. The next day after Gen. Clark took command orders were received for all able for duty to be ready to move at a moment's notice for BATON ROUGE. A good number of our men were chilling, which left few able to respond to this call. Gen. Breckenridge left for Baton Rouge with two divisions of two brigades each. The flrst divis ion was commanded by Brig. Gen. Clark, and was composed of the second and fourth brigade and commanded respectively by Col's Hunt and Smith. The second division was commanded by Brig. Gen. Ruggle and was composed of the flrst and third brigades, commanded respectively by Col's Allen and Thomp son. We had with our brigade two guns of Henderson's battery, one gun of Cobb's battery. As soon as Gen. Breckenridge leftfor Baton Rouge, the enemy's lower fleet also left and was closely fol lowed by the Arkansas Ram. We reached Baton Rouge late in the evening of the fourth, and formed our lines after dark with Gen. Clark on our right, and Gen. Ruggle on the left. Early in the morning of the 5th, Gen. Clark advanced on the Grenwell Spring road and as soon as it was light enough to see, Gen. Ruggle opened the fight by an attack on the enemy's pickets and soon 60 THE OLD NINETEENTH TENNESSEE. his whole line was engaged. He soon drove the enemy from aU his positions. He started in with a, cheer and a shout, and the little army moved forward with the impetus courage of mighty force, capturing two pieces of artillery- Just at this time Col. Allen fell, loosing both legs from a cannon shot; and foUowing this very soon Col. Thompson was wounded. On our right Gen. Clark pressed the enemy back at every point, but was resisted with great stubbornness. After several hours of hard fighting he drove the enemy back to his encampment in a large grove, just in the rear of the State penitentiary. Here the bat tle was most obstinate and fierce, and where the first division suffered the greatest loss. Here Col. Hunt, commanding the second brigade, was shot down, and Gen. Clark, commanding the division, was severely wounded. The third brigade on our left having exhausted its ammunition was ordered to fix bayo nets and support the fourth brigade in a charge with bayonets. Our whole line had suffered from the gTinboats until we had driven the enemy in, so close the boats could do us no harm. Itwas now ten o'clock in the morning and the Arkansas Ram, which should have been on hand and putting in her best work, had not yet opened her mouth. At half-past ten, when our men had driven the enemy from their last encampment in the grove and where the fight was a bloody one, 'they broke and ran down the streets followed by our men firing on them at every step until they took shelter in the arsenal and barracks. It was now noon, and our men exhausted from heat and thirst, withdrew under a galling fire from the enemy's gunboats. We expected to find water in all of the cisterns but were disappointed, and kept on in search of it. But finding none we returned to the front, and succeeded in obtaining a scanty supply from a few cisterns. AU this time the boats were shelling us, but here on this line we remained until nearly night. Having no picks and shovels, and not being able to pro cure any in the city, we gave up the field with its dead to be buried by the Federals. The Ram never showed up, the Captain reported that the machinery gave out and could not be worked— he abandoned her, then blew her up. The battle of Baton Rouge was a bloody little fight we moved all our wounded to comfortable quarters, sending to Jackson, Miss., all who could bear moving, leaving the dead on BATON ROUGE. 61 the field. Breckenridge had but a small force. He lost one division and two brigade commanders and a great many killed and wounded. Of the Old Nineteenth, Thomas White was wounded through the hips; Lieut. J. M. Sims was wounded in the leg, the same leg in which he was wounded at Shiloh; Emmett White was killed in this battle; Elbert Roberts, of Knox county, Tenn., was also killed; he belonged to Ruggles' command, and was a kinsman of the writer. The Old Nineteenth Tennessee, while she could not boast of her numbers engaged, could boast of grit and nerve, for many of our regiment were barely able to walk. Lieutenant Etter fought through this battle with a chill on him, shaking so he could hardly go, and following this ague was a high fever and intense thirst, yet through the heat of the day and the torture of this chill and fever he never left the ranks. All of the sick of the regiment who remained in camp at Vicks burg had the nerve and would have gone into this fight, but did not have the physical strength. Many who did go, ought to have remained in camp. Immediately after the battle of Baton Rouge, Breckenridge ordered all the troops who remained in Vicksburg to report at Jackson, save just sufficient force to garrison and hold the forts. So when we returned to Jackson we found the remainder of the army there. While here at Jack son, Colonel Cummings, our old colonel, visited us and we were right glad to see him again and shake his hand. General Breck enridge ordered inscribed on the flag of the Old Nineteenth Ten nessee regiment the names of all the battles we were in, viz : Fishing Creek, Shiloh, Vicksburg and Baton Rouge. Verily, of the Old Nineteenth Tennessee regiment, none were ashamed, but all were proud of her record. We were, and had been encamped around Jackson for sev eral days. Since we started out, had gone through many rough scenes, and many had been pleasant. We would have enjoyed our stay in Vicksburg much more had it not been for the chills, yet as it was, our soldiering there was romantic and exciting. Gen. Breckenridge made some changes in our brigade which the following order shows : General Order, \ Jackson, Miss., Palmer House, No. 23. I September, 7th, 1862. The 4th, 5th and 6th Kentucky regiments, and Cobb's bat tery will for the present, constitute a brigade under the com mand of Col. R. P. Trabue and be called the flrst brigade. 62 THE OLD NINETEENTH TENNESSEE. The 19th, 20th and 45th Tennessee regiments and McClung's battery, wUl form another brigade under the command of Col. F. M. Walker, and be caUed the second brigade. By command of Maj. Gen. Breckenridge. Jno. a. Buckner, Maj. and Asst. Adj't. Gen. In this reorganization of the brigades, the Fifteenth Missis sippi, which had been with us so long, ever since our encamp ment at Cumberland Ford, Ky., sharing our joys and hardships on all our long marches, standing side by side with us in aU battles, journeying with us over mountains and through val leys, now left us, and we bid good-bye to our old, true and tried friends. Also the Twenty-second Mississippi, that fell in with us at the organization under Gen. A. S. Johnson at Murfrees boro, Tenn. We had been encamped within the city limits for some days, but on the 8th of September we moved out six miles from Jackson, where we adjusted our payrolls, to keep in remembrance that there was such a thing called money. Here we drew eleven months' pay, clothing and provisions were issued, and we were happy. The money we drew, was in uncut sheets, and sixty dollars to each private. The paymas ter's tent was one mile from camp. Jake Willeford who had a "chuck-a-luck" bank won all the money the men received be fore they reached camp. All the sick, unable for duty, were sent to the hospital in the city, where J. B. Irwin and S. M. Jenkins, of Company F, and S. W. Riley, of Company I, died. Somehow a happy infatuation got hold of us just now, rumor was rife in camp that we were on the eve of going home. But we know "Rumor is a pipe. Blown by surmise and conjecture Of so easy and so plain a note. The still discordant multitude Can play upon it." WhUe we were enjoying the happy thought of a "Happy home ward bound," came the following order: Special Order, ) Headquarters, Breckenridge's Division, No. 17. j Jackson, Miss., Sept. 9th, 1862. The second brigade of this division wUl be at the raUroad station in Jackson, and under command of Col. F. M. Walker wUl move at eight o'clock to-morrow morning, and take the LIEUTENANT H. D. HAWK. Lieutenant Hawk was born in Sullivan County, Tenn., joined [Company G, of the Nineteenth Tennessee, in June, 1861. At the reorganization at Corinth in 1862, he was elected Third Lieutenant of Company G. In May 1863, he was promoted to Second Lieutenancy, and was wounded in the battle of Cliicamauga. He made a faithful good soMier through the war and was at the last roll call of the regiment in 1865. BATON ROUGE. 63 cars for the north. The commanding officer will report to Brig. Gen. Villipigue at Holly Springs, Miss., (or beyond if he has moved) until the arrival of the Major General commanding the division. By order of Maj. Gen. Breckenridge. J. L. Robertson, Capt. and Asst. Adj't. General. We left our camp the morning of the 10th, somewhat dis appointed, and took the cars for Holly Springs, instead of for home. We started out in one of the hardest rains that had fallen on us in Mississippi. It seems as if rain was one of the concomitants of a sol dier's life. We boarded an old cattle train, all the cars were open but covered, slatted and fllthy beyond description . We were on this train one whole day and night, no protection from the rain, which poured down on us all the way. How we longed for the enjoyment and pleasure of walking >gain. The only place the boys could lie down, was on top of the cars, where they had the full benefit of the rain. Inside the cars was almost too filthy to even stand. We finally reached Holly Springs, and got offi the cars, wet, muddy, nasty and mad. We were not to be en-vied either in feelings or in looks, all sleepy and tired out; and if we had been attacked by the enemy, however small the force, we could neither have fought nor run. We moved up the raUroad towards Grand Junction one mile and encamped on a small stream that reminded us very much of Camp ZoUicoffer in Kentucky, where just one year ago we were. How little then did we think what was before us ; what long marches without anything to eat, and the sleepless night watches that were in store for us. The work of the inexorable "Fates," like the coral buUders, was unseen yet they wove for us a journey rough and sure. It is well we cannot lift the veU and see the coming events. "If this were so. How many viewing their progress through, What perils to come, what crosses to endure Would shut the book and sit him down to die.,' After completing the work we were sent hereto do, (and I must confess there was nothing here for us to do), we again took the cars and retured to Jackson; but we did not stop, went right on to Meridian, which place we reached September 64 THE OLD NINETEENTH TENNESSEE. the 22d, where we rested for a few days. Here Gen. Brecken ridge made us a cheering, patriotic speech; a farewell, for he was going to turn us over to another command. The next morning we rceived the following order : Special Order, \ Headquarters, Breckenridge's Division, No. 27. j Meridian, Miss., Sept. 24th, 1862. Col. F. M. Walker will move with his, the second brigade, by rail, to Mobile, Ala., thence to Montgomery and to Chatta nooga, Tenn.; taking his tents, ammunition and fifteen days' rations. By order of Maj. Gen. Breckenridge. John A. Buckner, Maj. and Asst. Adj't. General. This [was the last order Gen. Breckenridge ever gave our brigade. We bad« him adieu. Again we boarded the cars, this time for home. Our boys were happy, some danced, some sang "Homeward bound" and all felt jolly. Just before the train pulled out from Meridian, in the car in which the writer was, all were jolly, eating and dancing in turn, when one of our number fell over dead. Our dancing was cut short and a pall of sadness mantled our jollification. Andrew Flenor, of Company C, was sitting down eating, when suddenly he fell over dead. We supposed he had choked to death. Poor Andrew had received his furlough home to return no more. His brother Pete preceded him but a few months, having died at Corinth just after the battle of Shiloh. He was gently lifted from the car and "with sorrowing hearts we left him in Meridian. It seemed more sad than had he been killed. At the very acme of his joys of soon seeing home and being with loved ones again, he yielded to a higher mandate. This was the first death of the kind in our regiment, and it seemed to weigh upon the hearts of the boys more than had he fallen in battle. We moved out for Mobile and did not make any halt longer than to get aboard the steamer, and on our way across the bay a soldier fell overboard and was lost. He disappeared before succor could reach him. Brave comrade, we can not follow thee with solemn tread and funeral march to the grave, but we can sing: "Sleep, we give thee to the wave Red with life's blood from the brave. Fare thee weU!" homeward bound. 65 So, one by one, our ranks are thinning. In battle array, or the quiet camp, death is claiming all, his own, and soon the soldiers' big roll-call will be on the other shore, where the beautiful bivouac will never break up. We landed from the steamer at the wharf in the city of Tensas, where we took the cars for Montgomery, through which we passed without halting, and on to West Point where we remained for a few days. Leaving here we passed through Atlanta, Dalton, Ga., and on to Knoxville, Tenn., where we arrived Septembei' 30th, 1862, after a long and tedious journey with exposure and anxious waiting at almost every station on the way. It seemed when we were in the biggest hurry, the slower was our progress, and we seemed to halt by the way for the least trivial excuse. It seemed the great anxiety for our reaching home, was the burden that retarded our speed. But after all we arrived at Knoxville, and our regiment was given a six days' furlough. At Dalton, Ga., our regiment left the other regiments of the brigade, the 20th, 28th, and 45th Tennessee regiments went on to Chattanooga. At Knoxville our men separated, and each one went to his respective home, to be greeted by loved ones and welcomed by friends, and too, we can say with none the less joy, by the old faithful watch-dog. "It was sweet to hear the watch-dog's honest bark Bay deep-mouthed welcome as we drew near home. And sweet to know an eye would watch our coming And grow the brighter when we come." CHAPTER IX. at home again. WHAT a joy to be at home. More than a year had gone by, months of danger, of anxious waiting by loved ones at home. Reader, did time ever fly more rapidly with you at one time more than another! If so, you can appreciate, when we say we had scarcely finished shaking hands of wel come untU the good-bye, "God bless you," were ringing in our ears. How quickly these six days went by. They were gone and as the camp may be called the home of the soldier it can be said, again the boys are gathering home. Our camp was at Knoxville and where we awaited orders. No doubt many re luctantly gave up the comforts around the old hearth-stones, for the cold camp-fires and rigid discipline of army life. "But duty calls, and we must go." Officers as well as men came in slowly and not near all had come in when we received orders to move out for Loudon. We left Knoxville the 15th of October, 1862, and reached Loudon, where we remained for a few days and where all the men came up. Col. F. M. Walker had been assigned to duty somewhere else, and Lieut. Col. B. F. Moore was in command of the reg iment. Colonel Moore was a strict disciplinarian; he never issued an order but what he intended it to be carried out. One night he went out and around in rear of the sentinel post below the bridge overlooking the river and threw a rock or two near where the sentinel stood, to attract his attention, then went up to the sentinel. The sentinel saw who it was, but permitted the colonel to come on without a challenge. The colonel called the corporal of the guard and had the sentinel relieved and put under arrest. The next morning the colonel released the pris oner with a reprimand and told him to do so no more. We left Loudon October 30th, and passing on through Chattanooga, did not stop until we reached Bridgeport, Ala., where we remained LIEUTENANT-COLONEL J. G. DEADRICK. Colonel James G. Deadrick was born in Jefferson county, April, 1838. He joined Company B, Nineteenth Tennessee Confederate regiment, and at the organization of the regiment at Knoxville, in -June, 1861, was elected Third Lieutenant of the company. At the reorganization, in 1862, he was elected Captain of the company. In 1863 he was promoted to Major of the regiment, and at the close of Hood's campaign into Tennessee he was made Lieutenant- Colonel of the regiment. AT home again. 67 one week. Leaving here, our next objective point was War- trace, where we remained but one week. As this was not to be a resting place for us, we shouldered our knapsacks and guns and counted the cross-ties between this place and Shelbyville, where we halted but a few days. Now getting into the habit of moving like the gypsies, we packed and unpacked almost daily. From here we moved to Eaglesville, around which place we lay for several days, inspect ing arms, drilling and hunting hickory nuts, of which there were plenty. While here. Colonel Walker came to us, having been gone ever since our return from Vicksburg. We were all glad to see him, and the boys gathered around him and shook his hand, giving him three hearty cheers as a warm welcome. Leaving here, we moved nearer Murfreesboro, which now seemed to be the center of attraction for both armies. Here our regiment was placed in a new brigade and a new division. We were put in Brigadier-General Stewart's brigade, Cheat ham's division and General Polk's corps. General Polk's corps was as follows: CORPS. Lieutenant-General L. Polk. division. Major-General B. F. Cheatham. brigades. Donelson's, Maney's, Stewart's, Smith's. Stewart's brigade. Fourth and Fifth Tennessee, Col. 0. F. Strahl. Nineteenth Tennessee, Col. F. M. Walker. Twenty-Fourth Tennesssee, Col. J. A. Wilson. Thirty-First Tennessee, Col. E. E. TansU. Thirty-Third Tennessee, Col. W. J. Jones. Stafford's Battery. The Federal General, Rosecrans, who was now at Nash ville seemed to be making Murfreesboro the focus of his vision. Like two angry clouds approaching each other to meet in a ter rific storm these two mighty forces, Bragg's and Rosecrans's were about to meet in clash of arms. Gen. Rosecrans left Nashville December 27th, with about 65,000 men and approached Murfreesboro in three columns, and 68 THE OLD NINETEENTH TENNESSEE. on three different roads, as rapidly as the roads and eircum-- stances would allow, in order to reach Stone river and form his lines before Bragg, with his 40,000 men could get ready for an attack. But being met at every turn of the road by the Confederate cavalry, he did not reach the battlefield until the evening of the 30th, where he found Bragg seated amid the cedars and rocks some two and a half miles west of Murfrees boro, awaiting him. THE BATTLEFIELD. The battlefield lies between Stone river on the east. Overall creek on the west and the Franklin or Triune pike on the south, while the river and creek formed the northern boundary. The river in front of Murfreesboro ran due north for a short distance, then its course was northwest. The ground within this boundary is very broken with large bowlders and ledges of rocks projecting three or four feet in some places, while thick clusters of shaggy cedars covered the whole ground, except where the absence of rock admitted of a clearing. Running across this battlefield were several pikes and dirt roads leading into town. Rosecrans formed his lines with his right wing, under Mc Cook, resting on the Triune pike near Overall creek and run ning north-east to the Wilkerson pike, there joining Thomas, who formed and held the center and whose line extended on to the Nashville pike. Crittenden occupied the left and extended down the river. Bragg formed his line with McCown's and Cleburn's divis ions of Hardee's corps on our left, with Polk's corps forming the center and extending to the river. Breckenridge crossed the river and formed on the north bank. Cheathan formed his line just in the rear of Cleburn,s and Wither's divisions. Our line ran principally through the cedars and rocks, and this cold winter evening, when all nature 'presented a dreary outlook, these thick cedars and bowlders seemed to cast a double mantle of dreariness over every thing. Yet on this Tuesday evening of December the 30th, when the two lines of battle lay. in waiting for each other, there occurred an incident in which both armies took a part, and which is not often i-ecorded in the history of battles. With us both armies spoke the same language, learned the same tunes and played the same airs. The officers of each army were graduates from the same school, and many of them home REFLECTIONS. 6!) were schoolmates. It was like diamond cut diamond. The night before the battle, after the bads had finished their usual evening serenade, after the sounds of the last piece were dying away in the distance, a Federal band struck up slow and softly. "home, swfTet home." Out in the darkness of this cold December night, amidst the dense cedars and rough bowlders along the banks of Stone river, "Whose sad, slow stream, its noisless flood Ponred o'er the glancing pebbles All silent now, the Federals stood. All silent stood the Rebels. No heart or soul had heard unmoved That plaintive note's appealing. So sweetly, 'Home, Sweet Home' but stirred The hidden fount of feeling." Reader, I tell you this was a soul-stirring piece. During the stillness of the night, each soldier of both armies, was hold ing communion with his own soul, his mind occupied with the thought of what to-morrow would bring, whether wounds or death, and would he ever see home again, when the notes of this inspiring tune came floating on the stillness of the night. Immediately a Confederate band caught up the strain, then one after another until all the bands of each army were playing "Home, Sweet Home." And after our bands had ceased play ing, we could hear the sweet refrain as it died away on the cool, frosty air on the Federal side. What a thrill of memories was. brought to the minds of all that night. Who knows what a stimulus this "Home, Sweet Home" gave each one the next morning in battle. And as the minnie balls and grape sounded the early reveille next morning, each thought it was for home and country. During the night of the 30th, Gen. Crittenden crossed a part of Wood's division to the north bank of the river, under the impression that Bragg had withdrawn his men from that side. But after crossing he found too many Confederates to rest comfortably, so he withdrew under cover of night and bivouaced with the other part of his division. Earley Wednesday morning, about seven o'clock, Hardee with McCown's division, closely followed by Cleburne, opened the attack. Bursting through the thick cedars they fell upon BATTLE OF MURFREESBORO. 71 Johnson and Davis of McCook's corps, like au avalanche, before they were aware of his coming, while the invinciljle Cheatham moved forward upon IMcGook's center, and drove him from his stronghold and first xiosition. The Federals had a battery concealed behind a cluster of cedars on a dirt road running betweeu the pikes which raked our line but failed to check our advance. Our regiment had advanced to a tempo rary breastwork of loose stones made by the enemy during the night before, and halted for a few minutes, when a shell from this concealed battery struck the rock wall, bursting, killed one and wounded six others of Company I, of the Old Nineteenth Tennessee. From this position, our whole line again moved for ward to the enemy's second line where the two armies came hand to hand in a musket fire that was destructive to friend and foe alike. The enemy strengthened their line here by re inforcement, but they could not withstand the impetuous rush of Hardee and Cheatham, who broke their lines again, killed their artillery horses and captured three pieces of artillery which fell into the hands of the Nineteenth Tennessee regiment. These pieces of artillery were supposed to have been the concealed battery from which came the fatal shot to Company I at the rock wall. In this charge the color-bearer was shot down, and as the colors were falling Corporal Mason, of the color guard, seized them and bore them aloft as a beacon for the regiment through the storm of battle. Mason was of Company K, a brave, daring fellow, who never let the colors lag. The Federal General Post made a desperate attempt to turn our advance, for a while held us in check, but, his men falling all around him, his gunners dead, his horses killed and guns silenced, was forced back to a line of fences where was estab lished one of thfc?ir field hospitals which was soon in our posses sion. Gaining this point Hardee's and part of Polk's lines faced due north, having swung around on a pivot, resting near the Nashville pike, forming a right angle with their first line in the morning. After driving Rosecrans' right around, Polk's whole command moved against Sherman. Here Cheatham's division again bravely faced a shower of shot shrapnel that thinned his ranks fearfully, but he drove Sherman back and took possession of his line, and finding himself exposed to a hotter and a more deadly fire, fell back. In this charge the Old Nineteenth lost some of her best men. Here Major Jarnagin, Capt. J. G. Frazier, Lieutenant Abernathy and many others Il THE OLD NINETEENTH TENNESSEE. were killed. Major Jarnagin served the first year as a private, was faithful, always ready where and whenever duty called. At the reorganization at Corinth, R. J. Jarnagin was made Major of the regiment, was a noble officer, a brave soldier, although small in stature was every inch a man. The regiment sustained a loss in the death of Major Jarnagin that would be hard to fill; was liked by all, kind and generous. Here Lieuten ant Sims caught it again, a ball hit the top of his head knock ing him down but was not dangerously wounded. Many others were killed and wounded in this battle. A part of Wither's division came to our assistance and we held our position. Here Col. Loomis of Wither's division was so badly hurt by the falling of a limb cut by a shell that he had to be carried from the field. -Shot and shell were flying thick and fast, the artillery flre very heavy. The Federal General Sill, in a wild and excited attempt to drive Cheatham back, fell in his heroic charge near our regiment, killed. The battle waxed hotter and in the center the struggle was most stubborn. On our left Mc- Cown and Cleburne again pressed McCook and threatened Thom as's rear causing him to fall back, and in doing so an Indiana regiment in crossing a small clearing was almost annihilated, judging from the number of men left in the clearing. Night came and put an end to the first day's fight. Inthe fight to-day the Old Nineteenth suffered more than any other regiment in the brigade, her loss being double that of any other. In one of the engagements the regiment halted in the edge of a cedar bottom, Orderb^ Sergeant Joseph Thompson, of Company I, ran forward far out in the clearing and captured a prisoner. As he was returning with him, the prisoner was killed by a piece of shell, Thompson returned and captured another and brought him out safely. During the entire day's struggle the banner of the Old Nineteenth could be seen fluttering in the breeze in the fiercest of the battle and the hardest of the strife. To-day many of the noble old regiment gave their lives as a sacrifice to the God of War. During the day Bragg drove the enemy from nearly every position he held, captured thirty-one pieces of artillery and four thousand prisoners, including two Briga dier Generals, and two hundred wagons and teams. For three miles or nearly, now in oui- rear amidst the thick cedars and bowlders, beginning with their first line in the morning, their dead, wounded, their field hospitals, guns, knapsacks, broken BATTLE OF MURFREESBORO. 73 ambulances showed clearly the victorious advanc(i of our men, who bivouaced, within a quarter of a mile of the railroad, be hind which embankment the enemy took shelter. As the old year was dying, she passed away amidst the roar of cannon and the clash of arms, that shook the very foundation upon which the city of Murfreesboro stood. The night that followed was lonely and dark, and there were no flickering camp fires to be seen, although the night was damp and chilly. There wasbut little moving of troops and what there was, was done in silence. The old iron-mouth cannon seemed to be asleep, for silence reigned supreme. We lay all night with a feeling of loneliness as if all were dead but ourselves, knowing that although the cedars and rocks were lying thousands of friends and foes alike unconcious in that sleep from which the morning reveillee will not awake ' them. There were many wounded too who had not been cared for, suffering not only from wounds but from cold. Oh ! The deep, anxious reverie of the soul in such an hour as this, none but those who have gone through it can tell. The grey dawn of another day and of another new year as well, was welcomed indeed, as it came creeping slowly upon us like the vanguard of a mighty army on its foe. It was relief. It came not to arouse us from slumber for we supposed but few closed their eyes in sleep that night. But it lifted the deep dread that had settled like a pall over the soul. The morning found our lines pretty much the same they were the evening before. Rosecrans had improved his, had dropped back from "Round Forest," a point on his line be tween the railroad and the river, he had occupied the evening before a hill farther back and also down the river. The next day the enemy maneuvered his troops considerably. He crossed the river with one or two divisions of Crittenden's corps, and a battery of twelve guns, to the north side and in front of Breckenridge, Hardee still held the left. Hardee, the day before, had some of Breckenridge's men and he had sent them around to him early in the morning. Polk still in the cen ter gazing at the iron-crested hill in front of him whose fifty mounted "War Dogs" stood ready to be turned loose on him at the first move he made. As old "Sol" continued driving his fiery chariot up the eastern horizon, the armies still remained silent, looking at each other like two mastiffs after a hard tussle, debating whether 74 THE OLD NINETEENTH TENNESSEE. to open again the battle or not. The afternoon passed with little more than skirmishing between the pickets, and the darK- ness of another night settled everything into a quiet sleep. The next morning, the third day, all was activity and life. There were moving of troops and artillery. About the mid dle of the evening Breckenridge charged Beatty in front of him, driving them from their position and across the river. Here the fifty guns massed on the hill opened upon him a perfect tor nado of iron hail that literally cut down his men like grass. In this charge General Hanson was killed and General Adams was wounded. The fight was short, but Breckenridge loosing so many of his men from the battary across the river he fell back. This ended the battle of Murfreesboro. Hardee and Polk, since the morning of the second day, had gained no new posi tion. During the second and third day Bragg was busy in getting ' the spoils from the field and in caring for the dead and wounded. Bragg's loss in this battle in killed, wounded and captured, was 14,560. Rosecrans' loss was 11,578. Bragg abandoned Mur- freesburo Saturday night by sending off the infantry but leav ing the cavalry to occupy the town until Monday morning Jan. 5th, 1863. Our loss in this engagement was very heavy in kUled and wounded. We were not very successful in getting the names of our regiment who suffered. There were always difficulties in the way, having too much to do and could not get the reports. Our regiment had 38 kiUed and 111 wounded. The captured we did not learn. KILLED. JARNAGIN, Burkheart, William Co. A ChUdress, D. M Curran, O. S McGhee, J. M Brown, Corp. Clebe Foster, Samuel Aikin, S. B Gaby, Oris Roller, George Erps, Adrin Gaby, John Keller, Geo. W MAJ. R. A. EUlison, A. J Skelton, H. H McKissack, J. R. . . WUUams, P. A Hamilton, S. Rhea. Tipton, J. A Bowles, D. R Barger, J. R Wayler, Jackson Kincaid, Pat Smith, Thomas . Stansbery, Y. A .Co. F G H BATTLE OF MURFREESBORO. 75 Easterly, Jno. L Co c Archer, Wm. A C >. H Frazier, Capt. J. S. . . . 44 D The oue at rock wall . . . ' ' I Rhea, William 44 4 4 (4 E MarshaU, E. W ' Wax. William ' ' K Abernathy, Lieut. S. B 4 44 Earnest, Ed 44 (I MiUer, Charles ' i 4( Swan, J. H 4 4 ii Fudge, Charles ' 4 4 4 Sloan, J.H... Co. E. WOUNDED. Hutson, Andy Co. B RusseU, W. R C 3, G Smith, John 44 C Ford, Alfred ' i 4 4 Burnett, Prank 44 4 4 44 4 4 Horn, Simeon ' i i 4 HoUy, WUliam Hilton, James ' ' G Colville, R. W 44 D Cresswell, Van ' 4 44 Brataber, John i i 44 Hale, Elija ' 4 44 Carson, Samuel 44 44 Strange, James ' ' H Loftis, D. W 44 44 Basket, John ' 4 4 4 McClarin, Jasper ii 44 Grogan, Washington.. ' 4 4 4 MitcheU, John 44 44 Alexander, Thomas ' 4 44 Kincaid, Creed 44 E ¦ Six wounded at wall . . . ' ' I Sims, Lieut. J. M 44 F Huffmaster, Capt J. H. ' ' K Rhea, Wm. R 44 G Miller, Lieut. W- B.... ' 4 44 Ford, Martin 44 44 Jackson, E. H ' 4 44 Roller, David i 4 4 4 Carmack, John ' 4 4 4 CHAPTER X. AFTER Bragg had removed all the wounded that could be moved, all the spoils and army stores, he moved out from Murfreesboro. Gen. Polk went out on the Shelbyville pike, Hardee on the Manchester pike and Breckenridge fur ther on to our right in the direction of TuUahoma. On this chain of ridges Bragg formed his line of defense, and where we remained all winter. But little was done other than drill and picket duty. After we had settled down in camp changes were made in the officers of the regiment. January the sixth. First Lieutenant, J. C. Hammer, Co. B, resigned, and Second Lieutenant, R. J. Tipton was made first lieutenant; Third Lieutenant, T. M. Brabson was made second lieutenant, and A. C. Smith made third lieutenant. In Co. D, First Lieut enant, S. J. A. Frazier was made captain in place of J. G. Fra zier, killed at Murfreesboro. In Co. E, Second Lieutenant, H. A. Waller was made first lieutenant in place of Lieutenant S. B. Abernathy, killed, and Jake L. Waller was made second lieutenant. For a short time our encampment was below and across Duck river from ShelbyvUle. From this place we mov ed nearer to Eagleville where we had encamped once before, remaining but a short time, we moved to the pike about nine mUes from ShelbyvUle. Soon after coming to this encamp ment, Brig. Gen. A. P. Stewart was taken from the command of our brigade and put in command of General McCown's div ision. Col. O. F. Strahl was given command of the brigade ; the following order explains the change : Special Order | Headquarters Army Tennessee No. 52. J TuLLAHOMA, Tenn., Feb. 27 1863. 4th. Maj. Gen. J. P. McCown, provisional army, is placed in arrest and charges preferred against him and he will proceed to Chattanooga and await orders. 5th. Brig. Gen. A P CHANGES IN OFFICERS. 77 Stewart, provisional army, is assigned to the command of the division of which Maj. General McCown is relieved, and will constitute a part of Lieut. General Polk's corps. By command of General Bragg. KiNLOCH FaLKNER, Ass't Adj't Gen. Captain W. C. Harvey of Co. C, resigned and Second Lieutenant A. W. Smith was made captain. Lieut. Smith was promoted over M. J. Miles, first lieutenant, and the Third Lieut. Miles was made second lieutenant, and D. W. Gammon was made third lieutenant. AprU 5th, Captain C. W. HeiskeU, of Co. K, was promoted to Major of the regiment, in the place of R. A. Jarnagin killed. First Lieut. J. H. Huffmaster was made captain; W. W. Etter went up to first lieutenant; W. B. Miller was made second lieu tenant, and C. C. Spears was made third lieutenant. J. K. P. Gammon, second lieutenant of Co. G, was elected Major of the 63rd Tenn. and on May the 2nd left us for his new command. Lieut. H. D. Hawk was promoted to second lieu tenant, and J H. Rhea was made third lieutenant. During all these months our regiment had not been out of sight of the pike but once, and then only for a few days. At this time a spu'it of revival seemed to spread over our entire division. Rev. J. B. McFerrin, of Nash"ville, preached for us several times, for some time now we had scarcely thought of war save only when we were at the front on picket duty. Our time had been occupied in drilling both in regimental and brigade, in spections, dress parade and our big revivals. DEATH SENTENCE OF PRUITT. One, Nathaniel Pruitt, of Co. H, was court-martialed for desertion and sentenced to be shot. This was the first and last death sentence ever passed upon one of the Old Nineteenth. June 10th was set for the execution, but through the influence of Col. Walker and Maj. Heiskell, Pruitt was reprieved. He was brought out from prison to an old field near the command; his coffin placed in front of the open grave and he knelt behind it. The guards were drawn up and made ready, when his reprieve came and he was released. He deserted the next night, and fortunately for him, was never caught. 78 THE OLD NINETEENTH TENNESSEE. So far, the months had dragged wearily on with but little excitement ; some of our regiment died while here, one of spi nal meningitis. Martin Conwell of Oo. G, and 0. M. Humphreys of Co. B; J. J.Payne and Felix Lauderback of Co. K, also died. WhUe on picket duty Lieut. R. G. Rhea, of Co. F, was kiUed; J. J. Ford, of Co. G, wounded, and Lieut. A. W. Smith was captured. About June the fifteenth (15th) the Federals began to make the front all along the line more lively. They began to press our front, and we strengthened our pickets. Videttes became more bold, skirmishing- more frequent and heavier. The old iron-mouth cannon that had been silent so long turned loose again to alarm the natives. The evening of the fifteenth our regiment was ordered to the front. We moved out as far as the Lytle residence on the pike, in whose yard we found the ene my's videttes. Our regiment deployed and moved forward, drove the enemy back, and our main skirmish line occupied the yard. For awhile it looked like hide and seek. The enemy then drove us back some two hundred yards and occupied the yard again. It was in one of these skirmish charges that Lieut. Robert Rhea was killed. Later in the evening we drove them back again and occupied their line, which we held. That night the enemy left our front and we saw no more of them. The war cloud seemed to be growing darker and more threatening, and soon we expected it to break upon us in a perfect storm. Cheatham's entire division was ordered to the front, to repair at once to Guy's Gap, a point on the pike further up than we had yet been, but from some cause this was not put into exe cution. Hardee and Stewart were on our right and were being engaged with the enemy. Stewart was being pressed. During the night of the 26th we received the following order : Headquarters Polk's Corps, Shelbyville, Tenn., June 26th, 1863. Major General Cheatham, Commanding Division: General— The Lieutenant-General, commanding, directs that you move your divisfon from its present position to TuUahoma CAPTAIN S. J. A. FRAZIER. Captain Frazier was born in Rhea County, Tenn., in 1840. Graduated with tlie degree of M. A., at the Tennessee C.ollege in 1859. Joined Company D of the Nineteenth Tennesss regiment, and at the organization of the regi ment at Knoxville, was elected third lieutenant of the company. At the"'!re- organization was elected flrst lieutenant. At the death of Captain J. G. Fra zier, he was made captain of the company, January the oth, 1863. At the battle of Chickamauga was wounded and captured. falling back. 79 by the Schoefner and Brownsville road, turning to the right to Brownsville. Let the movement be commenced at the earliest hour possible to-morrow morning. Respectfully, General, Your obedient servant, Thomas M. Jack, Asst. Adjt. Gen. Very early next morning, before the break of clay, we pulled up and left our encampment on the pike, and were in Shelby ville by eight o'clock, hurrying everything that could be gotten away. We distributed several hundred rations to the citizens and burned everything that could not be gotten away, that would be of any benefit to the enemy. Starting out from Shel byville in the hardest kind of rain, we headed for TuUahoma. Our march was very slow on account of the rains; wagons, both of the commissary and ordnance trains, were continually miring up and with great difficulty were gotten along. We could not leave them. The enemy was pushing for TuUahoma and so was Bragg. Cheatham's and Cleburne's divisions, moving on different roads, each in a hurry, approached a bridge across a river at the same time. Some confusion resulted as to who would cross first. Cleburne halted and Cheatham crossed. We reached TuUa homa late in the evening of the 28th, tired and almost worn out. Everything had the spirit of move on it but the wagon train. The enemv had kept moving; so had we, to keep pace with him. They were approaching TuUahoma in force, and from indications Bragg intended to give battle. Early Tuesday morning troops were seen by the thousands hurrying in all directions through and around the town, getting into position in the ditches. The fortifications around TuUahoma were not completed and a heavy detail was made to finish them. We lay all day and night in the ditches and in the mud without shel ter. We had nothing to eat, nor had we all day. The boys began to get wrathy and hot, but the rain, which kept falling in con tinuous showers, kept us cool. Generals and men all fared alike in these ditches. During one of the hardest rains that fell, the writer saw General Cheatham on a stump, sitting as complacently as if in the sun, with one shoe off and one of his big toes sticking out through a hole in his sock. 80 THE OLD NINETEENTH TENNESSEE The enemy presented only a smaU force in our front, while the main force of his army hurried on to our right flank, thus forcing Bragg from TuUahoma and disappointing the men of the anxiously expected battle, which they were ready and wait ing to give. We left the ditches July 1st at daylight in the direction of Cowan. The boys were mad and wetter than wet hens. We do not know whether their ruffled tempers were due to being wet and muddy or to the fact the "Yanks" had fooled them. After dark that evening Gen. Polk received the following dis patch from Gen. Mackall, Bragg's chiet of staff: Dechard. July 1st, 1863, 7 p. m. General — The enemy have reached your front, close up. The question to be decided instantly, shall we fight at the "Elk" take position at the foot of the mountain, at Cowan. Answer. W. W. Mackall, Chief of Staff. To which Gen. Polk replied : Allisona, July 1st, 8 p. m. Gen. Mackall — You ask, "Shall we fight on the 'Elk' or take position at the foot of the mountain at Cowan, ' ' in reply, take position at the foot of the mountain at Cowan. In that case I think as much of the wagon train as possible should be thrown over the mountain, and a supply of grain ordered up by railroad for the animals we must retain on this side. Respectfully, L. Polk, Lieut. Gen. Arriving, Gen. Polk formed line of battle, and all the wagon trains were hurried across the mountain, and all the troops, except Polk's corps and Wheeler's cavalry. So there was no fighting. That Bragg was moving to avoid an engage ment, was very evident. After all the wagon trains, artUlery aud troops had crossed over to the other side of the mountain, except Polk's corps and Wheeler's cavalry. Polk's men began climbing the mountain's steep and rugged side. Cheatham's division was the last to begin the assent and that directly over the tunnel. The cavalry still battling Iwith the enemy's van guard. After a long and tiresome pull up the mountain, we camped on its top near "University Place," July 3rd, Friday night. PREPARING FOR BATTLE. 81 Gen. Polk camped with Gen. Cheatham that night near our brigade. Since we had left the Shelbyville pike, the enemy had kept pressing us hard by day and with but little relenting at night, pushing with indomitable energy to either cut Bragg off from the river or by pressing him so hard, he would not be able to cross all his army and army trains, and thereby cap tui e a part of his army at least. If such was their aim they made a complete failure. At eight o'clock that night Gen. Polk re ceived the following dispatch from Gen. Wheeler, who was at the foot of the mountain, or nearly so : Headquarters Cavalry Corps, July the 3rd, 1863. R. R. Crossing, near University Place. Lieut. Gen. Polk — The enemy are engaging me very warmly at this point. Our men are maintaining their ground bravely. The enemy have infantry and cavalry and are evi dently reinforcing. Respectfully, Joseph Wheeler, Major General. Leaving our encampment on the top of the mountain early next morning, descending the eastern slope of the Cumberland we hastened on to the river. All the army that had preceded Polk and Wheeler had crossed the river, part on the railroad bridge at Bridgeport and part on pontoons at the mouth of "Battle Creek" where now is the city of South Pittsburg. We crossed on the pontoon. Wither's division after crossing the river moved out to Whitesides, Cheatham halted at Shell Mound. Cheatham had brought up the rear to the river and there ended the pursuit, and the river remained the picket line for some time. CHAPTER XI. ON the seventh day of July, 1863, Gen. Bragg's tired and almost worn out army entered Chattanooga after a long and a remarkable march from Middle Tennessee. The enemy had pressed us so closely we experienced a feeling of re lief when we put the Tennessee river between us and sat down around Chattanooga to enjoy a quiet rest. Cheatham's divis ion left the pike some ten miles out from Shelbyville ; made the march through rain and mud, halting and marching, forming lines of battle in ditches and out of ditches, pressed day and night by a relentless foe; yet we came into Chattanooga with out the loss of a single gun or a pound of quartermaster's or commissary stores or a round of ordnance, except what was given to citizens at Shelbyville when we were leaving. Although there were some wounded and some were taken sick on the way, yet our division made the march and went into camp with 400 more men than we started with. Around Chattanooga we had but little to do, except to build fortifications. For one week the Old Nineteenth Tennessee camped on the hill above and overlooking the boat landing, on a high bluff where we threw up fortifications. On the 10th of July, R. P. Nail, Third Lieutenant of Company A, resigned and R. P. Jones was made Third Lieutenant to fill the vacancy. On the 28tli, 0. Engle- dow was made Third Lietenant of Company E, in the place of J. L. Waller, who had been promoted. J. F. Tatham was made Third Lieutenant of Company F in place of R. Rhea, who was killed on the Shelbyville pike. We have been having a quiet time so far, since we came to Chattanooga until now. The enemy having crossed part of their army to this side of the river, a few miles below Chatta nooga, and a part came up on the other side opposite the city; and the two armies were again confronting each other, and picket duty was in demand. Regular details from each reg iment was made every few days for picket duty. August the AROUND CHATTANOOGA. 83 first, a detail was sent out from our regiment under Lieut. R. J. Tipton of Company B, who late in the evening, in a spat with the enemy, was killed. On the fifteenth of August, Lieut. Thomas Cunningham, third lieutenant of Company D, re signed and R. W. Colvill was made third lieutenant to fill his place. T. M. Brabson, second lieutenant of Company B, was promoted to first lieutenant to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Lieut. Tipton, and A. C. Smith was made second lieutenant. The 22nd of August, Lieut. R. W. Colvill was promoted to first lieutenant, filling the vacancy made by the promotion of S. J. A. Frazier to that of captain. The enemy kept steadily encroachiag toward the city from below, inch by inch, until he occupied Lookout Valley, and the opposite bank of the river in front of Chattanooga. The Rev. Dr. Palmer, of New Orleans, was with us and had been for some time. He was occupying one of the churches of the city on Sunday morning, August 21st, the day appointed for humUiaton and prayer by President Davis. The church was filled with men, women and soldiers. While Dr. Palmer was at pray, the Federals threw a bomb into the city, the shell falling and exploding in the street just in front of the church door. The Doctor did not stop in his prayer, nor look up, but went on as if nothing had happened, although it produced some lit tle rustle of excitement. When he had finished his prayer and gotten up, he fpund-but few in the church. Nearly all had slipped out quietly and gone home. Only three or four soldiers remained, Maj. C. W. Heiskell was one of them. The Federals kept shelling the city at intervals all day. One of the first shells thrown, exploded wounding a little girl breaking her leg, and out of this sad accident came near being a sadder affair in our division and in our regiment. A CHALLENGE. The father of our Lieut. Col. Moore was living in the city at the time and had in his house several sick, in fact it was full. The wounded little girl was taken to Mr. Moore's home but was refused admittance for want of room. Brig. Gen. Smith, of Cheatham's division, being present at the time made some unkind remarks about Mr. Moore. These remarks reached the ear of our Lieutenant-Colonel, and he asked an explana tion of Gen. Smith, concerning the remarks he made about his father. To Col. Moore's mind no satisfactory explanation was 84 THE OLD NINETEENTH TENNESSEE. made, and he challenged Gen. Smith for a duel, which was ac cepted. By an agreement Gen. Smith, Lieut. Col. Moore and Maj. C. W. HeiskeU met in Col. Moore's tent, where Maj. Heiskell poured oil on the troubled waters, and the two brave officers separated good friends. It may not be out of place just here, to say sadly, we pen the fact, that but a few brief days both these brave officers fell in battle, the one, Gen. Smith, in the battle of Chickamauga, the other, Col. Moore, in the battle of Mission Ridge. The bombardment created considerable excitement in the city, and activity in the camp. For several days at intervals they continued the shelling. On Sept. 2nd our brigade received the following order: Chattanooga, Tenn., Sept. 1st, 1863. Gen. Cheatham — The Lieutenant-General commanding, di rects that you order Strahl 's brigade to take the position now occupied by the regiment on out-post duty on the other side of Lookout Mountain. This brigade will relieve that portion of Smith's brigade on duty beyond the mountain. You will like wise order Smith's brigade to a suitable point on the Rossville rode this side of the mountain to guard and picket the same. Respectfully, Thomas M. Jack, Ass't Adj't Gen. Accordingly our brigade moved to the west side and beyond Lookout Mountain, where Wood's division of the enemy was posted, and trying cautiously to peep around Lookout. At the same time Thomas was moving southward down Lookout Val ley beyond the mountain seeking a place to cross. McCook also was moving in the same direction, having crossed the river below Bridgeport at Carpenter's ferry, aiming to get in the rear of Bragg. Wood kept pressing Lookout point in order to hold as much of Bragg's army as possible, and as long as possible in Chattanooga. Col. O. F. Strahl, who had been commanding the brigade ever since Brig. Gen. Stewart was taken from us in Middle Tennessee, was now made Brigadier General. Gen. Strahl sent the following dispatch to Gen. Polk from our posi tion beyond the mountain : Lookout Point, Sept. 6th, 1863. Lieut. Gen. -Polk, Commanding Corps, The enemy are just in front of my pickets, send a battery immediately if you can. O. F. Strahl, Brig. Gen. the enemy closing in. 85 This was O. F. Strahl's first order as a Brigadier General. We had now been three days on the west side of Lookout Mountain, opposing Wood's division of Crittenden's coi-ps, and while they were advancing slowly feeling their way we offered but little resistance. Inthe mean time Bragg had been busy moving everything from Chattanooga, and had about gotten all away. On the morning of the Sth, the enemy began cross ing the rivei- at Harrison, above Chattanooga, and began to gather around Bragg like bees around a gum. For Bragg now to leave Chattanooga was one of the inevitables, and to this end, Gen. Polk issued the following order to Gen. Cheatham: Headquarters Polk's Corps, Chattanooga, Tenn., Sept. 6th, 1863. Maj. Gen. Cheatham, General — The Lieutenant General commanding, directs that you have your command placed in readiness to move without delay, "with three days's rations. Respectfully, Thos. M. Jack, Ass't Adj't Gen. Bragg left Chattanooga the morning of Sept. 7th, and moved out in the direction of Lee and Gordon's mills on the Chickamauga, which we passed late in the evening of the same day, where we halted for two days. The enemy's cavalry was but a short distance from us in McLemore's cove, and were at the mUls the day before we left Chattanooga. By this time Thomas and McCook were on this side of Lookout Mountain and perhaps even with Crawfish Springs. Crossing the Chicka mauga, Bragg moved on to Rock Springs where a part of his army stopped, and part (Cheatham's division) moved on to Lafayette, Ga. The Federal General Crittenden followed us closely all the way from Chattanooga to Lee and Gordon's mills where he halted, sending only a small force on to keep in touch with and watch Bragg's movements. We lay around Lafayette three or four days, during which time Gen. Thomas and Gen. McCook had crossed Mission Ridge and moved close around Crawfish Springs. Crittenden had now pushed a heavy force out in the direction of Pea Vine creek. The night of the 11th, Cheathan received orders to be ready, with the rest of Polk's corps, to move against this force. 86 THE OLD nineteenth TENNESSEE. Lafayette, Ga., Sept. 12th, 1863, 3 a. m. Maj. Gen. Cheatham, The Lieut. Gen. commanding, directs that you hold your command in readiness to move at daylight. You will move light, carrying your ambulances and ordinance trains. Respectfully, Thomas M. Jack, Ass't Adj't Gen. We beat the long roll, and the men were in line by the first streak of the gray dawn, the morning of the 12th, feeling as sured something was going to be done. The men were ready and waiting in line when the following was received : Lafayette, Ga. Sept. 12th, 1863, 9 a. m. Maj. Gen. Cheatham, The Lieut. Gen. commanding, directs that you at once pro ceed to Rock Spring with your division and take position. Respectfully, Thomas M. Jack, Ass't Adj't Gen. Leaving Lafayette thfit evening, we took position a short distance beyond Rock Spring Church on the Crawflsh road. Hindman' s division was posted on the right of us in the direc tion of Peavine Church, while Walker's division was to the right and rear of Hindman, and on to Peavine creek. The next day Cheatham moved out to Lee and Gordon's mill, and on reaching the top of the ridge overlooking the bottoms fronting the mill, our brigade was thrown forward as a skirmish line. Maj. C. W- Heiskell was in charge of the Nineteenth regiment skirmishers, and so close came the enemy that Iwe could hear them give the command to the cannoneers and then the cannon boomed. Nothing however was developed by this move, ex cept a few cannon shots exchanged and some picket firing. We returned to Rock Spring where we remained until the 18th of September. JAMES H. HAVELY. Sergeant James Havely was born in Lee County, Va., February the 24th, 1838, and moved to Tennessee when but six years old, where he lived until 1861, when he joined Company K at Rogersville, Tenn., in April, 1861. In June following. Company K was assigned to the Old Nineteenth Confederate regiment in its organization at Knoxville. Sergeant Havely was with the reg iment in all her battles, shared in all the hardships of camp life. He was a faithful brave soldier. He surrendered with the regiment near Greensboro, N. C, in April, 1865. CHAPTER XII. the battle of chicamauga. THERE had been a great deal of maneuvering of troops in both armies in the last few days. The demonstration the enemy had made south of the Chicamauga was only feel ing for Bragg and to ascertain the trend of his intentions. The morning of the 18th Gen. Thomas, who had been at Crawfish Springs moved to their extreme left and took position near Reed's bridge on the Chicamauga. Crittenden occupied the center and McCook the right wing of the line of battle. Rose crans held all the bridges on the Chicamauga the morning of the 18th with an advanced line out from the creek to dispute the advance of Bragg's army. Early in the morning of the 18th the order of line of battle was read, and the command to ad vance and cross the Chicamauga was given. Johnson's division was to advance and cross the Chica mauga at Reed's bridge. He met the enemy near Peavine creek, but they fell back, and Johnson reached the bridge with but little resistance. Walker was to cross at Alexander's bridge and Buckner to cross at Tedford's ford. Polk to cross where- ever he could between Lee and Gordon's mills and Tedford's ford. Walker met with such strong opposition that he could not cross at Alexander's bridge, but was forced to go down the creek to Bryant's ford, a mile or more below, where he suc ceeded in crossing. The Old Nineteenth was in Gen. Polk's command which was as follows : folk's corps. divisions. Cheatham' s — Hin dm an' s . CHEATHAM'S DIVISION. Maney's, Smith's, Wright's and Strahl's Brigades. 8s the old nineteenth tennessee. strahl's brigade. Fourth and Fifth Tennessee, Col. J. J. Lamb. Nineteenth Tennessee, Col. F. M. Walker. Twenty-fourth Tennessee, Col. J. A. Wilsou.- Thirty-first Tennessee, Col. E. E. TansU. Thirty-third Tennessee, Col. W. J. Jones. Stafford's Battery. During the night of the 18th Bragg crossed the Chica mauga with his veteran army and formed his lines, with Rose crans in his front and the bounding, turbulent Chicamauga, with but few places to cross, at his back. All had crossed but Cheatham's division which had remained on the south or east side of the creek until the next morning. While we had not marched very far, yet we were without rations, depending upon our supply train which had not come up-. The general surface of the battlefield was rough and heavily timbered, and the two armies lay that night in closer proximity than each perhaps thought. Rosecrans liad all the advantage as to position, as he XJicked his own ground, giving Bragg only room enough to form his lines between him and the creek, over which he could not have recrossed, without great danger of capture had he been defeated. While Rosecraus had all the roads open and free in his rear. The numerical strength of each army was, Rose crans about sixty-five thousand (65,000), and Bragg about sixty thousand, (60,000.) Saturday morning came bright and clear, and the glittering bayonets on the rebel guns reflected in the sunlight, presaged no retreat, victory or death. (Jheatham's division left its bivouac early Saturday morning, and crossed the Chicamauga at Hunt's l)ridge, a rude construction for farm us(_% about one mile ))elow Lee and Gordon's mill, moved rap idly to the front, to our right, where from Walker's guns, the red tide of battle liegan and rolled down the line to our left, while the roar of musketry broken only liy the loud peals from the iron- mouth cannon, showed clearly the battle had opened in earn est. We double-quicked through the woods and over rough grouud which threw our regiment out of line. Having nearly reached the line then engaged directly in our front, we halted but for a moment to straighten our lines, when Gen. Cheatham came riding rapidly down in front of our line, saying, "Give them hell, boys, give them hell;" he was not out of sight, and scarcely out of hearing when Gen. Polk came in full tilt ou his BATTLE OF CHICAMAUGA. 89 heels and said "Give them what Cheatham says, we will pay off old chores to-day." Notwithstanding the tumult and uproar of battle, and burst ing of shells around us there went up a "Rel.)el Yell" that vied with the roar of battle. Just as Gen. Polk passed our regiment, two of Company A, who were standing at the head of the regiment leaning against a blackjack, one on each side of the tree, a capped shell came crashing through the woods, struck this tree and burst, wound ing the two men so they had to go to the rear, this ended their part of the fight for the day. We could have put our hand on the shoulder of one of the men, but was not hurt. As we went into the battle we met, seemingly, more men coming out wounded than were of us going in, some were be ing carried and some were able to walk. The sight was any thing else than inspiring and encouraging. Whatever thoughts or feeling of fear, were passing through the minds of the brave boys, were soon dispelled, for we moved at once into the thick est of the fight. No one knew what havoc was being made, save only immediately around him. Cheatham had been ordered to the assistance of- Gen. Walker who had opened the battle and had been engaged some time against a stubborn force, from whom he had captured three pieces of Scribner's battery, and ¦was, when Cheatham arrived being driven back, assaulted in front and on both flanks. When Cheatham struck the advanc ing enemy he not only checked his advance, but drove' him back, to a small clearing only a few rods wide, one side of which was a thick undergrowth. Over this spot of ground both armies had been driven and each had left their dead and wounded to mark the ILL-FATED SPOT where the Old Nineteenth lost most of her men that-day. Here Capt. Wm. Lackey of Company E, fell, a minnie-ball passing through his hat-band in front, coming out beneath the hat Ije- hind. This spot of ground was strewed with dead who wore the "Blue," aud who wore the "Gray." Here Ben C. Looney of Company K, a brave, good soldier, fell. From this fearful fire of the enemy, Strahl's brigade recoiled but for a moment, yet in range of the enemy's fire just sufficient to rally from the shock, which was especially deadly to the Old Nineteenth, who BATTLE OF CHICAMAUGA. 91 seemed to have suff'ered most. From this point, Cheatham or dered our brigade to the support of Gen. Smith, but a. few hun dred yards from where we were and soon we were at it again. From some cause a gap in our line had been made to our right and the enemy began filing through, flanking us, when our brigade was ordered to drive back this column and fill the gap. The Old Nineteenth occupied the extreme right of our brigade, and as we moved our regiment got the full benefit of both the flanking column and the one in our front. THE ENEMY 4th and oth. 31st and 33d. 24th and 19th. strahl's brigade. We had to fall back some flfty or a hundred yards to head oft' this flanking column. Our brigade at this point lost in killed and wounded about two hundred men, of which number the Old Nineteenth lost more thau any other regiment in the brigade. Here Maj. C. W. Heiskell was wounded. We were re-inforced by Maney's brigade, drove the enemy back, and filled the gap. The 19th, 31st and 33rd Tennessee regi ments were thrown forward in advance of the main line and held it under a most galling fire. Gen. Wright, who was on our right, had been under fire for two long hours of hard fight ing when the enemy re-inforced his front, and would have forced him back, but for the timely arrival of Cleburne, who also saved us, who then with Cheatham fought Johnson and Baird like tigers, capturing some artillery, guns, colors and several hundred prisoners. The fighting was sanguine and des perate. We drove the enemy back towards the road leading to Chattanooga. In this charge of Cheatham, Brig. Gen. Smith was killed, falling at the head of the regiment he commanded so long as colonel and was then commanding as general. He was soon followed by two of his staff. This was the last charge of Cheatham for this day. We bivouaced in line of battle that night. It was after dark when Gen. Longstreet's men, or the greater part of them came on the field. As soon as he formed his lines in the dark he attacked the enemy on our left and for one hour the roar of battle was heavy. The firing ceased about nine o'clock when silence quietly rested upon the» two 92 THE OLD NINETEENTH TENNESSEE armies for the night. The firing had been kept up so constantly all day long, and until a late hour of night, that the air was almost stifling from the smoke of battle. We had not gained much ground, but our whole line was encamped ou the ground occupied ])y the enemy the morning before. Each army during the day had been driven back and forth over the saiue field repeatedly. Through the night we lay qui etly, resting, and some sleeping and naught could be heard but the low, pitiful moan of the suffering, some calling for water some for help, l)ut neither could be had. None dare venture lest he too would fall and perhaps lower than those whom he would help. The stars came out, the immortelles of hope, and the moon with pitying eye looked down through the dense smoke aud foliage, upon the thousands of pale faces silent in death. "While the wind passed o'er with a dirge and a wail, Where the young and the brave were lying. ' ' In today's flghting Thomas Wright was wounded three times, once in the right side and twice in the breast. He was left on the fleld the first day as dead, where he lay until nine o'clock Monday morning without any attention, when he was picked up and taken to the hospital. There was little sleep on the field of carnage that night, and perhaps less in hundreds of homes in the south, where mothers, sisters and wives were pray ing for their dear ones, many of whom that same hour were lying upon the battle field of Chicamauga in that sleep that knows no waking. Nearly all night long, in front of where we were, could be heard the axes of the enemy busily preparing for the coming day's struggle. Our boys were silent and thought ful, ready to take whatever the "fates" decreed. The next morning a dense fog from the Chicamauga mingled with the smoke of Saturday's battle, covered all the valley. Through this fog and smoke, the sun veiling his face, looked as if made of blood, thus presaging another baptism of flre that was too dye the field of battle a deeper crimson. Somehow it seemed to have infused new lifs into our men, for after the sleeplessness and sUence of the night came life and activity. The lines of both armies had ]>een shortened during the night and the boys were ready and waiting for the coming struggle, which was soon to awake the echoes from hill to hUl, and carry with it hundreds more of noble and brave men into death's spacious maw. Or ders had been given to open the battle at the break of day but A DEATH STlUKKiLE. !):! from some cause it was eight or nine o'clock before the first sound of conflict was heard rolling down the line from right Id left as it did the morning before. Gen. Polk opened the attack this morning with intense fury. The imemy had prepared brea,st- works, liehind which they intended to fight that day, but om- men charge(^l them with desperate determination and took them. The boys looked with indifference upon whatever the enemy had made for their protection, not intending to fight behind works they did not make any, and whatever the enemy took shelter behind, our boys intended to drive them from it. The fighting this morning was A DEATH STRUGGLE. The tug of war was between two brave armies, and the bravery of such men, the determination to win or die, banished all fear. All along the line our men pressed forward, yielding no ground. So desperate was the confiict in several places that hand to hand fight was waged and a clash of bayonets was heard. Gen. Hood made a desperate charge on the enemy's lines near the Broth erton House, where he received a severe wound in the leg which necessitated the amputation of the limb. He had succeeded in breaking the ememy's line and forcing their right back on to the (Jrawfish Springs road below the widow Glenn's, when Longstreet drove them around like a barn door, while all along great chasms were being made in his lines. So dreadful now was the storm of battle, and the deadly fire of the Confederate guns, who surged forward like an ocean of fire, that the right wing of the enemy could not stand it. Hindman' s division swung around on the spur of Mission ridge, where he had men killed by being pierced with the bay onet, where he captured about twelve hundred (1200) prisoners. Bragg kept pressing the right of Rosecrans until he fled from the field in confusion seeking safety within the limits of Chattanooga. Here Gen. Garfield came very near being cap tured, in the confusion that now reigned. He must have gotten lost and in one wild desperate ride, in front of our lines and a battery he rode for life and safety. The left wing of Rosecrans's army was more stubborn, Thomas had been driven back to an elevation near the Snod- grass residence, who having such a strong position held his 94 THE OLD NINETEENTH TENNESSEE. ground against repeated attempts of Bragg to dislodge him, until nightfall when he abandoned the field, leaving the battle field of Chicamauga in our hands with all its dead and wouuded. Thus ended one of the greatest battles of the war and of the world's history of battles. The casualties of mod ern warfare of Europe has but one parallel, that of Waterloo. Of the two great armies here engaged, Rosecrans and Bragg lost about one third of their men, (33>^ per cent.) The Old Nineteenth lost about forty per cent (40 per cent) of her men. Maj. Gen. Hood lost a leg, Maj. Gen. Hindman slightly wounded. Brig. Gen'ls Helm, Smith and Deshler were kiUed, Brig. Gen'ls Adams, Gregg and McNairy were badly wounded. Upon the sanguine fields of Virginia more men had been marshalled in one army, but the armies did not suffer that fear ful rate of loss as did the two armies in the battle of Chica mauga. We can give only a partial list of our loss in the Old Nineteenth Tennessee. KILLED. JoUey, W. F Co. D Hawley Martin Co. G Lackey, Capt. Wm. W. " E Cook, William " Traynor, Mike " " Looney, Benj. 0 " Suan, Wm " - Stover, Jake McAndry, J. W., Co. K. H K WOUNDED. HeiskeU, Maj. C. W Wright, Thomas Co. — McPherson, Frank. ..." C Barnett, J. W " D Frazier, Capt. S. J. A.. Brataber, John Delones, Wm. Kelley, W. A .....' .' MitcheU, .John Tresby,John Co. D Rhea, Lieut. J. H " G Blair, Capt. R. L " " Hawk, Lieut. H. D.... " " Grisham, James " H Sims, Lieut. J. M.... " F Carmack, John " K Johnson, Andy G . ..." " Parrott, Dan " — Holly, Bill ... Frazier, Clark. Renfro, James, Co. D. CAPTUEED. - - ¦ Co. C Cooper, John q^ ¦¦¦¦ " G Frazier, Capt. S. J. a!. "* C D LIEUTENANT WILLIAM W. ETTER Lieutenant William Ettei- was born at Mooresburg, Tenn., August 10th, 1838. He enlisted as a private in Company K, Nineteenth Tennessee Con* feclerate regiment. May, 1861. He was once wounded in the Georgia cam paign. Lieutenant Etter made a brave soldier, faithful to duty and always at his post. He died January the .5th, 189S, at Palarm, Arkansas. CHAPTER XIII. CHATTANOOGA. AFTER the battle of Chicamauga, Rosecrans hastened to Chattanooga and began preparations for the evacuation of the city, fully expecting Bragg to thrust his iron col umn of rebels into the city and take it. Rosecrans, in his hurry to be gone, left his dead and wounded on the field. Bragg cared for them, burying the dead and taking the wounded to the hospital ; did not press the pur suit but allowed Rosecrans to rally his men and form a line of defence around Chattanooga. If Bragg had pushed on his forces immediately he could have captured Rosecrans' entire army, but it seems that at the very crowning moment of suc cess, some unseen or mystic influence controls the situation, and often the goal of our ambition is lost forever. Such was the case here. While Rosecrans no doubt keenly felt his defeat in the bat tle of Chicamauga, he rejoiced in that he gave Bragg only a chance to peep into Chattanooga from the top of Mission ridge and top of Lookout Mountain. For days our men were busy burying the dead, caring for the wounded that remained on the field and gathering up the guns, blankets, swords, broken cais sons and broken ambulances. Dead men and dead horses lay thick all over the field. It would be useless to attempt a dis- cription of the scene of suffering. The crazed condition of those poor fellows, many whose brains had been plowed by the dead ly bullet, both Federal and Confederate, yet living, but unable to tell of their suffering was a pitiable spectacle indeed. Others we saw dying, rejoicing in the hope of a glorious immortality. One happy christian we saw as we passed lying on the ground with a rock for a pillow, so badly wounded that the surgeons had passed him by, as being beyond any possible hope of bene fit, dying; exhorting every one around, and all whose eye he would catch to become christians. He would put the pertinent 96 THE OLD NINETEENTH TENNESSEE. questions: "Are you a christian"? Do you love Jesus?" We could go on and mention other scenes of similar character, but we must desist. Bragg and Rosecrans settled down to work with pick and spade, directly under each others' guns with all their mihgt as if preparing a grave each one for the other. Bragg kept pushing the enemy's hues in on the city until he held the river from Lookout Point to about half way to the city and from Sherman Heights to the river above. For days the videttes of each army stood in two hundred yards of and gazed at each other like grim monsters. The valley out and around Chattanooga was literally blockaded with breast works and plowed up with rifle pits. The crest of Mission Ridge, its base and sides were fur rowed with rifle pits and covered with cannon. Every now and then from the summit of Lookout Mountain were sent savage, hissing shells which would fall and burst in the camp of the en emy. For days the pickets of each army sat in their "Gopher Pits" cracking jokes with each other, while from the top of Mission Ridge and the rocky peak of Lookout went shrieking messengers of death over their heads unnoticed and uncared for by them, and the signal flags from the mountain tops talk with each other in their silent way over the enemy's camp. A STRANGE SCENE. A peculiar scene is here presented in the two encampments of supposed hostile foes; both armies were under the range of a single shot ; the bands of each played for the entertainment of the other; while the sweet notes of "Dixie" were wafted to wards the city over the encampment of the enemy, they were met by those of "Yankee Doodle" coming over to us. Another uncommon feature of these two encampments was while the en emy could plainly see the men and officers moving around Bragg's headquarters, we in turn from the top of Lookout and the ridge with glasses could see what the Yankees had for din ner. While here Bragg had detailed a special secret scout, for what purpose or whither they went, no one but the detail knew. This secret scout or detail was told it had a hazardous underta king. It was a volunteer detail ; there was one from each com pany of the Old Nineteenth, and those of our regiment had to report to Lieut. A. C. Smith, of Co. B. We can recall but the names of Lieut. Smith, Co. B, Jack Lackey, of Co. E, Harrison A STK,\NGE SCENE. 97 Chase, of Co. G, C. C. Moore, of (\). H, Jake Williford, of (V,. K, and John Field, of Co. C. liai-rison Clnise was captni-ed and died in camp Chase. About one-fourth of this (letail nevei- returned, nor did we ever hear any report fi-oin them. Thursday night, October 22nd, our division (( Uieatham's) was ordered to Tyners, a station on the E. T. V. & G. Ry. We moved out in one of the hardest rains (which we always did) of the season, feeling our way through the gloom and darkness of the night that seemed almost impenetrable. Over the rough ridges, through the dark and muddy hollows we went, and reached the station cold and wet and took the cars for Knox ville. There were three trains of cars for us ready and waiting. Our brigade took the middle section, and moved out without a hitch or jar, until somewhere about Cleveland two cars of the front section broke loose, started back and met our section on a curve. The engine of our section struck the runaway cars and split one of them open. The sudden jar, when it struck, knocked off a good many men on our section, and who in turn hallowed to the rest on the train to jump that the rear section was right on us. And such aiKither jumping out of and from the top of the cars, the writer one of them. No one seemed to be hurt except from jumping. The writer falling on his back instead of his feet was hurt by another falling on him. Soon we were on the cars again and moved ou to Charleston , where we found the bridge had been burned. On our arrival we found Gen. Stevenson with his division, who had preceded us but a few days, had prepared a temporary pontoon bridge across the river over which we crossed. Having to cross single file we were some time in getting all the men over. When this was accomplished we moved on up the road as far as Sweet water, where we remained two days. Here we had issued to us what the boys called "sick flour," from which we made biscuit. Having no lard or grease of any kind, we worked up our bread with salt and water. These biscuits made a lot of sick boys. They were so hard, we saw several of the boys gouge holes in the biscuits, fill them with powder and blow them open, as they said, so they could eat them. While we were here Gen. Long- street relieved us and we returned to Chattanooga. On our re turn our brigade was transferred to Stewart's division, but we returned to our old quarters on the line of works around Chat tanooga. Sunday morning we in company with Rufus Lamb, 98 THE OLD NINETEENTH TENNESSEE. went upon Lookout point, where we had a grand view of the encampment of both armies. The enemy's two pontoon bridges, one below and the other opposite the city, were in plain view. Walthrall's brigade of thirteen hundred (1,300) men was around on the west side of the mountain and had only two pieces of artillery. We were on Lookout nearly all day. Hooker, who was in the valley just beyond, was in plain view and on the move all the time- They took advantage of the bushes and the spur of the hills to obscure their movements, but could be plainly seen from Lookout point. They were evidently maneuver ing for an attack on Lookout. The enemy had a battery of four guns on one of the knolls across the river in the toe of the Moccasin, from which they kept up a constant shelling of the Point all evening. Hooker began moving against Walthrall the morning of the 24th, moving slowly and fighting all day as he ascended the mountain, reaching the Cowan house about four o'clock in the evening. Before night a heavy fog that had gathered down the mountain, and was too heavy to scale the top, moved up the mountain towards the river and enveloped the men as they fought, shutting out all view of the battle except the flash of the guns, and for this cause it was called "the battle in the CLOUDS." The battle lasted until long after dark. The ground was so rough that no line could be observed, and so close were the two contending forces that it was with difficulty you could mark the line between them. The whole side of the mountain was cov ered with men firing from behind trees and rocks, the flash of their guns resembling flre-flies. Our division lay in the valley and watched the battle above the clouds. The night was clear and frosty, and the moon a little below the zenith passed through an almost total eclipse. We had not yet been asleep, and we lay out on the ground and watched the moon as it passed through the shadow of the earth. While we lay around Chattanooga, although not fighting, still death made her requisition upon us, and we could not shirk the demand. The following died while here: Wideman, J. P Co. A Stowe, Richard Co. F Dakin, Charies "B Raney, J. R " " Morgan, Andrew " C Sharp, F. E " " Martin, Harris " F Smith, Ranson " " Michaels, J. H " " Harshberger, J. D " K CHATTANOOGA AND MISSION RIDOE. 99 MISSION RIDGE. As the old town clock on the city hall struck the hour of one at night, the whole of Bragg's army could have bc^^n seen moving for the crest of IMissiou Ridge to form line of battle. Our brigade left its ditches in the valley and formed line along on top of the ridge about one hundred yards from Gen. Bragg's headquarters, where now stands the "Lone Cedar" on the ridge. In forming our line we put one line as skirmishei-s at the foot of the ridge and had only a single line on top. The two lines were so deployed that neither formed a good skirmish line. To our right and in front of Bragg's headquarters was a knoll, which the Federals had covered with cannon, and from these batteries they shelled our brigade and regiment. Stafford's battery was placed with our regiment. The sun as it mounted the "Ninth hour of the watch," taking in the grand view, saw quite a difference in the two armies as they lay in unrest waiting for the coming conflict. Bragg's army, not its former self, depleted by the battle of Chicamauga, had not been strengthened by re-inforcements. Gen. Bragg had been returned to Johnson, and Gen. Long- street had been detached and sent to Knoxville. So Bragg had but a handfull compared with the large army of Rosecrans. The latter had been re-inforced, the wear and tear of his army had beeu more than made good, while Bragg had no source from which to fill his depleted ranks. While we lay in line of battle, watching the busy maneuv ering of the enemy's troops, one of the Old Nineteenth sat alone, seemingly, holding communion with his own heart, ut terly oblivious of what was going on, unconscious of the ex citement that was moving and agitating Bragg's whole army. This was Lieut. Col. B. F. Moore, and such a state of mind and feeling was never observed before, at any time, much less at such a time as this. Lieut. Col. Moore, like Marshal Murat of old, was one of the bravest of the brave. We believe that if Col. Moore had thought there was one drop of cowardice blood coursing his veins, he would have severed every artery to have let it out. If there be such a thing as premonition of coming danger, the soul of Col. Moore must have been heavily pressed by such an unseen power. About noon Col. Moore's father came up to our regiment, and the Colonel gave him everything he had about his person, his knife, comb, money, watch, every- 100 THE OLD NINETEENTH TENNESSEE. thing. The battle had not yet opened, but the enemy's thou sands were moving before and approaching the skirmish line of the Confederates. The very air smelt of battle, and the winds as they came sweeping the crest of Mission Ridge, made sad music as if the precursor of the coming storm. Bragg had the heaviest part of his line on the right, while his left was strung out until it presented only a single and deployed line. About two o'clock in the evening the sound of musketry and cannon were heard on our extreme right, and grandly came on down the ridge to us and rolled across the valley like a wave at high tide. The enemy made a vigorous assault on our right but our men held their places not only against one but repeated attacks. Gen. Cleburne, after he had exhausted his ammunition, continued the fight by rolling large bowlders down the steep side of the ridge on the enemy. About three o'clock in the evening, Thomas advanced on our left with, it seemed to us, ten thousand, where, with our brigade we had only a skir mish line. We counted right in our front, four double columns of the enemy all moving directly against our brigade of a sin gle line. These columns of the enemy seemed to us to be not more than seventy-five or a hundred yards apart. In front of our regiment at the foot of the ridge, was a small field not more than fifty yards wide, across this these four columns had to pass. On the Federals came "with that determined step that defied all opposition. Our men from the top of the ridge and from the foot who were behind works, while the enemy were crossing this field, poured so heavy a fire into them, both of musketry and cannon, that after they had crossed there were left on the field men dead and wounded seemingly as thick as stumps iu new ground. Several of our men who were at the foot of the hill m^ver reached the top, whether they were killed or captured we never knew. Those who did reach the top, came through a shower of bullets that plowed the ground and .skinned the trees all around them. The air between the Ridge and Orchard Knob was filled with shot and shell. The ridge where we were was quite steep but the enemy came on, crawling up the steep ascent like bugs, and were so thick they were almost in each other's way. Our men fell back to a spur of the ridge; leaving the top under a MISSION RIDGE. 101 most galling fire, going down the slope and across an open field to our new position on this spur. As we descended the ridge, Tom Kennedy, an Irishman of Co. (I., brave as are made, did not stop to load his gun, but would turn around every now and then, take off his hat and shake it at the enemy, while the min nie balls were hissing all around him. Tom Kennedy, brave soldier, finally fell in line of battle the 22nd of July, around At lanta. Geu. Strahl formed his men on the spur ofthe ridge op posite the one we had left, where we checked the enemy and held them for a while. They charged us from the front, at the same time sent a column to our left and rear. In this charge our Lieut. Col., B. F. Moore was kUled and his brother was captured, whether he was wounded or not we do not know, however, he. remained with the Colonel, who fell on his father's place, al most in sight and hearing of his home. The Federals with an overwhelming force against Bragg's left wing, drove it back and had succeeded in gaining his rear by left flank, thus forcing Bragg from the ridge and across the Chicamauga. Our brigade crossed the Chicamauga after dark by the light of large fires on the bank, and being the last to cross, were kept on picket all night on the east side of the creek. The following is a partial list of the killed and wounded, what few we could gather. KILLED. Lieutenant-Colonel, B. F. Moore, Field, John Co. C McRussell, Hugh Co. D Johnson, M. S " D Huffmaster. J. M " H WOUNDED. Smith, Capt. Wm Co. C Holly, Wash B Co. G Allison, Bob " " Ensinger, Thomas " H Burnett, Frank " " Johnson, Andy G " K CAPTURED. Bruden, J. M Co. A Lyons, Dau Co. C Bowers, -James " B Ford, James « " G Moore, James Co. B. The next morning early, the army began passing- through Chicamauga station, our brigade being on picket, was the last to pass through. Before our regiment left the station, we burn ed a few cars loaded with corn that had not been removed. There were a few dead lying here and there around the station. 102 THE OLD NINETEENTH TENNESSEE. some in the yards and some lying out on the commons. These had been killed that morning by sharp shooters and shell. They still remained lying on the ground when we left, and if they were taken care of by our men we never knew, nor did we know who they were or to what regiment they belonged. How indifferent we become towards our dead in times of war; we pass them, cast a glancing look and go on, with but little more feeling than if they were hogs. The enemy occupied a ridge near by, from which they kept up constant shelling all the time we were in the station, mak ing it lively for us but we did not leave until we were ready. We passed out east of the station and across the ridge when we turned southward in the direction of Ringgold, Ga. The ridge we had just passed was under cultivation and a fence ran along the crest of it for some distance. After we had gone beyond some distance the Federals had just gained the top of the ridge and had lined the fence. We tarried not, nor did we loiter by the way for the enemy's vanguard iu a measure, was our rear guard, they no doubt captured every now and then some of our men who happened to straggle too far behind. We did not rush but moved slowly on account of our wagon train, so that the enemy kept close upon us. As we retreated and showed no disposition of resistance, the enemy became more bold causing us to halt and form line of battle more than once, before reaching Ringgold, twelve miles from Chicamauga sta tion. We passed on through Ringgold, and Ringgold Gap, where we halted with all the division train wagons, about half a mile beyond the gap. Stewart's division was put in easy po sition for action if needed. Cleburne's division was placed in Ringgold Gap. Now this gap is the pass through Taylor's ridge, half a mile below the town of the same name, and through it, there is just room enough for the creek, the public road and the railroad. Thick undergrowth and vines covered every available space between the creek and the roads. In the gap Cleburne's men were con cealed by the thick undergrowth, on the morning of the 28th, and awaited the slow approach of the enemy. Polk's corps was in (.'asy reach and at his back. The enemy entered the gap with closely compact column, dreaming- naught of an ambush awaiting them, until Cleburne, opened upon them unexpectedly such a deadly fire that they had to retreat, leaving in the gap MISSION RIDGE. 103 five hundred dead and wouuded. This put a quietus to tlieii- enthusiasm. We moved on to Dalton unmolested, reaching that place November 30tli. Our division (Stewart's) encamped on the ridge one mile below Rocky Face, and west of the city. CHAPTER XV, AROUND DALTON. OUR camp fires had scai'cely began to burn iu our new en campment around Dalton before Gen. Bra.gg lai" bed of repose tr) the weary body, and with the clouds for the only coverin.g. With these associations crowd ing his memory it was with a feeling of deep sadness he said farewell. In departing he left with the army his blessings and the prayers of a grateful friend. The army was loath to give him up, the only censure that iiervaded the army and gave shape to expression was, in not pressing forward and reaping a full harvest of victory after his l)attles, which were his, save the last one. Mission Ridge. December the 5th Maj. C. W. Heis kell rec(uved his i)romotion to Lieutenant-Colonel of the regi ment and (Japt. J. G. Deaderick, of Company B, was made Major. To Tenuesseeaus the future horizon of the young (.'onfeder- acy began to look dark aud liazy. We had now been battling for two aud a half years, aud had been driven back and back by our foes, until our homes were now inthe hands and at the mercy of the enemy. When (-lew. Bragg left, his mantle fell ou the shoulders of Lieut. Gen. Hardee, for a short time; who in taking eonnnaiid of the army sought tho (.'onfideiK.-e of the men as their leader, and endeavored to inspire enthusiasm, to dispel all clouds of doubt thai" had gathered above our horizon, to be get again iu us a hope of ultimate success. Gen. flardee was AROUND DALTON. 105 in command only twenty-five days, but they were fruitful and satisfactory. Gen. Joseph E. Johnson took command of the Army of Tennessee the twenty-seventh of December, 1863. Th