CHAPTER XX.

INCIDENTS AND SKETCHES.

SCARCITY OF MATERIAL-SEVENTY-FOURTH AND EIGHTY-EIGHTH AT FRANKLIN-CHARGE -STAMPEDE-COLONEL SMITH-CAPTAIN BARNARD-CORPORAL NEWMAN-CAPTURES -THANKS OF GENERAL WOOD-GENERAL THOMAS-CASUALTIES-THE SEVENTY-SECOND-CHARGED BY REBELS-DRIVEN-RETAKE THEIR LINE-LIEUTENANT-COLONEL STOCKTON-MAJOR JAMES-Loss-THE SEVENTY-FIFTH-CHARGE THROUGH AN OPEN FIELD ITS CAPTURES-THE EIGHTY-EIGHT AT STONE RIVER-ON FRONT LINE"FIRE AND FIRE Low"-AT MISSION RIDGE-LIEUTENANT-COLONEL CHANDLERCOLONEL JOHN W. SHAFFER.

TH

HE author regrets that there is not more of personal incident preserved in the ana of the war. He has sought them diligently, but such has been the magnitude of the issues and extent of the campaigns that little space has been accorded to personal prowess, personal self sacrifice and devotion. And yet that grand army was made up of persons, sons of mothers to whom each son was a hero, brothers, husbands, fathers!

THE SEVENTY-FOURTH AND EIGHTY-EIGHTH AT FRANKLIN.

From a soldier's letter we give the following describing the 88th and 74th at the battle of Franklin:

"Our brigade held the advance, the 88th (with which, for the purposes of field operations, is consolidated with the 74th Illinois) composing the rear of the column. A mile before reaching Spring Hill news came that Forrest, who had crossed Duck River during the night, was moving upon the town. Instantly, and not a moment. too soon, we were put on the double quick. Reaching town we could see the enemy's cavalry moving across the fields from the right in most gallant and confident style. Without halting or unslinging knapsacks the 88th was moved out of column by the right flank, and deployed as skirmishers in Forrest's front. We pushed back the enemy steadily and surely, driving him a mile, when we formed our skirmish line

for the night. Meanwhile he had massed heavily on the right of the division, making a series of desperate charges in front of the 2d and 3d brigades, which suffered some temporary disaster. Night closed in soon afterwards, and the fighting ceased. Meanwhile the trains were all getting in, and the other divisions of our corps and the 23d corps coming up. By 2 o'clock A. M. of the 30th the last wagon was on the road to Franklin; by 4 o'clock the army was in motion, and at 6 o'clock this regiment, which was again designated for the post of honor, was in position as skirmishers for the rear of the army. Hood's cavalry followed us pretty closely, getting round on our flank whenever the wooded hills jutted out sufficiently close to the road to enable them to give us a volley. We had several sharp bouts with them during the march, but kept them at a respectful distance. At noon we reached Franklin, which Cox's division of the 23d Corps had already intrenched. The 2d and 3d brigades of our division were posted half a mile in advance of the works, as a sort of column of observation, with orders to retire to the main line in the event of the appearance of any considerable rebel force, while our brigade was massed in reserve three or four hundred yards in rear of the works for the purpose of rest and refreshment. Thus matters stood until about half past 3 o'clock, when the 2d and 3d brigades, being flanked by largely superior numbers, retired upon the main line in considerable haste and disorder. At the same time the rebel charging columns were set in motion, and when our outposts reached the works the rebels were close behind them, and all things were mixed up like confusion worse confounded. As our forces clambered over the breastworks they communicated a panic to that portion of the 23d Corps which occupied that part of the works, and then began a scene which beggars all description. Backward, in affrighted stampede, came men and artillery; the rebel yells of triumph rang in our ears, and we all knew that unless, on our part, there was instant fighting as furious and desperate as last hope could make it, nothing but irretrievable disaster could possibly result. In the twinkling of an eye, therefore, our brigade was under arms. There was no time to form brigade front: we charged by regiments, the consolidated 88th leading and clearing the way. Col. Smith, Major Holden and Adjutant Realf were on horseback; there was indeed no time to dismount had we desired to do so. In all my life I never saw, in all my readings I never read of, a more knightly scene than that of Colonel Smith, at the head of the charging column, cap in hand, dashing hither and thither, chock in the white heat of the fray, nerving the brave, shaming the coward, an unconscious hero in every inch of him. Presently his horse was shot, presently the Major's; the Adjutant's escaped being hit. Well, an awful time, for a while, we had of it. I never saw hand-to-hand fighting before. Captain Barnard shot two rebels with his revolver; Corporal Newman, of Company G, nearly severed a rebel captain's head with an ax; somebody actually pinned a rebel soldier to the breastworks by the stroke of a pick-ax. I saw a rebel color-bearer knocked flat with the butt end of a musket, and there were bayonetings without number. But, thank God, we stayed all the rebel tide. Then, when we had things safe, we got up the stragglers, and by and by affairs again assumed order and shape. But Hood was not content; again and again, until the eleventh time, he charged us with desperate frenzy. The slaughter was perfectly horrible; the ground was actually slippery with blood and gore. The 88th Illinois captured one division and four regimental flags; the 74th Illinois captured two, making seven in all, and we took from 200 to 300 prisoners.

SEVENTY-SECOND AT FRANKLIN.

347

"At midnight, when the troops withdrew, we were left to cover the movement of our brigade, and for an hour and a half opposed our thin skirmish line to the solid rebel columns. Some of us confess to have been a little nervous, and certainly you will admit it to have been a critical and ticklish position. But we got off safely, rejoined our brigade, and moved with it to the outer defenses of Nashville.

"Arrived there, Gen. Wood (who in the absence of Gen. Stanley, wounded, commands the corps), accompanied by Wagner and Thomas, paid the regiment a visit. Gen. Wood sought out Col. Smith and addressed him thus: Colonel, I desire to repeat to you, in the presence of Gen. Thomas and of your regiment, that which Gen. Stanley said to me respecting yourself and the troops you command, that with the exception only of Col. Opdyke, commanding your brigade, with whom you share the honor to your special gallantry and special exertions more than to those of any other man, is owing the repulse of the rebel column, the safety of the army and the victory of the day. In his name and in mine I thank you.' Thereupon Gen. Thomas desired to see our captured flags, when, turning to Gen. Wagner, he desired him to make an official report relative to Col. Smith, and to the regiment, assuring the men that their services were most thoroughly appreciated.

"Our casualties were, 2 killed, 7 wounded, and 6 missing-15 in all. The 74th suffered more, and it is due to the officers and men of that regiment to say that every word of commendation honestly earned by ourselves, was earned by them also. No soldiers could be cooler, more courageous or more enduring than they. Side by side we fought, and, as sometimes in whist, 'honors are easy' between us."

THE SEVENTY-SECOND.

Another thus describes the 72d:

"The 72d was placed at the center of the lines surrounding the city, and upon a gentle slope, at the bottom of which and outside of the line was a small grove of young trees. On our right was a depression an eighth of a mile wide, on our left the ground was higher than that occupied by our regiment. The men were not in the best condition for an engagement, but nevertheless they all took their positions in the pits, with an evident willingness, if not eagerness, and so confident were officers and men that we should hold our line, that nothing was taken by them except their arms and accoutrements. The regiment was working on the breastworks when it was ordered to the pits, where it stood in silence some time previous to taking part. Some were watching the advancing foe and the dimly descried contest in the distance, some intently engaged in thinking over the probabilities of the impending battle, while not a few were silently but fervently offering up a prayer to Heaven.

"On rushed the maddened foe. When they came in range the cry went up, 'Open on them, boys; give it to them.' And the boys did open on them, and, when once commenced, the firing did not cease for ten long hours.

"But the enemy were too powerful and numerous, and, forcing the line at our left, opened a cross-fire, which event, together with our skirmishers, rushing over our works, caused our regiment to fall back to the second line of works. But our line was soon after retaken, principally by our boys, and held till after dark, when the rebels, after repeated assaults, and from their position on the left, compelled us to leave it.

"The officers showed themselves to be as fearless as the men were brave, and both of our field officers were wounded while heroically facing the tremendous fire of the enemy and directing with coolness the fire of the men. Thus, in the very first part of our energetic resistance, fell our noble and brave Lieutenant-Colonel Stockton and Major James. But we can hope for their speedy recovery and return. The command of the regiment then devolved upon the gallant Captain James A. Sexton, whose exertions upon various parts of the field will not be forgotten.

"The coolness and self-possession of the officers was truly encouraging to the men, and the determination of both was very effective in making such a successful resistance in the face of so many embarrassments.

"Charge upon charge was made by the rebels, and repulse upon repulse followed which brought forth yells and cheers from our lines. The proportion of our loss to that of the whole rebel loss shows plainly the part they took in the battle of Franklin."

The 75th in the same battle suffered severely. In the battle of Nashville on the second day it charged through an open corn-field on the double quick for the distance of a half mile, the enemy being under partial cover on the brow of a little hill; he was driven by the 75th, leaving twenty-six in our hands. The regiment kept up fire from that point for two hours. A second charge was made by the whole corps, by brigades en echelon; the 75th was in the front charging line and captured 223 prisoners, with quantities of stores, etc.

The 72d lost nine officers out of sixteen engaged and 152 men killed and severely wounded. Such is an honorable record.

THE EIGHTY-EIGHTH AT STONE RIVER.

We quote from the MSS. of one on the field:

"The morning of the 31st of December, 1862, broke cold and cheerless. The men were stiff with the cold, having lain, without fires, in a muddy cotton-field in front of Harding's house during the night. The position of the regiment was on the left of the brigade and division, and in the first line of battle. Day had scarcely dawned before the pickets opened fire all along the lines, and ere the sun had risen, the rebels advanced in force on the right wing under Gen. McCook.

"Four regiments of the enemy marched directly on the position held by the 88th. Col. Sherman gave orders that not a gun should be fired until he gave the word, and was obeyed. A brigade of four regiments in column were coming steadily on with their battle flags displayed. The regiment waited until the first line was within seventy-five yards of where it lay. With a yell the enemy took the double quick for the charge, and then our Colonel gave the order to 'fire, and fire low! A simultaneous discharge of all the muskets in his command answered, and as that volley

MISSION RIDGE.

349' went tearing through the rebel ranks, it shook them as if an earthquake were rumbling beneath their feet. So unexpected was the volley that the whole column came to a dead halt giving the 88th time to reload. Again the rebel officers succeeded in getting the column to advance, and again another volley, more terrible than the first, swept through their ranks from the heavy guns with which the regi ment was armed. This they could not face and the remnant of the brigade sank to the ground to find shelter. The Colonel now ordered file firing upon them as they lay, and soon drove them from their front in utter confusion.

"For six hours we were under heavy fire without cessation, and with empty cartridge boxes were forced from the field, when Sheridan's division fought so nobly against overpowering numbers and saved the day. One hundred and fifty-one men out of 416, which was the effective force of the regiment in the morning, lay on the field at night and in the hands of the enemy.

"At Chickamauga it lost 106 out of less than 300 with which it went into action."

MISSION RIDGE.

The lamented Lieutenant-Colonel Chandler says in his report of the storming of Mission Ridge:

"We advanced on quick time until we reached the edge of the timber, when we took the double quick' across the plain, a distance of half a mile to the first line of works, the enemy firing into our ranks from the first line, and pouring grape and canister from the batteries on the crest of the ridge. Here, under the little shelter afforded by this first line of works, the men sank from exhaustion. We remained here only a few moments, and advanced to the second line, driving the enemy in confusion before us. The men were now so completely exhausted, and there was kept up such a galling fire from the enemy, that a further advance seemed out of question. A few moments of rest, however, and they followed the colors which were ordered forward. The advance, which was slow, but sure, having to contend not only with the direct fire, but enfilading fire from the right. When near the upper works of the enemy we halted, waiting for the troops on our right to move forward and draw from us the fire, which was enfilading our line of advance. This fire, not in any way diminishing, I ordered the colors forward on the works, which a moment after were carried, and the 'stars and stripes' waved triumphantly on Missionary Ridge, the enemy being in full retreat and great confusion.

"The distance from where the charge was begun to the top of the ridge was at least one and a half miles across a wide open plain, and up a long steep hill, protected by three lines of rifle-pits, one at the foot, the second about half way up, and the third on the crest of the ridge, with artillery at the top. The time occupied was about one and a half hours. The regiment rested on the ridge until about one o'clock the next morning, when, with the brigade, we moved to the front a mile and a half, and halted until about ten o'clock, when we moved forward to Chickamauga Creek. In the afternoon we returned to camp.

"I desire to make honorable mention of the officers of this regiment, all of whom did their duty most gallantly. Captain George W. Smith, of Company A, acting field officer, was conspicuous for his bravery while urging on the almost ex