Daniel A. Masters's Blog, page 6

Running the Vicksburg Batteries in the Forest Queen

General UlyssesS. Grant recalled in his Memoirs how “when it was first proposed to runthe blockade at Vicksburg with river steamers [in April 1863], there were buttwo captains or masters who were willing to accompany their vessels and but onecrew. Volunteers were called for from the army who had had experience in anycapacity navigating the western rivers. Captains, pilots, mates, engineers, anddeck hands enough presented themselves to take five times the number of vesselswe were moving through this dangerous ordeal. All but two of the steamers wascommanded by volunteers and all but one so manned.”

The only vessel with an all-civilian crew was the steamboat ForestQueen under the command of Captain Daniel Conway. As the fleet tried todrift past Vicksburg, alert Confederate gunners discovered them and afterlighting a house on the opposite side of the river afire, pounded the fleetwith shell after shell. Billy Blanker, clerk aboard the Forest Queen, proudly gavethe following description of how the civilians handled their first time underfire.

“During the engagement, Captain Conway stood nobly at hispost upon the hurricane deck, smoking his cigar and giving his orders as coollyas if the iron tempest that howled around him was nothing more than a summershower. The pilots also stood up to their work like men, both of them remainingin the pilothouse until we landed below Vicksburg. The engineers stood likeiron men to their posts, running the boat a mile and a half after the steampipe was shot away. In short, all hands acted like brave men and there was noflinching on the part of anyone.”

The Forest Queen, riddled with shot and its steampipeshot away, made it past Vicksburg under the tow of the gunboat Tuscumbiawith three men scalded but otherwise ready for service ferrying Grant’s army fromthe Louisiana side to the Mississippi side of the river.

Billy Blanker’s letter, written the morning after the ForestQueen ran the gauntlet at Vicksburg, first was published in the April 30,1863, edition of the Aurora Journal in his hometown of Aurora, Indiana. Blanker, a native of Germany, had married Captain Conway's daughter Mary in 1861. 

The Forest Queen, along with two other transports the Silver Wave and Henry Clay, sail in the rear of Admiral Porter's column of six gunboats in this depiction of running the Vicksburg batteries. It was hoped that the smoke and confusion of battle would serve to shield the unarmed transports, but Confederate gunners lit afire a house on the Louisiana side of the river that lit up the scene like daylight. The Henry Clay eventually caught fire and sank, but the other two transports, pummeled but still afloat, made it past Vicksburg.     

On boardsteamer Forest Queen, below Vicksburg, Mississippi

April 17,1863

Mr. Editor,

          I feel in duty bound to give you a fewparticulars of the Forest Queen’s running of the blockade pastVicksburg. At 9:30 p.m. on the 16th, an order came from AdmiralPorter to leave our moorings, go out in the stream and form in line as follows:six ironclad gunboats, then the transports: the stern wheeler Silver Wave,the Forest Queen, the Henry Clay, with the gunboat Tuscumbiabringing up the rear.

Our crewconsisted of:

CaptainDaniel Conway

Pilots John L. Conway and James M. Miller

Clerk Billy Blanker

Chief EngineerWilson Johnson of Madison, Indiana

Assistant EngineersJoseph Aust of Louisville and A.L. Gale of Madison

Mate L.P.Noble of Vevay, Indiana

Carpenter Z.Lamb of Memphis

WatchmanOwen Conley of Cincinnati

Cabin boysDavid Scott of Memphis and Henry Norman of New Orleans

Firemen FrankThompson of New Albany, Indiana, Lewis Craig of Gallipolis, Ohio, James Wells and‘N- Bill’ of Memphis, all colored

Deck handsHenry Dickman of Cincinnati, Dennis McDermot of Cairo, Illinois, W. Wheeler, H.Colman, W. Green, and ‘N- Reuben’ of Memphis.

 

Clerk William Charles "Billy" Blanker
Forest Queen

          We were also accompanied by P. Burke,a private in Co. D of the 8th Missouri Infantry who “wanted to seethe fun” and he saw it. He says that he has been in eight battles and this wasthe heaviest fire he ever faced. The crew of the Silver Wave were allsoldiers except the captain whose name is McMullen. I am only acquainted withthe pilot of the Henry Clay, John Taylor formerly of Aurora, Indiana.

          I said we started at 9:30 p.m., thegunboats in the lead under the immediate command of Admiral Porter, the wholefleet slowly drifting down the river. When within a mile of the upper battery,the pickets gave the alarm and soon the signals at the different batteries gavenotice that they were prepared for us. The ball soon opened and the rush of thesolid shot and screeching of shells mingled with the roar of the cannon madeawful music for our civilian ears. Still we got along pretty well until just aswe turned the point when the Rebels set fire to a frame house on the Louisianaside of the river which lighted up the river as bright as day.

          They were thus enabled to distinguishbetween the gunboats and the transports and their shots soon began to tell. Ashot took away a part of our pilot wheel and cut the bell ropes communicating withthe engine. Thus disabled, the boat swung around with her bow upstream. ButCaptain Conway, learning what was the matter, gave his orders through thespeaking trumpet and soon got her headed downstream again.

Just then, the whistle of the Henry Clay sounded andlooking in that direction, I saw her enveloped in smoke and steam. This was thelast we saw of her as she burned in a few minutes. I learned subsequently thather pilot John Taylor got ashore safely. We were making good time down theriver when we came within range of their crossfire. Then the shots seemed tocome from every direction: through the stern, across the bows, etc. Well, Ithought it was raining shot and shell and if you see the riddled Queenyou would think so yourself.

The gunboat Tuscumbia took the Forest Queen under tow when the transport's steampipe was shot away and brought the vessel safely past the Vicksburg batteries.  

We had nearly got past when a 12-lb shot cut off our steampipe, robbing us of our motive power and scalding some of our men. We wereunder good headway and floated past the batteries when the Tuscumbia tookus in tow and landed us tow miles above with Warrenton batteries within our ownpicket lines and in sight of Vicksburg.

During the engagement, Captain Conway stood nobly at his postupon the hurricane deck, smoking his cigar and giving his orders as coolly asif the iron tempest that howled around him was nothing more than a summershower. The pilots also stood up to their work like men, both of them remainingin the pilothouse until we landed below Vicksburg. The engineers stood likeiron men to their posts, running the boat a mile and a half after the steampipe was shot away. In short, all hands acted like brave men and there was noflinching on the part of anyone. Our casualties are Carpenter Z. Lamb, badlyscalded, D. Scott and P. Burke slightly scaled; the rest of us escaped withouta scratch.

As soon as the Warrenton batteries are silenced and we getour steampipe fixed, we shall go down to New Carthage.

Source:

Letter fromClerk Billy Blanker (William Charles Blanker), S.S. Forest Queen, Aurora Journal (Indiana),April 30, 1863, pg. 2

Opening Gettysburg with the 3rd Indiana Cavalry

Riding into Gettysburg on June 30, 1863, one trooper of the 3rd Indiana Cavalry of Colonel William Gamble's brigade of Buford's cavalry division remembered how the townspeople greeted his regiment with cheers and songs. 

    "As we passed through the city, we were gladly welcomed by the inhabitants who flocked in numbers to behold the advance of our troops," he wrote. "The farther we advanced the denser the throng became and when about half the length of the street was passed, a large number of young ladies had congregated and greeted us with the soul-inspiring air, “The Star Spangled Banner.” Another square further and the “Red, White, and Blue” rang merrily from a hundred fair singers. Just as the termination of the street was reached, when every nerve was strained in preparation for the charge, hundreds of voices blended sweetly in their earnest tones and “The Union Forever” inspired the men to the highest degree of patriotism."

    The following day, his regiment would be among the first units engaged in the Battle of Gettysburg. The following account of the first day’sfight was penned by a trooper in Co. D of the 3rdIndiana Cavalry, writing under the pen name of Eques. It first saw publicationin the July 23, 1863, edition of the Aurora Journal.

 

Colonel George H. Chapman of the 3rd Indiana Cavalry sits surrounded by members of his staff. During the Gettysburg campaign, Chapman commanded the six companies of the 3rd Indiana along with four companies of the 12th Illinois Cavalry. A battalion of the 3rd Indiana Cavalry also served in the western theater with the Army of the Cumberland. 

Camp nearWestminster, Maryland

July 3, 1863

          The report of the battle now inprogress at Gettysburg will be anxiously looked for by all and while the nationwatches with breathless interest, the part which the cavalry has taken in thedecisive blow will form an interesting topic with those who have friends andrelations serving in this branch of the service.

          On Thursday June 25th weleft Aldie and marched to Leesburg where we encamped for the night and crossedthe Potomac on Friday at Edward’s Ferry. We continued our advance withoutmeeting the enemy until Tuesday when we drove in their pickets at Fairfield.Then ascertaining from citizens that the town was occupied by a large force ofinfantry, General John Buford deemed it imprudent to attack them and marched toEmmetsburg and from there to Gettysburg, thus placing the command directly inthe rear of the enemy.

          The Rebels, 2,000 strong with threepieces of artillery, were reported to have formed their line of battle,intending to dispute our advance. As we passed through the city, we were gladlywelcomed by the inhabitants who flocked in numbers to behold the advance of ourtroops.

The farther we advanced the denser the throng became and whenabout half the length of the street was passed, a large number of young ladies hadcongregated and greeted us with the soul-inspiring air, “The Star SpangledBanner.” Another square further and the “Red, White, and Blue” rang merrilyfrom a hundred fair singers. Just as the termination of the street was reached,when every nerve was strained in preparation for the charge, hundreds of voicesblended sweetly in their earnest tones and “The Union Forever” inspired the mento the highest degree of patriotism.

The corner was turned and all were disappointed to learn thatthe traitors had fled without firing a shot. I say disappointed for all wereeager for the fray. We encamped about a mile and a quarter beyond the city. Thecitizens flocked into camp while the boys eagerly flocked to the city. Norestrictions were placed on them and all passed the most pleasant evening theyhad enjoyed since leaving Hoosier soil.

Morning came July 1st and with it the advance ofthe Rebels. To understand more clearly the position, I will here say that 1stand 11th Army Corps were camped four miles in the rear of GeneralBuford’s command. At 8 o’clock, the First Brigade composed of the 3rdIndiana Cavalry, 8th Illinois Cavalry, and 8th New Yorkcommanded by Colonel Gamble of the 8th Illinois formed in line ofbattle and took up a position one-fourth of a mile in advance of our late camp.

The 3rd Indiana Cavalry monument at Gettysburg is located along Reynolds Avenue just to the north of the railroad cut. 

We had barely taken up the position when a division of theenemy was thrown forward and three batteries opened upon us. The 8thIllinois and 8th New York were thrown forward as skirmishers whilethe 3rd Indiana supported our brigade battery. The Rebel batterieswere firing at shot range, the distance being less than half a mile, and theirfiring was very accurate. Four of our guns were soon disabled and one wasdragged off by two cavalry horses. The two remaining guns continued to firesteadily under a murderous crossfire for over an hour when they were compelledto withdraw from a flanking fire of the enemy’s sharpshooters. In the meantime,the infantry were rapidly advancing and it fell to the lot of our regiment toemploy them until the column came up.

We stood under the crossfire of 15 pieces of artillery for 10minutes when the Federal infantry came in sight. We had just started off thefield when a shell burst just in front of our ranks which killed Jesse Smithinstantly. The shells flew thick and fast but the regiment slowly retired outof range without further loss. Two of the boys dismounted and bore lamented Jesse’sbody off the field to the city and their made a coffin, but were forced toreport to the regiment before he could be buried. We had the assurance of thecabinet maker Mr. Swope that he would see him buried and would mark his tomb sothat it could be found if desirable. Poor Jesse! All miss him so much.

During the fight on July 1st, Private Louis A. Tufts of Co. D witnessed the death of an intimate companion who was shot at his side. "While engaged in removing the body, his beloved General John Reynolds fell near him. The shock was too great for his mind and he became a raving maniac. He was removed to the insane department of the Philadelphia army hospital and every care taken of him but he died on the 14th of July." ~ Aurora Journal, July 30, 1863

Our forces were driven from their first position and toprotect their rear, our brigade was formed in their rear and gallantly stooduntil the Rebel ranks again came in sight when we dismounted and as skirmisherstook position behind a stone wall. Our faithful Gallagher’s and Sharps carbineschecked the rapidity of the advance of a Rebel division and their advance wassomewhat retarded. Their ranks were seen to open when one fell but againrapidly closed; their colors fell several times but were quickly grasped again.

The 3rd Indiana Cavalry served in Colonel William Gamble's First Brigade of General John Buford's cavalry division at Gettysburg. The regiment brought 313 men into the battle and lost 5 men killed and 21 wounded during the campaign. 

At last, they had approached so near that to remain longerwas certain death or capture while there was a bare possibility of escaping byretiring. This was the trying time of the day. There was a rush and allsucceeded in safely retreating save Augustus Wright who was seen to fall fromhis horse, it is supposed he was severely wounded. Last reports, the truth ofwhich I will not vouch for, state that he was carried from the field and placedin the sanitary hospital. Our regiment surgeon Dr. Beck is attending upon ourwounded and when he returns, we will know to a certainty.

During the day’s engagement, 6,000 Rebel prisoners werecaptured while our loss was less than 1,000 in prisoners. Three of our gunswere captured but two of these were recaptured by the 19th Indianawho had the honor of bringing off an entire regiment prisoners with officersand colors. Our company’s loss is as follows: Jesse Smith, killed by a fragmentof a shell; Sergeant Omer Howerton wounded slightly in the arm; CorporalBenjamin Sellers slightly in the side and leg by a shell; Franklin Powers,severely in the knee by a musket ball; William Tupper, slightly in the left legby his horse falling upon him; and Augustus Wright, nature of the woundunknown. [Wright was killed July 1, 1863.]

The loss of the regiment, including a detachment of the 12thIllinois, totaled 56 in killed, wounded, and missing. The brigade lost 202, theloss of the horses very near the same. When we compare the relative strength ofthe forces we can only wonder that our force was not annihilated. Our forcesnumbered less than 15,000 while the prisoners stated their number actuallyengaged to be 50,000.

While we sincerely mourn the loss of our fallen comrades anddeeply sympathize with their afflicted families, we give them the assurancethat as brave soldiers they lived and as true patriots they died. We trusttheir spirits have passed to those regions of bliss where sorrows andsufferings are no more. 

Respectfully,

Eques

Source:

Letter fromEques, Co. D, 3rd Indiana Volunteer Cavalry, Aurora Journal(Indiana), July 23, 1863, pg. 1

Article about Louis A. Tufts, Aurora Journal (Indiana), July 30, 1863, pg. 3

A Hoosier Saves the Colors of the 29th Ohio

As General John Pope’s Army of Virginia prepared to fight the Battle of Cedar Mountain, the menof the 7th Indiana delighted in the exploits of one of their comrades.

          Captured in the aftermath of theBattle of Port Republic, Sergeant Harry Fisk was imprisoned in a barn with dozens ofother Federals that night when he saw something that didn’t belong: the capturedcolors of the 29th Ohio. “During the night, the thought enteredHarry’s head that they had no right to that flag, so suiting actions to histhoughts, he waited until all got quiet,” Captain Alexander Pattison recalled. “Thenhe tore the flag from the staff and sewed it up between the cloth and linen ofhis jacket and cut up the staff with his pocketknife. The next morning, greatinquiry was made for the flag. The commander of the guard offered $30 for itsrecovery but no one knew anything about it. The next day, the prisoners weretaken on to Lynchburg where they have been confined ever since. All the time,Harry jealously guarded the flag.”

          A few weeks later, Sergeant Fiskescaped and after a week of tramping through the Virginia wilderness, hearrived safely within Union lines with the colors of the 29th Ohiostill tucked safely within the lining of his jacket. Fisk’s story was recountedin a letter written by his company commander Captain Alexander Pattison to theeditors of the Aurora Journal, Fisk’s hometown newspaper in Indiana.

 Private John Russell, Co. K, 7th Indiana Volunteer Infantry

CulpeperCourthouse, Virginia

August 7,1862

          You will see from the heading of thisletter that we are once more among them. That this rebellion will never be putdown as long as the Old Seventh remains idle. Now that we are again in thefield, something will be done soon; either Jackson will be whipped or he willwhip us. But we have the assurance to think it will be the former for it is nowour regular turn, he having whipped us last time. Of course, he will not insiston anything that is unfair for Jackson is very much of a gentleman.

          And now for the news, for I have somegood news to tell you so that you may know that a soldier may be joyful attimes as well as anybody else. We arrived here at noon today and camped aboutthree miles from town. About an hour after we had encamped, a soldier from oneof the regiments in camp at town came through our camp. Upon learning whatregiment we were, he said that the little sergeant from Co. A of the 7thIndiana along with three boys of the 5th Ohio had made their escapeand arrived in town yesterday, bringing with him the colors of the 29thOhio that were taken at the Battle of Port Republic.

          It needed no second telling to knowthat the little sergeant was our dear friend Harry Fisk!

          Soon the news spread like wildfirethroughout the regiment and Harry’s name was on every tongue and joy beamingupon every face for Harry is a favorite throughout the regiment and especiallyin his company. I immediately rode to town to get him but he had also heard ofour arrival and had already started to join us. I soon returned to camp and asI neared camp, I heard tremendous cheering. Harry had arrived, bearing with himthe colors and the regiment had turned out to welcome him. Judging from what Iheard and afterwards saw, no person every arrived within the lines of the campof the 7th Indiana ever met with a warmer welcome that did Harry.

          But let me tell you his story, atleast give you the outlines and I hope that we will be able to give him afurlough so that he can tell you all himself. No exertions shall be spared onmy part or the officers of this command. On the morning of June 9thbefore the battle, Harry was ordered with 10 men to proceed to the right alongthe bank of the river to skirmish. He had been gone but a short time when theenemy rushed forward upon us and we were compelled to fall back about one-fourthof a mile into the field.

Sergeant Fisk and his detachment deployed along the South Fork of the Shenandoah River and were captured when cut off my Confederate cavalry. 

          With three others he had advanced outof sight but the other men seeing us, they immediately returned in a fewminutes. His retreat cut off by the enemy, Harry and his three men pushed ondown the river, hiding behind the bank, intending to meet us about four milesfrom the field. But upon reaching the road instead of meeting us as heexpected, he came upon a large force of Rebel cavalry who immediately took themprisoners.

          That night, the Rebels took them aboutten miles from the field. The following day and night they were put in a barnand guards placed at the door. A stand of colors taken from the 29thOhio was also placed in the same room. During the night, the thought enteredHarry’s head that they had no right to that flag, so suiting actions to histhoughts, he waited until all got quiet. Then he tore the flag from the staffand sewed it up between the cloth and linen of his jacket and cut up the staffwith his pocketknife. He said that if anyone doubts the difficulty of threadinga needle on a dark night, they should try it.

          The next morning, great inquiry wasmade for the flag. The commander of the guard offered $30 for its recovery butno one knew anything about it. The next day, the prisoners were taken on toLynchburg where they have been confined ever since. All the time, Harryjealously guarded the flag. He had several times made arrangements to escapebut finally succeeded on the night of July 29th. He and three othersbelong to the 5th Ohio arrived in Culpeper on August 5thhaving traveled night and day, making about 40 miles a day. They subsistedchiefly on berries, swimming rivers, and eluding the enemy.

          They passed through Charlottesvillewhere a Rebel regiment was quartered and they passed themselves off as Secesh.They arrived nearly exhausted from hunger and hard marching. He gives a verygood account of the treatment received by the prisoners from their captors.There were 2,238 of our troops prisoners at that time, 41 of them from ourregiment. All of them were trying to make themselves as comfortable as thecircumstances will admit of and looking forward to the time when they willagain rejoin us. One thing is evident: their love for the Rebels is in no wayincreased by their captivity.

Culpeper, Virginia in August 1862. 

          Harry is now the hero of the army inVirginia. His name is spoken by all and the act he has just so successfullyperformed is well worthy of a place in the history of the rebellion. The flagis still in his possession and the 29th Ohio is at Sperryville. Theywere well nigh wild with delight when they heard of the return of their colors.We anticipate a good time upon the delivery of it. Need I say that I share hishonor, that we all share with him the laurels he has so dearly purchased.Everyone in our company is proud that we can say that Harry is one of us. It isno disparagement to any of the rest when we say that he has done more than any,for if we say it ourselves, we think we are as good a company and have done asmuch hard service as any that have left the Hoosier state. Aurora may well beproud of her boys and with the consent of all his comrades, let the littlesergeant be placed at the head of the list for he deserves, richly deserves,whatever praise may be bestowed upon him.

Sergeant Fisk was commissioned a second lieutenant to date August 3, 1862, and held that rank for the remainder of his service, mustering out September 20, 1864. After the war, he moved to Decatur, Illinois.  

To learn more about the Battle of Port Republic, please check out these posts:

Theron Winship of the 29th Ohio at the Battle of Port Republic

A Hoosier at Port Republic (7th Indiana) 

Source:

Letter fromCaptain Alexander B. Pattison, Co. A, 7th Indiana VolunteerInfantry, Aurora Journal (Indiana), August 21, 1862, pg. 1

Hallowed So Much My Throat was Sore: Victory Atop Missionary Ridge with the 2nd Ohio

Positioned on the far right of the Union assault on Missionary Ridge, Private William Van Horne of the 2nd Ohio described the elation of victory as the men of his brigade overwhelmed the Confederate line with but slight loss.

    "I do not think that I ever heard as much noise in my life as there was that night," Van Horne wrote to his parents. "We cheered every general and everybody else. I do not believe I felt in better spirits that I ever did before and hallowed so much that my throat was sore and I believe everyone else’s was the same. Our regiment only lost one or two men wounded. I do not know how so many of us escaped for the bullets were flying so thick that you could almost see them. There was almost no end of shells flying all around us but striking very few."

    During the Chattanooga campaign, the 2nd Ohio was Under General William P. Carlin's command of the First Brigade, First Division, 14th Army Corps. Following the losses at Chickamauga, the 14th Corps was organized down to a three division structure with the men of Colonel John Beatty's and Colonel Frank Scribner's commands being consolidated and placed under the command of Carlin, a veteran of long standing with McCook's old 20th Corps. 

    Private Van Horne's account of the Federal victory at Chattanooga first saw publication in the December 11, 1863, edition of the Zanesville Daily Courier. Van Horne would serve in with the 2nd Ohio until it was mustered out in June 1864, then accepted a commission in the 184th then 195th Ohio regiments, mustering out as a captain in June 1865. He joined the Regular army and would serve until 1901 seeing action in the Indian Wars and the Spanish American War. Van Horne received a brigadier's star in recognition of his distinguished services after leaving the service. 

"About 1 or 2 o'clock, the army was found in front of Chattanooga and began to advance in line of battle towards the ridge," Van Horne wrote. "When we were within a mile or two of it, we started off on the double quick and ran to the foot where the Rebels opened on the whole line." 

Chattanooga,Tennessee

November 30,1863

My dearparents,

          I presume ere this time you have heardof our great week of victories but still I may be able to tell you somethingthat you may not hear otherwise.

          One week ago today, I had gone to the19th Ohio on business and while there heard the bugles call over thearmy sounding the assembly. I started and when I arrived at the regiment Ifound it in line. I soon joined it, and we moved to the fortifications aboutnoon and stayed there until about noon the next day when we heard considerablefighting on the edge of Lookout Mountain. It was not long after that we couldjust see the line of the retreating Rebs moving around the mountain and thencame Hooker’s line pushing them fast. This did not last long for the Rebs soonreached their fortifications and there they made a stand.

Our brigade was then ordered to cross the creek and move upthe mountain to support Hooker which was promptly done. We arrived about 9 p.m.and instead of being a support, we were rushed to the front and in a fewminutes engaged the Rebs. The fight lasted about two hours when all was quietagain. We lost on our right four killed and four wounded, none from ourcompany. We were then ordered to picket or rather thrown out a skirmish linewhich was soon done and everything rested so for the night.

All were expecting a heavy fight the next day but to oursurprise at daylight Wednesday morning, the enemy had slid out, leavingeverything that they could not born on top of the mountain. We stayed thereuntil about 10 o’clock when we were ordered off the mountain to take our oldplace on the right of the Army of the Cumberland. Hooker moved down into thevalley on our right and we could still see the Rebs on Missionary Ridge butthey would not stay there long for we had started and we knew we could keepthem on the move.

About 1 or 2 o’clock, the army was found in front ofChattanooga and began to advance in line of battle towards the ridge. When wewere within a mile or two of it, we started off on the double quick and ran tothe foot where the Rebs opened on the whole line with musketry and artillery.We did not heed it but on we pushed towards the top but when within a hundredyards of the top our brigade was forced to fall back behind the Rebs’ firstline of works. Oh, what a sight! We could see the whole line from where wewere, pressing on towards the top and at last they reached it.

General Van Horne at the end of his army career in 1901. He experienced three years of war as a private in the ranks of Co. E, 2nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry, seeing action with the Army of the Cumberland in its hardest campaigns through Atlanta. 

We were not lying idle all this time but were on the move,too, and at last, gained the top and poured volley after volley after theretreating Rebs. All their artillery was captured and turned on them. Hookerhad swung around on their left and cut off a brigade which he ran into us andwe gobbled them in with a great many others who wanted to be captured.

I do not think that I ever heard as much noise in my life asthere was that night. We cheered every general and everybody else. I do notbelieve I felt in better spirits that I ever did before and hallowed so muchthat my throat was sore and I believe everyone else’s was the same. Ourregiment only lost one or two men wounded. I do not know how so many of usescaped for the bullets were flying so thick that you could almost see them.There was almost no end of shells flying all around us but striking very few.At dark, we were told to make fires and to make ourselves as comfortable as wecould for the night. We soon ate our suppers and went to bed. This brings us upto Wednesday night.

On Thursday morning, we were aroused very early and told thatwe were to move at 7 o’clock. We drew two days’ rations but 7 o’clock came andwe did not move. Presently an orderly came round with a complimentary orderfrom General Hooker complimenting our brigade for their gallant conduct onLookout Mountain. This was cheered by all. Such a noise I never heard; therewas a continual yell for an hour.

At 11 o’clock, we started on after Bragg, our brigade in theadvance with a heavy support. We marched until about dark when we formed inline of battle. Our brigade was on the left of the road and the Second Brigadeof our division was on the right with Hooker and the rest of our force as thereserve. We did not stay long for presently we heard the Rebels on ahead tryingto get their artillery and wagons along out of the mud. Our whole line wasordered forward as soon as they heard us, they broke and left everything, fourpieces of artillery and several wagons. We then pressed forward and capturedabout 500 prisoners near Graysville, Georgia where we stayed for the night,being about midnight when we stopped. We soon cooked our suppers and laid downfor the night.

Friday morning came and we were started on again after theretreating Rebels in the direction of Ringgold, a distance of 15 miles. Theprogram was somewhat changed. Hooker had the advance and we were the reserve;this suited us, as we were pretty well tired out. At 11 o’clock when ouradvance was within a mile or two of Ringgold, they were attacked by a force ofRebels who soon gave way and ran pell-mell through the town and on to a ridgebeyond it where they made stand and fought our men for some time until theRebels saw they were about to be flanked and then broke in worse disorder thanever. Our infantry force did not pursue them further, but our cavalry took itup and after them capturing them at every point. We then went into camp in townwhere we stayed until Sunday morning. Then we started for our old camp atChattanooga and arrived here about 9 o’clock on Sunday evening.

While at Ringgold, we tore up a mile of railroad anddestroyed all of the mills and bridges in the country. This looked badly, butanything to end this rebellion. This has been one of the liveliest campaigns ofthe war and I think a few more like it would wind up Mr. Bragg or, as theRebels call him, Corporal Bragg.

Remember me to all of my friends and tell them I am stillalive. I did not try to tell you of our loss and gain of last week for I knewnothing about it excepting what we lost in our brigade. Give my love to all ofthe family and accept a large share for yourselves, from your affectionate son,Will Van Horne

For further reading on the Battle of Missionary Ridge, please check out these posts:

Matters Looked Terrible: A Confederate Atop Missionary Ridge 

A Perfect Storm of Bullets: The 104th Illinois and the Taking of Missionary Ridge

With the 1st Ohio at Missionary Ridge 

Bearing the Colors at Missionary Ridge

It was Deucedly Hot Here: A Buckeye on Missionary Ridge

Avenging Chickamauga: The 49th Ohio Storms Missionary Ridge

Source:

Letter fromPrivate William McCadden Van Horne, Co. E, 2nd Ohio VolunteerInfantry, Zanesville Daily Courier (Ohio), December 11, 1863, pg. 2

The Friendly Truce at Chattanooga

Writing to his wife back home in Ohio, Lieutenant Frank Hardy of the 94th Ohio described the unofficial truce that had developed between the Confederate and Federal pickets outside of Chattanooga by mid-November 1863.

    "At the point where we do picket duty, there is a creek between the two picket lines and they stand within speaking distance of each other and for the most part within plain sight of each other so as to make a first-rate mark to shoot at," he wrote. "But neither side manifests any disposition to molest the other. On the contrary, they seem to be generally disposed to be friendly towards each other, so much so that one can hardly realize that the two parties are at war with each other."

    The following letter, written ten days before the Battle of Missionary Ridge, appears on the blog courtesy of Dale Niesen.

First Lieutenant Frank A. Hardy, Co. C, 94th Ohio Volunteer Infantry at right with his wife Elizabeth. Hardy had served in the Mexican War and would serve three years in the Civil war in the 94th Ohio, ending the war as captain of Co. K, later serving as a judge in Piqua, Ohio. 

Chattanooga,Tennessee

November 15,1863

My dearwife,

          I take the present opportunity towrite a few lines to you. You will see that I have answered the letter which Ireceived from the dear little boy a few days since. Your part of the letter Ihave already answered. I wrote you a ,long letter day before yesterday and gaveyou the best directions I could in regard to business. I enclosed in the letterthe sum of $300 (6 bills of $50 each) which I sent to Ohio by Captain PerryStewart of the 94th Ohio who has resigned and started home toSpringfield, Ohio yesterday morning. I need not repeat the contents of theletter for if it arrives safely, you will know what to do.

          I don’t know if I have any particularnews to write at this time. This is my 30th letter in about 75 days.I am still well and getting along first rate. I was out of picket dutyyesterday and last night. Our regiment goes out about once a week. At the pointwhere we do picket duty, there is a creek between the two picket lines and theystand within speaking distance of each other and for the most part within plainsight of each other so as to make a first-rate mark to shoot at. But neitherside manifests any disposition to molest the other. On the contrary, they seemto be generally disposed to be friendly towards each other, so much so that onecan hardly realize that the two parties are at war with each other.

          If the two picket lines should get toskirmishing, our line could fall back behind some breastworks so as to be wellprotected and the Rebels can get behind trees and breastworks so as to be wellprotected. There is a good deal of timber on their side of the creek. Two ofthe Rebel pickets managed to get across the creek last night and came over andgave themselves up. They represent the Rebel army as being very short of armysupplies of all kinds. They also say many more would desert to our army if itwas not for the fear of being exchanged and sent back into the Rebel lines andperhaps shot as deserters.

          Everything seems to be quiet here atpresent except two batteries (one Rebel and one Federal) which throw more orless shells every day into the camps of their opponents, but so far about all eitherhas accomplished has been to make a big noise. For several weeks they have keptit up and so far we have not had a man killed and but two or three wounded.

          I will close for the present. Writeoften if it is but a few words for I am anxious to hear from my treasures as oftenas I can. May God bless and protect my dear wife and children and give thempeace and happiness is the constant prayer of my heart.

I am yoursaffectionately,

Frank A.Hardy

Source:

Letter fromFirst Lieutenant Francis Amos Hardy, Co. C, 94th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Dale NiesenCollection

Stirring Up the Monster: Demonstrating on Chattanooga in September 1863

Posted atthe edge of Walden’s Ridge at the beginning of September 1863, one soldier ofthe 97th Ohio described how his brigade held Chattanooga underobservation and stirred up the Confederates in town.

          “Occasionally our brigade, encamped inthe valley, is sent down near town, to stir up the monster and make him showhis teeth,” he wrote. “When it becomes known that they are going to do so, theedge of the cliff is lined with spectators. The firing can be distinctly seenbut too distant to observe the effects of the shots.”

          The key objective of General GeorgeWagner’s brigade was to demonstrate against Chattanooga, trying to convinceBraxton Bragg that General Rosecrans’ army would try crossing the TennesseeRiver north of town. The distraction worked, allowing Rosecrans to cross mostof his army downstream of town and setting in motion what would become theBattle of Chickamauga.

          The following letter, penned by asoldier who signed his name as L., first saw publication in the September 16,1863, edition of the Zanesville Daily Courier.

 

Camp nearChattanooga, Tennessee

September 3,1863

          For about two weeks we have beenencamped on the heights overlooking Chattanooga, amusing ourselves by watchingthe operations in town. With field glasses we can see the windows in town andcan distinguish persons walking or riding along the streets, troops marchingand trains moving about the plain as you can distinguish objects in WestZanesville from the porch.

          These heights are about 2,000 feet abovethe river and distant from the town in a direct line nearly 7 miles and therebeing no intervening object to obstruct the view, we can with entire safety siton the projecting crags and watch the firing below. Occasionally our brigade,encamped in the valley, is sent down near town, to stir up the monster and makehim show his teeth. When it becomes known that they are going to do so, theedge of the cliff is lined with spectators. The firing can be distinctly seenbut too distant to observe the effects of the shots.

          It is now a great question with uswhether the place has been evacuated or not. When we first came here and forseveral days afterwards there was the greatest activity and commotion among theenemy. Troops were seen galloping through town, clouds of dust arising from theapproaching roads and immense trains moving constantly. But it was impossibleto ascertain whether they were evacuating, drawing in their lines or receivingreinforcements. The strongest glasses could not detect which wat the trainscarried the loads or penetrate the dust to discover the cause. The minutestcircumstances and occurrences were taken into consideration to try to determinewhat they were about, but all of no avail.

For instance, one day, a train was seen moving out slowly,consisting of two locomotives and but few cars. This would seem to indicatethat they were removing some heavy load from town, siege guns or something ofthe kind. But they were taking them to Knoxville to operate against Burnside,to some fortification at a river ford above, or was it preparatory to evacuation?Deserters reported that the latter was the case and that all the heavy guns hadbeen removed from the fortifications, but they could not be relied upon andother circumstances seemed to contradict it. The campfires did not diminish andwhenever we fired at them, sometimes they did not reply but at others theyreplied with great vigor with 32-pounders and sometimes 64-pounders. Noconclusion could be arrived at by us but it is happy thought that GeneralRosecrans is not so ignorant.

General William S. Rosecrans
Commanding, Army of the Cumberland

No casualties have happened on our side so far except on thefirst day that Wilder’s battery went down. One of his pieces was posted in aroad firing into town when from the center of the street of which the road wasan extension, there arose a 64-pounder which opened upon Wilder’s battery. Thefirst shot killed four horses, dismounted the piece, and took off a man’s leg.James Newell, formerly of Zanesville and now a captain on Wilder’s staff, wasin a house nearby taking observations. The next shot from the town, an 11-inchshell, exploded in a pigpen under the house, tearing up the floor and throwinghim out the door and about four feet in the air, slightly interrupting hisobservations for the remainder of the day but doing no further damage.

Deserters say that Wilder’s shots killed a woman and woundedthree or four men. Our battery has been down several times to prick the monstera little and see if he still showed fight. The first day, our side proposed an exchangeof papers but the Rebels refused, saying that they exchanged nothing butbullets across the river. With that the battery opened; they were replied to bethe fortifications on the hill north of town, but our guns were in a shelteredposition and suffered no damage. The distance was too great for us to effectmuch and so we withdrew after giving the Chattanooga Rebel items in theway of a few shots, some of which passed through their office but with whatdamage I have not learned.        In thisway and in doing heavy picket duty, our time is pretty much all occupied. Wehave a detachment guarding a path about two miles to the south of us. Theirpickets extend to the river while the enemy are stationed upon the oppositeshore. They are not as belligerent as they are nearer town and the boyssometimes converse with them and exchange papers, none of which, however, Ihave yet been able to obtain.

          I have said that it is a question withus whether the Rebels have evacuated or not. Supposing they have not, it is amatter of much speculation whether they will. It seems to me that they willnot; in fact, I hope so. I wish this place to be a second and final Vicksburg.If Bragg does not make a stand here, it will result in an almost irrecoverabledemoralization to his army. The Kentuckians and Tennesseans will be sure toleave it and in all probability the northern Georgians and Alabamians.Tennesseans have been coming into our lines in great numbers ever since weadvanced from Murfreesboro. They seem think their state is forever lost to theConfederacy and therefore have lost all interest in the latter. If Chattanoogais evacuated, they will certainly know this and their conversion will becomplete.

          If you look at a map, you will seethat the town lies opposite to a peninsula of land formed by a sharp bend inthe Tennessee River. Upon this peninsula there are four brigades: Wagner’s,Wilder’s, Hazen’s, and a brigade of cavalry. The army, which had been in ourrear, in reserve and nearer to rations has concentrated at Bridgeport and iscrossing the river. This is all I know of our position at present. Now for speculation.The river town is wife and deep with no fords. The enemy can cross no betterthan we can; therefore, for the present, the force here is sufficient to occupythe line of the river while the army from below having crossed over will bethrown around the town, thus completely encircling it with our occupation ofthis bank. The remainder has been told in the siege of Vicksburg, not omittingthe result.

          All is quiet here now. The commotionattending our arrival has ceased. The town looked deserted; the fortificationsshow no living souls but a lone sentry pacing the parapets. The garrison flagflutters in the breeze, but all beneath is quiet as if in sleep, but it is likethe sleep of a lion which when once aroused is fearfully terrible.

          But I must close as it is midnight.This reminds me of a fall night in Ohio. The wind blows and blusters andnestles among the leaves as it does in November at home and, strange as it mayseem to you, the weather is uncomfortably cool. My fingers are almost benumbedand we had a cool spell during which two or three blankets were no more thancomfortable. What do you think of that for September weather?

For furtherreading about the preliminary movements of the Army of the Cumberland beforethe Battle of Chickamauga, please check out the following posts:

Dispatches from Poe’s Tavern: The Army of the Cumberland on the Cusp of the Chickamauga Campaign

Crossing the Tennessee: The Army of the Cumberland Invades Georgia

Marchinginto Chattanooga with the 97th Ohio

Source:

Letter fromL., 97th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Zanesville Daily Courier(Ohio), September 16, 1863, pg. 2

Land Gunboats and Wooden Mortars: Yankee Ingenuity Among the Pioneers at Vicksburg

Assigned asthe pioneer troops for General John Logan’s division of the 17thArmy Corps, Co. C of the 78th Ohio found ample opportunity foremployment during the siege of Vicksburg. Whether it was digging gunemplacements or rifle pits, the company proved to be a valuable addition to thedivision but as the siege dragged into June, its commander Lieutenant AlexanderScales received increasingly challenging assignments that taxed his company’spenchant for Yankee ingenuity.

          Among the more extraordinary inventionsthat Scales and his men developed was a rolling sharpshooter’s wagon, armoredwith cotton bales that the men called a ‘land gunboat.’ A few weeks later,being pelted by hand thrown Confederate hand grenades, the redoubtable Scalesdecided to first develop levers to loft grenades in return. But that experimentfailed which led Scales to decide to make wooden mortars.

          “We immediately went into the woods,got the butt of a tree measuring 20 inches in diameter, cut it off, leaving thepiece two feet in length,” one member recalled. “They then set to work making abore to throw a 12-lb shell. As soon as the bore was finished, iron bands wereput around it to prevent its bursting.”

          But would it work? Our correspondentcontinues. “On the night of June 29th, the first wooden mortar wastried to the satisfaction of all of General Logan’s staff, the general himselfspeaking very highly of the invention. About dusk on the above-mentioned night,Co. C took the wooden mortar on the hill and set it immediately in the rear ofour rifle pits and entirely out of sight of the Rebels. This was planted adistance of 300 yards from Fort Hill. The ammunition was soon at hand and Co. Cwent at it throwing 12-lb shells over two of our pits into the Rebel pit untilthe Rebels were driven from there. Then we commenced sending them into thefort, every shell exploding within the fort. This doing so well, LieutenantScales received ordered to make five more.”

          The following account, pulled from theAugust 4, 1863, edition of the Zanesville Daily Courier, was written bya local soldier in Co. C of the 78th Ohio Infantry using the pennamePioneer.

         

 

17th Army Corps badge

Headquarters,Third Division Pioneers, 17th Army Corps

Vicksburg,Mississippi

July 15,1863

Editor Courier,

          Having seen accounts in many differentpapers giving, as they say, full details of the plans and operations againstthis great stronghold of Rebeldom and the damage done during the siege, I thinkit but just that the noble state of Ohio should have the praise due her and hergallant sons in captured this Gibraltar of the so-called Southern Confederacy.There has never, as yet, appeared in any of these papers any account of thework done by the Pioneer Corps of the Third Division.

          Now I must say that there was not duringthe siege of Vicksburg as much done around the whole line of the Federalsforces as was done by the Third Division pioneers towards the downfall of thisplace. Our corps consists of Co. C, 78th Ohio and a detail from theThird Division of about 60 men from the 20th and 68thOhio regiments, 20th, 33rd, 45th, and 124thIllinois, 23rd Indiana, and other regiments in the division, thewhole under command of Lieutenant Alexander Scales of your city.

          I will endeavor to tell of the workdone by us during the days from May 19th to July 4, 1863. Logan’sdivision had the hardest fort on the line to content with, as it was the mainpoint in the rear of Vicksburg being situated on the Vicksburg and Jacksonstage road. Our first attempt to storm the line being repulsed, it was decidedupon to immediately begin the siege. After some hard fighting for position, ourmen gained the ground wanted; now we must fortify it. So on the night of the 19thof May, Co. C was called out to plant a battery and throw up works. As soon asit was dark, we went within 300 yards of the Rebel’s Fort Hill, planting theguns and throwing up protection. This night we were engaged about one hourbefore daylight when it was necessary to retire on account of daylight beingnear. If we had remained until daylight, the Rebels could open on us and dogreat damage.

In the May 22nd assault on Fort Hill at Vicksburg, the pioneers built the ladders that were to be used in the assault then carried them with the assault column. 

          Now the work had just commenced forfrom that night until the morning of the surrender, we were engaged day andnight building different works for the protection of our siege guns andgunners, building rifle pits, and many other works which I will mention below.On the night before the storm [May 21] our mechanics were ordered to make 50ladders to scale the walls of Fort Hill; the ladders were made 20 feet inlength. Our company was ordered out at an early hour on the morning that the stormwas to be made with the ladders to follow up the storming party, keeping asnear as possible that we might throw the ladders across the ditch as soon as wewere close enough.

          Lieutenant Scales was in command ofthe company and fulfilled his duty bravely, as did every man. Our company ladyon the road in full view of the fort. A heavy fire was constantly kept up,bullets falling around us as thick as hail, but there we were ordered and notfeeling disposed to disobey orders just because the Rebels wanted us to leave,the boys determined to remain until the time arrived for the storm to be madeand then they would move. We would not move to the rear as the Rebels wanted,but to the front with the ladders. The gallant army started on the double quickfor the fort. Co. C, keeping as close as they could, ready to throw the laddersacross the ditch at the command of Lieutenant Scales. As this failed, the planof siege was immediately begun.

          Our teams, amounting to seven six-muleteams, were ordered out at once to go and haul in all lumber that could befound and we also had orders from Major General John Logan to tear down anyhouse, barn, or cotton gin to get the required amount. As luck would have it,we did not go but a short distance before we came to a very large gin house.There was not much studying whether it should come down or not as all handsknew that it had been the property of some absconded Rebels. So at it Co. Cgoes and it was not long until it was all laying on the ground and in a fewloads was up to our lines. Our company built platforms for our 32-pounder and64-pounder steel Parrott guns. This was done in a short time under thesupervision of Lieutenant Scales.

General John A. Logan of Illinois

          General Logan was very well pleasedwith this and as a consequence we had to plant every battery in the ThirdDivision. We commenced building forts in a few days and it was soon theopinions of all the officers of the division that we were as well fortified asthe Rebels. Then commenced the building of rifle pits which kept us busy sometime working day and night.

About the third day of the siege, our corps was ordered tomove forward so that we might be near General Logan’s headquarters which was ontop of the hill over which our guns from the center played. We moved up about12 o’clock at night and in the morning found out that we were to camp in a hollowso near the Rebel lines that bullets were falling every moment in the day inour camp. We were not long in getting used to this nor were we long gettingused to the many dangers that were required of us in driving the enemy fromtheir positions.

Our corps, as soon as the guns were planted and the pits dug,set to work making degabons, fascines, and sap rollers from the protection ofour men. This we were kept at day and night for some time. Part of our corpswas set to work at digging a road to the right of the main road that our teamsmight be allowed to drive up near our batteries and haul cotton to makebreastworks. After going as far as we could with the road without being exposedto the Rebel fire, we set to work at making a car to be loaded withsharpshooters protected with bales of cotton.

This required more timber and some of it very heavy. Thistime we were compelled to go several miles to get it but I assure you thetimber was long in getting in and the men at work on it. We were about threedays and nights getting this ready. As soon as the car was finished, it was setupon the road, the cotton put on, the company acting as sharpshooters whileothers of the corps dug the road in rear of it, pushing the car forward when itwas necessary.

In this operation, half of the corps had to fight while theother half dug the road. This scared the Rebs not a little. They would callover to our men and ask them what that machine was we had on the road. Our boyswould tell them that it was a ‘land gunboat.’  One night while working within about 20 yardsof our pickets, the Rebels determined to find out what this dreaded machine wasso they came out in pretty strong force and drove our pickets in. Our picketsran in without firing a gun and the first thing we knew, the Rebels were rightup to the car.

Our boys of Co. C being there waiting to drive the Rebelsback as we expected they would charge upon the machine; we opened fire uponthem and sent them back to their fort in a hurry. None of Co. C was hurt butthe bullets struck the clothes of two or three. Lieutenant Scales had a bulletstrike his pants and go whizzing into the bank. This work continued for severalnights and by this time we were near the fort still digging. We were now sonear the Rebels that they threw our turpentine balls and set the cotton onfire, burning all but the heavy timbers and wheels. This we did not use muchlonger, using sap rollers instead.

          Now after some days of hard labor, wehad got up to the Rebel fort. It was immediately determined upon to undermineand blow it up. Our corps set to work at this and after digging for about oneweek day and night, we had a mine under the fort about 50 feet in length. Whilemining, the Rebels could be very distinctly heard at the same operation. Whattheir intention was we knew not but we were determined that if the Rebs wantedto blow us up they must work faster than we did. Our boys took it cool. Thework was finished, the powder put in and set to blow up, but it did not do thedamage that was intended. Another mine commenced did the work wanted, blowingone whole corner out of the fort.

The pioneer corps not only built gun emplacements and rifle pits, but also took a hand in driving a mine under one of the Confederate forts. The first attempt was a fizzle; the second attempt was more successful. 

          About the 25th of June, ourcorps was working at the last mine spoken of while the Rebs were continuallythrowing over hand grenades, nearly every one killing or wounding our men. Fourof the men in our corps were wounded by grenades, two of them from Co. C:Robert W. Fryer of Baltimore who was wounded in the thigh and William Swank of CoalDale wounded in the hip, both pretty badly wounded but not dangerous. Our mentried to use those same grenades but having so much more of a bank to throwthem over, we could not make it work. It was then ordered that our corps wouldgo to work immediately making levers to throw grenades. The first one failed soanother plan tried; this also failed, another was tried and so on until half adozen old levers lay around our camp that had been made for the purpose ofthrowing grenades into the Rebel fort, every one failing.

          Now the question was, what next to betried? We must have something to throw grenades and who was to be the inventor?While these plans were being talked over, Lieutenant Scales asked one ofGeneral Logan’s engineers why it would not do to make some wooden mortars andtry them? They did not know how it would work but something was needed verybadly so they said it might be tried. Lieutenant Scales at once gave orders forthe men to commence and also gave instruction how the mortars should be made. Weimmediately went into the woods, got the butt of a tree measuring 20 inches indiameter, cut it off, leaving the piece two feet in length. They then set towork making a bore to throw a 12-lb shell. As soon as the bore was finished,iron bands were put around it to prevent its bursting.

The last item the pioneers tried to combat at Vicksburg was the hand grenade menace. After some initial failed experiments with levers, Lieutenant Scales settled on designing a wooden mortar. Cut from the trunks of large trees, about a half dozen wooden mortars were in action lobbing shells into Confederate positions by the time the siege ended. 

          On the night of June 29th,the first wooden mortar was tried to the satisfaction of all of General Logan’sstaff, the general himself speaking very highly of the invention. About dusk onthe above-mentioned night, Co. C took the wooden mortar on the hill and set itimmediately in the rear of our rifle pits and entirely out of sight of theRebels. This was planted a distance of 300 yards from Fort Hill. The ammunitionwas soon at hand and Co. C went at it throwing 12-lb shells over two of ourpits into the Rebel pit until the Rebels were driven from there. Then we commencedsending them into the fort, every shell exploding within the fort. This doing sowell, Lieutenant Scales received ordered to make five more. The next day we hadthree at work and all feel confident that this invention was a good one andwere sure that they did good execution. Co. C was proud of the invention anddetermined to make the Rebels suffer if it lay in their power.

          By the 3rd of July, sixwooden mortars could have been seen planted down in a hollow but a few hundredyards from the great Rebel fort with the boys around them cutting fuses,putting powder into the mortar, then the shell, and then touching it off. Thenthe boys would have quite a laugh at the idea of fighting with wooden guns,something I believe never before invented to use in time of battle and thesedid splendid work.

          The Rebels had thrown over a greatmany 11-inch shells at our siege guns and they failed to explode. LieutenantScales was determined to make a wooden mortar to send the shells back. The buttof a tree nearly five feet in diameter was soon brought in and commenced on butbefore this could be finished, the great stronghold was surrendered and ofcourse this one was not finished. The lieutenant and the company felt somewhatdisappointed that they did not get to use the 11-inch wooden mortar.

          We found as soon as we got intoVicksburg the damage done. After taking possession of the forts on the 4thwe were of course engaged for some time in talking with the Rebels. One manasked several of us what the devil that was we had down in the hollow throwingthem shells into the fort? We told him they were wooden mortar guns; the Rebelsall swore that that was a Yankee invention, sure. We asked them if any damagewas done with these mortars. One man from the 3rd Louisiana spoke upand said they did not mind our big guns in the least, for they could hear thereport of them and had time to hunt their holes, but them internal things inthe hollow made no report nor did they make any noise coming over. He said theywould know nothing of them until they would explode.

For further reading on the siege of Vicksburg, please check out the following posts:

 Talking Smack with the Johnnies at Vicksburg

Exhausting Pemberton's Peas: The Siege of Vicksburg

Spades are Trumps: The 96th Ohio and the Siege of Vicksburg

Source:

Letter fromPioneer, Co. C, 78th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Zanesville DailyCourier (Ohio), August 4, 1863, pg. 2

With the U.S. Christian Commission at Gettysburg

Uponarriving at Gettysburg on Friday, July 10, 1863 with a U.S. ChristianCommission delegation from Philadelphia, Reverend W.D. Siegfried’s first taskwas to escort a mother to find her son’s grave on the battlefield.

“We had some little idea of the locality of it given by acomrade of the fallen soldier,” he noted. “After traveling on foot over thebattlefield some 6 miles, we came upon a cluster of graves of men from the 72ndPennsylvania regiment which suffered terribly. The undaunted mother stoodweeping while I read the names of those buried there, marked on rough boardsplaced at the head of the grave. At last, the name of her son met my eye. Icould scarcely pronounce it. But when she heard it- oh, what an expression ofgrief!”

Reverend Siegfried would spend the rest of the day assisting atthe 11th Corps hospital and recorded his impressions of aftermath ofGettysburg in this extraordinary letter which first appeared in the July 18,1863, edition of the Zanesville Daily Courier published in Zanesville,Ohio.

 

A week after the battle ended, burial details still worked over the Gettysburg battlefield searching for bodies to inter. Reverend Siegfried noted the oppressive stench and stated that visitors to the field used hartshorn and camphor for relief. He also witnessed civilians who had tried to take souvenirs from the battlefield being punished by the provost guards by being tasked with burying dead horses. 

Barkum’sHotel, Baltimore, Maryland

July 14,1863

Dear Courier,

          I employ a few leisure moments here bygiving you some items in regard to the recent terrible battle at Gettysburg,the appearance of the field, etc. I left Philadelphia early last week with alarge number of other clergymen and other Christian citizens for the Gettysburgbattlefield. We went out as commissioned delegates of the United StatesChristian Commission to aid that noble organization in its great work (noblyprosecuted) of administering to the wants and necessities of the thousands ofsufferers from the recent bloody battle.

          After the tedium of obtaining passesand a slow government train packed with stores of various kinds, we arrived onemile from Gettysburg on Friday last at 9 a.m. [July 10] On stepping from thecars, the first object attracting the eye was a pile of ruins showing whatdestruction the Rebels had accomplished with the bridges, cars, etc., stoppingour entrance to the town by railroad. Many other bridges had been destroyed butreconstructed.

          We began to take a more extended viewof things. Here were crowds of slightly wounded soldiers, hobbling along to geton the cars for Baltimore, permission to do so having been given to as many ascould get to the cars. Poor fellows, how they moved up to accomplish the walkof a mile to get away.

          We ministered to their wants, givingbread, meat, oranges, lemons, drink, etc. and thus passed on to the town. As weraised the hill, we could begin to see the lines of the battlefield extendingfar off to the south and west of the towns and, indeed, surrounding it. Itlooked like a large plain which had never been productive, only here and therea few trees and a grassy spot reminded one of what had been there. Fences weregone, trees, which had braved successive storms, lifted their broken armstowards heaven to show what war can do. The crops were destroyed and here andthere a few stalks of wheat and corn afforded some nourishment to broken downand wounded horses, wandering about uncared for.

Badge of the Philadelphia branch of the U.S. Christian Commission 

          We arrived in town. Many houses borethe marks of the terrible fire of musketry and cannon across the plains, orrather valley upon which it is located. Windows were broken, doors were riddledwith balls, brick walls were broken through by large balls and scaled bysmaller ones. And yet we could but wonder that the damage to the town was notgreater when we remember that our forces were driven through it and they againdrove the Rebels back through the same streets.

          After looking about the town, wereported to the Christian Commission rooms, ready for duty. My first sad dutywas to go with an aged lady from Philadelphia to search for the grave of heronly son. We had some little idea of the locality of it given by a comrade ofthe fallen soldier. After traveling on foot over the battlefield some 6 miles(no conveyance could be had), we came upon a cluster of graves of men from the72nd Pennsylvania regiment which suffered terribly.

The undaunted mother stood weeping while I read the names ofthose buried there, marked on rough boards placed at the head of the grave. At last,the name of her son met my eye. I could scarcely pronounce it. But when sheheard it- oh, what an expression of grief! Imagine, if you can, a widowedmother standing by the newly discovered grave of her only son on a bloodybattlefield. I will not undertake to describe it. The body was exhumed andtaken to Philadelphia. This was only one scene of many of its kind. Far andnear, groups of mourners and the curious were gathered around the laborerstaking up bodies. People from every loyal state were there on the same errand,looking after the wounded and the dead.

72nd Pennsylvania monument at Gettysburg

I wandered for hours over that awful field. It stretched away10 miles in length and by 4-6 miles in width, taking out the very heart ofAdams County. On every hand were guns, canteens, shells, balls, and all theimplements and accoutrements of the men who fought there so desperately a fewdays before. Crowds of people were driving and walking across that bloodyplain, no fences to obstruct them, and various roads made by cavalry andartillery during the fight led them around to spots revealing notoriouslybloody deeds. Dead horses were lying about on every side, some heaps of themburning which sent up a volume of smoke and gave out a stench horrible toendure.

Indeed, the whole field was horribly oppressive and partiestraveling over it had to carry hartshorn, camphor, etc. as a relief from thehorrible atmosphere of the plain. Clots of blood, pieces of limbs of the poormen, and other horrible signs met the eye at every turn. Some of the Rebel deadyet lie unburied though they will all be buried today as parties of Rebelprisoners are compelled to render that sad service. Yonder are three menburying a dead horse and they have just buried two Rebel horses. Ah, they haveto do this as a penalty for having to pass the guard with some bayonets and ramrodsas trophies of the battle. Nothing of this kind is allowed.

A loud report of an explosion attracts our attention. A mandriving off the field with a dead body has driven against a capped shell and itexploded- fortunately, no one was hurt. A poor fellow carelessly kicked a shellthis morning as he passed along and it exploded, tearing off his foot.

Yonder is the Round Top Mountain celebrated as the scene ofthe dreadful struggle of the 2nd of July. It looks as though a greathurricane had passed over it, scarcely a whole tree is left standing. Thereamong the rocks are bodies of dead Rebels that cannot be gotten out. Theresurrection along with reach this.

Yonder are long rows of tents and we will go over. It is the11th Army Corps hospital. There are several of their hospitals insight 4 miles distant. Ah what sights here met the eye. Over 1,000 wounded menlying in their tents on the ground with nothing but a little hay and a blanketbetween them and the damp earth. It is impossible to do any better for them asthere are so many. See their bloody matted clothing, hear their heart-rendinggroans. Surgeons, physicians, and nurses are at work night and day doing allthat can be done for the relief of these poor men.

Corps Badge
First Div., 11th A.C. 

Having been assigned to this hospital as a delegate of theChristian Commission, I go to work to help others to relieve the sufferers. Wegive them food and drink, dress their wounds, tell them about Jesus, and burythe dead. Thus, the day closes and night comes on. The camp is lit up, it looksgrand but oh the sufferers make one forget everything else. Walk along theserows of tents, hear the voices of prayer, the groans of the sufferers, theharsh grating of the surgeon’s saw severing human bones, and then weep for youcan do no more.

Yonder goes a little company with a dead soldier, the tenthtoday, to extend still larger that large row of graves along the stone fence.The morning air is heavy, the stench of the field and camp is horrible. Sickand tired, I gladly walk two miles to get a breath of fresh air and some foodand the luxury of sleeping on a carpeted floor with my blanket over me and myhaversack for a pillow. This is the record of only one day upon the battlefieldof Gettysburg. I cannot add more. 

Yours truly,

W.D.Siegfried

ReverendSiegfried was pastor of the Twelfth Baptist Church of Philadelphia during thewar. He resigned his pastorate in 1865 to work as a Baptist missionary in theSouth and later wrote a book entitled “Winter in the South and Work Among theFreedman” which was published in 1870.

Source:

Letter from Rev.W.D. Siegfried, U.S. Christian Commission, Zanesville Daily Courier (Ohio), July18, 1863, pg. 2

Poor Morton Lived Three Hours: The 78th Ohio at Shiloh

The 78th Ohio, part of General Lew Wallace's division, was engaged throughout the second day of the Battle of Shiloh, but had the good fortune to lose only one man killed and nine men wounded. The death of the one man, however, haunted the survivors.

    The soldier was Private James A. Morton of Co. C, and his death could be laid at the feet of curiosity overcoming good judgement. The regiment lay prone while under artillery fire but Morton, in battle for the first time, wanted to get a better view of the action. He would pay for that decision with his life. 

    "About noon, we found we were within 200 yards of a Rebel battery and the colonel told us to lie down and well he did so for of all the horrible firing of shell, grape, and canister, those hell hounds opened on us beat all," remembered Private James Bellinger. "Pretty soon I heard someone sing out 'Jim! Jim Morton's hurt!' I jumped up and called Darius who was just on my right as the balls were whistling and humming round my head. We picked poor Morton up, his entire back was torn off by a piece of shell. We put him in a blanket and carried him to the rear to the doctor. The doctor shook his head but proceeded to dress the wound. Poor Morton lived three hours then died. The boys buried him next morning." 

    Private Bellinger's account of Morton's demise first appeared in the April 21, 1862, edition of the Zanesville Daily Courier. I've supplemented his account with a few quotes from other members of the regiment. 

    

Gravestone of Private James A. Morton, Co. C, 78th Ohio who was mortally wounded April 7, 1862, when a shell ripped across his back. He was the only man in the 78th Ohio who lost his life at Shiloh. 

    Our regimentwas at Adamsville when news reached us at noon on Sunday. We were at onceordered to strike tents and leave for the scene of battle. We marched 12 milesthrough woods and swamps until we came to a halt near the camp of the 81stOhio and found we were within 500 yards of the Rebels. It was then 8 or 9 o’clockin the evening. We heard cannon firing all day Sunday on the march and foundout that the Rebels had attacked our camps on the extreme right and had drivenour men back all day long through their camps.

          We lay down in a cotton field. Itrained very hard nearly all night but cleared off again towards daylight. Weheard firing commence on the right and pretty soon a bombshell dropped right infront of us and exploded. The orders then came to drop our knapsacks andovercoats and fall in line. The musicians had orders to report themselves tothe surgeon to being off the wounded. The command then was “right face, forwardmarch” and off we went. We formed in line in a hollow and the cannon fired onour left as spiteful as you please.

          Pretty soon we heard cheering and wewere then ordered to move forward and kept on until 9 o’clock, halting andgoing by the right flank all the time. About 9 o’clock we first got a glimpseof the Rebels and the center of the line of battle and I tell you the shot andshell flew pretty thick all over and around us wherever we went till 4 o’clockin the afternoon.

“Earlyin the morning we were ordered into line of battle with Colonel Leggett,Lieutenant Colonel Carnahan, and Major Munson in command. We started off on thedouble quick as the cannonading and musketry had commenced. We went throughswamps up to our knees in mud, through bushes, over hills, and through valleys.Part of the time we were in the rear of a battery supporting it and at othertimes were surrounding the Rebels and ready for a charge. When the Rebelsopened fire on our battery, we were ordered to lie flat to the ground. I tellyou, it was a hot time with shells bursting all around us.” ~ Private Thomas W.Dutro, Co. D, 78th O.V.I.

 

          About noon, we found we were within200 yards of a Rebel battery and the colonel told us to lie down and well he did so for of all the horrible firing of shell, grape, and canister, those hellhounds opened on us beat all! Pretty soon I heard someone sing out Jim! Jim Morton’s hurt! I jumped up and called Darius who was just on my right as theballs were whistling and humming round my head. We picked poor Morton up, hisentire back was torn off by a piece of shell. We put him in a blanket andcarried him to the rear to the doctor. The doctor shook his head but proceededto dress the wound. Darius and I were then ordered back to our line with astretcher but thank God, we had no more in our company hurt.

“Thepoor boy who was slain lost his life by not strictly obeying the commands ofColonel Leggett who ordered the men to lie flat on the ground. Letting his curiosityget the better of him, he elevated himself a little on one elbow in order tosee the cannons and instantly had his back torn away by a shell.” ~ ChaplainOliphant M. Todd, 78th O.V.I.

          Poor Morton lived three hours thendied. The boys buried him next morning. While we were carrying Morton down thehill to the doctor, we met our battery of artillery coming up. I tell you itwas a joyful sight to me. They galloped past our regiment, unlimbered, and openedsuch an awful, hissing, hot, and deadly fire on that Rebel battery that theypretty soon skedaddled out of sight.

“Mortonwas a brave man and a manly soldier, always faithful in the discharge of dutyand died at his post in the front rank where he was torn to pieces by a cannonball.” ~ Colonel Mortimer D. Leggett, 78th O.V.I.

We chased them 3 miles and seeing nothing more of them, wecountermarched to this place where we have been staying outdoors ever since,not a tent to lie in, nor a regular meal to eat only what we can steal orshoot. But we now have enough to eat and plenty of it. The place where we noware is the very spot where the Rebels formed their line when they attacked thisplace.

          Now let us look back and see what wehave done. We marched 12 miles on Sunday, no supper, laid out in the rain allSunday night. Monday morning, no breakfast and fought all day and whipped thembut no supper again. Laid out in the rain all Monday night and Tuesday weraised some pork to fry. Laid out in the rain all Tuesday night, laid out allWednesday night, very cool, but thank God no rain, but in wet blankets. Todaythe sun has been shining bright and our blankets are dry and we can lie outtonight quite comfortable. I feel first rate and as hungry as possible.

Sources:

Letter from PrivateJames Bellinger, Co. C, 78th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, ZanesvilleDaily Courier (Ohio), April 21, 1862, pg. 2

Letter fromPrivate Thomas W. Dutro, Co. D, 78th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, ZanesvilleDaily Courier (Ohio), April 21, 1862, pg. 2

Letter fromColonel Mortimer D. Leggett, 78th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, ZanesvilleDaily Courier (Ohio), April 16, 1862, pg. 2

Letter fromChaplain Oliphant M. Todd, 78th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, ZanesvilleDaily Courier (Ohio), April 26, 1862, pg. 2

Our Whole Front was Swarming with Butternuts: A Missouri Gunner at Corinth

Lying inbattery on the north side of Corinth during the fight on October 4, 1862,Sergeant Charles Van Horn of Battery K, 1st Missouri Light Artillerywitnessed the grand Confederate assault that spread out before him “like a hugewedge in front of our battery and spread from right to left in a complete lineof battle and advanced upon us on the double quick all the time. 24 pieces ofartillery were pouring shot and shell into them which made great holes in theirranks but on they came, paying no attention to our artillery.”

          “When they were within 50 yards of ourbattery, I was struck by a musket ball in the left breast, the same ballpassing through my left arm and splintering it so badly that I had to have itamputated the same day, although I did not say so in my other letter,” heinformed his parents.

Sergeant Van Horn’s account of the Battle of Corinth firstsaw publication in the October 28, 1862, edition of the Zanesville DailyCourier in his hometown of Zanesville, Ohio.

A Federal gun crew stands at attention surrounding their piece; if you look closely, you can see an additional sponge rammer slung beneath the carriage next to the bucket. 

Corinth,Mississippi

October 21,1862

Dear fatherand mother,

          You are anxious to hear theparticulars of the fight and of my being wounded. Well to start, we went intoaction on Friday the 3rd at 10 a.m. and fought until dark put an endto it. Our battery was engaged the whole time and the Rebels drove us all day,making several desperate charges on our battery but failing to capture it. So,they made a desperate charge of Battery D of our regiment [1stMissouri Light Artillery] and took one gun, then they made a charge on BatteryH and succeeded in taking two of their guns which they have got yet. Thisclosed Friday.

          At half past 2 on Saturday morning,the Rebels began to shell the town but their batteries were soon silenced.Skirmishing commenced along the whole line between the pickets and lasted untilabout half past 9 when a large body of the enemy were advancing and soon ourwhole front was swarming with Butternuts. They advanced like a huge wedge infront of our battery and spread from right to left in a complete line of battleand advanced upon us on the double quick all the time. 24 pieces of artillerywere pouring shot and shell into them which made great holes in their ranks buton they came, paying no attention to our artillery.

          When they were within 50 yards of ourbattery, I was struck by a musket ball in the left breast, the same ballpassing through my left arm and splintering it so badly that I had to have itamputated the same day, although I did not say so in my other letter. It is offabove the elbow or about the middle of the muscle but I am doing very well. Ilaid in bed but one day and I have been walking around more of less ever since.So you need not make yourselves uneasy about me for I get the best of care ofany wounded man in this hospital. It is our own hospital and I have two menwaiting on me from the company which no other man has. The doctor paysparticular attention to me and is doing all in his power to heal my wounds. Hehas told me a dozen times that I am getting along better than anybody he eversaw with the same wound.

          It is now 18 days since I was woundedand my arm is almost healed up with the exception of one or two sore places andwith another week I will be almost entirely well. The doctor wants me to gohome but I want to stay until I can get paid and then I will come. That will bein about 20 days and then I will be completely well enough to travel withoutany danger to myself. So I hope you don’t worry yourselves about me for mywounds don’t trouble me a bit and the doctor says that I keep up spirits betterthan he expected. So that is the story of my wounded and then I have got somany visitors, more than I can entertain at one time. You can guess what kindof care is taken of me so if I don’t get well, it will not be for want of care.

          But if I go on telling you of mywounds I cannot tell of the battle. After I was shot my men kept on fightinguntil the Rebels drove the men from their pieces and the first section of ourbattery was taken, but the second section was taken off the field. My piece wassaved from capture by a brave man whose name is Benjamin Poole. He is aScotsman by birth and as brave a man as there is in the army. The secondsection gets all the praise of my company commander and I must say that Ibelong to that section and am called the hero of Battery K, 1stMissouri Light Artillery.

          There are two sergeants denounced ascowards for running away from the field of battle and leaving their pieces inthe hands of the enemy, but the pieces were recaptured again. One of thesergeants was reduced to the ranks last evening and the other will meet thesame fate in a few days and men put in their places who will stand fire. Youmust excuse this writing for I have to write with one hand.

          Write as soon as you get this.

SergeantC.A. Van Horn

Source:

Letter fromSergeant Charles A. Van Horn, Battery K, 1st Missouri LightArtillery, Zanesville Daily Courier (Ohio), October 28, 1862, pg. 2