Saturday, September 27, 2014

Official Reports of the Action at and Surrender of Murfreesborough, Tenn., July 13, 1862: No. 8. – Report of Lieut. Col. John G. Parkhurst, Ninth Michigan Infantry.

No. 8.

LIEUTENANT: I have the honor to make the following report of the battle of Murfreesborough, Tenn., on July 13, 1862. Before giving the particulars of the battle I beg leave to report the strength and condition of the Ninth Regiment Michigan Infantry at the time of the attack:

This regiment, with the Third Regiment of Minnesota Infantry, Hewett's Kentucky battery, and a portion of the Seventh Pennsylvania  Cavalry, had been encamped in one encampment, in the city of Murfreesborough, for some months, under the command of Colonel Duffield, when, on May 9, he was assigned to command of the troops of Kentucky, and Colonel Lester, of the Third Minnesota, assumed command of the forces at Murfreesborough.

On June 26 the force at Murfreesborough was divided and its strength greatly reduced by the Third Minnesota Regiment and Hewett's battery being sent 1½ miles north of the city of Murfreesborough, on the Nashville pike, leaving the Ninth Michigan and a squadron of the Seventh Pennsylvania Cavalry occupying the old camping ground, and the only troops in the city.

On June 30, agreeably to an order received from Colonel Lester, this force was further reduced, and Companies D, E, F, and I, of the Ninth Michigan, were sent to Tullahoma. Company B, Capt. [Oliver C.] Rounds, of the Ninth Michigan, was occupying the court-house, situated three-fourths of a mile from camp, and acting as provost guard for the city, leaving only five companies of my regiment in camp. From these companies heavy details for picket and other duties were constantly made, so that the force in camp was about 250 strong.

The weakness of my camp and the divided condition of the forces at Murfreesborough were observed by General Crittenden upon his arrival and viewing of the camp on the 12th, and the danger to be apprehended in consequence of such division was remarked upon by both General Crittenden and Colonel Duffield, who returned to Murfreesborough in company with General Crittenden, and it was by them determined to reunite the forces at once.

At 4 o'clock on the morning of the 13th I was aroused by the sentinel at my tent and informed that the enemy was advancing upon the camp. I at once turned out an[d] gave the alarm in camp. The companies in camp turned out with alacrity, but before they had time to form square the enemy, mounted and some 1,200 strong, with terrific yells, dashed upon us from three directions, armed with double-barreled shot-guns and Colt's navy revolvers. Some of my men gave way under this charge, but the majority of them stood firm and returned the first fire with great precision and fatal effect. After discharging their pieces the enemy retired and dismounted a part of his force and advanced upon us mounted and on foot. I rallied my force, and, although the effect of the fire of the enemy was terribly severe, my officers and men stood their ground with heroic courage and poured a destructive fire into the enemy's ranks until he began to yield. Seeing this, I took advantage of it and ordered my force to advance and charge upon him. In obedience to this order my men, with a yell equal to that of the Texans, made a charge, driving the enemy before them until he was completely routed from my camp and driven out of and beyond reach of the camp of the Pennsylvania cavalry and brigade headquarters. I immediately ordered Company C; Capt. [Charles V.] De Land, to advance in pursuit, as skirmishers, as far as the second street in our front, which he did in good style, doing good execution and holding the line I had indicated to him and driving the enemy still farther in retreat.

Finding an opportunity I immediately occupied my time in preparing for another attack, and marched my force into a garden in front of camp, which was inclosed by a cedar-post fence, and made use of such forage as I had in camp to barricade Maney avenue, which led to our right, and made use of the transportation wagons for a protection on our left, thus securing quite a formidable position. After having secured  this position and learning that Colonel Lester had not advanced upon the enemy I dispatched a courier to Colonel Lester, informing him of the fight and of the superior force of the enemy and that Colonel Duffield was wounded and had left the field and that my loss had been very heavy, but that we were then in a good position and could make a successful defense if we could be re-enforce, and asked him to send re-enforcements.

The enemy kept up a series of attacks and feints and he was as often repulsed.

Not hearing from the courier, I dispatched a second courier with similar information as to our position and urged Colonel Lester to advance to our relief, informing him that we were receiving frequent attacks from a vastly superior force, but that we could hold out if he would re-enforce us. After some four hours’ time I received information that my couriers had been arrested by order of Colonel Lester as spies and that a courier from Colonel Lester had come over to ascertain our position. About 9.30 o’clock I sent by the courier who came from Colonel Lester a written statement of our position and requesting re-enforcements at once, knowing that if Colonel Lester would join us with his force we could drive the enemy from the city or capture his command.

I received no reply from this dispatch nor from any that I sent to Colonel Lester, though he has since informed me that my couriers as well as my dispatch through his own courier reached him and that his courier had no trouble in returning to his camp. I leave Colonel Lester to account in his report or otherwise for his neglecting my repeated calls upon him for re-enforcements.

The forces attacking my camp were the First Regiment Texas Rangers, Colonel Wharton, and a battalion of the First Georgia Rangers, Colonel Morrison, and a large number of citizens of Rutherford County, many of whom had recently taken the oath of allegiance to the United States Government. There were also quite a number of negroes attached to the Texas and Georgia troops, who were armed and equipped, and took part in the several engagements with my forces during the day.

Simultaneously with the attack upon my camp Company B, Captain Rounds, was attacked at their quarters in the court-house by a large force of Georgia, Tennessee, and Kentucky cavalry. This company fought nobly and held their position for two and a half hours, killing and wounding a large number of the enemy's forces, and until the enemy set fire to the lower part of the court-house, when they were compelled to surrender.

We maintained our position, despite the frequent attacks and desperate efforts of the enemy to destroy us, until 11.30 o'clock, when a flag of truce was sent to us, with a demand for a surrender, of which the following is a true copy, viz:


MURFREESBOROUGH, July 13, 1862.

COLONEL: I must demand an unconditional surrender of your force as prisoners of war or I will have every man put to the sword. You are aware of the overpowering force I have at my command, and this demand is made to prevent the effusion of blood.

I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

N. B. FORREST,
 Brigadier-General of Cavalry, C. S. Army.
Col. J. G. PARKHURST.


This communication I forwarded to Colonel Duffield, who had been wounded in the first charge and removed from the field, asking for his order or advice in relation thereto. Colonel Duffield returned the communication with a message that he should leave the matter entirely to my discretion. Meantime I had ascertained that General Forrest had concentrated his entire force, save one squadron, which he had stationed on the Nashville pike, near the camp of the Minnesota regiment, in the immediate vicinity of my camp, hemming us in on all sides, and was preparing to make a charge upon us with his entire command, having surrounded us, and evidently intending, with this overwhelming force, to execute the threat contained in his demand for a surrender. Seeing our position, and concluding that I had nothing to hope for from Colonel Lester, having vainly looked for aid from him for seven hours, and ascertaining from actual count that I had but 134 men, including a few of Major Seibert's Pennsylvania cavalry, who had retreated to our lines, I called a meeting of my officers to consider the demand for a surrender. The officers of the regiment, after considering our position, deemed it rashness to attempt to withstand the forces now brought against us, numbering over 1,800, and unanimously voted to surrender, and at 12 o'clock, eight hours after the commencement of the battle, I surrendered my command as prisoners of war.

My loss in the battle was as follows: Of the five companies in camp, killed, 11; wounded, 86; missing, 36; total, 133. Of Company B, at the court-house, wounded, 3; missing, 1; total, 4. Making a total loss of 137. I append hereto a correct list of the killed, wounded, and missing.*

In the engagement I received a shot below the knee of my left leg, but no injury resulted from it.
The loss of the enemy was very much greater than mine. Among their killed is Colonel Anderson, of one of the Georgia regiments, and among their wounded is Colonel Wharton, of the Texas Rangers. A large portion of their officers were either killed or wounded.

I cannot speak in too high terms of the conduct of my officers and men, who, with only one exception, behaved nobly, fought like heroes, and conducted themselves like veteran soldiers; and where all behaved so well it would be invidious to attempt to discriminate. The exception I feel it my duty to mention. Capt. John A. Tanner, of Company K, at the first fire of the enemy retreated to the woods. This conduct needs no comment. Justice will overtake him.

Subsequent to the surrender my command, including many of the wounded and sick from the hospital, were marched to McMinnville, some 40 miles from Murfreesborough, where the non-commissioned officers and privates were paroled. The commissioned officers were marched to Knoxville, Tenn., and sent thence to Madison, Ga., where we were confined in an old filthy cotton factory, which was alive with vermin and we were there compelled to provide ourselves with food, which was furnished, through the guard at the rate of $2 per diem per man.

I beg leave to further report that, though assured that our private property would not be taken, everything not worn upon our backs was taken from us. Our trunks, which we were assured we could take with us, were broken open and the contents stolen or appropriated by greedy rebels.

While on the march to Knoxville I was ordered to dismount and surrender my horse, which General Forrest instantly appropriated. Other officers were deprived of their horses.

I remain, lieutenant, most respectfully, your obedient servant,

 J. G. PARKHURST,
 Lieut. Col, Ninth Regiment Michigan Infantry, Comdg.

Lieut. H. M. DUFFIELD,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, Murfreesborough, Tenn.
_______________

* Nominal list omitted.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 16, Part 1 (Serial No. 22), p. 803-7

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