Diary of 1st Lieutenant John S. Morgan: Friday, May 19, 1865

Feeling much better today went to the city in sailboat in company with Capt Gore, Cormly & others reach the wharf at 11.15, A. M. Each goes his way to meet at the boat at 1. P. M. My business was to find some clothing but did not find it in Mobile. Met several officers of the Regt. Capt Bell informs me that he hears the transportation of this Div & all our surplus baggage were loaded on steamers & ordered to New Orleans. Get dinner at a Resterant & meet at the boat as pr appointment, have a fine run up in 20 minutes. The Rebel officers in the city do not hold their heads so high as at first. They seem to begin to feel their condition. The town was lively & quiet a no of ladies out in the vain pursuit I suppose of the new fashions which have not yet arrived. The 50th Ind from our Div & the 10th Ind start this eve for Mt Gomery to consolidate with the 52 Ind & it is talked that Regts are to be Brigaded by states, Weathers today very warm

SOURCE: “Diary of John S. Morgan, Company G, 33rd Iowa Infantry,” Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 13, No. 8, April 1923, p. 603

10th Indiana Infantry – 3 Months

Organized at Indianapolis, Ind., April 22-25, 1861. Duty near Evansville, Ind., till June 7. Ordered to West Virginia June 7. Attached to Rosecrans' Brigade, McClellan's Army of West Virginia. Occupation of Buckhannon June 30. West Virginia Campaign July 6-17. Battle of Rich Mountain July 11. Duty at Beverly till July 24. Mustered out August 2, 1861.

Regiment lost during service 4 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 2 Enlisted men by disease. Total 6.

SOURCE: Frederick H. Dyer, A Compendium of the War of the 3, p. Rebellion, Part 1121

10th Indiana Infantry – 3 Years

Organized at Indianapolis, Ind., September 18, 1861. Ordered to Louisville, Ky., September 22. Attached to Thomas' Command, Army of the Ohio, October-November, 1861. 2nd Brigade, Army of the Ohio, to December, 1861. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, Army of the Ohio, to September, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 3rd Corps, Army of the Ohio, to November, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division (Center), 14th Army Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to January, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 14th Army Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to October, 1863. 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 14th Army Corps, to December, 1863. Garrison, Chattanooga, Tenn., Dept. of the Cumberland, to April, 1864. 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 14th Army Corps, to September, 1864.

SERVICE. – At Bardstown, Ky., October and November, 1861. Advance on Camp Hamilton, Ky., January 1-15, 1862. Action at Logan's Cross Roads January 19. Mill Springs January 19-20. Moved to Louisville, Ky., thence to Nashville, Tenn., February 11-March 2. March to Savannah, Tenn., March 20-April 7. Expedition to Bear Creek, Ala., April 12-13. Advance on and siege of Corinth, Miss., April 29-May 30. Pursuit to Booneville May 30-June 12. March to Iuka, Miss., thence to Tuscombia, Ala., and duty there till August. March to Louisville, Ky., in pursuit of Bragg August 20-September 26. Pursuit of Bragg Into Kentucky October 1-15. Battle of Perryville, Ky., October 8 (Reserve). March to Gallatin, Tenn., and duty there till January 13, 1863. Operations against Morgan December 22, 1862, to January 2, 1863. Boston December 29, 1862. Action at Rolling Fork December 30. Moved to Nashville, Tenn., January 13, 1863; thence to Murfreesboro, Tenn., and duty there till June. Expedition toward Columbia March 4-14. Middle Tennessee (or Tullahoma) Campaign June 23-July 7. Hoover's Gap June 24-26. Tullahoma June 29-30. Occupation of Middle Tennessee till August 16. Passage of the Cumberland Mountains and Tennessee River and Chickamauga (Ga.) Campaign August 16-September 22. Battle of Chickamauga September 19-21. Siege of Chattanooga, Tenn., September 24-November 23. Chattanooga-Ringgold Campaign November 23-27. Orchard Knob November 23-24. Mission Ridge November 25. Demonstration on Dalton, Ga., February 22-27, 1864. Tunnel Hill, Buzzard's Roost Gap and Rocky Faced Ridge February 23-25. Atlanta (Ga.) Campaign May 1 to September 8. Demonstrations on Rocky Faced Ridge May 8-11. Battle of Resaca May 14-15. Advance on Dollas May 18-25. Operations on line of Pumpkin Vine Creek and battles about Dallas, New Hope Church and Allatoona Hills May 25-June 5. Operations about Marietta and against Kenesaw Mountain June 10-July 2. Pine Hill June 11-14. Lost Mountain June 15-17. Assault on Kenesaw June 27. Ruff's Station July 4. Vining Station July 4-5. Chattahoochie River July 5-17. Peach Tree Creek July 19-20. Siege of Atlanta July 22-August 25. Utoy Creek August 5-7. Flank movement on Jonesboro August 25-30. Battle of Jonesboro August 31-September 1. Veterans and Recruits transferred to 58th Indiana Infantry September 8, 1864. Old members mustered out September 19, 1864.

Regiment lost during service 3 Officers and 64 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 5 Officers and 114 Enlisted men by disease. Total 186.

SOURCE: Frederick H. Dyer, A Compendium of the War of the 3, p. Rebellion, Part 1121-2

Zollicoffer's Defeat

Vivid Description of the Battle Field.

(Correspondence Cincinnati Commercial.)

A Ride to the Battle – The Battle Ground – Scenes on the Battle Field – Pursuit of the Enemy – The Rebel Camp – The Property Taken – One Hundred and Ninety Rebels Buried.

Having seen many accounts of the battle of Webb’s Cross Roads, (variously called the battle of Fishing Creek, Old Fields, Somerset, and Mill Springs,) it would seem hardly necessary to chronicle any further relative to it.  But as this is the first battle field I visited before the dead and wounded were removed, I feel disposed to make a note of some of my experiences connected with it.

During two weeks prior to the engagement, I was at Somerset, attending to some business matters for the Twelfth Kentucky Regiment. – All this time, much anxiety was felt by the forces under General Thomas, so that an advance could be made upon the fortified position of Zollicoffer, at Mill Springs.  The welcome tidings finally reached us Friday morning, Jan. 17th, that Gen. Thomas was at Webb’s Cross Roads, seven and a half miles west, or south west of Somerset, with 6,000 men and, before 11 o’clock a. m., Schoepff’s brigade was under way to join them.  The difficulties of that march through rain and mud, have been better described by those who were in it than I can do it.  That Zollicoffer would come out of his entrenchments and attack our forces was entirely unexpected – consequently no battle was looked for this side of his position at Mill Springs.

Early on Sunday morning, January 19th, we heard the roar of cannon beyond fishing creek, which betokened a battle.  Like many younger men I felt “eager for the fray.”  Lieut. Colonel Howard, of the Kentucky 12th, being confined to his bed by sickness, I mounted his well known charger, “Nelly Gray,” and went to fill his place, or rather to try.  The distance from Somerset to the Salt works on Fishing Creek, where we crossed, is five miles.  The mud, a kind of reddish clay and very soft, was from six inches to half as many feet in depth.  I fell in with a squadron of Wolford’s Cavalry, escorting six caissons of ammunition, each caisson being drawn by eight horses, driven by for riders.  There were also in the company thirty six relief horses in harness, for Standart’s Battery, which was already on the ground.  To see this train in motion while the horses were pressed to the top of their speed, could be compared to nothing better than a wild tornado, accompanied by a halt a dozen whirlwinds playing with the mud as though it were the chaff of a threshing floor, obscuring at times the caissons, horses and riders.  The cavalcade reached the high bank overlooking Fishing Creek, in about twenty minutes from Somerset, and came to a halt.  The Creek was so high that it was said it could not be forded or at least the ammunition would be spoiled in passing through.  In addition to this a frightened wagon-master reported that Zollicoffer’s forces had got between our army and the Creek and thus cut off supplies and reinforcements from Somerset.  During these few moments of suspense, and while the fire of artillery seemed to be increasing I rode down the long steep hill to the water’s edge, determined to cross at all hazards.

While calculating my chances in one of the strongest currents I ever saw forded, a gentle man upon a powerful strong-limbed horse rode up and gave it as his opinion that the creek could be forded.  Being more excited that I was he plunged into the stream.  Without waiting to see how he “came out,” and knowing that mortal horse could not do more than “Nelly Gray,” I followed.  We made the opposite shore in safety.  By this time the whole cavalcade (excepting caissons) had reached the creek, and in a few minutes passed safely over.  We halted with the cavalry in front of widow Campbell’s house (secesh), and sent forward a reconnoitering party.  Soon one of the party returned and reported the road clear.  The distance from Fishing Creek to Webb’s Cross Roads, where our forces had bivouacked the night before the battle, is two and a half miles.  We had made about two miles of this distance, when the artillery ceased firing and soon after we met a man riding furiously down the hill. – When we succeeded in bringing him to a halt, he told us Zollicoffer was dead and his army in full retreat.  This man was hardly recognized by his old acquaintances, for his naked, sparkling eye balls seemed to be the only two spots about him not covered with mud.  It was Dr. Hale.  When he had told us his story, on he flew to tell it to other persecuted Union men.  Zollicoffer is slain, his forces are overthrown, scattered and destroyed!  We are again free!  Men, women and children shouted and even wept for joy.  At that moment I did not wait to moralize for while Dr. Hale was spreading the glad tidings in one direction, Nelly Gray had anticipated the cavalcade in the other, and was first on the battle field.  My first inquiry was for the Kentucky 12th, but no one could tell me where they were, or what party they had taken in the action.  Only one dead man had been brought in.  The body laid upon the ground in front of one of the Minnesota tents surrounded by some twenty soldiers.  It had been stripped of all clothing except the pants and two soldiers were busy in washing off the mud with which it had been covered.  It was almost as white and transparent as the most delicate wax work.  The fatal wound was in the breast, and was evidently made with a pistol ball as it could be easily covered with the end of my finger.  There was another wound upon the inside of his right arm, above the elbow, and still another glancing wound a little above his hip.  This was Zollicoffer!  He whose name had so long been a terror to men who loved their country on the banks of the Cumberland.  With some doubts at the time in my mind as to whether this was really the body of the rebel chief, I turned away to visit the field of battle.

The hospital tents had been hastily pitched in a small open field at the cross roads and along the edge of the woods skirting the south side of this field were the first marks of the storm of destruction which had waged so fearfully an hour before.  Nearly through the middle of the field is the road leading to Mill Springs, in a south or southwesterly direction.  I entered the woods on the east side of this road.  All along the edge of the open field lay the bodies of four or five of our men.  As I advanced into the woods the marks of cannon shot could be seen on every side, but I saw none of these marks nearer than twenty feet from the ground nor did I see a dead or wounded man who had been struck with a cannon shot, Dr. Cliffe, Zollicoffer’s brigade surgeon, afterwards told me that among all their wounded, so far as they had come in, only one had been injured by artillery and he had lost his arm.  Passing through the woods from the first open field, a distance of nearly half a mile, we reached another open, half cleared field on the left of the road.  In this field there stands some deadened timber, many large stumps and trees, some of the latter having been cut down, and some fallen from decay.  In this field the ground is quite steep, with a southern descent to near the center of the field, and then rises as rapidly till you reach the woods on the south.  In the eastern part of this field is a log house and a barn and an apple orchard.  Eighty five dead rebels lay in this field, which by way of distinction, I will call the “old field.”  Further on and to the right of the road is the cornfield where the brave Indiana 10th suffered so severely.  In the woods and along the road the scene was dreadful. – One body was placed in a sitting posture with the back leaning against a tree, the hands crossed in his lap, his eyes partially open and lips slightly parted.  The ball had entered his left breast just above the region of the heart.  Another laid upon his side with the head and arms thrown back, the ball had cut away a part of his skull over his left eye.

Among a score or more of our own noble dead, I saw not one badly mangled body, like those which I saw at Vienna.  And I loved, also, to fancy at least, that I saw clearly stamped upon each cold face a clam and holy satisfaction in pouring out their blood in a noble cause – to save from ruin the land of our fathers.  There are mothers, wives and sisters, who would gladly have braved the leaden hailstorm of the battle field, to minister to the dying soldier.  Let such console themselves – that death is a common lot, and far more preferable in any form, to life in a land of despotism and anarchy.  The cause in which your husband, brothers and sons have fallen is not a cause of wickedness and oppression, but of truth, freedom and right.  The fields of Kentucky have been freshly watered with hallowed blood, and the pirates are being hunted from her borders.  My own brave boy was either among the slain or pursuing the flying foe.  In which of these positions I might find him, I know not.  I could possibly enjoy no higher honor than in the sacrifice of all I held dear, for the salvation of my country.  With all the anxieties common to parents, I searched for his well known countenance among the slain.  So close was the resemblance in many cases that my pulse quickened and my brain began to reel.  I remembered that he wore a pair of boots of peculiar make, and before I dared to let my eyes rest upon the face, there was a mark –  not on his.  I passed on in haste, but suddenly felt compelled to stop once more, against a tree, leaned back in the more classic composure was the fairest and most beautiful countenance I ever saw in death.  No female complexion could be more spotless.  The silky locks of wavy auburn hair fell in rich profusion, upon fair temples and a faultless forehead.  Some friendly hand had parted his garments, bearing his breast, from which the read current of life flowed out, and had bathed his temples, which were still warm but had ceased to throb forever.  O, ye winds, bear these tidings softly to the loved ones at home.

Among the wounded of our men, it was really comforting to see with what patient heroism they bore their pains.  I said to one poor fellow, with a shattered leg, “you must be in great pain, can I do anything for you?”  He said, “There are others worse off than me, when they are carried in, you can tell them where I am if you please.”  Another man had a ball through his right hand, breaking two of the bones.  He had done it up himself with a wet bandage and with his other hand was carrying one corner of a stretcher, with a wounded man, carrying another corner of the same stretcher, was a man with his head and face covered with blood.  He said he was not hurt at all, he had only lost a large piece of his hat and a small piece of his scalp.

In the “old fields” among the rebels some of the scenes were horrid and revolting in the extreme.  A large number of the dead were shot in the head.  One was shot directly in the eye and the brain was oozing from the wound.  Five dead and one wounded lay behind one log, all but the wounded one were shot in the head.  One rebel had a ball through his neck which destroyed the power of speech – though I don’t think his wound was mortal.  Several of the dead were old and gray headed men.  A dark complexioned man with a heavy black beard, who said he was from Mississippi was lying on the ground with a broken thigh.  He was stern and sullen – he had only one favor to ask – that was that some one of us would kill him.  I said to him we will soon take you to the surgeon and do all we can to relieve you for we are satisfied you have been deceived by wicked men, and do not know what you have been doing.  To which he meekly replied – that is possible.  A younger man, quite a boy, begged me not to let the Lincolnites kill him.  An elderly man sat with his back against a stump with a ball directly through the center of the head at the base of the brain.  There was a ghastly grin upon his countenance, his eyes were stretched widely open and staring wildly into vacancy while his breath was rapid, deep and heavy.  His was a living death for he was senseless.  A lad of fourteen with a mashed ankle, protested his innocence and begged to be taken care of.  He said he had never fired a gun at a Union man and never would.  Numbers of rebels made in effect the same declaration.

I left these fields of human suffering with feelings such as I never before experienced. – The freshness of death seemed to fill the whole atmosphere.  It was a scene which a man needs only to look upon once in his life time in order to occupy all his power of reflection.  Following the wake of our victorious and pursuing army the road, adjoining the fields and woods, were strewn with blankets, knapsacks, haversacks, hats, boots, shoes, guns, cartridge boxes, broken wagons, &c., as perfect a scene of destruction as can well be imagined.

When I left on Thursday evening Col. Hoskins told me the captured horses and mules would probably reach 2,000.  Prisoners were being brought in in little squads, and Capt. Alexander, of Wolford’s cavalry reported that he had 200 penned up in the rocks two miles below their camp.  Crittenden’s entire force (except himself) consisting of about 2,000 men, are supposed to be on this side of the river.

I returned from the rebel camp in company with Dr. Straw and his prisoner, Dr. D. B. Cliffe, of Franklin, Tenn., Zollicoffer’s brigade Surgeon.  Dr. Cliffe seems much of a gentleman and claims to be a Union man.  He says he had to enlist or quit the country, but he had never taken the oath of allegiance to the Southern Confederacy.  He confirmed the news of the death of Zollicoffer, and cut several sticks and limbs, as mementoes from near the place where he fell.  Besides Dr. Cliffe, I saw several other prisoners who seem to be gentlemen, but the mass of them were rough hard unpolished subjects – just such a set as one would be likely to judge “fit for treason, stratagem and spoils.”

I have only noted such items as came under my own observation and comparatively only a few of them.  The order of battle and acts of personal bravery will be better told by those who witnessed them.  Lieut. E. G. Jacobs told me he saw a Minnesotian coolly advance from the ranks some distance, and placing his rifle by the side of a tree take a long and deliberate aim toward the old log house, when a rebel head which had been peering from behind the corner of the house was suddenly discovered to have a body attached to it by its pitching at full length from the end of the house.  I found seven dead bodies in this old building who must have been killed by close shooting between the logs.  When I left 190 rebels had been buried in the old field, and many more still in the woods.  Thirty eight of our own men had been buried in the first field near the tents.

C. T.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, February 1, 1862, p. 4

The Troops at Mill Spring Fight

The 10th Indiana, Col. Manson, who bore so noble a share in the Mill Spring battle were recruited in the vicinity of Lafayette, Indiana, and the intelligence that seventy five of the regiment are killed creates a profound sensation in that community.  The citizens of Lafayette have dispatched special messengers to the scene of battle.  The Courier says in passing along the railroad crowds of people flocked to the cars, in the hope of learning some additional particulars of the great battle at Somerset.  Many and eager were the inquiries.  An old man and his wife, who had walked five miles to the station asked in trembling tones for a copy of the Courier containing a list of the killed and wounded.  We were not surprised to learn that this venerable couple had two sons, a son in law and a nephew in the gallant Tenth.

Col. McCook of the 9th Ohio regiment who was wounded at the battle near Somerset, is the honored commander of one of the best regiments in the service.  It is composed in part of German veterans, all of whom have seen service in Europe.  They were in the three months campaign in Western Virginia, and are the same who, the day previous to the battle of Rich Mountain, while lying in front of the Rebel entrenchments at Laurel Hill, sent a formal request to Gen. McClellan for a permission to storm the breastworks at the point of the bayonet, assuring the General that they could do the work in a very short time.

Standart’s, Wetmore’s and Kinney’s Batteries were among the reinforcements that came into the fight near Somerset.  Standart’s Battery has been stationed at Somerset, Kenney’s Battery has lately been at Lebanon, Wetmore’s Battery has lately been at Danville but they all came up in time to take part in the fight. – The Batteries are all Northern Ohio Batteries.  Capt. Standart is of Cleveland, Capt. Kinney is of Geneva, Ashtabula county, and Captain Wetmore of Cuyahoga Falls, Summit county.  These batteries belong to Col. Barnett’s Regiment.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, February 1, 1862, p. 4

The Late Somerset Battle

The battle, unlike the most of the war, grows larger the more that is known of it.  One hundred and ninety two dead bodies of the rebels were buried up to Tuesday night, and they were still found thick in the woods.  It was first supposed that the forces engaged were about equal, but it is now known that the enemy outnumbered us two to one.  The regiments under Gen. Thomas’s command at the time of the fight were the 10th Indiana, 4th and 12th Kentucky, 2d Minnesota, 9th and 14th Ohio, and 1st and 2d East Tennessee Regiments.  These eight regiments could not bring at the utmost over six thousand men onto the field and of these only about one half were actually engaged in the combat.  The consolidated morning report of the troops at Mill Spring last Friday has been found.  Crittenden had under him at that time and there, one thousand three hundred and twenty two men sick, and fourteen thousand two hundred and six men fit for duty.  And by papers found on the person of Gen. Zollicoffer, it appears that two new regiments reported for duty at Mill Spring on Saturday, the 18th.  The testimony of all the intelligent prisoners whom we took is to the effect that the whole force moved from their camp to the attack on Sunday, except a small guard on the north side, and “White’s old regiment,” a shattered and demoralized body of men on the south side of the river.  Not less than fifteen thousand men marched out to give battle as they supposed, to three regiments of Union troops.

It must not be thought however, that this large force was at all available to Crittenden. – A great proportion of it, perhaps one half, was the raw drafted levies of two months’ men, lately raised in Tennessee.  They have been coming to Crittenden in squads from one to five hundred for weeks.  Just organized into regiments, and armed principally with shotguns, they could not be supposed to add much to the strength of the rebel army and in case of such a panic as occurred were an element of positive weakness.  And they were even further useless because they had no hearts for a fight against the Union.  One of them coming near our lines rushed across to us, exclaiming “I am a Union man,” and immediately commenced firing on his late comrades!  We understand that there were about 10,000 of such troops at Knoxville.  We mean to carry guns to them and make them our first soldiers from their party of the country!

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, February 1, 1862, p. 3

A member of the Tenth Indiana Regiment writes home from Kentucky:

“I’ve captured a splendid banner belonging to the Marion county Alabama Guards.  I will present it to old Tippecanoe county – together with another one captured by Johnny Mackessy of our company.  I also got a flute with about $30, a silver watch, a splendid pistol and case worth about $30.  I have several nice little trophies which I intend sending home the first opportunity.  Swords and long knives are in great abundance.”

Another of the 10th writes in a secesh shanty, on secesh paper, with secesh pen and ink, and encloses his letter in a secesh envelope, with a piece of Zollicoffer’s shirt.  He would have paid the postage with a secesh stamp, but Uncle Sam is not taking that kind of pay.  He adds that the boys are living on secesh rations in secesh quarters, and are quite comfortable.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, February 1, 1862, p. 3

A Scene After the Battle

(Extract from A letter of L. F. Drake, Chaplain of the 31st Ohio regiment, to the Western Christian Advocate.)

I went to the camp of the 10th Indiana regiment, where the dead and many of the wounded were, and at the request of Captain Hoagland, I visited some of the houses and tents where the wounded of both armies were, and aided all I could to alleviate their sufferings.  About ten o’clock I lay down in a tent and tried to sleep, but the shrieks and groaning of the wounded and dying reached my ears, and pierced my heart, and I could not sleep.  In a short time Dr. Linnett and Mr. Olds, from Lancaster, Ohio, came in to sleep in the tent I was occupying.  One of them remarked that there was a wounded soldier in an old blacksmith shop, who was desirous of seeing a chaplain.  I arose from my couch, and after wending my way through the mud and wet, I found the shop filled with the wounded, and one was lying upon a forge.  Some were mortally wounded, and a few were not.  After conversing and praying with one of them a short time, he obtained peace and pardon.  I then asked him what regiment he belonged to.  Said he, “I am your enemy, but we will be friends in heaven.”  He then requested me to write to his grandfather in Paris, Tennessee who is a Cumberland Presbyterian minister, and inform him of his condition, and his being prepared to die in the full triumph of faith.  I conversed with several others, and tried to point them to the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world.  There are times when the soldiers care but little about being conversed with upon the subject of religion, but when in the condition of these men they would prefer seeing a faithful minister of the Gospel than any of their wicked commanders or associates.  I was also permitted to see General F. K. Zollicoffer, who was laid out on a board in a tent in the cold embrace of death.  I saw the place where he was shot and laid my hand upon his broad forehead.  He was about six feet tall, and completely and well built, one among the finest heads that I ever saw.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, February 1, 1862, p. 2

Zollicoffer’s Defeat

Interesting Account by an Eye-Witness

We cut the following letter from a Cincinnati paper.  It is a spirited account of the battle.

ZOLLICOFFER’S (LATE) ENCAMPMENT,

January 20, 1862

Here I am in a cedar log cabin, inside the intrenchments of the wonderful position of old “Zolly,” to write you a letter, on contraband paper, with a contraband pen and contraband ink.  Where shall I begin – what shall I write first.  There are incidents enough, if all recounted, to fill a volume, things that took place in this, the most complete victory, and the most overwhelming, total overthrow the Secession army has yet met with in this rebellion.  To begin at the beginning, and tell the story straight.

Just at day break on Sunday morning, the 19th of January, sharp firing commenced with the pickets in the same spot where the firing was last Friday night, the long roll beat in Indiana 10th, and they formed instantly and marched to the support of their pickets.  The 10th and Kinney’s battery were close together, and a half a mile in advance of everything.  The battery got ready for action on the instant and awaited orders.  By the way, Stannard’s battery and Wetmore’s four gun battery were both in park, one on each side of Kinney’s battery.  The 1st Tennessee was about a quarter mile in the rear of these batteries, in the woods.  The 4th Kentucky, Col. Fry, was the next regiment on the road, half a mile in the rear of the batteries, it was forming as I ran past, getting to my own regiment, (for I slept in Kinney’s battery), the 2nd Tennessee another quarter of a mile in the rear of the 4th Kentucky.  By this time the cavalry were running their horses all over the country, in every direction – except towards the firing, which still continued at intervals.  The 2d was just getting breakfast, and supposing it to be only a Picket fight, kept on cooking and eating though very few had eaten anything when the column of our forces appeared coming on in our rear.  Lieutenant Colonel Trewhit promptly got us into line and double-quicked us into the road ahead of the advancing column, the 4th Kentucky had gone when we reached their encampment.  The firing still continued, and very briskly, we kept on at double-quick, all hoping and believing that we would have a chance to smell burnt powder.  But when opposite the encampment of the 10th Indiana, up rode the Colonel, and halted us for further orders, we all thought – if we didn’t say it – d---n further orders.

The 10th Indiana went into the woods about a quarter of a mile in advance of their tents to the support of their pickets and bravely did they support them, too, for over half an hour against the whole force led against them and never retreated a step, nor gave an inch of ground, until nearly surrounded by overwhelming number then, to save themselves from being entirely surrounded, they unwillingly gave way.  Here was a crisis and yell on yell went up from the lantern jawed Secessionists, they thought the day was all their own.  But happily, any disastrous consequence was prevented by the arrival of the 4th Kentucky and 9th Ohio to the support of the gallant 10th.  Again our men made a stand, now there was fighting in good earnest and the 2d Minnesota joined win with the 10th and the 4th and the 9th Ohio. – Volley after volley rattled in quick succession, and sometimes it seemed as though there was only one continuous volley, interrupted now and then by the growling of the “yellow pups,” which had been brought to bear on the enemy and when they once commenced, they distributed their favors freely in all directions, in the shape of shot and shell and, gentlemen excuse me from being the recipient of such favors. – There were only two or three shots from cannon fired by the enemy, and they were either badly armed or the pieces were out of range, for the shot did not disturb anybody.  Once they threw a shell into the air which burst when some four or five hundred feet high.  No damage was done by it, and their artillery seemed to be of no use to them whatever, while on the contrary ours seemed to be of immense use to us, and was most ably and effectively handled.  After a little more than two hours of hard fighting, a most tremendous volley of musketry followed by a ringing about from our side seemed to have decided the battle in our favor for from that time, although firing was kept up at intervals, the secessionists, whipped and cowed, began their retreat, which in about twenty minutes more became a total rout, and from the indications along the road which we afterwards passed over, the flight appeared to have been a regular race from that point back to their intrenchments to see who could get there first, and the devil take the hindmost.

All the credit and honor of this battle is due to the 10th Indiana, the 9th Ohio, the 4th Kentucky and 2d Minnesota.  For they did all the fighting, as it were, single handed, with the exception of what support they received from the artillery.  They all fought nobly, and judging from the sound of the musketry they never wavered from a fixed determination to gain the victory, and they did gain it.  The combatants where so near to each other at one time, that the powder burned their faces in the discharge of their pieces, but the underbrush was so thick that bayonets were of but little use, and a charge could hardly have been made.

The most important event of the day was the death of Zollicoffer.  Col. Fry, of the 4th Kentucky, charged up a hill by himself upon a group of mounted officers, and fired at one he conceived to be the chief among them, he fired two shots, both of them took effect, and Zollicoffer, one of the master spirits of the rebellion, fell off his horse dead.  Col. Fry was, luckily unhurt, but his horse was shot through the body, the bullet entering only a few inches behind the Colonel’s leg.  This must have been a deadener to all hopes of the secessionists had for victory, as from this moment began the retreat, and so closely did our forces push upon them that they were obliged to leave their illustrious leader where he fell, by the side of the road.

What were the East Tennesseans doing during all this engagement with their boasted bravery?  The 1st Regiment I know but little about, except that it marched towards the edge of the woods in which the firing was going on, and disappeared from sight.  As a regiment they did not fire a gun, but Lieutenant Colonel Spears who is a whole team and horse to let some way got in ahead of his men and where the fighting was, he shot a few times with his revolver, and turned round to see where his men where, when he perceived an officer in between him and where his regiment ought to be, evidently trying to cut him off.  But the officer – who turned out to be Lieutenant-Colonel Carter – waked up the wrong passenger when he got after Spears, and the tables were turned, for instead of cutting Col. Spears off, the Colonel took him prisoner and brought him back into the regiment.  The 2d Tennessee went through various sundry evolutions, they were marched and counter marched, right-obliqued and left-obliqued, right-faced and left-faced, and brought up all standing in a briar patch.

Well, finally we were formed in a line of battle, out of all harm’s way, and remained so until the firing was nearly all over, when we were double-quicked to the edge of the woods, and halted again, until the firing receded and died away entirely.

It is needless to comment upon the conduct of the Tennesseans, to say that they could have done or would have done under other circumstances.  Here is the fact what they did do, and that was simply nothing.  As to the rest, the future will decide.

Our course was now steadily forward to the main road that led to Zollicoffer’s encampment on the Cumberland.  I shall not attempt to describe the battlefield, the dead or the dying. – Of course, in all battles somebody must be killed, and somebody must be wounded, this was no exception to the general rule.  I shall mention only one of the dead – that one Zollicoffer.  He lay by the side of the road along which we all passed, and all had a fair view of what was once Zollicoffer.  I saw the lifeless body as it lay in a fence corner by the side of the road, but Zollicoffer himself is now in hell.  Hell is a fitting abode for such arch traitors!  May all the other chief conspirators in the rebellion soon share Zollicoffer’s fate – shot dead through the instrumentality of an avenging God – Their spirits sent straitway to hell, and their lifeless bodies lay in a fence corner, their faces spattered with mud, and their garments divided up, and even the hair of their head cut off and pulled out by an unsympathizing soldiery of a conquering army, battling for the right!

The March was now steadily but cautiously forward.  Two pieces of artillery were taken, one was crippled in the woods near the battle ground, and the other was stuck in the mud about a mile in the rear; also two wagons with ammunition.  No incident worth mentioning occurred on the march, which was deliberately but steadily forward, with the artillery well up, until a final halt was made, about half past four, within a mile of the breastworks of the famous fortifications on the Cumberland which have been reported impregnable.  Here the artillery was again planted, and set to work shelling the wonderful fortifications; and a continuous fire was kept up for nearly an hour.  Every shell that was thrown we could hear burst distinctly.  There was only one cannon that answered us from the breastworks, and that one sounded more like a potato pop-gun than anything else I can liken it to, and did us no damage, as the shot never reached us.  The one piece was only [fired four times. Night closed in and the firing] ceased. We all lay down on the wet ground, in perfect security, to rest our weary limbs, the distance we had come being over ten miles on the direct road, let alone the bushes and underbrush we went through, to say nothing about two or three dress-parades of the 2d for somebody's amusement, but not our own, I can assure you. And then the roads and fields were awfully cut up, and mud was plenty, as it had rained a good part of the forenoon. Our men lay down to rest without a mouthful to eat, many of whom had eaten no breakfast, but as Captain Cross said, “the man who could not fast two days over Zollicoffer's scalp, was no man at all;” and there was no grumbling, as there was necessity for it. However, the teams came up in the night with crackers and bacon.

Now here is the summary, so far as I know, up to Sunday night we were within a mile of Zollicoffer’s encampment, Zollicoffer is licked and his forces have been whipped – some two hundred of them being killed and a great many wounded, one of Crittenden’s Aids, a Lieutenant Colonel and three Surgeons are taken prisoners, but now many more I know not, two pieces of artillery and tree wagons were left, and the roads were strewed with guns, blankets, coats, haversacks and everything else that impeded flight, on our side from 20 to 30 are killed and from 80 to 100 wounded, having no prisoners taken that we know of.

On the morning of the 20th, soon after day light, several of the regiments were moved forward toward the breastworks, and a cannon ball or two fired over into them, but no answer was made, all was quiet.  The regiment moved steadily on and into their fortifications, it being ascertained that there was no one to oppose them.  The enemy having crossed the river during the night, or early in the morning, the rout was complete.  It seems as though there was a perfect panic among them, their tents having been left standing, and their blankets, clothes, cooking utensils, letters, papers, etc, all left behind.  The position is a pretty strong one, but not near so much so as we had been led to suppose. – Huts were built, nicely chinked with mud, many of them having windows in them for comfortable winter quarters.  How much work the devils have done here and how little it has profited them!  I have been wandering around all day, seeing and hearing what I could.  The Cumberland makes one side of the encampment safe, by an abrupt bank 250 feet high.  I went down to the river bottom, to which there is a road on our side.  Here were all or nearly all of their wagons, some twelve or fifteen hundred horses and mules, harness, saddles, sabres, guns, in fact, everything.  It was a complete stampede, and by far the most disastrous defeat the Southern Confederacy has yet met with.  Ten pieces of cannon, with caissons are also here.  To all appearances, they seem to have completely lost their senses, having only one object in view, and that was to run somewhere and hide themselves.

Now, to account for the battle taking place as it did.  There were 11 rebel regiments here, two being unarmed, and Zollicoffer, who was the presiding devil, although Crittenden and taken the command, thought the 10th Indiana and Kenney’s battery were just two regiments by themselves, and did not know that they were supported by the balance of the division, which was out of sight behind on account of the timber, and he conceived the happy idea of rushing upon and capturing these two regiments to get their arms to supply his own unarmed men.  So he took all the available force he had – some 8,000 or 9,000 men – and made the attack – with what result has already been shown.  Now this only goes to prove that, in order to put this rebellion down we must do something.  In this fight four of our regiments whipped and completely routed the great army that was under Zollicoffer, killed the devil himself, and maybe Crittenden too, for he has not been heard of since the battle.  The prisoners we have taken estimate our force at 20,000, bah!  We can take them any time and any place, and giving them the odds 3 to 1, whip them every time.  Their cause is a bad one, they know it, and the only way their men can be induced to fight at all, is by their leaders getting in the very front rank with them.

The 2d Minnesota, captured a banner from the Mississippi regiment, which had on it the “Mississippi Butchers.”  They may be good butchers at home, but they make a mighty awkward fist at butchering Yankees.  They and better go home and tend to their business.  Nearly every man has a trophy of this victory, there are plenty to get, certain, and I am writing this now with a Louisiana Zouave head dress and tassel on my head.

I give you a copy of two or three of the documents we found in the camp.  The following was found on a table in one of the cabins:

“COL. SPEARS – We fought bravely and desperately, but misguidedly.  We leave here under pressing circumstances, but do not feel that we are whipped.  We will yet succeed, and –”

Here the circumstances became so pressing that the writer did not want to finish the epistle.  Colonel Spears supposes the writer to be Major John W. Bridgman, of the Tennessee Cavalry.

The following was written on a piece of brown paper, with a pencil:

“JAN 19th, 1862.  FISHING CREEK.

The great battle at Fishing Creek took place.  Our loss was great.  Supposed to be eight hundred killed and wounded, and a great many taken prisoners.  We will try them again at our breastworks if they come to us.”

At the bottom of the paper, upside down is a name I cannot make out, and then Polasky.

Here as another paper which is evidently the result of a council of war, held before the force came across on the north side of the Cumberland.

“The result of your crossing the river now, will be that you will be repulsed and lose all the artillery taken over.

ESTILL.”

Dec. 14th, ’61.

“Another ‘Wild Cat’ disaster is all we can look forward to.

FULKERSON.”

“We will cross over and find that the enemy has retired to a place that we will not deem advisable to attack, and then we will return to this encampment.

LORING.”

Estill is a Colonel from Middle Tennessee. – Fulkerson is a Major, and one of the big heads of the Secession party in Tennessee.  It seems there was opposition in the camp to the move on to this side of the river, but old Zollicoffer, the head devil of the army, ruled the roost and did come over.  Some of these predictions proved to be strictly true, it did turn out to be a “Wild Cat” disaster, only worse, and they did lose all their artillery, and more than all, the old he devil Zollicoffer lost his life.  The route has been complete and total.  His whole force is entirely scattered, and if the victory is followed up across the river, they will never rally together again.

It is now nearly three o’clock in the morning while I write, and with a few reflections this already long letter – perhaps too long – shall be closed.

What a lucky thing that Zollicoffer was bold enough to attack our force, had he not done so, no battle would have been fought here for a long time.  And this victory cannot be credited to the skill of a Brigadier General.  The battle was entirely accidental, the position was entirely a chance position, and the men themselves, led by their Colonels fought the battle and won it.  The 10th Indiana got into the fight supporting their pickets, the 4th Kentucky and 9th Ohio rushed in, without orders, to support the 10th.  Whether the 2d Minnesota had orders to go in or not, I do not know. – And these four regiments did all the fighting that was done, and that was enough to whip the eight regiments Zollicoffer had in the engagement.  If these Brigadier Generals must be paid big wages by the Government, why just pay it to them and let them stay at home, for they are no earthly use among us.  Let the men go ahead and wind up this war, it can be done in two months.  Secret – do something.

Would that some abler pen could give you a full and complete account of this rout.  I considered it my duty to do my best in an attempt to describe it, but it has been hurriedly written – with a willing but weary hand, so excuse the confused parts of the letter.

FELIX.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, February 1, 1862, p. 1

The flag of the Tenth Indiana Regiment . . .

. . . presented to them by the ladies of Lafayette, and borne through its campaign in Western Virginia without the least injury, was so completely riddled by the leaden hail of balls at the battle of Mill Spring that it looked like a number of pieces of ribbon fastened to a staff.  For more than one hour it was streaming to the breeze amid that terrible fire, and but one person of the color guard was injured, which shows that the rebels elevated their pieces too high for affective aim.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, February 8, 1862, p. 2

The ladies of Louisville . . .

. . . have it in contemplation to present a flag to each of the regiments engaged in the Mill Spring fight, the Fourth Kentucky, Tenth Indiana, Ninth Ohio and Second Minnesota.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, February 8, 1862, p. 2

Washington Items

LATER FROM ISLAND NO. 10.

WASHINGTON, March 24. – Col. Segur, representative from the Accomac district arrived here this morning confirming the intelligence about the privateer Nashville and Fort Macon being destroyed by the rebels.

Gen. Scott is here aiding the war Department by his advice.

Senator Lane of Indiana has received advices from Indiana of the formation of ten regiments of Indianians.

The Republican states that the President has removed Gen. Denver from the command of the Department of Kansas.

The entire national debt is now four hundred million dollars.

WASHINGTON, March 24. – Col. Van Amburg of the New York 22d Regiment, has been appointed Military Governor at Alexandria, Va.  Gen. Montgomery becoming Military Governor of Annapolis.

Letters from Port Royal declare the investment of Fort Pulaski complete.  Tatnal, with his flotilla carrying supplies of wood and water have been driven back.  It is believed the garrison will soon be forced to surrender.

The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was fully opened to-day for passengers and freight.

An immense quantity of bids, plans, specifications and models of iron-clad vessels have already been received at the Navy Department, for the sea-board and Western States.  One from Ericsoon for a vessel similar to the Monitor but 300 feet in length.

Secretary Welles has, in the name of the President, sent a letter of thanks to Lieut. Worden, in which he says the action of the Monitor with two guns, engaging a powerful armed steamer of at least eight guns, and repulsing her, has elicited general admiration and received the applause of the whole country.  He thanks him and commends him for the heroism displayed and the great service rendered, and adds, in the action on the 10th, the performance, power, and capacity of the Monitor must effect a radical changes in Naval warfare.

Representative Arnold introduced a bill to-day to make freedom national and slavery sectional.  It prohibits slavery and involuntary servitude in all territories now existing or hereafter to be formed or acquired in any way, in all places purchased or to be purchased by the U. S. for dock yards, arsenals, vessels on the high seas or national highways outside of State jurisdiction, and in all places where the National Government has exclusive jurisdiction and power.  Slaves in such places are declared to be free and may assert their freedom at any time thereafter, on the principle “once free always free.”

The House sent the Segur case to the Committee on Elections to-day.

Gen. Strong and Col. Munson, of the Tenth Indiana, were to-day confirmed Brigadier Generals.

The following nominations for Brigadier Generals were sent into the Senate to-day: Col. Dodge, 4th Iowa; Col. Canby, Commanding in New Mexico, and Major Weisel, Sixth U. S. Infantry, Kentucky.

Mr. Wickliffe introduced a bill to-day placing public lands and the proceeds of sales thereof, surveyed or unsurveyed, to the payment of the public debt.

Capt. Summers, of the Steamer Lake Erie No. 2, left Island No. 10 at 11 o’clock Sunday evening, and reports that about 10 o’clock a bright light was discovered in the direction of the Island.  It was thought by officers of the Erie that it proceeded from burning transports ignited by bursting shells from the mortars. – Nothing confirmatory of this report has been received at headquarters.  The river is rising rapidly.

On board Steamer D. F. Wilson,

Off Island No. 10,

March 24, 9 o’clock P.M.

Everything is quiet at Island No. 10.  The mortars continue firing all day and night at intervals of every half hour, mostly concentrated upon the upper battery which is now fairly silenced.  This battery has not replied for two days.  Only one gun can be seen in position and that is probably a [goll]*.  The batteries on the main shore and the Island are also mysteriously silent.  Their encampments grow smaller day by day and transports still continue flying about apparently carrying away troops.

The river is still rising rapidly and everything is overflowed.  The rebels are drowned out of some of their batteries, and are attempting to erect new ones, but the well directed fire of our mortars prevents them.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, March 29, 1862, p. 4.  *In the Indiana Messenger, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Wednesday, March 26, 1862, p. 3, the Portland Daily Advertiser, Portland, Maine, Tuesday, March 25, 1862 and the New York Times, New York, New York, March 25, 1862 all give this word as “Quaker.”

In Zollicoffer’s entrenchments . . .

. . . among Major General George B. Crittenden’s private baggage, Lieut. Colonel Kise of the 10th Indiana found a breastplate which the General either wore on the battle field and found to weighty to carry further, or else intended to put on and in the frenzy of his fear, forgot to make use of it. It is made of common sheet iron, of four thicknesses, riveted together, is about eighteen inches in length and fourteen inches broad. Lieut. Col. Kise has deposited it in the State Library at Indianapolis.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Monday Morning, February 10, 1862, p. 2