Diary of Lieutenant-Colonel John Beatty: August 1, 1861

It is said the pickets of the Fourteenth Indiana and the enemy's cavalry came in collision to-day, and that three of the latter were killed.

It is now 9 P. M. Sergeants are calling the roll for the last time to-night. In half an hour taps will be sounded and the lights extinguished in every private's tent. The first call in the morning, reveille, is at five; breakfast call, six; surgeon's call, seven; drill, eight; recall, eleven; dinner, twelve; drill again at four; recall, five; guard-mounting, half-past five; first call for dress-parade, six; second call, half-past six; tattoo at nine, and taps at half-past. So the day goes round.

Hardee for a month or more was a book of impenetrable mysteries. The words conveyed no idea to my mind, and the movements described were utterly beyond my comprehension; but now the whole thing comes almost without study.

SOURCE: John Beatty, The Citizen-soldier: Or, Memoirs of a Volunteer, p. 41

Diary of Lieutenant-Colonel John Beatty: July 16, 1861

The Fourteenth Indiana and one company of cavalry went to the summit this morning to fortify.

The Colonel has gone to Beverly. The boys repeat his Rich mountain speech with slight variations: "Men, there are ten thousand secessionists in Rich mountain, with forty rifled cannon, well fortified. There's bloody work ahead. You are going to a butcher-shop rather than a battle. Ten thousand men and forty rifled cannon! Hostler, you d----d scoundrel, why don't you wipe Jerome's nose?" Jerome is the Colonel's horse, known in camp as the White Bull.

Conway, who has been detailed to attend to the Colonel's horses, is almost as good a speech-maker as the Colonel. This, in brief, is Conway's address to the White Bull:

"Stand still there, now, or I'll make yer stand still. Hold up yer head there, now, or I'll make yer hold it up. Keep quiet; what the h-ll yer 'bout there, now? D--n you! do you want me to hit you a lick over the snoot, now-do you? Are you a inviten' me to pound you over the head with a sawlog? D--n yer ugly pictures, whoa!"

SOURCE: John Beatty, The Citizen-soldier: Or, Memoirs of a Volunteer, p. 29-30

Diary of Lieutenant-Colonel John Beatty: July 19, 1861

To-day, eleven men belonging to a company of cavalry which accompanied the Fourteenth Indiana to the Summit, were sent out on a scouting expedition. When about ten miles from camp, on the opposite side of the mountain, they halted, and while watering their horses were fired upon. One man was killed and three wounded. The other seven fled. Colonel Kimball sent out a detachment to bring in the wounded; but whether it succeeded or not I have not heard.

A musician belonging to the Fourth Ohio, when six miles out of Beverly, on his way to Phillippi, was fired upon and instantly killed. So goes what little there is of war in Western Virginia.

SOURCE: John Beatty, The Citizen-soldier: Or, Memoirs of a Volunteer, p. 31

14th Indiana Infantry

Organized at Terre Haute, Ind., for one year's service May, 1861. Reorganized for three years' service and mustered in June 7, 1861. (1st three years Regiment organized in Indiana.) Moved to Indianapolis, Ind., June 24, thence to Clarksburg, W. Va., July 5. Attached to 1st Brigade, Army of Occupation, West Virginia, to September, 1861. Reynolds' Cheat Mountain District, W. Va., to December, 1861. 1st Brigade, Lander's Division, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1862. 1st Brigade, Shields' 2nd Division, Banks' 5th Army Corps, to April, 1862. and Dept. of the Shenandoah to May 1862. 1st Brigade, Shields' Division, Dept. of the Rappanhannock, to June, 1862. Kimball's Independent Brigade, 2nd Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to September, 1862. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 2nd Army Corps, to March, 1864. 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, 2nd Army Corps, to June, 1864.

SERVICE. – Campaign in West Virginia July 7-17, 1861. Battle of Rich Mountain July 11 (Reserve). Moved to Cheat Mountain July 13, and duty there till October. Operations on Cheat Mountain September 11-17. Cheat Mountain Summit September 12. Action at Greenbrier River October 3-4. Duty at Huttonsville, Philippi and Romney till January 10, 1862. Expedition to Blue's Gap January 6-7. Hanging Rock, Blue's Gap, January 7. Moved to Paw Paw Tunnel January 10, and duty there till March 5. Advance on Winchester, Va., March 5-15. Battle of Winchester March 23. Columbia Furnace April 16. Occupation of Mt. Jackson April 17. March to Fredericksburg May 12-21, and return to Front Royal May 25-30. Front Royal May 30. Expedition to Luray June 3-7. Forced march to Port Republic June 8-9. Battle of Port Republic June 9 (Reserve). Moved to Alexandria June 29, thence to Harrison's Landing June 30-July 2. Chickahominy Swamps July 3-5. Saxall's, Herring Creek, Harrison's Landing July 4. At Harrison's Landing till August 15. Moved to Alexandria, thence to Centreville August 16-29. In works at Centreville and cover Pope's retreat to Washington August 29-September 2. Maryland Campaign September 6-22. Battles of South Mountain September 14; Antietam September 16-17. Moved to Harper's Ferry, W. Va., September 22, and duty there till October 30. Reconnoissance to Leesburg October 1-2. Berry's Ford Gap November 1. March to Falmouth, Va., October 30-November 19. Battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 12-15. "Mud March" January 20-24, 1863. At Falmouth till April. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Battle of Chancellorsville May 1-5. Gettysburg (Pa.) Campaign June 11-July 24. Battle of Gettysburg July 2-4. Pursuit of Lee to Manassas Gap, Va., July 5-24. Detached on duty at New York City during draft disturbances August 16 to September 6. Bristoe Campaign October 9-22. Auburn and Bristoe October 14. Blackburn's Ford October 15. Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. Robertson's Tavern or Locust Grove November 27. Demonstration on the Rapidan February 6-7, 1864. Morton's Ford February 6-7. Campaign from the Rapidan to the James River May 4-June 15. Battle of the Wilderness May 5-7. Laurel Hill May 8. Spottsylvania May 8-12. Po River May 10. Spottsylvania Court House May 12-21. Assault on the Salient "Bloody Angle" May 12. North Anna River May 23-26. On line of the Pamunkey May 26-28. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Cold Harbor June 1-6. Left front June 6. Mustered out June 16, 1864, expiration of term. Veterans and Recruits transferred to 20th Indiana Infantry.

Regiment lost during service 11 Officers and 139 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 72 Enlisted men by disease. Total 222.

SOURCE: Frederick H. Dyer, A Compendium of the War of the 3, p. Rebellion, Part 1124

The flag of the Fourteenth Indiana regiment . . .

. . . got twenty-eight bullet holes through it in the Winchester battle.  Two color bearers were killed.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Wednesday Morning, April 9, 1862, p. 2

From Winchester

WINCHESTER, March 30.

The following wounded died yesterday and to-day, and were buried:

Michael Martin, 67^th O.; Geo Gardiner, 14^th Ind.; Jacob Wolf, 67^th O.; unknown, 29^th O.; Wm. Whitney, 13^th Ind.; Isaac Jackson, 27^th O., died of fever; A. L. Brown, 8^th O.; one unknown; another unknown, clothes marked T. A. W.; Wallace Colburn, 7^th O.; and E. K. Bruce, 7^th O., his body has been delivered to friends.

Previous to the foregoing, our loss stood as follows: Killed and died of wounds, 103; wounded 441; missing, 24.

Only a few of the reports of the detailed regiments have yet been received, owing to the distance and scattered positions of the regiments.  Three or four days will elapse before the full list of names can be received.

The wounded are now contained in two hospitals, and are under the immediate charge of Dr. H. Bryant.

About 230 sick and wounded prisoners have been sent to Frederick.  Sixty wounded rebel soldiers have been taken from the hospital and placed in the houses of their friends, on their parole to report on their recovery, to the nearest commanding officer.

Our wounded are reported as generally doing well.  They number here, about three hundred.

The statement in the newspaper that Major Perkins in the staff of Maj. [Gen.] Banks was instrumental in planning the battle is contradicted, although his presence and advice were of great service to Col. Kimball, who commands the field under directions from Gen. Shields.

Medical Director King, of the medical corps, and Surgeon Jackson of the 29^th Pa., who were present as volunteers, rendered efficient aid in clearing the field of the wounded.  G. Arnheim of the Zuaves Afrique, acted as aid to Col. Baum, chief of Shield’s artillery, and was severely wounded in the leg.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Tuesday Morning, April 1, 1862, p. 1

Further Particulars of the Battle near Winchester

WINCHESTER, March 26.

Our pickets are six miles beyond Strasburg.  Jackson is not in sight.

All the fences, trees and ground along the road show the terrible effect of our artillery on the retreating army.

Gen. Shields’ arm has been reset.  He is comfortable, and will probably be able to resume active duties in two weeks.

The following, as near as can be ascertained, is the number of wounded at the battle of Sunday:

In the 7^th Ohio, 45, 29^th O., 3; 5^th, 16; 69^th, 24; 8^th 19.  In 7^th Ind., 11; 13^th, 13; 14^th, 12.  In 84^th Pa., 40; 10^th, 36; 1^st Va., 8; 28^th N. Y., 1; 1^st O. battery, 2; 9^th Pa., 1; 5^th Ct., 2.

The list of the killed is not yet received, but the number is believed to be 105.

All is quiet at Strasburg to-night.

The following is Gen. Banks’ general order relative to the battle of Sunday:

HEADQUARTERS 5^TH ARMY CORPS,

Strasburg, March 26^th, 1862.

The Commanding General of the 5^th army corps congratulates the officers and soldiers of Gen. Shields’ division, and especially its gallant commander, on the auspicious and decisive victory gained over the rebels on the 25^th.  The division has achieved renown against superior forces and a subtle and barbarous enemy.

Signed,

N. P. BANKS

HEADQUARTERS, BRIG. GEN. SHIELDS’ DIV.,

WINCHESTER, Va.,

Brig. Gen. Shields congratulates the officers and soldiers of his division, upon the glorious victory achieved by them on the 23^rd inst., near Winchester, Va.  They defeated an enemy whose forces outnumbered theirs, who are considered the bravest and best disciplined of the Confederate army.  He also congratulates them that it has fallen to their lot to pen the campaign on the Potomac.  The opening has been a splendid success; let them inscribe “Winchester” on their banners, and persevere for other victories.

(Signed)

Brig. Gen. SHIELDS.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Friday Morning, March 28, 1862, p. 1