Official Reports of the Campaign in North Alabama and Middle Tennessee, November 14, 1864-January 23, 1865: No. 213 — Report of Col. Minor T. Thomas, Eighth Minnesota Infantry, of operations December 4, 1864.

No. 213.

Report of Col. Minor T. Thomas, Eighth Minnesota Infantry, of operations December 4, 1864.

HEADQUARTERS EIGHTH MINNESOTA VOLUNTEERS,        

Fortress Rosecrans, Tenn., December 5, 1864.

MAJOR: I have the honor to make the following report of the part taken by the Eighth Minnesota Volunteers in the engagement at Overall's Creek on the evening of the 4th instant:

The first position was to the right, with the left resting near the brick house on the right of the pike road. I was then ordered to move by the right flank in the direction of the block-house on the railroad, following and supporting a line of skirmishers from the Sixty-first Illinois. When within fifty yards of the block-house halted and formed line of battle. The enemy in front were sharpshooters, posted in a wood and behind a rail fence, between the enemy's battery and a blockhouse. After remaining in this position for a short time, and being annoyed by the sharpshooters and shell from the enemy, I first moved down two companies to the right of the block-house, and, by opening fire, drove the sharpshooters from cover, and was in the act of opening on the battery when I discovered our cavalry charging through the intervening space, which compelled me to cease and move down the whole force. When in this position we were subjected to the fire of the battery for a few minutes, which was sharp and well directed. My orders permitting me to go no farther, I remained in this position until Ordered to retire, which was done, first to the first position on the field, and at 9 p.m. marched to the fortress.

The only casualties were Private Dominick Barney, Company H, wounded in the head severely (left at block-house); Private John Payne, slightly, Company A.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

M. T. THOMAS,        

Colonel Eighth Minnesota Volunteers, Commanding Regiment.

Maj. JOHN O. CRAVENS,
        Assistant Adjutant-General.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 45, Part 1 (Serial No. 93), p. 622

Official Reports of the Campaign in North Alabama and Middle Tennessee, November 14, 1864-January 23, 1865: No. 212 — Reports of Lieut. Col. Daniel Grass, Sixty-first Illinois Infantry, of operations December 4 and 7, 1864.

No. 212.

Reports of Lieut. Col. Daniel Grass, Sixty-first Illinois Infantry, of operations December 4 and 7, 1864.

HDQRS. SIXTY-FIRST ILLINOIS INFANTRY VETERAN VOLS.,        

Murfreesborough, Tenn., December 5, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to forward the following report of casualties in my command during the engagement with the enemy at Overall's Creek on yesterday, the 4th instant, viz.:*

Four prisoners were captured by my command, and were left at the guard-house last night near General Van Cleve's headquarters.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

DANIEL GRASS.        

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding Regiment.

Maj. JOHN O. CRAVENS,
        Assistant Adjutant-General.

 

HDQRS. SIXTY-FIRST ILLINOIS INFANTRY VETERAN VOLS.,        

Murfreesborough, Tenn., December 8, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to make the following report of the part taken by my command in the engagement near Stone's River yesterday, the 7th instant:

My command, numbering 13 officers and 174 enlisted men, were deployed as skirmishers, and were kept on the skirmish line during the entire engagement. The casualties were as follows.^†

There are no men missing from my command. Forty-five prisoners were taken by my command during the engagement and sent to the rear.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

DANIEL GRASS,        

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding Regiment.

Col. M. T. THOMAS,

        Commanding Brigade.

_______________

* Nominal list (omitted) shows 1 officer killed and 9 men wounded.

^† Nominal list (omitted) shows 1 man killed and 2 officers and 12 men wounded.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 45, Part 1 (Serial No. 93), p. 621-2

Official Reports of the Campaign in North Alabama and Middle Tennessee, November 14, 1864-January 23, 1865: No. 211 — Report of Maj. Jerome B. Nulton, Sixty-first Illinois Infantry, of operations December 12-15, 1864.

No. 211.

Report of Maj. Jerome B. Nulton, Sixty-first Illinois Infantry, of operations December 12-15, 1864.

HEADQUARTERS SIXTY-FIRST ILLINOIS INFANTRY,        

Murfreesborough, Tenn., December 22, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to make the following report in regard to the recent expedition to Stevenson, Ala., which resulted in the capture of the entire train and a portion of the escort:

Pursuant to instructions from the general commanding, the Sixty-first Illinois Infantry, 150 strong, and about forty of the First Michigan Engineers, left Murfreesborough, Tenn., on the 12th instant, with orders to proceed to Stevenson, Ala., and return without delay with the train laden with supplies for this garrison. We arrived at Stevenson on 13th with but little difficulty, and after having procured the supplies required we started for Murfreesborough early on the morning of the 14th. The train was delayed at the Cumberland Mountains in consequence of being unable to ascend the grade, but we finally succeeded in crossing and reached Bell Buckle about dark in the evening, where we received intimation of an enemy in our front. About 2 o'clock at night we were fired into at or near Christiana, and upon being informed by the conductor that he could not run the train back we immediately debarked, formed a line so as to protect the train, and moved on, repairing the road as we came, but our progress was necessarily very slow, from the fact that the enemy had cut the road in various places. Here allow me to state that while in this condition we dispatched a messenger to General Rousseau to notify him of our situation and asking for re-enforcements. Fighting continued brisk until daylight, at which time we were within six miles of this place, but we soon ascertained that we were entirely surrounded by the enemy, with the road cut in our front and rear. Soon after daylight the enemy dismounted and charged our line, but they were handsomely repulsed, with considerable loss in killed and wounded. They then brought their artillery into action, which soon convinced us that we could not hold the train against such fearful odds. Consequently, about 8 o'clock, the colonel commanding ordered the train to be abandoned, and we then attempted to cut through their lines, which we did, but in so doing the colonel, 1 captain, 2 lieutenants, and 81 enlisted men belonging to the Sixty-first were captured, together with the entire portion of the First Michigan Engineers, including the lieutenant in charge.

In justice to the First Michigan Engineers allow me to say that they behaved themselves with firmness, and during the engagement they fought like veterans; also that thirty of Twelfth Indiana Cavalry, who returned with us from Stevenson, were promptly on hand for any duty required; the larger portion of them were also captured.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your most obedient servant,

J. B. NULTON,        

Major Sixty-first Illinois Infantry, Commanding Regiment.

Capt. E. A. OTIS,

        Assistant Adjutant-General.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 45, Part 1 (Serial No. 93), p. 620-1

Reliable Details of the Fight

Special to the Chicago Tribune.

CAIRO, April 10.

We are just beginning to get some reliable details from the great battle at Pittsburg.  From several gentlemen who were on the field afterwards on in the fight, the following are gathered and sent.  Our informant left the battle field on Wednesday morning at 5 o’clock:

The rebels Attacked Prentiss’s brigade 4 o’clock on Sunday morning, while they were at breakfast.  It consisted of the 61^st Illinois, 16^th Wisconsin, 24^th Indiana and 71^st Ohio.  The rebels were said to be 120,000 strong.  Prentiss had no artillery.  His brigade was cut to pieces, and forced to retire, with Prentiss and many other prisoners.  At 12 m. the entire line was fiercely engaged, but in full retreat.

At 4 p. m. the enemy had taken Swartz’s battery – 6 guns, Dresden’s, of 4 guns, Waterhouse’s battery, 2 rifled Ohio 56-guns, and another Ohio battery.  Thousands of our soldiers had taken refuge under the bank of the river, and utterly refused to fight – in fact they could not, for officers and men were in inextricable confusion, and the army seemed utterly demoralized.

Gen. Mitchell’s [sic] division, about this time arrived on the opposite shore with 15,000 men, who were ferried across during the night.

The gunboats Lexington and Tyler opened a tremendous fire of shell upon the enemy, and kept it up every half hour during the night, saving the army from utter ruin. – They set the woods on fire, and many of the rebels were burned.  At 7 the firing generally ceased.  At midnight the rebels attempted to plant a battery within three hundred yards of our siege guns, but they were driven back by the gunboats and siege guns, supported by three regiments of Mitchell’s division.

Our informants persist in estimating our loss on Sunday at 3,000 killed and 5,000 wounded as a low figure.  It was undoubtedly tremendous.  During the night the rebels were reinforced by Price and Van Dorn from Arkansas, with a very large force.

Gen. Lew Wallace came up from Crump’s Landing with the 18^th and 23d Ind., 44^th Ill., 8^th Mo and Willard’s battery, and in the morning fiercely attacked the left wing of the enemy.  They went into the fight on the double quick with tremendous shouts, and did terrible execution.  By 10 o’clock they had driven the rebels back two miles.  The battery performed prodigies of valor.

About 10 o’clock the rebels were reinforced, and for a few minutes our gallant boys were forced to yield.

The other divisions of Buell’s army now appeared and at once became fully engaged, and for two hours all the destructive elements of earth seamed striving for the mastery on that fatal field.  Southern chivalry proved no match for the unflinching courage of the army of freedom, and the rebels fled in all directions with some 12,000 troops.  Gen. Buell followed the fugitives taking thousands of prisoners and smiting without mercy those who would not surrender.  He was reported to have taken Corinth with all the immense stores of arms and ammunition.  Carson, the scout had his head torn off on Monday by a round shot.

The rebel troops were mostly from Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi, with many from Georgia and Alabama.  They fought like tigers.  Our informant could ride through the battle field where our forces were posted, but the dead were so thick in the enemy’s line that they could not do it.  They assure us that the rebels surprised our camps on Sunday night, took care of our sick and wounded, but destroyed nothing, expecting confidently to have our entire army the next day.  They thought the battle already won on Sunday.

Gen. McClernand cut his way through the enemy that had surrounded him.  Most of his troops behaved with great gallantry; but the 53^rd Ohio was ordered to the rear in disgrace for refusing to fight.

Capt. Harvy of Bloomington, Illinois is among the killed.

Our informants were assured by those who know the man, that John C. Breckenridge was taken Prisoner.  They saw him pass to the General’s quarters.

It is impossible to get lists of the killed and wounded.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Saturday Morning, April 12, 1862, p. 2

Deaths in Keokuk Post Hospital

May 2 – J Thornburg Co E, 70th Ohio
May 3 – John Trexler Co E 8th Missouri
May 4 – Ed W Elkin Co E 61st Illinois
May 4 – J E Neal, Co A 13th Iowa
May 5 – L M Randolph Co K, 15th Iowa
May 5 – S M Conn Co D 68th Ohio
May 5 –R E Peebles Co E 6th Tenn. pris.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 10, 1862, p. 1

61st Illinois Infantry Position Marker: Shiloh National Military Park

U. S.
61ST ILLINOIS INFANTRY
MILLER’S (2D) BRIG., PRENTISS’ (6TH) DIV.,
ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE

THIS REGIMENT RELIEVED ONE OF HURLBUT’S REGIMENTS AND WAS ENGAGED HERE FROM ABOUT 2 P.M. TO 8 P.M. APRIL 6, 1862.

Deaths of Soldiers

Noah J. Cummings, Company E, 61st Illinois, and John C. Bush, Company H. 29th Illinois, died in the Keokuk Post Hospital, on Tuesday, April 22d.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, April 26, 1862, p. 2

Further Particulars from the Battle at Pittsburgh

CAIRO, April 14. – The first fighting at Pittsburg on Sunday morning last was opened by Col. Peabody sending Major Powell with one hundred and thirty men to reconnoitre; they met a large force of the enemy and were driven back; 300 were then sent out and they were driven back again. The enemy then attacked our men while breakfasting; they rushed to arms and pitched in to fight on their own hook. Gen. Grant was down on the steamer Tiger. – Col. Peabody was shot in the thigh.

Gen. Prentiss is reported to have said that he would sooner be taken prisoner [than] to retreat.

The rebel Col. Bushrod Johnson, who violated his parole given at Donelson, was taken prisoner.

A son of Gov. Sam Houston is wounded and a prisoner in St. Louis. Also a son of Pierre Soule has been taken prisoner.

The government has bought the steamers January and City of Louisiana for floating hospitals.

Col. Wood’s cavalry has gone to St. Louis; only 115 men of his regiment that are not taken prisoners, except what were in hospitals on Friday.

The Iowa 14th reported not taken prisoners.

One half of the 14th and 35th Illinois were taken prisoners.

The Missouri 19th went into the fight on Sunday with 600 men, and only ninety could be found at evening.

The 18th Missouri, 61st Illinois and 16th Wisconsin were in the centre of Prentiss’ division held their position for four hours in the middle of the day on Sunday.

Adj. Gen. Bilman of Prentiss’ division said he could muster only seventeen hundred men out of sever regiments on Sunday evening.

One of our sick men left in one of our tents is reported to have been hauled out thirty yards and his throat cut on Sunday night from ear to ear. Another had his boots stolen off his feet.

A man who helped bury the dead says he counted on a certain spot 170 dead rebels and only 38 Federals, they never put in less than two rebels to one Federal.

The rebels hauled off their dead Sunday night.

A surgeon visited 34 regiments of Grant’s army to ascertain the loss, and says the average killed is 34 to each regiment killed, and one hundred wounded.

Gen. Grant informed a surgeon just before leaving on Friday, that our loss was 1,500 killed 5,000 wounded and 3,500 prisoners. I have this from the surgeon. It seems too small.

We have one thousand rebel prisoners. Five hundred are wounded. The dead are buried.

Twenty five hundred wounded loyal troops lien in the transports at Pittsburgh receiving medical care.

Every facility is given by Gen. Strong to friends to help them in search of wounded and killed.

– Published in the Burlington Daily Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Tuesday April 15, 1862 and also in the Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, April 19, 1862