Showing posts with label 7th IN INF. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 7th IN INF. Show all posts

Monday, January 26, 2015

Lieutenant-Colonel Theodore Lyman to Elizabeth Russell Lyman, August 6, 1864

August 6, 1864

I took a limited ride along our flank defences, where I discovered a patriotic sentry, sitting with his back to where the enemy might be supposed to come, and reading a novel! He belonged to the 7th Indiana. “What are your instructions?” say I. “Han't got none,” replies the peruser of novels. “Then what are you here for?” “Well, I am a kind of an alarm sentinel,” said this literary militaire. “Call the corporal of the guard,” said I, feeling much disposed to laugh. The sentry looked about a little and then singling out a friend, called out: “Oh, Jim, why, won't you just ask Jeremiah Miles to step this way?” After some delay, Jeremiah appeared. He was in a pleasing state of ignorance. Did not know the sentry's instructions, did not know who the officer of the guard was, did not know much of anything. “Well,” said I, “now suppose you go and find the sergeant of the guard.” This he did with great alacrity. The sergeant, as became his office, knew more than the corporal. He was clear that the sentry should not read a book; also that his conduct in sitting down was eccentric; but, when it came to who was the officer of the guard, his naturally fine mind broke down. He knew the officer if he saw him, but could not remember his name. This he would say, the officer was a lieutenant. “Suppose you should try to find him,” suggested I. Of course that he could do; and soon the “Loo-tenant” appeared. To him I talked like a father; almost like a grandfather, in fact; showed him the man's musket was rusty and that he was no good whatsoever. Loo-tenant had not much to say; indeed, so to speak, nothing; and I left him with a strong impression that you can't make a silk purse from a sow's ear. It is not ludicrous, but sad, to see such soldiers in this Army of the Potomac, after three years of experience. The man could not have been better: tall, strong, respectful, and docile; but no one had ever taught him. It was a clear case of waste of fine material, left in all its crudity instead of being worked up. And this is the grand characteristic of this war — waste. We waste arms, clothing, ammunition, and subsistence; but, above all, men. We don't make them go far enough, because we have no military or social caste to make officers from. Regiments that have been officered by gentlemen of education have invariably done well, like the 2d, 20th, and 24th Massachusetts, and the 1st Massachusetts Cavalry. Even the 44th and the 45th, nine-monthers, behaved with credit; though there was this drawback in them, that the privates were too familiar with the officers, having known them before. However, perfection does not exist anywhere, and we should be thankful for the manifold virtues our soldiers do pre-eminently possess. I see much to make me more contented in reading Napier, before referred to. After the taking of Badajos, the English allowed their own wounded to lie two days in the breach, without an attempt to carry them off. This is the nation that now gives us very good lectures on humanity. As to old Wellington, I suspect he was about as savage an old brute as would be easy to find.

SOURCE: George R. Agassiz, Editor, Meade’s Headquarters, 1863-1865: Letters of Colonel Theodore Lyman from the Wilderness to Appomattox, p. 206-7

Thursday, October 23, 2014

7th Indiana Infantry – 3 Months

Organized at Indianapolis, Ind., April 21-27, 1861. Left State for West Virginia May 29. At Grafton, W. Va., June 1. Attached to Kelly's Command. Action at Philippi June 3. Attached to Morris' Indiana Brigade Army of West Virginia, July. West Virginia Campaign July 6-17. Laurel Hill July 7. Bealington July 8. Carrick's Ford July 12-14. Pursuit of Garnett's forces July 15-17. Mustered out August 2, 1863.

Regiment lost during service 1 Enlisted man killed and 2 Enlisted men by disease.

SOURCE: Frederick H. Dyer, A Compendium of the War of the 3, p. Rebellion, Part 1120

7th Indiana Infantry – 3 Years

Organized at Indianapolis, Ind., and mustered in September 13, 1861. Ordered to Cheat Mountain, W. Va., September, 1861. Attached to Cheat Mountain District, West Virginia, to January, 1862. 3rd Brigade, Landers' Division, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1862. 3rd Brigade, Shields' 2nd Division, Banks' 5th Army Corps. and Dept. of the Shenandoah, to May, 1862. 4th Brigade, Shields' Division, Dept. of the Rappahannock, to June, 1862. 4th Brigade, 2nd Division, 3rd Army Corps, Army of Virginia, to September, 1862. 2nd Brigade. 1st Division, 3rd Corps, Army of Virginia, September, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 1st Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1864. 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, 5th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to April, 1864. 1st Brigade, 4th Division, 5th Army Corps, to August, 1864. 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 5th Army Corps, to September, 1864.

SERVICE. – Duty in Cheat Mountain District, West Virginia, to December, 1861. Action at Greenbrier October 3-4. Scouting Expedition through the Kanawha District October 27-November 7. Expedition to Camp Baldwin December 11-14. Moved to Green Springs Run December 18, and duty there till March, 1862. Advance on Winchester March 5-13. Middletown March 18. Battle of Winchester March 22-23. Mt. Jackson March 25. Occupation of Mt. Jackson April 17. March to Fredericksburg, Va., May 12-21, and return to Front Royal May 25-30. Burner's Springs, near Front Royal, May 31. Battle of Port Republic June 9. March to Cloud's Mills, near Alexandria, June 10-26, and duty there till July 24. Pope's Campaign in Northern Virginia August 6-September 2. Fords of the Rappahannock August 21-23. Thoroughfare Gap August 28. Battles of Groveton August 29; Bull Run August 30. Maryland Campaign September 6-22. Battles of South Mountain, Md., September 14; Antietam September 16-17. Movement to Falmouth, Va., October 29-November 17. Battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 12-15. "Mud March" January 20-24, 1863. At Falmouth till April 27. Expedition to Martex Creek February 12-14. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Operations at Pollock's Mill Creek April 29-May 2. Fitzhugh's Crossing April 29-30. Battle of Chancellorsville May 2-5. Gettysburg (Pa.) Campaign June 11-July 24. Battle of Gettysburg July 1-3. Duty on line of the Rappahannock and Rapidan to October, 1863. Bristoe Campaign October 9-22. Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. Demonstration on the Rapidan February 6-7, 1864. Campaign from the Rapidan to the James River May 4-June 15. Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7; Laurel Hill May 8; Spottsylvania May 8-12; Spottsylvania Court House May 12-21. Assault on the Salient May 12. North Anna River May 23-26. Jericho Ford May 23. On line of the Pamunkey May 26-28. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Cold Harbor June 1-12. Bethesda Church June 1-3. Before Petersburg June 16-18. Siege of Petersburg June 16-September 20. Weldon R. R. August 18-21. Non-Veterans mustered out September 20, 1864. Veterans and Recruits transferred to 19th Indiana Infantry September 23, 1864.

Regiment lost during service 8 Officers and 108 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 2 Officers and 111 Enlisted men by disease. Total 229.

SOURCE: Frederick H. Dyer, A Compendium of the War of the 3, p. Rebellion, Part 1120

Sunday, January 6, 2013

The Battle of Winchester

The Cleveland Herald has the following account of the battle of Winchester by an eye witness:


THE BATTLE

For ten days previous to the fight skirmishing had been going on, and on Sunday afternoon when about three miles from Winchester, the rebel General Jackson ordered his men to attack us on the right, and turn our flank, thus to take Winchester.  At this same time Gen. Shields ordered his men to turn the enemy’s left flank, which movements were executed simultaneously, thereby bringing on a general engagement.  The combatants were not more than two hundred yards apart when the fighting commenced, and as usual the rebels were behind a stone wall, from which they opened a murderous fire on our unprotected men.  After the fight commenced there were but few orders given and it soon turned into a free fight, going on the principle, “every man for himself, and the devil will take the hindmost.”

There were about 6,000 on each side, and it was a fair test of Northern vs. Southern valor the result showing that “mudsills” can fight. – Wishing to dislodge the enemy from their strong position behind the stone fence, which they occupied two hours, Col. Tyler ordered the 7th Ohio to charge.  At the enemy they went giving a most unearthly yell, and away scouted the rebels, coat tails flying and muskets trailing.

They rallied on a slight knoll after running a short distance, when our boys gave them “a hair of the dog that bit them,” which routed them again.  The 7th captured in this second charge, two field pieces, which was presented them for their valor.  They fought splendidly, as steadily as veterans as they are, and Col. Tyler behaved in the most gallant manner.  The officers were cool and collected, and the men intrepid and daring.  Being on the extreme right, they received the first and most destructive fire. – The battle commenced at 3 o’clock Sunday afternoon, and lasted precisely 3 hours and 47 minutes.  The Ohio 5th, 7th, 8th, Indiana 7th and Pennsylvania 110th, bore the brunt of it, with the 1st Virginia; and all fought desperately.  Colonel Daum, the Chief of Artillery, fought with the Ohio 7th.  For two hours it seemed about an even thing, the chances being against up, but the charge of the 7th Ohio, to their honor be it said, won the day.

The retreat of the rebels soon became a rout and our balls did fearful execution as they ran.  Their dead and wounded were scattered from Winchester to Strasburg, every farm house being filled with the wounded and dying. – They carried the dead in wagons, but when too closely followed, they killed their mules and piled the dead on the ground, and left them for our men to bury.  The mortality among them was fearful, over 300 being killed and many wounded.  They fought desperately, but could not resist Northern valor.


THE SCENES OF THE BATTLE-FIELD AND THE HOSPITAL.

(Correspondence of the New York World.)

The enemy fought well, and it is useless and untrue to speak lightly of their bravery. – They fought well and held out long against the superior firing and daring of our forces, as their immense loss makes very evident.

No wonder Stone-wall Jackson thinks it was a desperate fight.  I am informed, by one of the staff of Gen. Shields, who has just returned from the track of their retreat, that, as far as he moved, the enemy’s dead were found strewn along the turnpike.  For twenty-four hours from the beginning of the fight the enemy were burying their dead.  In one barn along the road there had been left fifty, all but eight of whom were buried.  The estimate of their loss is carefully made, and is very nearly accurate without doubt.

The scene of the conflict is terrible.  Civilians are generally prevented from visiting for the present.  It is impossible to describe the scene so as to give a realization of its ghastliness and terror, which any one ought to blush not to perceive while walking amid the remnants of humanity which are scattered about.  Bodies in all the frightful attitudes which a violent and frightful death could produce, stained with blood, mangled and lacerated perhaps, often begrimed and black, lay scattered here and there, sometimes almost in heaps.

Some had crawled away when wounded to a comfortable place to die.  Two men lay almost covered with straw, into which they had scrambled and lay until death released them.  In the woods through which our troops had to pass to charge the rebels lie the largest number of our dead, and beyond on the other side of the wall from behind which they poured their volleys of balls at our men, large numbers of the rebels lie, pierced in the forehead or face as they rose above their hiding place to shoot at the Federals.  There is a peculiar ghastliness in the appearance of the enemy’s dead.  Did not their dress distinguish them, their faces would enable one instantly to tell which were Federals and which not.  One would think they were all Indians so very dark had they become by their exposure, sleeping without tents as they did for a long time at the beginning of the war.

One who has not seen it can not tell what it is to see a battle field.

If there is anything more dreadful it is a visit to the hospitals after a battle.

In the Court House are placed a large number of the wounded of our own and the enemy’s without discrimination, and in several places in town, hospitals have been established since the battle.  It is difficult to compel one’s self to dwell long enough upon the scenes witnessed here, of the dying and dead, to give them a faithful description.  Surgeons and attendants have been constantly at labor, without rest, in attending to the unfortunate soldiers in the hospitals.

Yet, after all their efforts, it was long before many of the wounded could be properly cared for and their wounds properly dressed.

The Court room was filled with the sufferers lying upon the floor, so many that it was difficult to pass among them.  Among them was the Confederate Captain Jones, who had both eyes shot out, and whose face, covered thickly with clotted blood, presented the most repulsive and pitiable sight which one could well behold.  Some, from loss of blood were swollen, distorted and discolored.  Some, indeed were cheerful, and rejoicing that while their comrades were many of them so seriously injured their slight wounds [would] soon heal and become honorable scars, testifying their patriotism and loyalty.  But the majority of those which I saw here were dangerous wounds, and some were to suffer amputations, and their fellow soldiers about them, suffering from their own wounds, were obliged to listen to their cries and groans, and to hear the grating of the surgeon’s saw, a premonitory of their own hard fate.  I saw many in the agonies of death. – One, who was seated and raised half upright, haunts me now with his pale sorrowful, countenance.  He was almost dead, and every moment would raise his head, open his eyes, and stare vacantly around as if he would assure himself that he had not yet lost all sense of sight.

Here, also, lay some who had just died, and as I passed through the hall a gray-haired guard, resting upon his musket, with a solemn grave countenance, was standing beside a number of dead, in the attitude of a death struggle, each with a paper pinned to his clothing, stating the name, regiment, etc., of the deceased.

Many ladies of the town were seen visiting all the hospitals.  Must it be said that their anxiety was to find out the Confederate prisoners only, and administer to them the comforts which they did not extend to our own? – Can it be, in such a case, that humanity can so distinguish between friend and foe stricken down by suffering and death?  Yet many have observed the unconcern for Federal sufferers and the anxiety and care for the Confederates which was very generally exhibited at our hospitals.  The people of the place have displayed more sullenness and hatred toward us since this battle, ten times over, than they ever have before, and when the approach of Jackson on Winchester was reported, the people, many of them were exultant and triumphant, thinking that Jackson was immediately about to march in and redeem them

When the rebel prisoners were being sent away to Baltimore, the ladies in town sought to lighten the imprisonment by bringing delicacies to them, and little presents – and their disloyalty was manifested openly, the men assuring the fair ones that they were still for Jeff. Davis.  All who had started for Fairfax Court House have returned to Winchester. – The breaking down of the bridge was the principal event.  One brigade had passed over on the previous (Friday) night, and a few had gone over in the morning, but as the baggage train was crossing the bridge broke under the weight of one of the wagons – fortunately near the commencement of the bridge, however. – This part had not been properly strengthened.  The mules splashed about, and the two leaders were drowned in the rapid current.  The bridge appeared quite frail, but I am informed that except at this end it is quite substantial.  Several boats were fortunately at hand and these were anchored, and beams were thrown across and planks placed upon them, and after about four hour’s delay the whole was placed in good contention.  This was quite fortunate, however, for as they were called back to Winchester it was well that they were saved the advance of four hours and the return over the same route, which they would have made had the bridge been in good order.

People crowded the streets to see the soldiers pass and were wonderfully amazed at a very novel sight, for though they had seen soldiers before, they had never seen such as those.  “Such perfect gentlemen,” said they in [astonishment. Their uniform and appearance was] in such contrast to what they had seen of the Southern army that I found it the general impression that our soldiers were a “very genteel” class of men.  Our cavalry horses, too, impressed them.  At some places the most hearty Union feeling was manifested.  Many a duck, goose, turkey, and chicken disappeared before our troops, yet we were so much more generally well behaved that the people expressed the greatest surprise at the order which was manifested by our soldiers.

But this march was very unexpectedly cut short, and will not probably be resumed at present, as I understand that Strasburg is now the headquarters of Gen. Banks.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, April 5, 1862, p. 3

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Private Letter from Adjutant Tyner of the 14th Iowa

ON THE CUMBERLAND RIVER,
NEAR DOVER, TENN., Feb. 17.

MY DEAR FATHER. – I expect you all imagine I am dead by this time, but thank God I am here safe, and with but slight injuries.  We left Fort Henry on the 12th of February, marched all day and encamped three-fourths of a mile from this fort – so near that we dare not make camp fires for fear of drawing shells from the enemy.  We were up bright and early on the morning of the 13th, got our breakfast of hard crackers and water, and awaited orders.  About 9 o’clock, A. M., we drew up in battle line, loaded our rifles, and in a few moments were marching in full battle front, through the thickest woods, and over the deepest ravines.  We were halted and put over the brow of the hill in front of the enemy’s entrenchments.  This part of their fort is situated on top of a high hill, with high entrenchments and rifle pits thrown up all around.  In front of this entrenchment is a miserable steep hill, on the side of which was fallen timber very thick.  At the bottom was a ravine, and then came another hill, thickly grown with timber.  On top of this was where our regiment was drawn up – we on the right, the 25th Indiana on our left, and the 7th Indiana on the extreme left of them.

Just previous to our moving, Col. Lauman, of the 7th, Iowa, senior Colonel commanding our brigade, detailed me as one of his aids, but allowed me the privilege of being with my regiment – as much as possible, as Col. Shaw and myself were the only officers commanding the regiment.  Our Lieut. Col. was a member of the court martial at St. Louis, and could not be released.  Major Leonard was sick at the time of the fight, and could not go, consequently the Colonel and myself were the only mounted men in the regiment.

The Colonel gave me the command of the left wing of the battalion, and I was behind this part of the regiment when we moved down the hill.  We had not got down in the ravine before the enemy fired at our Colonel and myself.  They had thrown out their sharp-shooters as skirmishers, and they were hid behind fallen trees in our advance.  From this concealment they fired at us – one ball coming so near my face as to make me gracefully nod my head.

We continued our march, and in going up the hill over a little point our regiment was received with grape, shell, canister, ball and musketry.  Such a fire soldiers seldom encounter.  They had three concealed batteries, which they opened on us, and all their men were concealed; not one could we see during the fire – only as they popped their heads over the breastwork, and then woe to them; for we shot every man we saw.  During the first charge the regiment directed the right wing going to the right, to save themselves behind a portion of the hill.  The left wing under my command, instead of giving way, went on until I told them to save themselves behind trees, which they did by laying close to the ground.  About this time a spent ball struck my horse, knocking him down and me with him.  I jumped up and followed the boys until the fire became uncomfortably warm.  I sat down behind a tree, for every man in the regiment had to do this to save himself, but not a man retreated.  They seemed to have spotted every officer in the regiment, for their sharpshooters played on us unmercifully.  I could get in no position to evade the range of some of their rifles.  I will venture that fifty shots were fired within one foot of my head, one passing through my hair on the back of my head.  The whole regiment was under this galling fire for three hours, but by laying close to the ground we saved ourselves, as they could not get the range of their guns low enough.  We had two men killed instantly and 14 fell wounded.  The sharp shooters on our side then commenced work, and silenced every battery we were exposed to, thus leaving us an opportunity to get the regiment out of the fire, and form in the hollow or ravine below, where we were secure from their shots in this position.

We remained until after dark, when the order was given to cautiously move to our quarters of the night before.  The 25th Indiana, on our left were obliged to quail as we did.  A part of their regiment moved up the hill to a little further than we, but suddenly the enemy from behind the entrenchments, opened fire on them, and they had to run for dear life.  In their retreat to the bottom of the hill, it seemed as though two-thirds of their men fell; but only 14 were killed and 50 wounded.  The unnecessarily exposed themselves and suffered the consequences.  The Iowa 7th, in this action was cautions to lay low; it lost only one man that day, and he was in our regiment, or where we were.  It is equally as brave as any regiment yet.  The bitter experience at Belmont taught them to move cautiously.  I must say, Colonel Lauman is a brave man, yet I think our Colonel is the bravest man I ever saw.  He was as cool as a human could be, never manifesting either fear or excitement.  He remained on his horse during the whole engagement, and sat there with his legs thrown across the saddle, lady style.  I was not frightened, until they seemed to direct their shots particularly at me, and then I felt as though mere chance would effect my escape.  All the boys yelled and begged of me to move to save myself, and I headed their advice as soon as I could.  In Friday, the day following, we did little but to skirmish and pick the rebels off were we could.  We slept on our arms at night, out in the woods.  The greatest hardship I ever endured in my life, or ever expect to, I realized this trip.  We lived on hard crackers and water, and slept on the ground with only a light blanket.  One night it rained till 12 o’clock, then snowed until morning.  I slept on the damp ground with my little blanket over me, and in the morning every particle of clothing was frozen hard.  I thawed myself out by a large camp fire in the morning.

On Saturday the fight became general.  The gunboats had done all they could, so the only thing left for us was to take the fortification at the point of the bayonet.  The Iowa Second made the first charge, supported by the Iowa 7th and 14th, also the Indiana 25th.  We marched up the hill in as heavy a fire as could be, and men fell on every side.  Capt. Slaymaker, Iowa Second, fell just above me, and I almost stumbled over his body.  We took the first entrenchment, and held the second in spite of the fire.  We laid under their entrenchments all night, in mud that froze us in tight.  On Sunday morning the rebels formed in battle line on their entrenchment without their arms, under the white flag.  They surrendered unconditionally, and the order came for the Second Iowa to march inside the entrenchments first, followed by the 14th Iowa and then on the 7th.  We took the fort and marched in first.  Ours was the 4th brigade, composed of the Iowa 2d, 7th, and 14th, also the 25th Indiana, and Birge’s sharpshooters, all commanded by Col. Lauman.  We all fought like devils, and would have died by inches rather than retreat.  The entire fight lasted four days, during two of which we fought all day. – All the regiments here – 40 in number – had fighting to do, and only those who have seen, can imagine how a battle-filed looks.  Our loss in the 14th is 3 killed and 21 wounded.  In all the Iowa regiments, 47 killed, and 237 wounded; the Iowa 2d having 40 of the killed and 160 of the wounded.  I had my horse knocked from under me the first day, and was knocked head over heels the second day by a piece of shell, which struck me on the side and stomach, not tearing the skin, but bruising me.  I am up and around, and only a little sore.  My injuries are not worth mentioning.

Your affectionate son,

N. N. TYNER.

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

Friday, September 30, 2011

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 7th Ohio, 45, 29th O., 3; 5th, 16; 69th, 24; 8th 19.  In 7th Ind., 11; 13th, 13; 14th, 12.  In 84th Pa., 40; 10th, 36; 1st Va., 8; 28th N. Y., 1; 1st O. battery, 2; 9th Pa., 1; 5th 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 5TH ARMY CORPS,
Strasburg, March 26th, 1862.

The Commanding General of the 5th 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 25th.  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 23rd 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