No. 13.
Reports of Brig. Gen. Nathan
Kimball, U.S. Army, commanding First Division of operations November 30 and
December 8 and 14-28, 1864.
COLONEL: I have the
honor to submit the following report of the part taken by my division in the
battle at Franklin, Tenn., on the 30th ultimo:
On the evening of
the 29th orders were received to withdraw from our position on the north side
of Duck River, opposite Columbia, my division to cover the retreat of the
entire army. After the Twenty-third Corps and the Third Division of the Fourth
Corps had withdrawn and passed Rutherford's Creek I withdrew my division, and
at 12 midnight crossed Rutherford's Creek and moved on rapidly to Spring Hill,
passing within 300 yards of the rebel lines. Here I joined the Second and Third
Divisions of this corps. Receiving orders from Major-General Stanley, I at once
took position on the left of the road, covering the artillery and trains of the
Fourth Corps, and moved forward toward Franklin. We had proceeded about three
miles, when word was sent me that the enemy had attacked and were burning the
train of the Twenty-third Corps, which was in our front and without guard. I at
once sent Col. I. M. Kirby, commanding my First Brigade, forward to save the
train if possible. Colonel Kirby was prompt in his movements and reached the
point in time, driving the rebels off and saving all but ten wagons, which the
rebels had burned before he came up. From this point we moved on to Franklin,
at which point we arrived at 12 m. of the 30th. Receiving orders, I went into
position, on the right of the Twenty-third Army Corps, in the following order:
My right, composed of the Second Brigade, Brig. Gen. W. C. Whitaker commanding,
resting on the Harpeth River; my left, the Third Brigade, Brigadier-General
Grose commanding, resting on the Centerville pike, and connecting with the
Second Division of the Twenty-third Corps; my First Brigade, Col. I. M. Kirby
commanding, in the center. Captain Ziegler's battery, (B) Pennsylvania
Artillery, having reported to me, was placed in position by General Grose on
the left of the division, near the Centerville pike. General Cox, commanding
Twenty-third Corps, calling upon me for a regiment to re-enforce the Second
Division of that corps, I detached the One hundred and first Ohio,
Lieutenant-Colonel McDanald commanding, from my First Brigade, and ordered it
to report to General Ruger. I have no report from it, but am informed by the
officer in command of that line that it behaved splendidly, holding a position
from which two regiments had been compelled to retire until the end of the
battle.
Having established
my line I gave direction that barricades should be made, and by 4 p.m. my men
had thrown up excellent barricades the entire length of our line. Thus having
completed our works, with skirmishers thrown forward, we awaited the approach
of the enemy. At near 5 o'clock he made his appearance in my front in heavy
force, moving in line of battle, advancing upon us, my skirmishers retiring
gradually before them to my main line. The enemy advanced to within 250 yards
of my main line, when my men opened upon them with such precision that the
rebel line was literally mown down. The destruction of the enemy was terrible
indeed, yet they pressed forward with still another line, seemingly determined
to carry our position. Reaching within a few yards of our line, my men gave
them such deadly volleys that their lines mostly fell killed or wounded; the
survivors broke and fell back in great confusion. In about half an hour after
this first repulse the enemy again made his appearance, more to my center and
right, and again was he driven back in confusion, and with terrible slaughter.
Still not satisfied, and waiting until it was dark, the enemy again advanced
and attempted to carry our position, but was again repulsed; after this last
repulse of the enemy my skirmishers were again thrown forward from the main
line some 300 yards, and remained in their position until the army was
withdrawn to the north side of the Harpeth River. It was Loring's division, of
Stewart's corps, and a part of Lee's corps, of the rebel army, that engaged my
division, as we ascertained from prisoners captured. Captain Ziegler's battery
on this, as on former occasions, did splendidly, inflicting severe punishment
upon the enemy, and, in fact, at one time prevented the enemy penetrating our
line near the right of Second Division, Twenty-third Corps. Too much praise
cannot be awarded this battery.
At midnight, in
obedience to orders, I withdrew my division from its position, leaving my
skirmishers on duty in front of the line, and moved to the bridge to effect a
crossing, as I had been directed to move at once upon Brentwood to take up
position until the army should arrive; but to my surprise I found the way
blocked up by other troops who had left their position in advance of the time,
and hence was unable to cross in advance, but was compelled to wait and take
the position which others should have taken. General Grose's brigade (the
Third), of my division, was the last of the army to withdraw from the line in
front of Franklin. My skirmishers stood alone in front of the enemy until the
army had crossed Harpeth River, and I am proud to say that every man of my
division was in his place and all came off in good order. My dead were buried
and all my wounded brought away. My loss is 60 in killed, wounded, and missing,
as will be seen by the inclosed report.
Every officer and
man of this division behaved nobly and is entitled to the highest praise.
Brigadier-Generals Grose and Whitaker and Col. I. M. Kirby, my brigade
commanders, are officers worthy to command such noble men as those composing
their brigades. They all deserve well of their country, and I again recommend
Col. I. M. Kirby, of the One hundred and first Ohio, for promotion. I am
greatly indebted to every member of my staff for valuable services rendered
during the engagement. One of my aides, Lieut. Joseph O. Waters, was severely
wounded in the right arm while conveying orders. Every officer and man of the
division and of my staff has my thanks and commendations for his services and
noble bearing.
For further details
you are referred to the inclosed reports of brigade and regimental commanders.
I am, colonel, very
respectfully, your obedient servant,
Assistant Adjutant-General, Fourth Army Corps.
[Inclosure.]
Return of
casualties of First Division, Fourth Army Corps, at the battle of
Franklin, Tenn.,
November 30, 1864.
|
Command. |
Killed. |
Wounded. |
Missing. |
Aggregate. |
||||||
|
Officers. |
Men. |
Total. |
Officers. |
Men. |
Total. |
Officers. |
Men. |
Total. |
||
|
First
Brigade |
.... |
2 |
2 |
.... |
8 |
8 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
14 |
|
Second
Brigade |
.... |
.... |
.... |
1 |
4 |
5 |
.... |
4 |
4 |
9 |
|
Third
Brigade |
.... |
3 |
3 |
2 |
22 |
24 |
.... |
10 |
10 |
37 |
|
Total
|
.... |
5 |
5 |
3 |
34 |
37 |
1 |
17 |
18 |
60 |
COLONEL: In
obedience to orders I have the honor to make the following report relative to
the affair on my picket-line to-day:
The enemy advanced a
strong skirmish line and drove my pickets from their position, taking
possession, for a short time, of my line. My pickets were reformed and advanced
as skirmishers, driving the rebels back and regaining their original position,
and which they now hold. The picket-line of the Twenty-third Corps immediately
on my left gave way first, thereby enabling the enemy to enfilade my line. In
order to regain possession of the original position, I took a section of
Ziegler's battery to a position near the Franklin pike, in rear of my picket reserves,
and opened fire upon the rebel lines. They gave way in confusion, and I then
advanced my picket-line, and at the same time the picket-line of the
Twenty-third Army Corps (Cox's division) went forward. Two prisoners were
captured, belonging respectively to Stevenson's and Johnson's divisions.
I have the honor to
be, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Chief of Staff, Fourth Army Corps.
COLONEL: I have the
honor to report that on the evening of the 14th of December last I received the
order of the general commanding the corps to be ready to march at 6 o'clock the
next morning, for the purpose of attacking the rebel army, then intrenched
before Nashville. At that hour my command was under arms, and immediately after
daybreak it was moved toward the right and out through our line of works on the
Hillsborough pike, and put in position—the Third Brigade, Brig. Gen. William
Grose commanding, on the right, his right extending to the position taken by
the left of the Second Division of this corps, and the First Brigade, Col. I.
M. Kirby commanding, on the left, his left resting on the Hillsborough pike;
the Second Brigade, Brig. Gen. Walter C. Whitaker commanding, was placed in
reserve opposite my center. All of my brigades were formed in two lines of
battle. During the forenoon my line was advanced, driving the enemy's
skirmishers before it to a ridge fronting and about 1,000 yards from
Montgomery's Hill, where the enemy had strong works and a battery commanding
the Hillsborough pike. In this advance my command had obliqued to the left,
conforming its movements to adjacent commands, and nearly all of the First
Brigade crossed the turnpike and took position to the left of it. Ziegler's
battery (B, Second Independent Pennsylvania Artillery) had been ordered to
report to the, and was placed in position on the ridge before spoken of, near
the pike, and on the left of it. About midway between this position and
Montgomery's Hill, in front of my left, intervened a small ridge of ground,
which almost disappeared at the Hillsborough pike, in front of my left center.
The country between my position and the enemy's works was open, and every
movement of my troops could be plainly seen by him. At 2 p.m. I was ordered to
occupy this ridge, which was promptly done by Kirby's brigade, Grose's brigade
connecting with his right. The right of Grose's brigade in this movement was
retired to protect my right flank, which was left exposed in consequence of the
Second Division not having moved at the same time. Ziegler was sent forward
with his battery, and took position on the Hillsborough pike, on the right of
First Brigade, and within easy musket-range of the enemy's works. From this
point he kept up a galling and continuous fire upon the enemy, sending many of
his shells through the rebel embrasures into their ranks. Upon securing the
ridge of ground referred to it was discovered that at the foot of the slope
toward the enemy there was an old road, somewhat worn by rains and long use,
and which Kirby's front line was ordered to occupy. A good protection to a part
of my line was thus procured for the time being within 250 yards of the enemy's
works.
At 4 p.m. I asked
and received permission of the general commanding the corps to assault this
hill. The command, "forward," was immediately given. Grose's brigade
advanced along the turnpike, and, crossing it, passed a stone fence which had
been used by the enemy, and charged up the steep hill at double-quick. The
right of this brigade reached around and inclosed the southwesterly or left end
of the enemy's works on Montgomery's Hill. Kirby's brigade moved directly
forward, with an unbroken line, across a corn-field where the ground was very
heavy, and through the brush and fallen timber on the hill-side, never halting
until his front line was inside the enemy's works. Both brigades moved in the
face of a murderous fire of canister and rifle-balls, and both reached the
hill-top at nearly the same moment. Kirby lost heavily while crossing the
corn-field, as he was necessarily much exposed to the enemy's fire. In this
assault my command captured — pieces of artillery, about 300 prisoners, and
great numbers of small and side arms. The prisoners were sent to the rear, and
the command pushed on in pursuit of the retreating enemy, leaving the
artillery, small-arms, and other trophies in the works from which the enemy had
been driven. The right of my line was here thrown forward and the direction of
my front changed toward the left. The enemy was closely pursued until my
command reached the Granny White pike, where darkness ended the day's work, and
the command bivouacked for the night.
In obedience to your
orders, at 7 o'clock the morning of the 16th, I formed my command in line of
battle, with the Second Brigade, Brigadier-General Whitaker commanding, on the
right, the Third Brigade, Brigadier-General Grose commanding, on the left, and
the First Brigade, Col. I. M. Kirby commanding, in reserve, each brigade in two
lines. Throwing forward a strong line of skirmishers, and supporting them with
my whole command, the enemy's position in my front was soon developed, and he
was found strongly posted in earth-works along the base of a high ridge, his
line extending toward the east across and covering the Franklin pike. At 10
o'clock I was in position in front of the enemy, my line parallel to his, my
left resting upon the Franklin pike, and my right connecting with Garrard's
division, of the Sixteenth Corps. Ziegler's battery was posted upon an eminence
near my center and about 1,000 yards from the enemy's works. At 1 p.m. I
advanced my lines to a ridge about 400 yards from the enemy's main works, and
occupied it, under a most galling fire from his artillery immediately in my
front. It was in this position, while using his battery with great effect upon
the enemy, that Ziegler had two of his pieces disabled by solid shot. His
battery was then withdrawn, and Battery F [M], Fourth U.S. Artillery,
Lieutenant Canby commanding, reporting to me, was put in the position formerly
occupied by Ziegler's battery, where it did excellent service, punishing the
enemy severely. At 4 o'clock my command charged the enemy's works successfully,
capturing — pieces of artillery, 900 prisoners, and a great number of
small-arms and intrenching tools, which were left in the works while the
command pressed on after the enemy, who were fleeing down the Franklin pike.
The Ninety-sixth Illinois Infantry, Maj. George Hicks commanding, was in the advance,
and pressed the enemy so closely that a drove of cattle was abandoned by them.
The pursuit ended soon after dark, and my command bivouacked seven miles from
Nashville, on the Franklin pike, picketing the Brentwood Pass. Canby's battery
pressed forward with the division during the pursuit of the enemy.
Early on the morning
of the 17th the pursuit was continued, and my command bivouacked at night on
the north bank of the Harpeth lover near Franklin. During this day's march
great numbers of stragglers and deserters from the enemy were picked up and
sent to the rear. On the 18th my command crossed the Harpeth River, and
marching through Franklin, bivouacked three miles south of Spring Hill. On the
19th I moved to near Rutherford's Creek, which, although usually easily forded,
was then so swollen by the heavy rains which had continued to fall without
cessation since the afternoon of the 16th, as to be impassable, all the bridges
having been destroyed. The Third Brigade, Brigadier-General Grose commanding,
was sent soon after noon to bridge the stream, and before dark the next day my
whole command had crossed the creek, bivouacking near the Franklin pike, about
three-quarters of a mile from Columbia. The division remained in bivouac at that
point until 9 o'clock the evening of the 22d, when it crossed Duck River by the
pontoon bridge, and bivouacked about midnight south of the town of Columbia.
The march was resumed at 2 o'clock the evening of the 23d. The advance guard of
cavalry immediately in my front came up with the rear guard of the enemy about
five miles south of Columbia, strongly posted in a pass between high hills and
through which the road ran. I immediately deployed a strong line of skirmishers
and sent them forward. A section of Thomasson's (First Kentucky) battery was
put in position about 800 yards from their lines and opened upon them. After a
sharp skirmish they were driven from the pass, leaving behind a captain
mortally wounded and one man killed. My command bivouacked for the night in the
pass. On the 24th I marched to a point on the Pulaski road three miles south of
Lynnville and bivouacked. On the 25th I moved through Pulaski to a point on the
Lamb's Ferry road six miles south of Pulaski, where my command bivouacked and
remained next day awaiting the arrival of rations. On the morning of the 27th I
moved at daylight, and bivouacked near Puncheon Church, on Sugar Creek. At
daylight the 28th my command resumed the march, and bivouacked at sundown near
Lexington, Ala, where orders were received announcing that the pursuit of the
enemy for the present was ended.
I have receipts for
9 pieces of artillery and 968 prisoners of war captured by this division during
the actions of the 15th and 16th. The reports of my brigade commanders make the
captures of artillery amount to 17 pieces, but I have no doubt that 4 of these
are claimed by two different brigades. I am, however, positive that this
division captured 13 pieces of artillery and 1,200 prisoners of war, besides
great numbers of small-arms, several wagon-loads of intrenching tools, and a
number of beef-cattle.
In the eagerness of
both officers and men to pursue the fleeing enemy prisoners were sent to the
rear and the artillery and other spoils passed by, which by this means falling
into the hands of commands which came after us were accredited to them,
although the credit of the capture is due to this division.
My losses were 9
officers killed and 4 wounded; 32 enlisted men killed, 207 wounded, and 2
missing. Reference is respectfully made to the accompanying tabular statement
of the losses of each brigade. For a full and complete statement of the
gallantry of officers and men I respectfully refer you to the accompanying
reports of brigade and regimental commanders.
It is unnecessary
for me to mention to the general commanding the corps the conduct of my
division in the battles of the 15th and 16th ultimo and in the pursuit of the
enemy succeeding those battles. He was an eye-witness to the noble bravery of
the officers and men in their daring and successful assaults upon the enemy's
works, and the patient and cheerful temper with which they endured the tedious
and fatiguing pursuit, through rain and mud, while driving the rebel hordes
across the Tennessee. But I cannot close this report without commending to the
general commanding and to the Government Brig. Gens. Walter C. Whitaker and
William Grose and Col. I. M. Kirby, of the One hundred and first Ohio Infantry,
my brigade commanders, for the skillful manner in which they handled their troops
and the promptness with which they obeyed and executed my orders. My thanks and
gratitude are tendered them, and the Government should reward them. I also with
pleasure commend the officers and men of my whole command, who deserve the
highest praise and gratitude of the nation. Although in general terms I thus
commend all, I would make special mention of Capt. Charles E. Rowan, of the
Ninety-sixth Regiment Illinois Infantry, who, when the rebels were driven from
their works on the afternoon of the 16th, pursued them with twenty of his men
so closely that he was beyond hearing of the order to halt and reform, and
continued pressing immediately upon their heels, taking many prisoners and
stampeding their drove of cattle; and of Lieut. William Felton, Ninetieth Ohio
Infantry, and acting assistant adjutant-general of the First Brigade, who, in
the charge on Montgomery's Hill, seized the colors of his regiment and bore
them on horseback through an embrasure into the rebel works; and of Father Cooney,
chaplain of the Thirty-fifth Indiana Infantry, who remained in the front with
his regiment, encouraging and cheering the men by his words and acts; and of
Color-Sergt. Jesse H. Hall, of the One hundred and first Ohio Infantry, who,
when attacked by a rebel officer with a drawn saber, defended himself with his
flagstaff' and beat the officer into an unconditional surrender; and of Sergt.
John Vincent, of the Ninety-sixth Illinois Infantry, who bore the colors of his
regiment into the rebel battery ahead of his comrades and planted them there
while the enemy were loading the guns. I cannot speak in too high terms of
commendation of Ziegler's (Battery B, Second Pennsylvania Independent
Artillery) and Canby's (Battery F [M], Fourth U.S. Artillery) batteries. To the
bravery, energy, and skill of their officers and men this division is greatly
indebted for its success in charging the enemy's works. Pennsylvania, Ohio,
Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky may well be proud of such sons, their
representatives in the nation's army. The honor of those States and the welfare
of the nation will ever be safe in their hands when led by such noble chiefs as
Bennett, Suman, Smith, Rose, Moore, Yeoman, Evans, Morton, Wood, McDanald,
Tassin, Northup, Humphrey, Hicks, Taylor, Mathey, Jamison, Pollard, Cunningham,
and Lawton.
To the officers of
my staff I am grateful for their valuable services in promptly delivering my
orders and assisting in the execution of them upon every part of the field. I
commend them to your most favorable consideration.
I have the honor to
be, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Asst. Adjt. Gen. and Chief of Staff, Fourth Army Corps.
Report of
casualties of the First Division, Fourth Army Corps, at the battle of Nashville,
|
Command. |
Killed |
Wounded. |
Missing. |
Aggregate. |
||||||
|
Officers. |
Men. |
Total. |
Officers. |
Men. |
Total. |
Officers. |
Men. |
Total. |
||
|
First
Brigade |
6 |
19 |
25 |
.... |
98 |
98 |
.... |
.... |
.... |
123 |
|
Second
Brigade |
1 |
9 |
10 |
.... |
38 |
38 |
.... |
1 |
1 |
49 |
|
Third
Brigade. |
2 |
4 |
6 |
4 |
71 |
75 |
.... |
1 |
1 |
82 |
|
Total(*) |
9 |
32 |
41 |
4 |
207 |
211 |
.... |
2 |
2 |
254 |
*But see revised table, p. 97.
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), pp. 177-83
