Encamped in the
woods after a march of eight miles; roads terrible, marching very hard.
SOURCE: Joseph
Stockton, War Diary (1862-5) of Brevet Brigadier General Joseph
Stockton, p. 5
Encamped in the
woods after a march of eight miles; roads terrible, marching very hard.
SOURCE: Joseph
Stockton, War Diary (1862-5) of Brevet Brigadier General Joseph
Stockton, p. 5
Left camp at 6
o'clock. Roads in a terrible condition, mud knee deep, marching almost
impossible; artillery stuck in the road, wagons in every conceivable condition.
Crossed the Tallahatchie on a pontoon bridge of a very primitive build, being
composed of trees cut down fastened together with ropes and tied to the shore
with the ropes, small trees were laid crosswise and on this we crossed. The
rebels had quite a strong fort here which would have given us a great deal of
trouble, but Sherman's march on our flank forced Price to abandon it. The roads
on the south side were much better and after a wearisome march of sixteen miles
reached Oxford, Mississippi, at 8 o'clock p. m. I never was so tired and never
saw the men so worn out and fatigued as they were on this day's march. We were
kept over an hour before our camp was located and it seemed as if all dropped
to sleep at once. I could not but think of those at home who are all the time
condemning our generals and armies for not moving with greater rapidity, for
not making forced marches and following up the enemy, when they know nothing
about it. We made quite a parade going through Oxford as it is a place of
considerable importance. Flags were unfurled, bands struck up, bugles sounded,
and men for the time being forgot their fatigue and marched in good order.
Nothing like music to cheer up the men.
SOURCE: Joseph
Stockton, War Diary (1862-5) of Brevet Brigadier General Joseph
Stockton, p. 5-6
Passing on through
Athens, we went into camps about two miles beyond. Distance from Fayetteville,
Tennessee, to Athens, Alabama, thirty-eight miles. As it rained the night
before, the roads were still worse.
SOURCE: Richard R.
Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee
Confederate Cavalry, p. 136
Companies I, E and F, are now mounted—are now moving upon the war path as of old. The non-mounted portion of the regiment are in the advance of the Fifteenth Army Corps. To-day we find the roads all obstructed by the felling of trees, but not enough to check the army; the Pioneers keep the roads all free from impediments. Some skirmishing to-day but nothing serious. The weak rebel forces seem but idle toys for the moment.
SOURCE: Daniel Leib Ambrose, History of the Seventh Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, p. 282
In the evening we cross over into the Palmetto State and go into camp three miles from the river; we doubt if ever an army encountered more difficulties than did Slocum's command and General Corse's Division encounter in crossing the Savannah. The river was up, and for three long miles the army was compelled to build a solid road.
SOURCE: abstracted from Daniel Leib Ambrose, History of the Seventh Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, p. 293-4
Before daylight this morning we cross the Ocmulgee River, all the rest of
the army having crossed last night. Our division is now in the rear guarding
Kilpatrick's train; the roads are very muddy; only succeed in getting ten miles
to-day, when we go into camp near Monticello. A cold rain is now falling; the
chilling winds, how fierce they blow! The Seventh suffers to-night.
SOURCE: Daniel Leib Ambrose, History of the Seventh Regiment
Illinois Volunteer Infantry, p. 279
Hard work until to-day, when we were sent out to lay a plank road. While at work General Lee and his daughter rode by us, and soon after a courier came from his headquarters and gave us some woolen socks and gloves—sent to us from his daughter. Nothing more worth recording this month.
SOURCE: Louis
Leon, Diary of a Tar Heel Confederate Soldier, p. 56
SIR: The Army of the
Cumberland is utterly routed and demoralized. The result is regarded with the
profoundest solicitude. Confidence is gone in the ranks and among the people.
It must be restored. I am confident it cannot be done under Generals Crittenden
and Carroll. There is now no impediment whatever but bad roads and natural
obstacles to prevent the enemy from entering East Tennessee and destroying the
railroads and putting East Tennessee in a flame of revolution.
Nothing but the
appointment to the command of a brave, skillful, and able general, who has the
popular confidence, will restore tone and discipline to the army, and
confidence to the people. I do not propose to inquire whether the loss of
public confidence in Generals Crittenden and Carroll is ill or well founded. It
is sufficient that all is lost.
General Humphrey
Marshall, General Floyd, General Pillow, General Smith, or General Loring would
restore tone to the army and rein-spire the public confidence. I must think, as
everybody else does, that there has been a great mistake made. Every movement
is important. Can not you, Mr. President, right the wrong by the immediate
presence of a new and able man?
SOURCE: The
War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and
Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 7 (Serial No. 7), p. 849
CAPTAIN: I have the
honor to submit the following report of the operations of this brigade from
December 6, 1864, to the present date: On December 6 and 7 the command was busy
constructing a second line of works in, front of Nashville, a little to the right
of the Nolensville pike. On the morning of the 8th we took up the line of march
for Murfreesborough, having been ordered to report to General Forrest near that
place. At night-fall went into camp within eleven miles of the place. From that
time until December 15 the command did little else than destroy the railroad
between Murfreesborough and Nashville. On the 15th marched with Palmer's
brigade and a portion of the cavalry to a position considerably to the eastward
of Murfreesborough. On the next day, however, we retraced our steps, and (the
news of the disaster at Nashville reaching us that night) we immediately
started across the country for Pulaski by forced marches. The roads were in
horrible condition and the weather intensely cold, so that the sufferings of
the men, who were many of them barefooted and all poorly clad, were intense. On
arriving at Duck River it was found to be so much swollen by heavy rains as to
be impassable. We were accordingly ordered to Columbia, which place we reached late
at night on the 18th. Here we remained for three days, receiving orders to
report to Major-General Walthall as a portion of the rear guard of the army.
Early on the morning
of the 22d the enemy crossed the river in force above Columbia, and [we] commenced
our retreat. We retired slowly, forming line of battle occasionally, until we
had gotten some six or seven miles on this side of Pulaski, when the enemy
pushed us so hard that it was determined to stop and fight them. Accordingly,
the line was formed, our position being upon the extreme left of the infantry,
with Palmer's brigade upon our right, the cavalry upon our left. The enemy
approached boldly, a heavy line of skirmishers preceding them. Upon a given
signal our whole line charged, when the enemy retired in confusion after
offering but a slight resistance. We captured a number of horses and one piece
of artillery, a 12-pounder Napoleon. This was on Christmas day. On the
following day the rear guard was again attacked, but this brigade was not engaged
in the affair, nor did we again meet the enemy.
On the 28th we
recrossed the Tennessee, and on the 1st of January rejoined our division at
Corinth, from whence we marched to Tupelo.
The conduct of men
and officers in this trying retreat was admirable; they bore the hardships
forced upon them unflinchingly, and were ever ready to show a bold front on the
approach of the enemy.
I would especially
call the attention of the general commanding to the gallant conduct of Private
P. Murner, of the First Georgia, and Private A. Vicary, of the Fifty-fourth
Georgia. These men carried the colors of their respective regiments, and showed
conspicuous bravery in the charge on the 25th.
List of casualties:
1 killed, 2 wounded, 70 missing. The missing were most of them men who broke
down physically on the other side of Duck River, and are supposed to have
fallen into the hands of the enemy.
The roads are so bad that it is hard work to trudge along. I stuck in the mud several times, and lost one shoe in a mud hole, but of course took it out again. One consolation we have got, it is raining so hard that the mud is washed off our clothing, therefore they were not soiled too bad. But the devil of it is there is no blacking to shine our shoes with. Marched sixteen miles and halted. We are now, thank God, on Confederate soil, but oh, how many of our dear comrades have we left behind. We can never forget this campaign. We had hard marching, hard fighting, suffered hunger and privation, but our general officers were always with us, to help the weary soldier carry his gun, or let him ride. In a fight they were with us to encourage. Many a general have I seen walk and a poor sick private riding his horse, and our father, Lee, was scarcely ever out of sight when there was danger. We could not feel gloomy when we saw his old gray head uncovered as he would pass us on the march, or be with us in a fight. I care not how weary or hungry we were, when we saw him we gave that Rebel yell, and hunger and wounds would be forgotten.
SIR: On the 4th instant Lieutenant-Colonel McClellan sent me a dispatch, stating that he had information "entirely reliable" that 6,000 of the enemy—l,500 cavalry and the balance infantry and artillery—were encamped in 5 miles of Monticello, and were advancing towards Jamestown. He stated that he knew nothing of the whereabouts of Colonels Stanton and Murray, and that he had determined to retire with his cavalry force towards Pikeville, fearing he might be cut off if he attempted to retreat towards Montgomery.
I inferred that the enemy's force would advance towards Loudon Bridge, through Montgomery, and conceived the plan of intercepting them at Winter's Gap, in a mile of this place, or at the pass down the mountain, 18 miles from here, on the road from Montgomery to Kingston. I sent cavalry forward to pass up both roads and ascertain which way they were coming, I got the news two days ago at Cumberland Gap, and reached here this evening with my disposable force, a distance of 71 miles, one regiment having started from that gap and got up to within 15 miles of this position.
Just as I entered the road from Knoxville to Montgomery a messenger was passing from Colonel McClellan to Colonel Wood, at Knoxville, and I found he had a dispatch for me, stating that the information he had given on the 4th was founded in error. This letter is dated yesterday. He says there is a camp of the enemy 5 miles east of Monticello, but he does not know its strength or character. His pickets have been into Monticello. He is encamped at Camp McGinnis, 8 or 9 miles north of Jamestown. He says that he has not heard of Stanton and Murray for two days, but understands they are approaching.
I have determined to fall back to Jacksborough and completely blockade the two wagon roads through the mountains in that neighborhood. I have written to Stanton, Murray, and McClellan to unite their forces, and make a stand in a strong position, if they can find it, where the wagon road ascends the mountain from Monticello to Jamestown, forming intrenchments for the infantry commanding the pass. I left the regiments of Colonels Churchwell and Rains at Cumberland Gap, busily engaged in completing the works there. Within a week or ten days I think the defenses there will be very strong. I think the Jacksborough routes can soon be made effectively impassable, and then I hope to move by the Jamestown route and advance.
If you will examine the topography of the country you will perceive I have passed to this point along a valley at the foot of the mountain. The road is good. To pass from Jacksborough direct to Huntsville or Montgomery or Jamestown direct, I would have to pursue a mountain road, poor and broken, and the mountain is generally 30 or 40 miles wide.
SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 4 (Serial No. 4), p. 530-1
SIR: Heavy rains have made the roads slippery and will somewhat retard our progress. Day before yesterday I ordered Colonel Stanton, with his regiment, Colonel Murray's and Lieutenant-Colonel McClellan's cavalry, encamped about 10 miles north of Jamestown, to make a rapid and stealthy forward movement to capture the ferry-boats at four or five crossings of the Cumberland, and, if practicable, the enemy's cavalry said to be on this side of the river. I have not heard whether the movement has been made. I see it stated in the Nashville newspapers that General Ward has 2,000 men at Campbellsville, 1,200 at Columbia, and a regiment at Lebanon. It is reported to Colonel Stanton that the two or three regiments between Somerset and the river have moved towards Columbia, to join other forces there. He communicates also a rumor of the crossing of the Cumberland by a force of the enemy at Green's Ferry; but all these reports seem to be uncertain. I have no dispatches from Knoxville since I left there, but hear through various scouting parties that the tories in Lower East Tennessee are dispersed, a number of prisoners taken, a few Lincolnites killed and wounded, and several hundred guns captured. Citizens have turned out in large numbers and assisted the soldiers in scouring the mountains and hunting down the fugitive traitors. They should now be pursued to extermination, if possible.
We left here at 8 A.M., to return to Kinston, and got there at 3 P.M.—ten miles—awful road. Waded through mud, water and sand the whole way. My feet are cut up pretty badly.
Setting out from
Bald Hill early in the morning, our battalion soon caught up with the rear of
the wagon train.
The road, which was
already bad enough, was made still worse by its raining that day. Therefore the
train moved very slowly, and “bringing up the rear” was quite an unpleasant job
as well as a slow one. We camped for the night about where the head of the
columns had bivouacked the night previous, only six miles from Bald Hill.
Resumed our promenade
at 7 this morning, and for a change it is raining hard. Therefore the snow is
melting. Consequently, the roads are nice and soft. Halted at 3 this evening—still
raining. We made ourselves as comfortable as possible made a good fire to dry
ourselves by, but the worst of it is we have no rations, and the wagons are
behind. We went to sleep in our wet clothing, with a cup of coffee as our
supper. It rained and snowed all night.
This morning Dick
leads the Seventh forth again, heading for West Tennessee. Soon we are winding
through the Mississippi forests. The weather is exceedingly warm, and oh! how
dusty the roads. None can form any clear conception of the beauty of a ride in
July save those who have witnessed in this month a regiment of cavalry or
mounted infantry dashing along a Mississippi or Tennessee highway. Arriving at
Hamburg, Tennessee river, about dark, we go into camp for the night.
Springfield, Sept. 7th. I never had better health in my life, though
we had a hard time[.] While marching from Sedalia to this place—a distance of
One Hundred and twenty five miles, which we marched in six days over the most
hilly and dusty roads I ever say. This
is doubtless to the poorest country in the west. The drought has nearly ruined the crops, and
it looks little like subsisting a large army here through the winter.
Our troops nearly famished for water on their
march, and the roads were so dusty that none could scarcely tell the color of
our cloths or even the color of the men.
After crossing the Osage River, we commenced climbing the Ozark Mountains,
and had nothing but hills, hollows and rocks from their to Springfield.
Take it, all in all, it is one of the most
God-forsaken countries I ever saw. War
has destroyed every thing in its way, houses [tenantless], fences burned, and
orchards destroyed. You can scarcely see
a man in a day’s travel, unless it is some old man unable to do any thing.
– Published in The Union Sentinel,
Osceola, Iowa, Saturday, October 18, 1862, p. 2
This morning we move from South Florence, having been ordered to join the main column at Leighton, ten miles from Tuscumbia on the road leading towards Decatur. The roads are very muddy, but we march briskly and strike the road in advance of the column, when we halt to await its advance. Coming up we take position in the brigade and move forward through mud and rain. About four o'clock we come up with the rebels and commence a brisk skirmish. The rebels falling back across Town Creek, we go into camp for the night about one mile from the creek. The soldiers, weary and warm, fall down upon the damp ground and are soon sleeping.
This morning the
boys are compelled to wend their way to the woods to obtain fuel. It remains
extremely cold. Hark! what do we hear? Marching orders with three days rations,
says one. Back to the Davenport Mills, can it be possible? Yes! cries the
orderly, we will start at 1 o'clock. Twenty miles to go to night, and load one
hundred teams with lumber; rather a hard task says one, but we suppose it is
honest. The drums beat; and with our equipments, rations, &c., strapped to
our backs, we move out from Corinth. We are soon joined by the Ninth Illinois
and Sixty-sixth Indiana; the Ninth takes the advance, the Sixty-sixth the
center, and the Seventh the rear. After going a short distance we get into the
wagons and ride; the roads are desperate; but on we go slash! slash! through
the wilderness of pines. Along the road we meet families, men, women and little
children wending their way to Corinth to seek protection under the old flag. We
arrive at the mills at 1 o'clock A. M. After stacking our guns we proceed to
make some coffee, and after drinking it we all lie down to obtain a few hours
of sleep, but soon “rub dub, rub dub” goes the drum, the soldiers give a groan
and then commence railing out upon the drummer for waking them so soon, but
there is no use of whining-up we must get and that “instanter,” as we
are promised the advance back to Corinth. The teams are now all loaded. The
Seventh feel slighted in not being called upon for their services. The teams
are soon moving, the Seventh taking the advance; but before going far we are
halted by the Colonel of the Sixty-sixth Indiana, commanding forces, and
informed that he had promised the Sixty-sixth the advance. Captain Lawyer is
then ordered to march with the Seventh in the center. We move on briskly and
arrive in camp 5 o'clock P. M.
This morning our
regiment together with the 27th Ohio, 81st Ohio, 7th Iowa and the 52nd Illinois
are ordered to escort a forage train to Hamburg Landing and return. The 27th
Ohio takes the advance and the Seventh the rear. We find the roads in a
desperate condition, the mud about knee deep, and soon it begins to rain. We
arrive at Hamburg about dark—mud, mud, and rain, rain; how terribly dark. The
regiment is ordered to take shelter in the surrounding houses and stables—the
horses being turned out to grope their way in the elemental storm. The boys
tear down fences to make fires to dry their drenched clothes. The houses and
stables for the regiment are limited and in consequence they are densely
crowded. No sleep for the soldier to-night-no place to rest his weary body.