Friday, September 21, 2018

Official Reports of the Campaign in North Alabama and Middle Tennessee, November 14, 1864 — January 23, 1865: No. 107. Report of Lieut. Col. Edward Maynard, Sixth Tennessee Infantry, of operations December 15-16, 1864.

No. 107.

Report of Lieut. Col. Edward Maynard, Sixth Tennessee Infantry, of operations December 15-16, 1864.

HDQRS. SIXTH REGT. EAST TENNESSEE VOL. INFANTRY,                       
In the Field, December 22, 1864.

SIR: In obedience to circular just received from headquarters First Brigade, I beg leave to submit the following as a report of the operations of this regiment on the 15th and 16th instant:

In accordance with instructions received from Brigadier-General Cooper, commanding First Brigade, tents were struck at 5 a.m. on the 15th, and breakfast over, the regiment was formed in order of march at 5.30 a.m. At about 8 a.m. took up the line of march from our encampment on the Franklin pike near Nashville, following the One hundred and thirtieth Indiana Volunteers, and crossed to the Hardin pike. We moved out from the defenses of the city on that pike, and were at once formed in line of battle on left of First Brigade. From this point we were moved forward to a dirt road intersecting the Hillsborough and Hardin pikes. In this road we lay until about 1 p.m.; we then moved to the right by the flank until we passed a fort on the right of the Hillsborough pike about six miles from Nashville, which a portion of our cavalry force had occupied a few moments before. At this place formed in order of battle again, and moved across the Hillsborough pike. We had proceeded nearly half a mile when the enemy opened upon us with artillery from a high point three-quarters of a mile in front of us. A charge was ordered and we moved on the rebel artillery at the run. As we approached the hill we discovered that a body of the enemy's infantry lodged behind a stone wall to our left was raking that flank. The direction of the movement was changed to the left, and we conducted our operations against the wall. As the men were already jaded I ordered them to halt behind a rail fence near the wall and unsling knapsacks. This having been done, we charged the wall, took it, and crossed it, where 150 prisoners surrendered to us, and were immediately sent to the rear. The charge was continued nearly half a mile beyond, resulting in capturing about fifty rebels, and was stopped because worn down by the race. My loss in the charge and during the day was 1 man killed and 9 wounded. After we reformed we took position on a wooded hill between the Hillsborough and Granny White pikes about seven miles from Nashville, and during the night of the 15th threw up a temporary line of works. During the night threw out a picket in my front and held one.third of the regiment under arms. On the 16th instant we lay at rest in these works until about 4 p.m. At that time we moved out and formed in a corn-field in rear of the position from which the enemy had just been dislodged, to the left of the Granny White pike. Moved across that pike and about half a mile toward the Franklin pike, and bivouacked for the night.

The following is a list of killed and wounded on the 15th instant.*

I owe it to all the officers and all the men to say that our success is owed during each day to their courage, coolness, and prompt obedience.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

EDWARD MAYNARD,      
Lieut. Col., Comdg. Sixth Regiment East Tennessee Volunteers.

Capt. T. C. HONNELL,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.
_______________

* Nominal list (omitted) shows 3 men killed and 8 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. 377-8

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