No. 114.
Report of Maj. Edgar Sowers, One hundred and eighteenth Ohio Infantry,
of operations November 23-December 1, 1864.
HEADQUARTERS 118TH OHIO
VOLUNTEER INFANTRY,
Nashville, Tenn.,
December 5, 1864.
I have the honor to submit the following report respecting
the operations of the One hundred and eighteenth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer
Infantry from November 23 to December 1, inclusive:
On Wednesday, November 23, the regiment left Johnsonville,
Tenn., and proceeded by rail to Columbia, forty miles south of Nashville, at
which point it arrived early on the morning of the 24th. As the enemy were
advancing on Columbia a position was at once taken and preparations made for a
vigorous defense. Our position was changed on the night of the 24th, and the
25th and part of the 26th was employed in guarding the banks of the Big Bigby
Creek. The 27th, 28th, and 29th the regiment was in position at the Duck River
railroad bridge, where we had considerable skirmishing with the enemy across
the river. We lost 1 killed and 1 severely wounded. On the 29th we withdrew
from our position near the bridge and marched toward Franklin, at which place
we arrived early on the morning of the 30th, having had a slight skirmish the
previous evening near Spring Hill. At Franklin a line of works was constructed,
and the regiment, with the brigade, went into position on the right of the
Columbia pike, the Twenty-third Michigan being on the left, and Eightieth
Indiana on the right. Skirmishing began about 2 p.m. and became quite sharp an
hour later, when it became evident that the enemy intended to attack us in
force. About 3 o'clock their columns could be seen forming for the attack, and
about 4 p.m. the enemy advanced in columns of three in depth. As the right of
our line was somewhat refused, and as the attack was heaviest on the left, the
line of the enemy's advance was diagonally across our regimental front. This
movement gave us a good enfilading fire on the whole mass in our front, an
advantage which was promptly seized and used to good effect. The conflict
continued with unabated fury until 9 p.m., at intervals until 12 o'clock.
I should be doing injustice to the officers and men of the
regiment were I not to bear testimony to their determined bravery and
unfaltering valor in the battle at Franklin.
We lost four men only — slightly wounded.
On the 1st of December we fell back to Nashville and took
position.
Our campaign has been short but severe, as much of the
marching and labor was done in the night.
The losses are 1 killed and 5 wounded.
I have the honor to
be, your obedient servant,
E. SOWERS,
Major, Commanding
Regiment. Capt.
HENRY A. HALE,
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. 388
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