No. 137.
Report of Lieut. Col. W. Scott Stewart, Sixty-fifth Illinois Infantry,
of operations November 22-30, 1864.
HDQRS. SIXTY-FIFTH
ILLINOIS VETERAN VOL. INFANTRY,
Nashville, Tenn.,
December 6, 1864.
CAPTAIN: In accordance with circular of December 5, I hereby
have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of the
Sixty-fifth Illinois from November 22 to November 30, 1864:
The regiment left Pulaski, Tenn., on the 22d day of
November, at 7 a.m., marched seven miles, and went into camp near Lynnville;
the next day it broke camp at 1 p.m., and marched about eight miles on the road
toward Columbia; the march was continued early on the 24th, and the regiment
arrived at Columbia at about noon, when it immediately took up position south
of the city and intrenched strongly. At 11 o'clock the following day the
regiment was ordered out on picket duty, and was posted as reserve of the
skirmish line, behind a protecting rail breast-work. Shortly after the regiment
was in position the enemy advanced in force, but he was checked as soon as the
front was cleared from our retiring skirmishers by our promptly delivered fire.
The enemy not deeming further attempt to advance his infantry prudent, brought
his artillery into position, and the regiment was exposed to a severe fire from
the front and the right flank. The rail fence proved to be a pernicious
position, for the regiment crowded behind it, and to prevent a useless and
great loss of life, the order was given to retire. With the loss of 1 officer
and 3 men wounded (severely) and 1 private killed, the regiment fell about
seventy-five yards back, under the shelter of the hill crest. The line was
immediately established, and Companies B, G, and K, under command of Capt. R.
S. Montgomery, advanced as skirmishers into the old position behind the rail
breast-work. After dark the regiment, in compliance with received orders,
marched back to camp, leaving the above-mentioned detachment on the skirmish
line. It crossed the Duck River the same night, and went into camp one mile and
a half north of Columbia early on the morning of the 26th. Companies B, G, K
held, according to orders, their position against the enemy's pressing infantry
and most destructive artillery, and at 7 o'clock on the 26th of November, after
having lost more than one-third of their number, the companies retired in good
order and fell back to the first line of breast-works, where they remained
until the 27th of November; they crossed the river after dark and joined late
at night the regiment. The regiment remained in camp until the 29th, when it in
the evening resumed the march, and arrived at Franklin early in the morning of
the 30th; distance, twenty-five miles.*
Very respectfully,
your obedient servant,
W. S. STEWART,
Lieutenant-Colonel,
Commanding Sixty-fifth Illinois.
Capt. C. D. RHODES,
Actg. Asst. Adjt. Gen., 2d
Brig., 3d Div., 23d Army Corps.
_______________
* Nominal list of casualties, on file, shows 3 men killed, 3
officers an 15 men wounded, and 5 men missing during the month of November,
1864.
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. 426
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