No. 140.
Report of Maj. David G. Bowers,
Fifth Tennessee infantry,
of operations November 22-30,
1864.
HDQRS. FIFTH REGT. EAST
TENNESSEE VOL. INFTY.,
Nashville, Tenn.,
December 5, 1864.
SIR: In compliance with circular just received, bearing date
of the present instant, I respectfully submit the following report of the
operations of the Fifth Regiment Tennessee Volunteers, viz:
On the 22d of November, at daylight, I received orders to
march, and took up the line of march from Pulaski, on the Columbia pike, and
arrived at Lynnville at 11 a.m., a distance of twelve miles from Pulaski. At
Lynnville we went into camp, and remained quiet until 1 p.m. November 23, at
which time I received orders from General Cox to report to Colonel Casement,
commanding Second Brigade, Third Division, and at the same time received a
verbal order to report immediately with my regiment on the pike leading to
Columbia. I fell in at the rear of the brigade, and marched until 7 p.m., and
then went into camp, having marched a distance of eleven miles. I received
orders to be ready to march at 5 o'clock on the morning of the 24th, and took
up the line of march at daylight toward Columbia. We arrived at Columbia at 10
a.m. same day, having gone eight miles, and took position to the south of the
town, and received orders to construct works of defense. At 2 p.m. I moved to
the right and to the southwest of the town, and took position in line of
battle, my right resting near the Mount Pleasant pike, and facing to the south.
We there constructed a line of breastworks and sent out skirmishers, who
engaged the enemy. We remained in that position until 7 p.m. on the 25th, when
we received orders to be ready to move at a moment's notice. About 11 p.m. we
moved slowly through the town, and crossed the Duck River; moved up the river
half a mile, and rested for the night. Captain Sparks and thirty men were on
picket, and did not cross the river until the morning of the 27th. On the 26th
one man of Sparks' detail was wounded. On the morning of the 26th we moved in
position, and there remained until the 29th. At 7 p.m. on the 29th we were
ordered into line, and marched out half a mile on the Franklin pike, and took
position behind earthworks to the left of the pike. We remained there half an
hour, and then took up the line of march for Franklin. We arrived at Franklin
at 5 a.m. on the morning of the 30th, having marched twenty-three miles during
the night. Captain Ragle, Company K, and thirty men, brought up the rear of the
brigade from Columbia, and arrived at Franklin about 9 a.m., having lost one
man, who, from fatigue, was left by the way, and probably fell into the hands
of the enemy. On the night of the 29th our wagons were attacked by the enemy,
and one of them burned or destroyed, containing regimental baggage Part of our
baggage, which was sent to Pulaski, by instructions from Colonel Henderson, for
want of transportation, was destroyed on the 23d, including part of the regimental
and company books and papers.
I am, sir, very
respectfully,
DAVID G. BOWERS,
Major, Commanding
Fifth Tennessee Volunteer Infantry.
Capt. C. D. RHODES,
Acting 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. 428-9
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