No. 158.
Report of Capt. Stephen H. Julian, Battery I, Second Missouri Light
Artillery,
of operations December 15-16, 1864.
Official report of the part taken by Battery I, Second
Missouri Light Artillery, in the battles fought before Nashville, Tenn.,
December 15 and 16, 1864:
On the morning of the 15th of December, 1864, I was ordered,
with my battery, to follow the Third Brigade, First Division, Detachment Army
of the Tennessee, which was done, until I had marched about three miles from
our camps, where the enemy was found in three different forts, with a heavy
line of skirmishers to oppose our advance. I ordered my battery forward about
100 yards in advance of our line of skirmishers and came in action on a hill in
an open field under the fire of the enemy's line of skirmishers and the fire
from three rebel batteries — one immediately in my front, about 1,200 yards
distant; one on my left, 1,500 yards; and one still farther on my left, 2,000
yards distant. In the morning Lieutenant Davis was detached as an aide-de-camp
to Colonel Hill, commanding Third Brigade, First Division, Detachment Army of
the Tennessee. Section commanders were as follows: Lieut. Philip Lynch
commanded the right section; Lieut. William J. Williams, the center section;
Sergt. R. D. O. Nicholson, the left section. When I came in action I found the
enemy's sharpshooters to be very annoying, as well as the firing of their
artillery from the different forts on my left and center. I ordered Lieutenant
Lynch, commanding the right section, to direct his fire on the fort immediately
in my front, and Lieutenant Williams, who commanded the center section, to fire
on a regiment of rebel infantry that was advancing to support the rebel battery
in my front. The third round he fired the shells were seen exploding amidst the
enemy's ranks, which sent them on double-quick into their fortifications.
Sergeant Nicholson, commanding the left section, was ordered to fire on a line
of sharpshooters that was posted about 300 yards to my left in a brush thicket.
The third round he fired they were seen running in great disorder in the
direction of their fortifications. After I had driven the enemy's sharpshooters
and infantry into their works, I directed my whole battery but the sixth piece
to fire on the fort immediately in my front. The sixth piece fired on the rebel
battery on my left; the firing was continued for two hours, when the fort was
charged in my front and captured, together with four pieces of artillery and a
number of prisoners. I then moved by the left flank and gained an eminence
about 600 yards from the fort on the left of my first position, and came in
action with my whole battery. The enemy only replied three times. After I
brought my battery into position I held the fort silent for one hour, when the
infantry charged and captured it. I then advanced my battery immediately in
rear of the infantry about half a mile, and bivouacked for the night.
At 4 o'clock December 16, 1864, we moved forward about
three-quarters of a mile and found the enemy strongly fortified. Lieutenant
Lynch was detached as an acting aide-de-camp to Colonel Marshall, commanding
Third Brigade, First Division, Detachment Army of the Tennessee, vice Colonel
Hill, killed on the 15th. Lieutenant Davis commanded the right section; Lieutenant
Williams, the center section; Sergeant Nicholson, the left section. I advanced
my battery to within 400 yards of the enemy's works and to the left of the
Granny White pike, and came in action under the fire of four rebel batteries
and large number of sharpshooters. The fire at first appeared to be
concentrated upon my battery, on account of its being in advance of the other
artillery and nearest the enemy's works. This concentrated firing did not last
long, as the batteries, both on my right and left, soon moved up and came in
position and attracted the attention of the rebel batteries from my battery. I
kept up a continuous fire until 3 p.m., when order was given for the infantry
to charge the rebel works, which was done with success and honor to the Army of
the Tennessee.
Ammunition expended on the 15th and 16th was 2,200 rounds.
Casualties: Private William Lee, wounded in left ankle;
Privates William J. Simmons and Robert W. Williams, powder burnt.
In conclusion, let me say that the officers and men of my
command behaved with gallantry.
Very respectfully,
your obedient servant,
S. H. JULIAN,
Captain Battery I,
Second Missouri Light Artillery.
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. 471-2
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