Saturday, October 26, 2019

Official Reports of the Campaign in North Alabama and Middle Tennessee, November 14, 1864 — January 23, 1865: No. 176. Report of Col. Lyman M. Ward, Fourteenth Wisconsin Infantry, commanding First Brigade, of operations December 15-16, 1864.

No. 176.

Report of Col. Lyman M. Ward, Fourteenth Wisconsin Infantry, commanding First Brigade,
of operations December 15-16, 1864.

HEADQUARTERS FIRST BRIGADE, THIRD DIVISION,                   
DETACHMENT ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE,  
In the Field, December 21, 1864.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by my command in the recent battle near Nashville:

On the morning of the 15th instant left camp, on the right of the line of fortifications at Nashville, and moved out with the division on the Hardin pike. About 1.30 p.m. I was directed to report with my command to Brigadier-General McArthur, as support to an assaulting column, which I did at once, but was unable to reach the position assigned me until just after the fort assaulted had been carried. By order of General McArthur I moved my brigade up to the works just carried, to hold them against any attempt the enemy might make to recapture them. I remained in this position until about 4 o'clock, when I rejoined the Third Division by direction of General McArthur and was immediately ordered to advance upon a large force of the enemy strongly posted behind a stone wall on the Hillsborough pike. My command advanced in good order across an intervening open field. The enemy was apparently much demoralized, making but feeble resistance to our advance, and breaking and retreating in confusion before our line had reached his position. My brigade captured 280 prisoners in this affair.

In this connection I would make special mention of Company A, Thirty-third Wisconsin Infantry (deployed as skirmishers in front of the brigade), by whose bravery and rapid movement the number of prisoners captured was greatly augmented. The Thirty-third Wisconsin Infantry, Lieutenant-Colonel Lovell commanding, on the right, kept a good line while advancing over the worst of ground, and behaved handsomely, as did the Fourteenth Wisconsin and Seventy-second Illinois Infantry.

From this time until the close of the battle, on the evening of the 16th, the operations of my brigade are identical with those of the division.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
L. M. WARD,            
Colonel Fourteenth Wisconsin Infantry, Commanding.
 Capt. J. H. WETMORE, 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. 501

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