Sunday, December 8, 2019

Official Reports of the Campaign in North Alabama and Middle Tennessee, November 14, 1864 — January 23, 1865: No. 183. Report of Capt. John M. Benedict, Eighteenth Ohio Infantry, of operations December 15-16, 1864.

No. 183.

Report of Capt. John M. Benedict, Eighteenth Ohio Infantry,
of operations December 15-16, 1864.

HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH OHIO INFANTRY, 
Chattanooga, Tenn., January 20, 1865.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by my regiment in the two days’ battle before Nashville, Tenn., on the 15th and 16th of December, 1864:

In obedience to orders from Lieutenant-Colonel Grosvenor, commanding Third Brigade, First Provisional Division, Army of the Cumberland, the regiment, commanded by Capt. E. Grosvenor, moved out at daylight and took position on the Murfreesborough turnpike near the picket-line. Soon after the fighting commenced the regiment was moved forward in the second line, over an open field, until within a short distance of the enemy's works. There we halted for a short time, and remained under cover until ordered by Lieutenant-Colonel Grosvenor, commanding brigade, to charge and take the rebel works in our front. The regiment charged gallantly under a galling fire up to the works, and succeeded in reaching the interior of the works with near a hundred men, but finally had to fall back on account of not being properly supported on the left. The Second Battalion, Fourteenth Army Corps, started on the charge at the same time, and on the left of my regiment, but at the first volley from the enemy it broke and run from the field in confusion, leaving the enemy to concentrate his whole fire on my regiment. The regiment remained at the works ten or fifteen minutes, when it was ordered by Lieutenant Grant to fall back, which it did, fighting stubbornly as it went. Captain Grosvenor fell dead, pierced by three balls, soon after reaching the works. Lieut. Samuel W. Thomas was also killed at about the same time. When within about forty yards of the works I was struck by a spent ball on the knee, paralyzing my leg and rendering me quite helpless; Captain Grosvenor being killed and myself wounded, the command of the regiment devolved upon Lieut. Charles Grant, next in rank, who deserves great praise for the promptness displayed in bringing the regiment off and reforming it. After the regiment was reformed I was assisted to mount a horse, and commanded the regiment during the rest of the fight. Soon after reforming, the regiment, with the rest of the brigade, was moved to the right, and took position directly in front of Rains’ house. I received orders from Lieutenant-Colonel Grosvenor to push forward a heavy line of skirmishers to annoy and silence, if possible, a rebel battery, situated in the rear of Rains' house, on the west side of the railroad, that was shelling our troops on the right; the skirmish line moved forward, under Lieutenants Grant and Collings, who pushed it rapidly up to Rains’ house; the battery was silenced, and only fired two or three more shots during the afternoon. The regiment remained on the skirmish line until dark, when it was relieved by the colored troops, when we moved back a short distance and bivouacked for the night.

December 16, the enemy fell back during the night. We marched at 7 a.m. over the battle-field of the day before; our dead that had been left on the field had been stripped of their clothing by the enemy and left exposed on the open field. We moved across the Nolensville pike and found the enemy strongly posted on Overton Hill, near the Franklin pike. My regiment took position in the second line, west of the railroad and near the foot of Overton Hill. At about 4 p.m. the order was given to assault the enemy, strongly posted on the hill. We moved forward at double-quick, through a small piece of woods with thick underbrush, and across an open corn-field, under a very heavy fire of grape and canister. When within about 100 yards of the enemy's works the line was halted, and remained under cover in a small ravine until ordered to fall back. Just as the command was halted I received a very painful wound in the mouth, which made it necessary for me to leave the field. I turned over the command of the regiment to Lieut. Charles Grant, who commanded during the rest of the campaign.

The regiment, composed of different detachments hastily thrown together but a short time before the battle, fought nobly. The officers and soldiers, without an exception, deserve great praise for their soldierly endurance throughout the two days' fight. I wish to speak briefly of the gallantry and soldierly qualities of Captain Grosvenor and Lieutenant Thomas, who died so nobly at the head of their commands; they were both brave and efficient officers.

Lieut. J. B. Emery was severely wounded on the first day while bravely leading his command against the enemy's works. Lieutenants Grant, Collings, and Lynch deserve special mention for the promptness in which they obeyed all my orders. Lieut. D. M. Bates, acting adjutant, rendered me invaluable service during the campaign; he is a good and worthy officer, and deserves promotion. Lieut. R. B. Chappell, acting regimental quartermaster, although not in the fight, rendered me very valuable assistance; by his untiring energy the command was well supplied with rations and ammunition at all times during the fight.

Owing to the scarcity of officers several companies were necessarily commanded by sergeants. Those who distinguished themselves as such are Sergts. B. F. Davis, Company A; Jerome F. Fry, Company C; James G. Irwin, Second Ohio; and Henry Carr, Twenty-fourth Ohio. They are all good soldiers and deserve promotion.

To Sergt. William H. Emrick, Thirty-fifth Ohio, I owe especial thanks for his assistance in helping me off the field when wounded in the first day's fight.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. M. BENEDICT,     
Captain, Commanding Regiment.
Lieut. E. P. JOHNSON,
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. 529-31

No comments: