Tuesday, October 6, 2020

Official Reports of the Campaign in North Alabama and Middle Tennessee, November 14, 1864 — January 23, 1865: No. 187.—Report of Capt. Clarence W. Baker, Fourteenth U.S. Colored Troops, of operations December 2, 1864.

No. 187.

Report of Capt. Clarence W. Baker, Fourteenth U.S. Colored Troops,
of operations December 2, 1864.

CAMP FOURTEENTH U.S. COLORED INFANTRY,
Nashville, Tenn., November [December] —, 1864.

LIEUTENANT: I have herewith the honor to submit a report concerning the conduct and loss of Companies A and D, Fourteenth U.S. Colored Infantry, in action at Stockade No. 2, December 2, 1864.

The train was very unexpectedly fired upon by a rebel battery from a commanding position. The men left the cars hastily, were formed in line, and moved upon the hill in rear of the stockade, subsequently deployed as skirmishers, lying exposed to a heavy fire from artillery and musketry from 11 a.m. until about 6 p.m., when the larger part of the command was drawn in, leaving pickets posted upon the skirmish line held during the day, and throwing up a rude breast-work, with traverses, on two sides of the stockade. Upon a due consultation the evacuation of the place was determined upon, whereat the men were much pleased, expressing themselves as ready to cut through the rebel lines, or, failing, die in the attempt. Fortunately we succeeded in passing through the line of rebel pickets without losing a man in killed or wounded.

Our loss was as follows: Company A, Fourteenth U.S. Colored Infantry—killed, 1 private; wounded, 1 corporal, 2 privates; missing, 1 corporal, 7 privates; total, 2 corporals, 10 privates. Company D, Fourteenth U.S. Colored Infantry—killed, 1 private; wounded, 1 corporal, 1 private; missing, 10 privates; total, 1 corporal, 12 privates. One wounded man from A and 2 wounded from D Company were left in the stockade, unable to be moved.

It is no more than simple justice to say for the men and officers under my command that they behaved admirably and did credit to the regiment.

CLARENCE W. BAKER,                
Capt., 14th U. S. Colored Infty., Comdg. Companies A and D. Lieut.
 JOHN E. CLELAND,
Forty-fourth U.S. Colored Infty., Actg. Asst. Adjt. Gen.

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. 538

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