No. 188.
Report of Col. William R. Shafter, Seventeenth U. S. Colored Troops,
of operations December 15-16, 1864.
HDQRS. SEVENTEENTH
REGT. U.S. COLORED INFANTRY,
Nashville, Tenn.,
January 30, 1865.
COLONEL: In obedience to your instructions, I have the honor
to report the part taken by the Seventeenth U.S. Colored Infantry in the battle
of Nashville, December 15, 1864, as follows:
On the morning of December 15 I reported to you for duty
with my regiment, in pursuance of orders from Brigadier-General Miller,
commanding post of Nashville, and was by you assigned to the First Provisional
Brigade. At about 7 a.m. I marched out on the Murfreesborough pike about one
mile from the city, and formed line of battle to the right of and parallel with
the pike, the Forty-fourth U.S. Colored Infantry forming on my left, that
regiment being our extreme left. Skirmishers from the Fourteenth U.S. Colored
Infantry reporting the enemy as too strong for them, my regiment, with the
Forty-fourth U.S. Colored Infantry, was ordered to advance and drive the enemy
from his rifle-pits, which was at once done, the two regiments charging to the
railroad, but were prevented from going farther by a deep cut, known as Rains'
Cut. At that time we were at least 100 yards beyond and to the rear of the
enemy's earth-works near Rains' house, and had we been well supported on our
right I think the work could have been taken. As it was, we were soon obliged
to fall back, which was done in rather a disorderly manner. As soon, however,
as we were out of range of the enemy's canister we reformed and were soon
afterward moved around to the right of the enemy's earth-work and took a second
position near Rains' house, where we kept up a sharp skirmish with the enemy
till night, when he withdrew from our immediate front.
The conduct of all my officers was all that I desire, and
from the fact that it was the first time the men had ever been under fire I
think they, too, did well I am satisfied that with practice they would make
good fighters.
My loss was: Commissioned officers, killed, 2; mortally
wounded, 1; badly wounded, 3. Enlisted men, killed, 14; wounded, 64; missing,
none; many of the wounded have since died.
I inclose complete list of killed and wounded.*
I have the honor to
be, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
W. R. SHAFTER,
Colonel Seventeenth U. S. Colored Infantry, Commanding.
Col. THOMAS J. MORGAN,
Fourteenth U. S. Colored
Infantry.
_______________
* Embodied in table, p. 103.
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. 538-9
