Official Reports of the Campaign in North Alabama and Middle Tennessee, November 14, 1864 — January 23, 1865: No. 191. — Report of Col. Charles R. Thompson, Twelfth U. S Colored Troops, commanding Second Colored Brigade, of operations December 7, 1864-January 15, 1865.

No. 191.

Report of Col. Charles R. Thompson, Twelfth U. S Colored Troops,

commanding Second Colored Brigade, of operations December 7, 1864-January 15, 1865. 

HDQRS. TROOPS ON NASHVILLE AND NORTHWESTERN R. R., 

Kingston Springs, Tenn., February 24, 1865. 

MAJOR: I have the honor to transmit the following report of the action of my command during the past campaign:

 On the 7th day of December I reported to Major-General Steedman, in accordance with verbal orders received from department headquarters, and by his directions placed my brigade in line near the city graveyard, the right resting on College street, and the left on the right of Colonel Harrison's brigade, where we threw up two lines of rifle-pits. On the 11th of December made a reconnaissance, by order of the general commanding, to see if the enemy were still in our front. Two hundred men, under command of Col. John A. Hottenstein, pressed the enemy's picket-line and reserves to their main line of works, where they were found to be in force. The object of the reconnaissance having been accomplished we retired to our position in line by the direction of the major-general commanding. This was the first time that any of my troops had skirmished with an enemy, and their conduct was entirely satisfactory. On the 13th of December, by order of the general commanding, I reported to Colonel Malloy, commanding brigade, Provisional Division, District of the Etowah, to make a reconnaissance on the east side of the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad, to see if the enemy was still in force in that vicinity. The Thirteenth Regiment U. S. Colored Infantry was deployed as skirmishers, and the Twelfth and One hundredth Regiments U.S. Colored Infantry were held in reserve in line. We advanced from the Murfreesborough pike, with the skirmishers of Colonel Malloy's brigade connecting with my left, and drove the enemy's picket and reserves to their main line, after a somewhat stubborn resistance, on the grounds of Mr. Rains. The enemy were there in full force, and sharp firing was kept up as long as we remained there, which was until nearly dark. We retired to our position in line, but not without loss. Capt. Robert Headen, of Company E, Twelfth U.S. Colored Infantry, was mortally wounded while on the skirmish line pushing his company forward under a heavy fire from the enemy's earth-works; several men, also, were killed and wounded.

On the 15th of December, by directions received from the major-general commanding, I moved my command at 6 a.m. to assault the enemy's works between the railroad and the Nolensville pike. So that the movement might be made more rapidly I moved the two regiments, which were to be in the first line (the Thirteenth and One hundredth U.S. Colored Infantry), under cover of the railroad bank, and placed them in column of company, side by side, and awaited the opening of the battle, which was to be done by Colonel Morgan, on the left. As soon as his guns were heard I moved across the railroad, the reserve regiment (the Twelfth U.S. Colored Infantry) passing in the rear through a culvert and wheeling into line charged and took the works in our front. The enemy were evidently expecting us to move to the left of the railroad, as their artillery was moved to meet us there and was not opened on us until we had gained the works and were comparatively well protected. My orders being to await there the orders of the general commanding, my command was kept in the same position during the day, except making slight changes in the direction of the line to protect the men from an enfilading fire. Sharp firing was kept up between the skirmishers, and considerable artillery ammunition expended. The section of the Twentieth Indiana Battery, commanded by Lieutenant York, who was wounded, and afterward by Lieutenant Stevenson, did excellent execution, and drove the enemy's battery opposing it from their positions which it took to operate against us. During the night we strengthened our rifle-pits and threw up an earth-work for the protection of the artillery, which had been much exposed during the day to the fire of the enemy's sharpshooters.

At daylight on the morning of December 16, indications that the enemy had left our front being apparent, I sent my skirmishers forward, and found the rifle-pits occupied by the enemy's sharpshooters vacant. By direction of the general commanding I then sent the skirmish line to the hill south and about one mile from the one we had taken the day previous. Finding no enemy there the whole command was ordered forward. We marched about one mile and a half toward the south, and then moved in a westerly direction, my left connecting with the right of Colonel Morgan's brigade. We halted on the hill east of the Tennessee and Alabama Railroad until the general commanding could communicate with the right of the army. When this was done I was ordered to move to the east of the Franklin pike and connect with the left of General Wood's (Fourth) corps. This was done without material damage, though the enemy opened on us from two batteries on Overton Hill. Immediately upon getting my command into position I reported the fact to General Wood, who said he was about to make a charge, and desired me to support his left. At about 3 p.m. his command started, and after they had proceeded about forty yards I moved. The left regiment (the Twelfth U.S. Colored Infantry) was obliged to move about eighty yards in column, as there was a dense briar thicket on the left, which it could not penetrate. After passing this thicket it was my intention to halt the command until I could see what was on General Wood's left and how it would be best to charge the works. The deploying of the Twelfth Regiment at double-quick caused the other regiments to think that a charge had been ordered, and they immediately started at double-quick. Being under a heavy fire at the time, I thought it would cause much confusion to rectify this, so I ordered the whole line to charge. The One hundredth Regiment was somewhat broken by trees, which had been felled. The Twelfth Regiment U.S. Colored Infantry and the left wing of the One hundredth Regiment U.S. Colored Infantry passed to the left of the enemy's works, they making a sharp angle there. This gave the enemy an enfilading and rear fire on this portion of the command. It being impossible to change front under the withering fire, and there being no works in front of them, I gave orders for that portion of the command to move by the left flank to the shelter of a small hill a short distance off, there to reorganize. The right wing of the One hundredth Regiment moved forward with the left of the Fourth Corps, and was repulsed with them. The Thirteenth U.S. Colored Infantry, which was the second line of my command, pushed forward of the whole line, and some of the men mounted the parapet, but, having no support on the right, were forced to retire. These troops were here for the first time under such a fire as veterans dread, and yet, side by side with the veterans of Stone's River, Missionary Ridge, and Atlanta, they assaulted probably the strongest works on the entire line, and, though not successful, they vied with the old warriors in bravery, tenacity, and deeds of noble daring. The loss in the brigade was over twenty-five per cent. of the number engaged, and the loss was sustained in less than thirty minutes. While reorganizing my command the troops on the right had broken the enemy's line, which caused them to retreat from Overton Hill. The enemy on Overton Hill was considerably re-enforced during the attack, on account of the firmness of the assault, and which naturally weakened the enemy's left and made it easier for our troops to break their line at that point. Under orders from the general commanding we moved down the Franklin pike, and bivouacked on the left of the army.

December 17, we marched to the north bank of the Harpeth River, opposite Franklin, in pursuit of the enemy. December 18, marched about three miles south of Franklin, where orders reached us to return to Franklin and from there to move to Murfreesborough. We arrived in Murfreesborough on the 20th of December, at about noon, the men completely worn down, having accomplished by far the hardest march that I ever experienced. The rain had fallen almost constantly, and every brook had overflown its banks and assumed the proportions of a river. The mud was ankle deep, and when we arrived at Murfreesborough over fifty per cent. of the command were in need of shoes. On the 23d of December, 1864, moved from Murfreesborough by rail, and on the 26th of December disembarked from the cars about nine miles east of Decatur, Ala., and moved within a mile of the Tennessee River, near the mouth of Flint River. Was placed in command of the Second Provisional Division, consisting of the First and Second Colored Brigades and Reserve Brigade. On the 27th, in accordance with orders from the general commanding, I moved my command to the river and embarked them on transports. We were landed on the opposite shore, and a bridge which had been prepared was thrown across a lagoon, which still separated us from the main shore, by the men of the Eighteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Too much praise cannot be given to this regiment for the skill and energy displayed in the laying of this bridge. Skirmishers were sent across this lagoon immediately upon landing, and in wading the water was up to their necks. Before noon the whole command was across and I pushed it forward, driving the enemy before until I reached a point at which I had been directed to halt and await further orders from the general commanding. From information received from citizens I was sure that there was not more than 200 cavalry at Decatur, and so informed the general commanding. General Cruft, with the First Provisional Division, having crossed the river and lagoon, came up and joined my right. We then moved forward into Decatur with but little resistance. We moved from Decatur on the 28th of December with the whole command, and arrived at Courtland on the 30th of December. On the 31st, in accordance with directions from the general commanding, I started with my division from Courtland to proceed as far as La Grange and Leighton, to support the cavalry under Colonel Palmer, that had gone to destroy the train of the enemy. Moved on this day as far as Town Creek, where we found it necessary to build a bridge, which was done with great dispatch by the Eighteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. We moved from Town Creek at 4 a.m. January 1, 1865, and arrived at Leighton at 9 a.m. Sent Col. John A. Hottenstein, with the Second Brigade Colored Troops, to La Grange, with orders to take post there and find out all he could about Colonel Palmer, and to communicate to me any information that he might receive. On the 2d received orders from the general commanding to move east with my command and rejoin him at Courtland. I started immediately, but at Town Creek received orders directing me to send one brigade to Leighton, and with the others to remain where the order reached me until Colonel Palmer was heard from. In compliance with this order I went into bivouac with the First and Second Brigades Colored Troops and sent the Reserve Brigade to Leighton. On the 4th of January received orders to move to Courtland, as Colonel Palmer had been heard from and was on his way to Decatur, having destroyed the pontoon and another of the enemy's trains. On arriving at Courtland found that the general commanding, with the First Division, had gone to Decatur, orders having been left for me to follow with my command. On the 5th moved to within four miles of Decatur, where I received orders to move with my old command (the Second Brigade Colored Troops) to Nashville, Tenn. On the 6th of January moved to the terminus of the railroad opposite Decatur and waited transportation. On the 7th sent the Twelfth Regiment off, and on the 8th started for Nashville with the Thirteenth and One hundredth Regiments. On arriving at Larkinsville found that the rebel General Lyon had cut the road, and was sent in pursuit of him by General Cruft, who was at Larkinsville. Moved to Scottsborough on the morning of the 9th, and found that Lyon had gone toward the Tennessee River. In conjunction with Colonel Malloy's brigade started in pursuit on the Guntersville road. On the 10th overtook Mitchell's brigade and marched to Law's Landing, where, by order of General Cruft, I took post. On the 11th I received orders to return to Larkinsville, as Lyon had escaped across the Tennessee River. Arrived at Larkinsville on the evening of the 12th, and loaded troops the next evening (13th) and started for Nashville, at which place we arrived at 4 p.m. on the 15th day of January, 1865.

The conduct of the troops during the whole campaign was most soldierly and praiseworthy. Before making the assault on the enemy's works the knapsacks of the troops comprising the Second Brigade were laid aside, and after the works were taken, being ordered to go in pursuit, these were left, and without blankets or any extra clothing, and more than one-half the time without fifty good shoes in the whole brigade, this whole campaign was made with a most cheerful spirit existing. For six days rations were not issued, yet vigorous pursuit was made after the rebel General Lyon.

To Col. John A. Hottenstein, Thirteenth U.S. Colored Infantry, commanding Second Brigade Colored Troops, Colonel Morgan, Fourteenth U.S. Colored Infantry, commanding First Brigade U.S. Colored Troops, and Col. Felix Prince Salm, Sixty-eighth New York Volunteer Infantry, commanding Reserve Brigade, my thanks are due, and are warmly given, for their promptness to answer every call and for their great assistance to me in helping to lighten the heavy responsibility that chance had thrown upon me.

Of the officers of my staff—Capt. Henry A. Norton, Twelfth U.S. Colored Infantry, acting assistant inspector general; Lieut. George W. Fitch, Twelfth U.S. Colored Infantry, acting assistant quartermaster, wounded by the enemy after having been taken prisoner while taking stores to the command; Lieut. William H. Wildey, Twelfth U.S. Colored Infantry, ordnance officer; Lieut. John D. Reilly, Thirteenth U.S. Colored Infantry, acting aide-de-camp; Lieut. Thomas L. Sexton, Twelfth U.S. Colored Infantry, acting assistant adjutant-general; Lieut. D. A. Grosvenor, One hundredth U.S. Colored Infantry, acting aide-de-camp, who, after having been wounded in three places, took the colors of his regiment from close to the enemy's earth-works, the color-bearer having been killed; and Lieut. R. G. Sylvester, Twelfth U.S. Colored Infantry, commissary of subsistence of the brigade--I cannot speak too highly; uniting in the performance of their several duties, and on the field anxious to do the cause service in the most dangerous places, they richly deserve the thanks of the country.

To the glorious dead we drop a tear, and while we cannot but deeply regret the great loss, not only we, their companions, but the country has sustained, we could not wish them more honorable graves. The conscientious, brave, and high-minded Capt. Robert Headen, the gallant Lieut. Dennis Dease, the gentle, but firm and untiring Lieut. D. Grant Cooke, of the Twelfth U.S. Colored Infantry, the two former receiving their death wounds while leading their men against their country's and freedom's foe, the latter butchered by the savage enemy while performing his duties as regimental quartermaster taking supplies to his command, we can never forget as friends, and their positions can hardly be refilled.

In the deaths of Lieut. John M. Woodruff, Lieut. George Taylor, Lieut. L. L. Parks, and Lieut. James A. Isom, of the Thirteenth U.S. Colored Infantry, the service has lost brave and efficient officers, the country patriots, and humanity friends; they all fell close to the enemy's works, leading their brave men.

The loss of the brigade is as follows: 

	Officers.	Men.	Aggregate.
Killed	7	73	80
Wounded	12	376	388
Missing	....	1	1
Total.	19	450	469

All of which is respectfully submitted.

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

CHAS. R. THOMPSON, 

Colonel Twelfth U.S. Colored Infantry, Commanding Brigade.

Maj. S. B. MOE,

Assistant Adjutant-General, District of the Etowah.

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. 542-6

Official Reports of the Campaign in North Alabama and Middle Tennessee, November 14, 1864 — January 23, 1865: No. 189. — Report of Maj. Lewis D. Joy, Eighteenth U. S. Colored Troops, of operations December 15-16, 1864.

No. 189.

Report of Maj. Lewis D. Joy, Eighteenth U. S. Colored Troops,

of operations December 15-16, 1864.

HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH U. S. COLORED INFANTRY,                   

Bridgeport, Ala., January 17, 1865.

SIR: I hereby have the honor to make report of the part taken by the detachment of the Eighteenth U.S. Colored Infantry, under my command, at the battles before Nashville, December 15 and 16, 1864.

On the 15th we were ordered by Colonel Morgan, commanding colored brigade, to the support of a section of the Twentieth Indiana Battery, which position we occupied during the day, having one man wounded while changing position from the brick house on the extreme lest of the line. That night 100 men, in charge of First Lieut. George J. Drew, Company B of our regiment, were engaged in throwing; up earth-works at Camp Foster for the protection of the battery. On the morning of the 16th crossed to the west of the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad with the battery, and marched out on the pike west of that road until ordered to form connection with the Seventeenth U.S. Colored Infantry. Afterward reported to Colonel Shafter, Seventeenth U.S. Colored Infantry, and then to Lieutenant-Colonel Grosvenor, Eighteenth Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry, by order of Colonel Morgan. When the final charge was ordered on Overton Hill, at 4 p.m., we were ordered to take position on the left of Colonel Thompson's brigade in the first line, but having to pass through a thick mass of brush while the brigade was marching in open ground we failed to make the connection, and as the brigade continued obliquing to the left in our front, we did not regain our position during the charge. After the repulse of the first charge we reformed and took position on the right of the Seventeenth U.S. Colored Infantry, throwing up breast-works of rails for our protection, and there remained until the enemy were driven from the field.

I inclose list of killed, wounded, and missing during the two days' battle.*

Five men of my command who went through the fight in safety have since died from the effects of the severe exposure to which we were subjected, and two of my best officers were not expected to live, but I believe are now recovering.

Very respectfully, yours,

L. D. JOY,                 

Major Eighteenth U.S. Colored Infantry, Comdg. Detachment.

 Lieut. J. E. CLELAND,

            Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, First Colored Brigade,

Major-general Steedman's Division, Army of the Cumberland.

_______________

* 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. 539-40

Official Reports of the Campaign in North Alabama and Middle Tennessee, November 14, 1864 — January 23, 1865: No. 186. — Report of Col. Thomas J. Morgan, Fourteenth U. S. Colored Troops, commanding First Colored Brigade, of operations November 29, 1864-January 12, 1865.

No. 186.

Report of Col. Thomas J. Morgan, Fourteenth U. S. Colored Troops, commanding

First Colored Brigade, of operations November 29, 1864-January 12, 1865.

CHATTANOOGA, TENN., January 16, 1865.

MAJOR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by the forces under my command in the recent campaign:

On November 29, 1864, by order of Major-General Steedman I assumed command of the Fourteenth U.S. Colored Infantry, Lieutenant-Colonel Corbin, the Sixteenth U.S. Colored Infantry, Col. William B. Gaw, and the Forty-fourth U.S. Colored Infantry, Col. L. Johnson, at Chattanooga, Tenn., and proceeded by railroad to Cowan, Tenn., and thence by railroad to Nashville, Tenn., reaching there with the Sixteenth and the main portion of the Fourteenth Regiments U.S. Colored Infantry on the 1st day of December, 1864. Col. L. Johnson, with the Forty-fourth U.S. Colored Infantry, and Capt. C. W. Baker, with Companies A and D of the Fourteenth U.S. Colored Infantry, occupied the rear section of the train which was transporting General Steedman's command to Nashville, Tenn. Seven miles north of Murfreesborough a train containing artillery and horses ran off the track and stopped the progress of the rear train, which, for some reason unexplained, was taken back to Murfreesborough with troops on board, a guard being left with the wrecked cars. During the night a construction train from Nashville removed the wreck and brought the remaining cars, horses, artillery, and guard, at an early hour on the 2d ultimo, to Nashville. At 8 a.m. 2d ultimo Colonel Johnson again started for Nashville, but when near Mill Creek he was attacked by a rebel cavalry command under General Forrest. The fight that ensued was quite creditable to the forces under Colonel Johnson. Colonel Johnson and Captain Baker are entitled to credit for the skill with which they fought and baffled the enemy and brought out their commands. I append the reports of those officers concerning this affair, marked A, B.¹ During the 2d ultimo the portion of the brigade with me, conforming to the movements of General Cruft, occupied the extreme left of the first line of battle, formed near house of Robert Rains, and constructed in its front, hastily, a line of defense, a breast-work of rails and earth with a light palisade in front. On the 3d this line was abandoned and a new line established nearer the city, where the brigade, increased by the return of Colonel Johnson and Captain Baker and the addition of a battalion of the Eighteenth U.S. Colored Infantry, under Major L. D. Joy, took position near the residence of Maj. William B. Lewis. On December 5 and 7 reconnaissances were made by the brigade, in conjunction with other troops, and the enemy were found to occupy the first line of works built by General Steedman near Rains' house; each day the enemy was driven from the left of their works, with slight loss to us. On the 5th one lieutenant and seven enlisted men of the enemy were captured by this brigade. A citizen living near the Murfreesborough pike was killed by a member of Company B, Sixteenth U.S. Colored Infantry. The report of Colonel Gaw concerning this is inclosed, marked C.² The conduct of officers and men on those occasions, save the misconduct of Colonel Gaw, which was reported at the time, was, so far as came under my observation, good. The coolness of the enlisted men under fire was especially gratifying to me.

On the night of the 14th of December orders were received to move at daybreak to make a demonstration upon the left, to occupy our first line of works, near Rains' house, if practicable, and to strongly menace the enemy's right to prevent the moving of his troops to resist the advance of the right of [the] Federal army when the main attack was to be made. On the evening of the 14th Colonel Gaw, by unsoldierly process, succeeded in getting his regiment taken from the First Brigade and ordered to a safer place in the rear. An excellent regiment, the Seventeenth U.S. Colored Infantry, under a brave and gallant officer, Colonel Shafter, reported to me instead of the Sixteenth. Lieutenant-Colonel Grosvenor, commanding brigade of white troops, reported to me, and remained with me during the two days’ battle. I inclose Colonel Grosvenor's report of the part taken by his command.³ A section of artillery from Captain Osborne's (Twentieth Indiana) battery likewise was put under my charge. In company with my adjutant-general, during the night of the 14th ultimo, I visited the picket-line near the enemy's work, which it was designed to attack on morning of the 15th. The Murfreesborough pike at this point runs a little east of south, nearly parallel with Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad. The line of works was built almost at right angles with these roads. We ascertained from the pickets that the rebels had been at work actively during the afternoon with the spade, and their line of fires extended well toward the south. I concluded that a curtain had been built to protect the flank of the work, and that a line of rifle-pits had been made on the ground marked by the fires, and that if these rifle-pits could be carried and a column pushed well to the rear, the works near Rains’ house would become untenable and the ground east of Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad be given up to us with little loss. Accordingly, on the morning of the 15th, when the fog, which lay like a winding sheet over the two armies, began to disappear, I moved my command out upon the Murfreesborough pike and disposed it as follows: The Fourteenth Colored Infantry was deployed in front as skirmishers; the Seventeenth and Forty-fourth Colored Infantry were formed in line of battle in rear of Fourteenth, and given in charge of Colonel Shafter, of the Seventeenth; the section of Captain Osborne's (Twentieth Indiana) battery was supported by the battalion Eighteenth U.S. Colored Infantry, Maj. L. D. Joy; Colonel Grosvenor was directed to send one battalion of his command to guard the left flank and to hold the remainder of his command in rear of Colonel Shafter. The artillery then opened upon the enemy, and the lines moved forward. The Fourteenth advanced until they drew a severe fire, when Colonel Shafter was ordered to carry the rifle-pits, which he did handsomely, killing, wounding, capturing, or driving away the enemy from his front. He pushed forward until he reached the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad, when he was met by a destructive fire at short range from a battery planted on the opposite side of a deep cut made by railroad. Seeing that Colonel Shafter had carried the line in his front, and that the enemy still held their position on his right, I ordered up to his support the reserve of Colonel Grosvenor. This command carried a portion of the line, but was quickly compelled to return, with severe loss, by reason of musketry fire on its right flank. What I had thought to be a mere curtain, proved to be a rude but strong lunette, with ditch in front and heavy head-logs on top of parapet, forming a very safe cover for Granbury's brigade, which occupied it. About the time of the repulse of Colonel Grosvenor Colonel Shafter was compelled to withdraw his line from the range of the artillery. The entire command was then withdrawn, by order of General Steedman, and moved to the north of Rains' house. A strong skirmish line, connecting on the right, at the railroad, with Colonel Thompson's command, advanced very close to the enemy's line. Sharpshooters loop-holed a dwelling-house and outbuildings and silenced the enemy. Thus the day wore away; the general's purpose, as communicated to me the night previous, had been accomplished; the enemy had been deceived, and, in expectation of a real advance upon his right, had detained his troops there, while his left was being disastrously driven back. The troops under my command have, as a whole, behaved well, and if they failed to accomplish all I expected it was my fault, not theirs; I was deceived as to the character of the work built by the enemy on the 14th. Could I have known the exact nature of the work, the troops would have carried it by a direct assault from the north side, with perhaps less loss than was sustained. During the night of the 15th the enemy retired from our front.

On the 16th my command, by order of General Steedman, crossed the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad, the Nolensville pike, and the Tennessee and Alabama Railroad, skirmishing with and driving the enemy. At an early hour in the afternoon the command joined the left of Colonel Thompson and confronted Overton Hill. Colonel Grosvenor was ordered to join the left of Second Colored Brigade and conform to its movements.  He thus took part in the first assault upon Overton Hill. Colonel Shafter, with Seventeenth, was in echelon to rear of Grosvenor; Lieutenant-Colonel Corbin, with Fourteenth, was directed to support and protect the artillery; Colonel Johnson, Forty-fourth, was directed to guard the left. Captain Osborne's (Twentieth Indiana) battery and Captain Aleshire's (Eighteenth Ohio) battery kept up an incessant fire upon the enemy, and did excellent work. Subsequently the Fourteenth U.S. Colored Infantry was deployed as skirmishers in front of the artillery and directly facing the enemy's works, where they kept and received a brisk fire. When the first assault upon the hill failed the assaulting column retired in disorder, passing through my skirmish line without shaking it. At one time I thought and so reported that the line was being forced back, but it was not true. The line remained; did its work amid the confusion that followed the repulse. When the Sixty-eighth Indiana struck this line they asked what regiment. Being answered, Fourteenth, they cried, “Bully for you; we'll stay with you,” and they did. I assisted Colonel Thompson in reforming his broken lines. When the final assault was being made upon Overton Hill the forces under me moved forward and joined in the pursuit of the enemy, which followed as far as Franklin, Tenn. Subsequently the First Colored Brigade, as part of Second Provisional Division, accompanied the expedition toward Tuscumbia, Ala., going as far as Leighton, Ala. On its return it joined General Cruft's forces in the fruitless chase after General Lyon's rebel cavalry. The brigade was disbanded January 12, 1865.

Colonel Shafter, Seventeenth, acquitted himself well, is cool and brave, and a good disciplinarian. Lieutenant-Colonel Corbin, Fourteenth U.S. Colored Infantry, does not possess sufficient courage to command brave men.⁴ Captain Baker in reality commanded the Fourteenth U.S. Colored Infantry in the battle of the 15th and 16th, and acquitted himself with great credit. He is brave, cool, untiring, and deserves promotion. Lieutenant-Colonel Grosvenor obeyed every order with promptness, and is a good soldier. To each member of my staff, Lieutenants Cleland and Hall, Forty-fourth U.S. Colored Infantry, Wadsworth and Dickinson, Sixteenth U.S. Colored infantry, and Wyrill, Fourteenth U.S. Colored Infantry, I am indebted for the promptness with which they carried out my desires, exposing themselves cheerfully to necessary danger. The wounded of the First Colored Brigade were faithfully cared for by Surgeon Clemons, Seventeenth U.S. Colored Infantry, Surgeon Strong, Forty-fourth U.S. Colored Infantry, and Assistant Surgeon Oleson, Fourteenth U.S. Colored Infantry.

I have as yet received no reports from battalion commanders and no lists of casualties; these will be forwarded as soon as received.

I am, major, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

THOS. J. MORGAN,            

Colonel Fourteenth U. S. Colored Infantry.

 Maj. S. B. MOE,

            Asst. Adjt. Gen., District of the Etowah.

_______________

¹ See pp. 540, 538.

² Not found.

³ See p. 526.

⁴ Colonel Corbin was subsequently tried before a general court-martial on the charge of “cowardice” and “misbehavior before the enemy,” &c.; was found not guilty, and “most honorably” acquitted.  Vide General Orders, No. 6, headquarters First Separate Divion, Army of the Cumberland, March 14, 1865.

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. 534-8

Official Reports of the Campaign in North Alabama and Middle Tennessee, November 14, 1864 — January 23, 1865: No. 184. Report of Capt. Milton A. Osborne, Twentieth Battery Indiana Light Artillery, of operations December 15-16, 1864.

No. 184.

Report of Capt. Milton A. Osborne, Twentieth Battery Indiana Light Artillery,

of operations December 15-16, 1864.

HEADQUARTERS TWENTIETH INDIANA BATTERY,                       

Murfreesborough, Tenn., December 20, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to make the following report of the part taken by the Twentieth Indiana Battery in the engagement near Nashville, Tenn., on the 15th and 16th of December, 1864:

The battery was engaged from 8 a.m. of the 15th instant throughout the day, both sections having taken position early in the day within 500 yards of the enemy's main line of works, the right section operating with Colonel Morgan's U.S. Colored Brigade, and the left section with Colonel Thompson's U.S. Colored Brigade. The right section changed its position at 10 a.m., and took a position in the open field within 300 yards of the enemy's works, and held the position until the infantry—Colonel Morgan's and Colonel Grosvenor's brigades—had passed to the rear and reformed, in the meantime keeping up a continual fire, which enabled the infantry the more successfully to be withdrawn. This section then retired and took a position northeast of the Rains house, immediately behind the skirmish line of Colonel Morgan's brigade, where the section remained, keeping up a continual fire until night.

Early on the morning of the 16th the two sections of the battery were brought together and moved, with Colonel Morgan's brigade, across the Nolensville pike, to a position on the left of Colonel Thompson's brigade, which was then on the left of the Fourth Corps, shelling the woods as the column advanced, where the battery participated in the general engagement which then took place, and from this position, on the extreme left of the line, kept a constant and terribly effective fire on the enemy's artillery, in position on the Overton Hill, during the charges which were made by the infantry. The enemy's artillery being silenced and captured, and our infantry having possession of the work, at about 5 p.m., I moved the battery in the general pursuit with Colonel Morgan's brigade.

The casualties on the 15th instant were as follows.*

Five horses were killed—3 by musketry, 2 by shell; 9 horses were wounded—2 by shell, 7 by musketry.

The following ammunition was expended:

	Shot.	Shell.	Spherical case.	Total.
First day	272	176	176	624
Second day	160	230	290	580
Total	432	406	466	1,204

No casualties on the 16th instant.

I take pleasure in reporting the good conduct of officers and men of the command throughout the engagement.

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

MILTON A. OSBORNE,     

Captain Twentieth Indiana Battery, Commanding.

Maj. S. B. MOE,

Assistant Adjutant-General, District of the Etowah.

_______________

* Nominal list (omitted) shows 2 officers and 6 men wounded.

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. 531-2

20th Indiana Independent Battery Light Artillery

Organized at Indianapolis, Ind., and mustered in September 19, 1862. Left State for Henderson, Ky., December 17, 1862. Attached to District of Western Kentucky, Dept. of the Ohio, to May, 1863. Post and District of Nashville, Tenn., Dept. of the Cumberland, to January, 1864. Artillery, 1st Division, 11th Army Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to April, 1864. Unattached, 4th Division, 20th Army Corps, Dept. of the Cumberland, to July, 1864. Artillery Brigade, 14th Army Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to November, 1864. Artillery, Provisional Division, District of the Etowah, Dept. of the Cumberland, to January, 1865. Garrison Artillery, Chattanooga, Tenn., Dept. of the Cumberland, to June, 1865.

SERVICE. — Duty at Henderson Ky., and in the District of Western Kentucky till May, 1863. Ordered to Nashville, Tenn., and duty there till October 5, 1863. Refitted and assigned to guard duty along Nashville & Chattanooga R. R. till March 5, 1864. Moved to Bridgeport, Ala., March 5, and garrison duty there till July. Ordered to the field and Joined 14th Army Corps, Army of the Cumberland, south of the Chattahoochie River, Georgia. Siege of Atlanta July 22-August 25. Flank movement on Jonesboro August 25-30. Battle of Jonesboro August 31-September 1. Pursuit of Hood into Alabama October 1-26. Action near Atlanta October 30. Moved to Chattanooga, Tenn., November 5, thence to Nashville, Tenn. Battles of Nashville December 15-16. Duty at Courtland, Ala., and Chattanooga, Tenn., till June, 1865. Mustered out June 28, 1865.

Battery lost during service 7 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 24 Enlisted men by disease. Total 25.

SOURCE: Frederick H. Dyer, A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion, Part 3, p. 1117-8