No. 175.
Report of Col. Jonathan B. Moore, Thirty-third Wisconsin Infantry,
commanding Third Division,
of operations December 15-16 and December 20-31, 1864.
HEADQUARTERS THIRD
DIVISION,
DETACHMENT ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE,
In the Field,
December 22, 1864.
SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the
part taken by the Third Division, Detachment Army of the Tennessee, in the
battle of December 15 and 16, at Nashville, Tenn.:
At 8 a.m. of the 15th, by order of the major-general
commanding, I placed the Forty-fourth Missouri Infantry in the trenches on the
Charlotte pike, with the first section of the Fourteenth Indiana Battery, the
Fortieth Missouri Infantry, with the second section of the Fourteenth Indiana
Battery, in the works on the Hardin pike. I then moved out on the Hardin pike
with three regiments of the First Brigade, Fourteenth and Thirty-third
Wisconsin and Seventy-second Illinois, Col. L. M. Ward commanding; two
regiments of the Second Brigade, Ninety-fifth and Eighty-first Illinois, Col.
L. Blanden commanding, and Company A, Second Missouri Light Artillery, of six
guns, First Lieut. J. Zepp commanding. I formed these brigades in column by
regiments, and moved forward as reserve and to support the First and Second
Divisions, which were both advancing in line upon the enemy's works. At 1 p.m.,
by order of the major-general commanding, I ordered Col. L. M. Ward, with his
brigade, to the right to support General McArthur, who, with his division, was
then charging one of the enemy's forts. At about 4 p.m. Colonel Ward reported
back to me, and I immediately moved my entire command forward in line, and
filled up a large gap in McArthur's lines between Hubbard's and Hill's
brigades, caused by Hill's brigade moving to the left. In my front I found the
enemy strongly posted behind a stone fence on the Hillsborough pike, but unable
or unwilling to stand for a moment against our advancing lines. In this charge
my command captured between 200 and 300 prisoners and 3 pieces of artillery.
Night found my entire command on the front line, driving the enemy, and about
one mile beyond the Hillsborough pike, my battery, six guns, playing upon their
retreating and broken ranks. Darkness put a stop to the battle. My command lay
upon their arms upon their line, which I judged to be in the center, and
between the First and Second Divisions, until 4 a.m. of the 16th, when, by
order of the major-general commanding, I moved back to the Hillsborough pike,
and to the right upon it about one mile and a half upon our extreme right to
support General Cox's division, of the Twenty-third Corps. Here I remained
during the day guarding the right flank.
The First Brigade had wounded: Private Lyman Fairclo,
Company C, Thirty-third Wisconsin Infantry, gunshot wound in leg, slight;
Private John R. Edwards, Company F, Thirty-third Wisconsin Infantry, gunshot
wound in head, slight; Private George Welch, Company F, Thirty-third Wisconsin
Infantry, gunshot wound in foot, slight. The Second Brigade had wounded:
Sergeant Kennedy, Company A, Ninety-fifth Illinois Volunteers, cannon shot,
compelling amputation of the thigh. Company A, Second Missouri Light Artillery,
lost, killed by a shell, Private Simon Okley. None missing from my command. I
can only account for the small loss in my command as one of the rebel prisoners
did. Said he: “How could we fight? You got on our end” (i.e., flank). Company
A, of the Thirty-third Wisconsin, broke through their line and charged them
down their flank, perfectly enfilading their line at the stone fence.
All the regiments of my command behaved splendidly. In the
charge on the Hillsborough pike all moved in line as on parade.
Col. L. M. Ward, of the Fourteenth Wisconsin, commanding
First Brigade, and Col. L. Blanden, of the Ninety-fifth Illinois, commanding
Second Brigade, both deserve especial notice; each handled his brigade with
skill and judgment. I desire also to mention favorably the following members of
my staff: Capt. J. H. Wetmore, Ninety-fifth Illinois Infantry, acting assistant
adjutant-general; Capt. H. M. Bush, Ninety-fifth Illinois Infantry,
aide-de-camp and picket officer; Capt. W. L. Scott, Thirty-third Wisconsin
Infantry, acting assistant inspector-general; First Lieut. William McNeil,
Eighty-first Illinois, ordnance officer; and Maj. L. Dyer, Eighty-first
Illinois Infantry, surgeon-in-chief. Each of these officers were at all times
during the two days' battle at their proper places, doing their duty bravely,
gallantly.
For further particulars I refer you to the reports of my
brigade commanders, which are herewith respectfully forwarded.
J. B. MOORE,
Colonel Thirty-third
Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry,
Comdg. Third
Division, Detachment Army of the Tennessee.
Maj. J. HOUGH,
Assistant Adjutant-General,
Detach. Army of the Tennessee.
ADDENDA.
Movements and operations of Third Division, Detachment Army
of the Tennessee, from the 20th to the 31st of December, 1864.
December 21, in camp near Spring Hill, Tenn., were ordered
to move at dark; moved out of camp, but received orders to countermarch and
return to camp. December 22, marched to Duck River, and camped near river-bank.
December 23, in camp near Duck River; at night, in pursuance to orders from
major-general commanding corps, the Thirty-third Wisconsin Infantry Volunteers
and the Seventy-second Illinois were ordered to proceed, under command of
Lieut. Col. F. S. Lovell, to Columbia and take possession of the town and do
provost duty and prevent marauding and pillaging. In compliance with said order
Colonel Lovell moved to Columbia, took possession of the town and established
an efficient provost guard, effectually preventing all irregularities. December
24, marched the infantry of the command across Duck River at 1.30 p.m.; the
artillery and train were unable to cross on account of the Fourth Corps train
occupying the bridge. The infantry marched four miles and a half from Columbia
on the Pulaski pike, and went into camp. The regiments on duty at Columbia were
relieved at 4 p.m. by a brigade of the Twenty-third Corps and immediately moved
to rejoin the division. December 25, in camp all day awaiting the arrival of
batteries and supply train. December 26, moved at 9 a.m.; after marching five
miles, the Seventy-second Illinois Infantry, in compliance to orders received
from the major-general commanding corps, were sent back to report to Captain Drew,
assistant quartermaster, at Columbia. December 27, moved at 9 a.m., and camped
at night near Pulaski. December 28, Seventy-second Illinois rejoined division
to-day; battery and train came up; division did not move to-day. December 29,
moved at 9 a.m.; marched about eight miles; camped six miles west of Pulaski.
December 30, moved at 7 a.m.; passed through Lawrenceburg at 1.30 p.m.; camped
at sundown five miles west of Lawrenceburg. December 31, marched at 8 a.m.;
marched ten miles, and camped at 1.30 p.m.
The march for the whole ten days was very disagreeable and
arduous, the weather being very inclement, and despite much suffering caused by
shoes being worn out and the necessary exposure of a campaign at this season of
the year, the sanitary condition of the division is very good.
Very respectfully
submitted.
WM. L. SCOTT,
Captain and Acting
Assistant Inspector-General,
Third Division,
Detachment Army of the Tenn.
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. 499-501
