Official Reports of the Campaign in North Alabama and Middle Tennessee, November 14, 1864 — January 23, 1865: No. 140. Report of Maj. David G. Bowers, Fifth Tennessee infantry, of operations November 22-30, 1864.

No. 140.

Report of Maj. David G. Bowers, Fifth Tennessee infantry,

of operations November 22-30, 1864.

HDQRS. FIFTH REGT. EAST TENNESSEE VOL. INFTY.,       

Nashville, Tenn., December 5, 1864.

SIR: In compliance with circular just received, bearing date of the present instant, I respectfully submit the following report of the operations of the Fifth Regiment Tennessee Volunteers, viz:

On the 22d of November, at daylight, I received orders to march, and took up the line of march from Pulaski, on the Columbia pike, and arrived at Lynnville at 11 a.m., a distance of twelve miles from Pulaski. At Lynnville we went into camp, and remained quiet until 1 p.m. November 23, at which time I received orders from General Cox to report to Colonel Casement, commanding Second Brigade, Third Division, and at the same time received a verbal order to report immediately with my regiment on the pike leading to Columbia. I fell in at the rear of the brigade, and marched until 7 p.m., and then went into camp, having marched a distance of eleven miles. I received orders to be ready to march at 5 o'clock on the morning of the 24th, and took up the line of march at daylight toward Columbia. We arrived at Columbia at 10 a.m. same day, having gone eight miles, and took position to the south of the town, and received orders to construct works of defense. At 2 p.m. I moved to the right and to the southwest of the town, and took position in line of battle, my right resting near the Mount Pleasant pike, and facing to the south. We there constructed a line of breastworks and sent out skirmishers, who engaged the enemy. We remained in that position until 7 p.m. on the 25th, when we received orders to be ready to move at a moment's notice. About 11 p.m. we moved slowly through the town, and crossed the Duck River; moved up the river half a mile, and rested for the night. Captain Sparks and thirty men were on picket, and did not cross the river until the morning of the 27th. On the 26th one man of Sparks' detail was wounded. On the morning of the 26th we moved in position, and there remained until the 29th. At 7 p.m. on the 29th we were ordered into line, and marched out half a mile on the Franklin pike, and took position behind earthworks to the left of the pike. We remained there half an hour, and then took up the line of march for Franklin. We arrived at Franklin at 5 a.m. on the morning of the 30th, having marched twenty-three miles during the night. Captain Ragle, Company K, and thirty men, brought up the rear of the brigade from Columbia, and arrived at Franklin about 9 a.m., having lost one man, who, from fatigue, was left by the way, and probably fell into the hands of the enemy. On the night of the 29th our wagons were attacked by the enemy, and one of them burned or destroyed, containing regimental baggage Part of our baggage, which was sent to Pulaski, by instructions from Colonel Henderson, for want of transportation, was destroyed on the 23d, including part of the regimental and company books and papers.

I am, sir, very respectfully,

DAVID G. BOWERS,          

Major, Commanding Fifth Tennessee Volunteer Infantry.

Capt. C. D. RHODES,

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. 428-9

Official Reports of the Campaign in North Alabama and Middle Tennessee, November 14, 1864 — January 23, 1865: No. 136. Reports of Col. John S. Casement, One hundred and third Ohio Infantry, commanding Second Brigade, of operations November 22-30 and December 15-16, 1864.

No. 136.

Reports of Col. John S. Casement, One hundred and third Ohio Infantry, commanding Second Brigade,
of operations November 22-30 and December 15-16, 1864.

HDQRS. SECOND BRIG., THIRD DIV., 23D ARMY CORPS, 

Nashville, Tenn., December 8, 1864.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of this brigade from November 22, the time of leaving Pulaski, until November 30, the day we arrived at Franklin:

Left Pulaski on the 22d and marched to Lynnville, distance twelve miles. On the 23d and 24th marched to Columbia, distance seventeen miles, and went into position on a ridge about one mile south of the town, the right of the brigade resting on the Mount Pleasant pike, and threw up works. On the 25th the Sixty-fifth Illinois, Lieut. Col. W. S. Stewart commanding, was ordered to the front to relieve the Sixteenth Kentucky Infantry, which was occupying a rail barricade commanding the crossing of a creek near the skirmish line. The regiment was hardly in position when a brisk skirmish ensued, during which our skirmish line was driven in, but the enemy finding that they could not dislodge Colonel Stewart with their infantry fire, got batteries into position and opened a cross-fire of artillery on him, which obliged him to retire a short distance. Soon afterward three companies of the same regiment were sent to occupy the barricade, which they did until the next morning, but not without considerable loss. At about 12 o'clock on the night of the 25th the brigade withdrew across Duck River, leaving our skirmish line in its original position. On the 27th the One hundred and twenty-fourth Indiana, commanded by Col. John M. Orr, was ordered to Rutherford's Creek, with instructions to picket all roads leading to the east. Colonel Orr afterward received further orders from General Ruger, for which you are referred to his report. On the evening of the 29th we withdrew from the vicinity of Columbia, and reached Franklin at daylight the next morning.

Our loss in killed, wounded, and missing is as follows: Commissioned officers — Capt. Robert S. Montgomery, Capt. Axel F. Ekstrom, and Lieut. James Miller, Sixty-fifth Illinois Volunteers, wounded. Enlisted men — One hundred and twenty-fourth Indiana., 1 killed, 9 wounded, 39 missing; Sixty-fifth Illinois, 3 killed, 15 wounded, 5 missing; Fifth Tennessee, 1 wounded, 3 missing. Total, 4 killed, 25 wounded, and 47 missing.

I inclose herewith the reports of regimental commanders.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. S. CASEMENT,

Colonel, Commanding Brigade.

Capt. THEO. Cox,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Third Div., 23d Army Corps.

_______________

HDQRS. SECOND BRIG., THIRD DIV., 23D ARMY CORPS, 

Nashville, Tenn., December 5, 1864.

SIR: In compliance with orders received from headquarters Third Division, Twenty-third Army Corps, I have the honor to make the following report of the operations of this brigade during the battle of the 30th ultimo:

The brigade went into position at about 9 a.m., east of the Columbia pike, forming the center of the division, facing south, in the following order: Sixty-fifth Indiana, Lieut. Col. J. W. Hammond commanding, on the right; Sixty-fifth Illinois, Lieut. Col. W. S. Stewart commanding, in the center; One hundred and twenty-fourth Indiana, Col. John M. Orr commanding, on the left; and the Fifth Tennessee, Maj. D. G. Bowers commanding, in the reserve; and threw up strong works, with an abatis of Osage orange. The enemy attacked in force at about 4 p.m., engaging the whole line. The firing was kept up with great vigor until dark, during which time the enemy made several distinct charges, but were repulsed each time with terrible slaughter. Soon after dark the firing ceased and a skirmish line was advanced, when a large number of the enemy's killed and wounded were found; among the former was Brigadier-General Adams. During the engagement quite a number of prisoners came over our works and were passed to the rear, but it is impossible to form any correct estimate of the number taken by this brigade.

Our loss in killed and wounded was as follows: Sixty-fifth Indiana, 1 killed, 5 wounded; One hundred and twenty-fourth Indiana, 1 killed, 5 wounded; Sixty-fifth Illinois, 1 wounded; Fifth Tennessee, 1 killed, 5 wounded; total, 3 killed and 16 wounded. Among the wounded was Lieut. Amos Groenendyke, Company F, One hundred and twenty-fourth Indiana.

Both officers and men did their whole duty; not a man left the works unless ordered to do so, which accounts for the small loss.

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

J. S. CASEMENT,     

Colonel, Commanding Brigade.

Capt. THEO. Cox,

            Assistant Adjutant-General.

_______________

HDQRS. SECOND BRIG., THIRD DIV., 23D ARMY CORPS,

Spring Hill, Tenn., December 22, 1864.

CAPTAIN: In compliance with orders received, I have the honor to make the following report of the operations of this brigade during the battles of the 15th and 16th instant:

We withdrew from our line near the Franklin pike at daybreak on the morning of the 15th and massed out of sight of the enemy, where we remained until after noon, and then moved to the right of the army and went into position at dark, east of the Hillsborough pike, the First Brigade of this division being on our right and the Sixteenth Corps on the left, and during the night threw up works, which we occupied during the next day, and as our line was within easy musket-range of the enemy, they annoyed us considerably during the day with musketry fire; but at about 4 o'clock in the afternoon a portion of the Sixteenth Corps charged and took a hill in our front, on which the enemy had a strong line of fortifications, and the First Brigade of this division charged at about the game time and carried the hill in their front, which relieved us entirely. We then moved to the right and occupied the works vacated by the First Brigade, where we remained during the night.

Our loss is as follows: Wounded — One hundred and twenty-fourth Indiana Volunteers, 3; Fifth Tennessee Volunteers, 1; Sixty-fifth Illinois Volunteers, 5; total, 9.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. S. CASEMENT,     

Colonel, Commanding Brigade.

Capt. THEO. Cox,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Third Div., 23d Army Corps.

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. 424-5