No. 154.
Report of Lieut. Col. John H. Stibbs, Twelfth Iowa Infantry,
of operations December 15-16, 1864.
HDQRS. TWELFTH IOWA
VETERAN VOLUNTEER INFANTRY,
Near Pulaski, Tenn.,
December 28, 1864.
LIEUTENANT: I have the honor to make the following report of
the part taken by the Twelfth Iowa Veteran Volunteer Infantry during the
actions of 15th and 16th of December, 1864, near Nashville, Tenn.:
In accordance with instructions from your headquarters, I
had my men under arms at 6 o'clock on the morning of the 15th, and at a few
minutes after 8 moved outside our line of works and formed line to the right of
the Hardin pike; my regiment formed the right of our brigade line; afterward
being ordered to the left, I moved my regiment to the left of the pike and
formed as the left center of the brigade line. We then threw forward a heavy
line of skirmishers, and awaited the forming of the general line. At about 10
o'clock, the order to advance being given, our skirmishers pushed rapidly
forward, and found a considerable force of the enemy, who were easily driven back.
Our main line advanced steadily and without opposition, constantly changing our
point of direction toward the left, until we had advanced two miles, when,
coming on to the crest of a hill, we were opened on by one of the enemy's
batteries, posted directly in our front and distant about 1,000 yards. Our men
were then ordered to lie down, and our brigade battery brought forward and
opened fire on the enemy. We were held in this position for about an hour and a
half, the enemy keeping up a constant fire on our line, doing us but little
damage. The First and Second Brigades of our division, to our right, having
advanced their lines, swung around to the left, charged and captured the
enemy's redoubts in our front. We were then moved forward, swinging our line to
the left, and conforming to the line on our right. After advancing about half a
mile we came upon a strong redoubt of the enemy, situated to the right of the
Hillsborough pike and just five miles from Nashville. Our line was pushed well
forward, and shortly before 4 p.m., everything being ready, we were ordered to
charge. Our men moved rapidly up the hill, but before gaining the crest the
enemy moved their guns and most of their support to a fort about 300 yards in
the rear, and to the right, from which they gave us a heavy raking fire as we
moved onto and over the first works. On gaining the first work our brigade
commander, Col. S. G. Hill, Thirty-fifth Iowa Infantry, was shot through the
head and instantly killed. Our brigade line being in considerable disorder, I
ordered the command halted and lines reformed, which order was promptly
complied with, our men in the meantime keeping up a heavy fire on the enemy in
our front. On gaining the crest of the first hill Colonel Marshall, of the Seventh
Minnesota, and Lieutenant Reed, acting adjutant Twelfth Iowa, with about 200
men of the two regiments, being in advance, pushed rapidly forward, obliquing
to the left, and captured the second work, with a large number of prisoners,
three or four guns, several ammunition wagons, and a large number of
small-arms. The balance of the brigade, as soon as formed, moved forward, but
night coming on, we were compelled to halt. Colonel Marshall, Seventh
Minnesota, being senior officer, assumed command of the brigade, and having
properly reformed our lines, ordered us to bivouac for the night.
It is impossible to give an exact estimate of prisoners and
property captured in this charge, as all were so anxious to pursue the enemy
that prisoners and captured property were given over or taken to possession of
by other commands that came up in our rear. The loss of my regiment in this
day's fight was seven men wounded.
On the morning of the 16th we were called up before daylight
and moved by the flank half a mile to the right, taking position on and joining
the left of the Second Brigade of our division, my regiment forming the right
of our brigade line. About 8 o'clock, our skirmishers having driven the enemy
in front back to their works, we were ordered to move forward, and advanced on
the double-quick for about half a mile, rapidly swinging our lines and changing
our direction to the right until we had arrived within short musket-range of
the enemy's works, when we were ordered to halt. During the advance the enemy opened
on us heavily with artillery, but owing to our rapid movement and their
inaccurate aim we suffered but little. After a ten minutes' rest we were
ordered to close to the right and double our lines. The brigade on our right
having doubled, and left an interval in the line, I moved by the flank and
closed on them, forming line with the right resting on the Granny White pike.
The Seventh Minnesota formed on my left, and the other regiments of the
brigade, Thirty-third Missouri and Thirty-fifth Iowa, formed a second line in
our rear. Our front was covered by a stone wall and a heavy rail fence, which
we threw down, and formed into a slight breast-work. We were kept in this
position during the greater part of the day. The enemy in the meantime kept up
a troublesome musketry fire on our line, but by keeping close to our work we
suffered but little damage. Company C of my regiment, detailed as
sharpshooters, kept up a vigorous fire on the enemy, and during the day
rendered excellent service. About 3 p.m. I was ordered to throw up an
earth-work in my front, and procured tools and had my work half completed,
when, at about 4 o'clock, a charge was commenced by the right of our division.
I at once ordered my men to cease work and prepare for a charge, and a moment after
ward, being told that we were ordered to advance, I gave the command forward.
The ground in our front was such that we passed one-third the distance before
we were fairly under fire, and after that our movement was so rapid that the
enemy could give us but two or three volleys before we were at their works. The
work was a heavy stone wall, with a ditch on the inner side, and the outer face
strengthened with earth and rails, so that it was almost impossible to scale
it. Had the enemy made a determined stand they might have inflicted very
serious injury on us before losing their works, but their line having been
broken on the left, and our advance being so rapid and determined, they were
thrown into a panic and fled from their works in confusion, leaving their
colors, guns, caissons, and hundreds of prisoners in our hands. After the work
had been taken I moved my regiment rapidly forward for about half a mile, when,
the charge being finished, I was ordered to the rear to pick up prisoners and
captured property. In this charge, as on the previous day's, it was impossible
to get a list of what we had captured. Large numbers of prisoners were taken
charge of by officers of other commands. I collected about 200 prisoners and
sent them under charge of my own men to Nashville. On going to the rear I found
on the line of works charged by our brigade, 4 12-pounder Napoleon guns, with
caissons complete, one army wagon, and about 400 or 500 stand of small-arms,
all of which I collected and turned over to a proper officer, after which I
moved my regiment to the front and bivouacked for the night. My loss in this
day's fight was 1 man killed and 11 wounded. During the charge on this day
there were four flags captured by men of my regiment, but two of them, captured
by Privates Samuel H. Flint, D Company, and Michael Wivinis, I Company, were
afterward thrown down by them, in order that they might continue the pursuit of
the enemy. I still have in my possession two flags, one a large regimental
flag, captured by Corpl. Luther Kaltenbach,* F Company, and a battery flag,
captured by Private A. J. Sloan,* H Company.
I take great pleasure in mentioning Capt. S. G. Knee, H
Company, acting major; Lieut. D. W. Reed, C Company, acting adjutant; and
Lieut. H. C. Morehead, D Company, acting quartermaster, for their valuable
services rendered on the field. Assistant Surgeon Underwood stood faithfully to
his post and dressed the wounds of our men where the fire was hottest. Chaplain
Humphrey rendered invaluable service in caring for our wounded on the field and
in the hospital. Sergeant-Major Burch and Color-Sergeants Grannis and Clark
displayed skill and courage in the performance of their duties.
I desire to call your especial attention to the fact that
during the two days' fight my regiment was almost entirely unofficered, all the
line officers of my regiment except four having been mustered out of service on
the 1st instant, and all my companies being commanded by sergeants; during the
fight all did their duty nobly, and are deserving of an especial mention; but
to mention particularly deserving ones, I would have to name all, as every man
of the regiment did his whole duty.
I transmit herewith a list of the casualties in my regiment
during the two days' fight.†
I am, lieutenant,
very respectfully, your obedient servant,
JNO. H. STIBBS,
Lieut. Col., Comdg.
Twelfth Iowa Veteran Volunteer Infantry.
Lieut. HENRY HOOVER,
Acting Assistant
Adjutant-General.
_______________
ADDENDA.
HEADQUARTERS TWELFTH
IOWA INFANTRY,
Pulaski, Tenn.,
December 29, 1864.
Maj. J. HOUGH,
Assistant Adjutant-General,
Detach. Army of the Tennessee:
MAJOR: I have the honor-to make the following statement
concerning two flags captured from the enemy on the 16th instant, in action
near Nashville, Tenn., and which I now forward to your headquarters:
The flags were captured during the grand charge made on the
enemy's line on the afternoon of the 16th instant. The large one be longed to a
Mississippi regiment, I think the Forty-fourth, and was captured by Corpl.
Luther Kaltenbach,* F Company, Twelfth Iowa Infantry. The color-bearer had been
shot down, and as my regiment advanced Corporal Kaltenbach ran forward and
picked up the flag. The small flag belonged to a battery, the name of which I
have been unable to learn, and was captured by Private Andrew J. Sloan,* H
Company, Twelfth Iowa Infantry. This flag had been taken from the staff by one
of the enemy, who was afterward captured by Private Sloan, who took the flag
from him.
I am, major, very
respectfully, your obedient servant,
JNO. H. STIBBS,
Lieutenant-Colonel,
Commanding Twelfth Iowa Infantry.
_______________
* Awarded a Medal of Honor.
† Embodied in
table, p. 101.
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. 462-5
