No. 167.
Report of Capt. William C.
Jones, Tenth Kansas Infantry,
of operations December 15-16,
1864.
HEADQUARTERS TENTH
KANSAS VETERAN INFANTRY,
December 20, 1864.
LIEUTENANT: I have the honor to report the part taken by the
Tenth Kansas Veteran Volunteer Infantry in the battle of Nashville, December 15
and 16, 1864.
On the evening of the 14th instant I received orders from
brigade headquarters to move the following morning at 6 o'clock, with three
days' rations in haversacks and one blanket to the man. The command was
immediately put in readiness to move, in compliance therewith. At a few minutes
after 6 o'clock on the morning of the 15th instant I received orders from
Lieut. W. G. Donnan, acting assistant adjutant-general, to move my command to
the skirmish line and relieve the three companies then on that duty. I at once
moved to the front and relieved them as directed, placing thirty men on the
right, under Lieut. George W. May, and fifty more of Company B on the left,
under command of Lieut. J. E. Thorpe, holding in reserve Company A, numbering
seventy-seven men, twenty of Company B, and eight of Company C, all under the
command of Capt. George D. Brooke. At 9 a.m. I received orders from Lieutenant
Eisenhart, aide-de-camp, to advance my line as soon as the skirmishers of the
brigade on my right came into line. I ordered my line forward, moving to the
front without opposition for about 100 yards, when we came within range of the
enemy's skirmishers, which for a moment checked the advance of my line; but
soon the enemy found shelter behind fences and logs, and [we] quickly dislodged
the enemy's skirmishers from their intrenched position. My line then advanced,
driving them back to their reserve and to within 400 yards of their main works,
where we were again checked. I accordingly ordered the line re-enforced by thirty
men, under command of Lieut. John Bryan, which, being thus strengthened,
advanced, driving the rebel skirmishers into their line of intrenchments,
which, being reached, his main line opened with canister, grape, and musketry
upon us. I then ordered the line re-enforced by seventy-five men of Company A,
under command of Lieut. R. W. Wood. As soon as the line was strengthened the
men found shelter behind trees and stumps, about 200 yards from the enemy's
line of works, so that they had perfect range upon that portion of his works in
my front, completely silencing his battery which had given me so much trouble.
I held this position until 4 p.m., when the main line came up. I then drew off
my skirmishers and joined my brigade, which I found about three-quarters of a
mile to my left. My loss was 19 wounded.
Surg. H. D. Tuttle was ordered by the brigade surgeon in the
morning to go to the front with a train of ambulances.
On the morning of the 16th I was ordered by Lieut. William
G. Donnan, acting assistant adjutant-general, to form my command fifty paces in
rear of the brigade. When the advance was ordered I moved the Tenth Kansas, in
obedience to the above instructions, until the brigade was halted under the
shelter of a hill from the enemy's artillery. I then moved my command to within
ten yards of the rear of the brigade, where we lay under fire of the enemy's
guns until 4 o'clock, when the charge was ordered, when the men sprang to their
feet and advanced on a double-quick until the enemy's parapets were scaled,
following the routed foe to the foot of the mountains, about three-quarters of
a mile in rear of his works. My loss was 5 men wounded.
Lieut. F. A. Sinalley deserves great credit for his services
and encouragement to the men.
Respectfully, your
obedient servant,
W. C. JONES,
Captain, Commanding
Regiment.
Lieut. W. G. DONNAN,
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. 488-9