No. 130.
Reports of Lieut.
Col. Laurence H. Rousseau, Twelfth Kentucky Infantry,
of operations
November 30 and December 15-16, 1864.
HDQRS. TWELFTH KENTUCKY
VETERAN VOL. INFANTRY,
Nashville, Tenn.,
December 7, 1864.
SIR: I have the honor to report, in obedience to order just
received, the operations of the Twelfth Kentucky Infantry at Franklin, Tenn.,
on the 30th of November, as follows:
My regiment was exceedingly fatigued by recent fighting and
marching, when about noon of the 30th of November we marched into Franklin, and
were assigned our position on the left of the Sixteenth Kentucky Infantry, both
regiments, as was also the Eighth Tennessee Infantry, being in reserve to the
remainder of the brigade. The space of time between our arrival and the
engagement of the 30th was employed in cooking and sleeping, the men being
sadly in need of both food and rest. When it became evident that the enemy was
determined to attack I moved my regiment, by order of General Reilly, under
shelter of the slight but steep ascent upon which the line of works in our
immediate front was built. Our position was at this time in rear about fifty
paces of the extreme left of the brigade. The assault commenced a very few
minutes after I had made this move. I had my men in readiness to move to any
point the instant I should receive orders. After remaining in this position a
very short period I observed the line of works at and near the old cotton-gin
in the angle of the line being abandoned by our troops; seeing the danger, and
well knowing the disastrous consequences that would follow if the enemy should
gain the works at this point, I ordered my regiment on my own responsibility
forward to the works. Upon our arrival at that point I found a sufficient
extent of the line abandoned into which to throw my whole regiment. The enemy
had possession of the outside of the works, their officers calling on them to
hold the works, “that they had them, if they knew it.” Their colors were
planted on our works, and a number of their men had gained the top and fired
down into our ranks; even bayonets and clubbed muskets were used. After a
severe struggle we gave the enemy a check, and our line was becoming stronger
and stronger every moment by the return of those who had at first abandoned
them.
To hold the works after this crisis against the assaults
which were again and again made was a task comparatively easy. When the repulse
was finally completed, and a skirmish line was ordered out in front, a portion
of my men were sent out, and the regiment was ordered back to the position it
occupied at the beginning of the assault. Some little time before we withdrew
across the river a detail of twenty men, with non-commissioned officers and a
captain, was called for, which I furnished; immediately after I furnished two
companies to report to Colonel Hayes, commanding the One hundredth Ohio, at his
own request, to enable him to hold his portion of his line, against which the
enemy was making repeated assaults.
The fatigues which my regiment had to undergo were of the
severest kind. My men were without rest and sleep four nights in succession,
having performed fatigue and picket duty in very heavy details, fought until
midnight at Columbia on the 29th, marched to Franklin by noon of the 30th,
fought until 11 o'clock the night of the 30th, and then marched to this place.
In regard to the conduct of the officers of my regiment, I
deem it unnecessary to make any remark; they all did their duty to the fullest
extent. But I would beg leave to mention particularly the conspicuous bravery
and coolness of Capt. John Travis, Company B, acting major; Thomas Speed,
adjutant; Captains Brown, Company D, Crozier, Company O, and Lieut. J. B.
Francis, Company I, and Lieut. D. Gray, Company L These all I saw myself, and
can bear testimony to their valuable service.
I am, very
respectfully, your obedient servant,
L. H. ROUSSEAU,
Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding Regiment.
Lieutenant STEARNS,
Acting Assistant
Adjutant-General.
_______________
HDQRS. TWELFTH KENTUCKY
VETERAN VOL. INFANTRY,
Near Spring Hill,
Tenn., December 22, 1864.
I have the honor to make the following report of the
operations of the Twelfth Kentucky Veteran Volunteer Infantry, in front of
Nashville, on the 15th and 16th December, 1864:
Early on the morning of the 15th my regiment was withdrawn
from the line of Works it had occupied on the right of the Franklin pike, and
massed with the brigade in rear of the position the brigade had occupied.
During the greater portion of the day, being in reserve, we remained inactive,
merely moving in mass with the troops that were held in reserve. It was late in
the afternoon, when apparently the flank movement to the right was completed,
that we first came in contact with the enemy. This was when the First Brigade
moved up in line to support the troops on the right of the Second Division, who
were very briskly engaged. It was almost dark when we closed up to within a few
paces of the rear, and were ordered to lie down and shelter ourselves behind
the crest of the hill. In this position we remained perhaps two hours, when the
troops in our front moved to the left, and we were ordered to advance to the
crest of this hill and build works. The portion of the line occupied by my
regiment in this position was the summit of the elevation, with the right
refused to about a perpendicular to the left wing. In this position we threw up
very secure works, which proved to be of great benefit on the next day. The
morning of the 16th showed us that we were in very close proximity to the
enemy, as we learned afterward by actual measurement only 400 yards from their
line of works built the night previous. Until about 3 p.m. we remained in our
works, sheltered from sharpshooting, which was very brisk. We annoyed the enemy
to a considerable extent ourselves, and prevented their using a battery of four
guns upon us, which was planted in our immediate front, and also prevented
their removing it, when they attempted to do so. About 3 p.m. we received
orders to charge the enemy's works. At the command my men moved out promptly,
though in consequence of the right being refused to the rear, that portion of
the regiment was unable to move with the left wing; however, being very
energetically urged forward by Captain Travis, it was brought up very promptly.
The enemy gave us several very severe volleys at first, but upon the whole made
very feeble resistance. We went into their works and found we had captured 4
pieces of artillery, each with a limber-chest full of ammunition, 51 prisoners,
and 40 intrenching tools, besides a considerable number of small-arms, which I
neglected to have gathered up until too late, and found that some other troops
had removed them.
In the operations of the two days my loss was small, only 5
men slightly wounded.
I am, captain, very
respectfully, your obedient servant,
L. H. ROUSSEAU,
Lieut. Col., Comdg.
Twelfth Kentucky Veteran Volunteer Infantry.
Capt. J. H. BROWN,
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. 415-7
