No. 157.
Report of Lieut. Col. William H. Heath,
Thirty-third Missouri Infantry,
of operations December 15-16, 1864.
HEADQUARTERS
THIRTY-THIRD MISSOURI VOLUNTEERS,
Near Pulaski, Tenn.,
December 28, 1864.
SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the
part taken by the Thirty-third Missouri Volunteers in the battles of 15th and
16th of December, 1864, at Nashville, Tenn.:
On the morning of the 15th instant, at about 7 o'clock, the
regiment moved out, pursuant to orders from Colonel Hill, commanding Third
Brigade, and was formed in line-north of Hardin pike and on the right of Third
Brigade, connecting on the right with the Second Brigade, Colonel Hubbard
commanding. At 9 o'clock the line of battle advanced diagonally across the
pike, and a break occurring in the skirmish line in my front, Captain Rose was
sent forward with Company H to fill up the gap. This company became engaged
immediately with a line of the enemy concealed behind a rail fence south of the
Hardin pike. A general advance of the entire line drove the enemy from this
position and back toward his main works. With but feeble resistance, the
enemy's skirmishers were pushed rapidly back, until at about 1 p.m. our main
line of battle had been brought to within about 1,500 yards of the left of the
enemy's works, when I received orders to take position on the right of Battery
I, Second Missouri Artillery, and support it upon that flank. Sharp artillery
firing ensued between this battery and a four-gun battery posted on the enemy's
extreme left, during which Captain Rose with his skirmishers drove the rebel
sharpshooters promptly in and took position so near their battery as to
seriously annoy the gunners and impede the handling of the artillery. At 1.30 I
received orders to move to the left of Battery I and close a gap between it and
the Thirty-fifth Iowa. This change made it necessary to send out Lieutenant
Knowlton with Company B as skirmishers in front of the new position. Lieutenant
Knowlton handled his line with good effect, driving in the rebel skirmishers
and pressing them closely. At about 2.30 o'clock, the main work on the enemy's
left being captured, with all its artillery, by troops on my right, I received
orders from Major-General Smith to advance the regiment, making a half wheel to
the left, so as to confront the next work toward the rebel right, and on the
completion of this movement, received orders from Colonel Hill to halt and have
the men lie down. (During this halt Captain Rose returned his company to its
place in line of battle.) At about 4 o'clock I received orders to advance to
the charge, keeping closed up on the Thirty-fifth Iowa and conforming to the
movements of that regiment. The order of battle brought the regiment directly
in a dense thicket, through which it was impossible to advance with regularity.
The line of defenses of the enemy was such that when the Thirty-fifth Iowa
entered his works on my left and 100 yards north of Hillsborough pike, I
discovered a body of the enemy directly in front of my line strongly posted
behind a stone wall on the pike, this wall being covered by a work south of the
pike and still farther toward the rebel right. Without waiting to restore my
line, I ordered a charge upon this wall pell mell, and had little difficulty in
driving the enemy, who appeared panic stricken and fired badly. The loss of the
regiment in this charge was but two wounded. It being now dark, orders were
issued to bivouac in line for the night parallel with Hillsborough pike and
south of it.
December 16, shortly after daylight, orders were received to
move forward in line of battle, keeping in line with the Seventh Minnesota, on
our right, and conforming to the movement of that regiment. In this order the
regiment passed across the Granny White pike and then wheeled to the right, in
order to confront a line of rebel works at right angles with the pike. Orders
were now received to form line fifteen paces in rear of the Twelfth Iowa, which
was at the right of the brigade, and take shelter behind a stone wall. All
these movements were executed under a galling fire from two rebel batteries,
aided by musketry, our own batteries in our rear also firing over us, and
occasionally bursting their shells immediately over or amongst us. We remained
in this position until about 3.30 p.m., when we received orders to intrench for
the night. While this order was being executed there was a general movement of
the lines to our right, and a charge was made upon the rebel works. This
regiment, with the Twelfth Iowa and Seventh Minnesota, was ordered to move
forward and carry the enemy's position in front of us. Passing over the stone
wall and through a plowed field, we received a terrible direct musketry fire
from a brigade of the enemy posted behind a stone wall in our front, and a very
galling cross-fire of canister from a strong and well-handled battery to our
left. Seeing the left flank of the enemy's infantry already turned by the First
and Second Brigades, I ordered my regiment to wheel to the left and storm his
works and battery in that direction. This was done in the most gallant and
successful manner, the men pressing eagerly forward through the first line, and
being the first regiment to display their colors inside that portion of the
enemy's works. Expecting a counter movement from the enemy's reserves, I here
halted the regiment momentarily to reform the line, and immediately thereafter
advanced about one mile through the rebel encampment to the foot of a chain of
bluffs, being joined by numbers of men, who, in their impetuosity, had entered
the works in advance of their regiments. No resistance was offered by the enemy
to our farther advance until we arrived at the foot of the bluffs. Here we were
met by a hot but inaccurate fire from rebel stragglers on the crest of these
bluffs, but succeeded in silencing them by sending out a few skirmishers. It
being again near dark, farther pursuit was refused, and we received orders to
bivouac in line for the night.
During this day the skirmishing was done by Company G, under
command of Lieutenant Rutledge, and subsequently by Company C, Captain
Campbell, who relieved Rutledge about noon. Both companies did excellent work
in annoying the rebel gunners, and both joined in the final charge.
Too much cannot be said in praise of the gallant men and
officers who thus carried strong defenses manned by the flower of Hood's army
of veterans. The coolness and determination of their advance were beyond all
praise. They fired but little, pushing ahead at the double-quick and saving
their ammunition till they should come to close quarters.
Among the losses I regret to number Adjt. S. Edward Day, of
Saint Joseph, Mo., an officer of the first ability and conspicuous gallantry.
He received a mortal wound during the heat of the charge, while bravely
cheering on the men to victory. Also, Lieut. Thomas Rutledge, of Saint Louis,
at the head of his noble company, received a wound which it is feared will
prove fatal. Beloved by all for their manly patriotism and social qualities,
they were mourned sincerely by every brave comrade.
The regiment went into this day's battle with 280 men, and
lost 43 killed and wounded.
Appended is a full list of casualties in the two days'
battles.*
Very respectfully,
WM. H. HEATH,
Lieutenant-Colonel,
Commanding Regiment.
Lieut. HENRY HOOVER,
Acting Assistant
Adjutant-General.
_______________
* Embodied on 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. 468-70
