No. 164.
Report of Maj. Robert W. Healy, Fifty-eighth Illinois Infantry,
of operations December 15-16, 1864.
HEADQUARTERS
FIFTY-EIGHTH ILLINOIS INFANTRY,
Near Spring Hill,
Tenn., December 21, 1864.
LIEUTENANT: I have the honor to submit the following report
in relation to the part taken by my regiment in the late battle before
Nashville, viz:
At 7 o'clock on the morning of the 15th instant, every
preparation being made for battle, I moved the regiment out of our works, in
pursuance of an order of the colonel commanding brigade, and formed line of
battle with our brigade immediately in front of Fort Gilbert, facing the enemy,
the Thirty-second Iowa being on my right and the Twenty-seventh Iowa on my left.
Our line thus formed laid still in its position till about 11 a.m., when we
moved forward, guided by the line on our right, and kept advancing very slowly,
being near the pivot around which all the line to our right wheeled, toward the
left till about 2 p.m., when, the First Division becoming heavily engaged, we
halted immediately in front of and about 300 yards distant from the enemy's
first line of works. In this position we laid during the artillery duel which
ensued, till about 4 p.m., when the whole line simultaneously advanced,
capturing the enemy's first line of fortifications. Darkness ensuing, we camped
on the ground lately held by the enemy.
In this day's operations the regiment suffered no
casualties, though occasionally exposed to the enemy's shell.
On the following morning, December 16, about 8 a.m., we
again pushed forward in line of battle, five companies of my regiment being
deployed as skirmishers to cover our brigade, and, after marching probably a
mile and a half, approached within 400 yards of the enemy's second and most
formidable line of works, and under a severe artillery fire reformed our line
of battle, the men lying down behind a ridge on the ground, which protected
them from shot and shell. At this time my skirmishers hotly pressed those of
the enemy and captured their rifle-pits in front of ours and the Third Brigade
on our left, and with the assistance of one company, with which I re-enforced
them, by order of Colonel Gilbert, held them all day and gave material aid in
silencing the enemy's guns in our front. A fierce cannonading took place all
along the line, during which the men lay close, till 3.15 p.m., when the First
Division of our corps having carried by assault the fortified hill which
covered the enemy's left flank, the order to charge was passed along the line.
The men immediately pressed forward at a double-quick on the charge, and,
notwithstanding a deadly fire of grape, canister, and musketry, carried the
works, driving the enemy in confusion beyond the hills in the rear. This charge
was final and decisive, closing the battle along the whole line and yielding to
our arms another great victory.
In this day's engagement my regiment lost but two men
wounded. Behind that portion of the works over which the regiment passed there
stood three pieces of artillery, for the capture of which, I believe, credit is
due the Second Brigade, and my officers and men particularly. Many prisoners
were captured for the Second Brigade by my men and sent to the rear, probably
to be claimed by less fortunate brigades. It may not be out of place to remark
here that prisoners and at least one battle-flag of the enemy, which properly
belonged to the Second Brigade, were carried away by the Third, which came up
after we had halted and uncourteously formed in our front.
In behalf of the officers of the regiment, I must say that
each one did his duty bravely and nobly.
I am, sir, very
respectfully, your obedient servant,
ROBERT W. HEALY,
Major, Commanding
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. 484-5
