In The Field, Atlanta, Ga.
July 26th, ‘64
Mr. O. White, Ed. News,
Dear Sir; – When I was at home in March last, you recollect that I told you I would subscribe for the News, but thought if I should, very few of the numbers would reach me after we left Kentucky. I did subscribe however, for a few months, and to my surprise, I have received every number, and every paper has been read by every man in Company “F,” and by a good many in Companys “B” and “E.” In fact it is read until it is entirely worn out. And now you may if you will, send it to me “during the war,” provided you will take the risk of getting paid. I have just five dollars in money, and of course cant send you any of that; but if I should have the good fortune to escape the missiles of death that our “erring brethren” are daily hurling at us, and Maj. Kennow gets around with greenbacks for the 112th, then all things shall be made right. I think I hear you say “that is a pretty risky business, but for the pleasure of the News will afford the boys I will take the risk, and book him for three years, or during the war.” Well, if I did not hear right, and you decline the risk, we will try and get along until the Maj. does come around, then we will make it come if greenbacks are legal tender in the office of the News.
On the 19th inst., the 23rd Corps, (Schofield’s) came around via Decatur, five miles east of Atlanta; drove the rebels out of that place, and turned their faces toward Atlanta. We stopped for the night about a mile from Decatur and four miles from Atlanta, entrenched ourselves and got a good night’s rest, were not disturbed by the firing of the Johnnies. On the morning of the 10th [sic] we advanced about a mile and came upon them. Our skirmishers drove theirs back very slowly. They appeared to be very stubborn, but after an hour’s skirmishing we were enabled to get a tolerable position, and formed our line. Our line fronted west and was joined by the fourth Corps, (Howard’s) their front being south and at right angles with ours. Sharp skirmishing was kept up during the day, and some artillery was used; but in our Division very few casualties occurred. On the morning of the 21st Corporal James E. Finley was shot through the thigh. Several pieces of bone were taken out, but he is doing finely. I saw him about a half an hour ago. He looked quite comfortable. I have been able to see him every day until now, but the hospital is moved two miles away, so that we will not have the opportunity of seeing him so often.
About noon our artillery made the rebel position rather uncomfortable and as soon as night came on, they left their breastworks and fell back toward Atlanta. At daylight on the morning of the 22d, about a hundred of the rebel skirmish line in our front, who hid themselves for the purpose, gave themselves up to our advancing skirmishers.
It was quite a puzzle to us to know why the rebs had given their works up so easily, but as soon as we got to them the mystery was solved; for the batteries of the 23rd Corps had been enfilading the rebel line confronting the 4th Corps, and their artillery enfiladed the line in front of us. We were now able to take a position about one mile from, and in sight of the long talked of city of Atlanta.
Our line was not yet formed when word came that the rebels were in Decatur, fighting the army of the Tennessee, in our rear (the15th, 16th and 17th Corps, commanded by McPherson.) So away went the first Brigade (ours) on the double quick, toward Decatur, to prevent the rebels from capturing our train and hospital, which were nearer to Decatur than the front. When we got there, everything was in the wildest confusion. The road was blocked up with teams, drivers were whipping and swearing at their mules, hospital attendants looked scared; but as soon as our brigade got into position, quiet again reigned in the hospital, and the poor mules ceased to hear such horrid oaths. They must have been greatful [sic] to us for thus stopping their torments. We have occupied this position ever since. The affair was a very serious one. The fight between McPherson and Hood was desperate. McPherson was killed and our loss is now put at ten thousand, killed wounded and prisoners. The rebel loss, it is said, cannot fall below fifteen thousand. They had to yield and fall back to their former position.
How long it will be before we take Atlanta, I am not going to say; but am confident we can and will do it, whenever General Sherman gives the word.
Yours Truly,
J. G. Armstrong
– Published in the Stark County News, Toulon, Illinois, August 11, 1864
Showing posts with label James G. Armstrong. Show all posts
Showing posts with label James G. Armstrong. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
From the 112th
Monday, October 27, 2008
Army Correspondence
Headquarters 112th Regt., Ill. Inf’try.
Crab Orchard, Ky., Aug 19th, ‘63
Dear Kaysbier:–
On the 28th of July we were ordered to move from Danville, where we were then in camp, for the purpose of meeting a rebel force that had come into the State under Scott, which was estimated at from 15,00 [sic] to 2,000 men. They had attacked on the morning of that day, some 500 men of our force, under command of Col. Sanders, at Richmond, Ky., and used them very badly. About 150 of the 112th were in the fight, and some six or seven of them were wounded, and about thirty taken prisoners. A son of Calvin Davidson, of Penn township, was on a visit to the regiment, and went with the detachment to Richmond, and was the only one killed. – Such is the uncertainty of human life.
It is said our forces acted badly, and the truth is, they were thrown into confusion and could not be rallied; but it was owing to a blunder of the commanding officer. He allowed himself to be flanked, while they were amusing him with artillery at long range, and when he returned, as he did, in good order, through the town of Richmond, he found himself quite surrounded and the rear guard, who it is said, was out of ammunition, being attacked on both flanks and in the rear, broke, and running in upon the others, threw them into confusion so much so that all attempts to rally them proved ineffective. Perhaps no troops could have been rallied under such circumstances. The men of the 112th were in the advance, with the exception of some thirty men of Co. K, who were sent back to support the rear guard, and when the rear guard broke they ran in upon them, and in fact over them, throwing them into such confusion that it was quite impossible for them to do anything. The rear guard was composed of one company of the 10th Ky., I understand. Although the 112th were in the advance, by some means they got mostly in the rear, which does not look very cowardly on their part, and shows, at least, they were not very good runners. I think they suffered more than any other detachment. Col. Sanders is a very brave man, and has a good reputation, but he made a blunder in allowing himself to be flanked and to cover that blunder up, the men were accused of being panic-stricken. I have never seen any evidences of cowardice, unless in case of a very few individuals, in the 112th. But I have seen many evidences to the contrary. The foregoing are the facts, as I learn them from the officers of our regiment, who, it is admitted, behaved themselves well, and I have written them to you because it was charged in the papers that the men acted cowardly in the fight, including of course, the men from the 112th, and such charges may have reached the friends of the regiment at home. If so, I thought I would like to have you in possession of the facts.
We left Danville about 2 o’clock p.m., and then with a force of about 2,000 men moved to Winchester, and arrived there just about dark. The main body of the rebels had “skedaddled” before we got to the town. We drove the balance out after a little skirmish on the double quick, and then we began a chase, not soon to be forgotten, by those engaged in it. I cannot give you the particulars, although they were exciting and interesting from the beginning to the end of the chase. We drove them before us about 140 miles, skirmishing nearly all the way, except at night. The chase was continued for four successive days and nights; stopping about three hours at Irvine and about the same at Stanford. – during all the time I slept about four hours – three hours of that was the night we got to Lexington – and eat [sic] but three scanty meals, with an occasional hard cracker, that I begged from some one. The men also were out of rations after the second day, and we had no forage for our horses. When we drove them across the Cumberland River at Smith’s Ferry, we were compelled to give up further pursuit. Both men and horses were worn down and tired out. We took, however, in the various skirmishes, some 500 prisoners. We scattered and drove hundreds of others into the woods. We compelled them to abandon large quanties [sic] of property, a large number of stolen mules and horses, two pieces of artillery; gave them a “big scare” – one they have not yet got over, I assure you; and finally left them with only five or six hundred “demoralized” men.
We are now going, I cannot say. – But the general indications are that our destination is into East Tennessee. And everything begins to look like work. We have here to-night sixteen regiments. There are other columns moving on different roads, of the 23d army corps, and the 9th army corps is also moving along in the rear. It is said in all, the force amounts to – well, it may be contraband, and I will not mention it – but the force is large.
Hundreds of East Tennesseeans now are flocking in here weekly, fleeing from the conscription, which is being enforced there. – Hundreds of them are now returning with us with guns in their hands. We have two fine regiments in our division, from East Tennessee – one of them in our brigade (1st brig. 4th div. 23d army corps) and they are by far the strongest regiment we have in numbers and good fighting men. They are going home too, many of them, to visit their wives and children, after an absence of two years, and they go with light hears and cheerful spirits. The 65th Illinois is also with us.
The 112th is now in better condition than it has been for some months, and the boys are in better health. We have about 641 men present.
Company F is now the largest company in the regiment, I believe – at least it has more present for duty. The boys are generally well, too, in the company, and are in good spirits. Lieut. Armstrong is quite well again, and is now first Lieutenant. Edwin Butler is now Orderly, and is always on duty – he is no shirk. Sam Edridge id Regimental Post Master – ever prompt attentive and faithful; he daily delights the boys with messages from the “dear ones at home.” When he makes his appearance in camp, with mail bag in hand, it is the signal for a grand rejoicing. George Green is well and makes a capital good soldier. So are all the boys in company F – officers and all are ever ready for duty.
Somerset
– Published in the Stark County News, Toulon, Illinois, Thursday, September 3, 1863
Crab Orchard, Ky., Aug 19th, ‘63
Dear Kaysbier:–
On the 28th of July we were ordered to move from Danville, where we were then in camp, for the purpose of meeting a rebel force that had come into the State under Scott, which was estimated at from 15,00 [sic] to 2,000 men. They had attacked on the morning of that day, some 500 men of our force, under command of Col. Sanders, at Richmond, Ky., and used them very badly. About 150 of the 112th were in the fight, and some six or seven of them were wounded, and about thirty taken prisoners. A son of Calvin Davidson, of Penn township, was on a visit to the regiment, and went with the detachment to Richmond, and was the only one killed. – Such is the uncertainty of human life.
It is said our forces acted badly, and the truth is, they were thrown into confusion and could not be rallied; but it was owing to a blunder of the commanding officer. He allowed himself to be flanked, while they were amusing him with artillery at long range, and when he returned, as he did, in good order, through the town of Richmond, he found himself quite surrounded and the rear guard, who it is said, was out of ammunition, being attacked on both flanks and in the rear, broke, and running in upon the others, threw them into confusion so much so that all attempts to rally them proved ineffective. Perhaps no troops could have been rallied under such circumstances. The men of the 112th were in the advance, with the exception of some thirty men of Co. K, who were sent back to support the rear guard, and when the rear guard broke they ran in upon them, and in fact over them, throwing them into such confusion that it was quite impossible for them to do anything. The rear guard was composed of one company of the 10th Ky., I understand. Although the 112th were in the advance, by some means they got mostly in the rear, which does not look very cowardly on their part, and shows, at least, they were not very good runners. I think they suffered more than any other detachment. Col. Sanders is a very brave man, and has a good reputation, but he made a blunder in allowing himself to be flanked and to cover that blunder up, the men were accused of being panic-stricken. I have never seen any evidences of cowardice, unless in case of a very few individuals, in the 112th. But I have seen many evidences to the contrary. The foregoing are the facts, as I learn them from the officers of our regiment, who, it is admitted, behaved themselves well, and I have written them to you because it was charged in the papers that the men acted cowardly in the fight, including of course, the men from the 112th, and such charges may have reached the friends of the regiment at home. If so, I thought I would like to have you in possession of the facts.
We left Danville about 2 o’clock p.m., and then with a force of about 2,000 men moved to Winchester, and arrived there just about dark. The main body of the rebels had “skedaddled” before we got to the town. We drove the balance out after a little skirmish on the double quick, and then we began a chase, not soon to be forgotten, by those engaged in it. I cannot give you the particulars, although they were exciting and interesting from the beginning to the end of the chase. We drove them before us about 140 miles, skirmishing nearly all the way, except at night. The chase was continued for four successive days and nights; stopping about three hours at Irvine and about the same at Stanford. – during all the time I slept about four hours – three hours of that was the night we got to Lexington – and eat [sic] but three scanty meals, with an occasional hard cracker, that I begged from some one. The men also were out of rations after the second day, and we had no forage for our horses. When we drove them across the Cumberland River at Smith’s Ferry, we were compelled to give up further pursuit. Both men and horses were worn down and tired out. We took, however, in the various skirmishes, some 500 prisoners. We scattered and drove hundreds of others into the woods. We compelled them to abandon large quanties [sic] of property, a large number of stolen mules and horses, two pieces of artillery; gave them a “big scare” – one they have not yet got over, I assure you; and finally left them with only five or six hundred “demoralized” men.
We are now going, I cannot say. – But the general indications are that our destination is into East Tennessee. And everything begins to look like work. We have here to-night sixteen regiments. There are other columns moving on different roads, of the 23d army corps, and the 9th army corps is also moving along in the rear. It is said in all, the force amounts to – well, it may be contraband, and I will not mention it – but the force is large.
Hundreds of East Tennesseeans now are flocking in here weekly, fleeing from the conscription, which is being enforced there. – Hundreds of them are now returning with us with guns in their hands. We have two fine regiments in our division, from East Tennessee – one of them in our brigade (1st brig. 4th div. 23d army corps) and they are by far the strongest regiment we have in numbers and good fighting men. They are going home too, many of them, to visit their wives and children, after an absence of two years, and they go with light hears and cheerful spirits. The 65th Illinois is also with us.
The 112th is now in better condition than it has been for some months, and the boys are in better health. We have about 641 men present.
Company F is now the largest company in the regiment, I believe – at least it has more present for duty. The boys are generally well, too, in the company, and are in good spirits. Lieut. Armstrong is quite well again, and is now first Lieutenant. Edwin Butler is now Orderly, and is always on duty – he is no shirk. Sam Edridge id Regimental Post Master – ever prompt attentive and faithful; he daily delights the boys with messages from the “dear ones at home.” When he makes his appearance in camp, with mail bag in hand, it is the signal for a grand rejoicing. George Green is well and makes a capital good soldier. So are all the boys in company F – officers and all are ever ready for duty.
Somerset
– Published in the Stark County News, Toulon, Illinois, Thursday, September 3, 1863
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