Official Reports: Action at Rockcastle Hills, or Camp Wildcat, Ky.. October 21, 1861

No. 1. Reports of Brig. Gen. George H. Thomas, U. S. Army
No. 2. Reports of Brig. Gen. A. Schoepf, U. S. Army
No. 3. Report of Col. John Coburn, Thirty-third Indiana Infantry
No. 4. Report of General A. S. Johnston, C. S. Army
No. 5. Reports of Brigadier-General F. K. Zollicoffer, C. S. Army, including operations October 16-26, with correspondence
No. 6. Report of Col. Taz. W. Newman, Seventeenth Tennessee Infantry

Official Reports: Action at Rockcastle Hills, or Camp Wildcat, Ky., October 21, 1861. No. 3. — Report of Col. John Coburn, Thirty-third Indiana Infantry.

No. 3.

Report of Col. John Coburn, Thirty-third Indiana Infantry.

HDQRS. THIRTY-THIRD REG'T INDIANA VOLUNTEERS,        

Camp Wildcat, Ky., October 22, 1861.

SIR: In pursuance of your orders to take possession of and occupy an eminence on the east of this encampment, on the morning of the 21st of October I took Company D, Captain McCrea; Company I, Captain Hauser; Company E, Captain Hendricks, and Company G, Captain Dille, of the Thirty-third Indiana, comprising in all 350 men. The companies were immediately deployed around the hill as skirmishers. In less than 20 minutes the rebels, who were concealed in the woods, commenced firing, when at almost the first fire Private McFerran, of Company D, was killed. In 10 minutes more the enemy appeared in front of our position to the south at a distance of half a mile in the valley. They were in large numbers, and were over half an hour in passing by an open space in the woods, when they formed again in line. They soon came near us under cover of a wood, which entirely concealed their approach until we were apprised of their presence by the firing of musketry. At this time we were re-enforced by a portion of the Kentucky cavalry, dismounted, under Colonel Wolford, about 250 strong, who immediately formed and took part in the engagement. The firing at this time was very severe, which caused the cavalry to waver and retreat. They were soon, however, rallied and formed again in order, and fought with good spirit. The enemy engaged was composed of a portion of General Zollicoffer's command, and consisted of two regiments of Tennesseeans, under the command of Colonels Newman and Cummings. They charged up the hill upon us, and were met by a galling and deadly fire, which wounded and killed many of them. The front of their column approached within a few rods of us with their bayonets fixed, declaring themselves “Union men” and “all right,” at the next moment leveling their guns at us and firing. After being engaged nearly an hour the enemy retreated, bearing off a portion of their dead and wounded and their arms. Our men have buried their dead left on the field and taken the wounded to our hospitals. Thirty corpses have been found up to this time. A large number of their wounded and dead were carried off in their wagons. It is safe to estimate the loss of the enemy at least 100 killed.

The bravery of the Thirty-third Indiana was well tested in this engagement. I am happy to state that universal courage, cheerfulness, and promptness marked their whole actions during the entire engagement. Too much praise cannot be given to the brave Captain Hauser, who continued fighting at the head of his men upon the brow of the hill until disabled by a wound. He, however, continued on the field during the day, doing his duty nobly. Captain McCrea, with his men, held a small breastwork, and did fearful execution upon the enemy. Captain Dille was active in rallying the men and urging on the fight in all parts of the field. Captain Hendricks, with coolness and courage, kept his men to their places, and fought without slackening his fire during the engagement. I cannot omit mentioning the bold and active Adjutant Durham, who was wherever duty called him. Lieutenants Maze and Scott were marked for their heroic bearing.

About the close of the engagement four companies of the Seventeenth Ohio, Colonel Connell, came upon the hill and formed in line of battle. Company E, Captain Fox; Company C, Captain Haines; Company K, Captain Rea, and Company H. Captain Whissen, took their positions with promptness, eager for the fray, under the command of Maj. Durbin Ward, of that regiment. They remained on the field during the day and night, and assisted in completing the fortifications. About 2 o'clock p.m. we were again attacked. At this time the Fourteenth Ohio, Colonel Steedman, appeared upon the field. Company C, Capt. J. W. Brown, of the Fourteenth, immediately formed and opened upon the enemy, and this company: with others, also assisted in completing the fortifications. Afterwards Company G, Captain Eckles, and Company B, Captain Kirk, of the same regiment, came to our assistance. At 10 o'clock at night Lieutenant Sypher, of Captain Standart's Ohio battery, came on the hill, and on an alarm fired three rounds. They were the last shots fired. At about 2 o'clock in the morning we heard sounds which betokened a movement of General Zollicoffer's army. It proved to be a retreat. From a prisoner I have ascertained that his command consisted of two Tennessee regiments, two Mississippi and two Alabama regiments, together with a regiment of cavalry and a battery of six pieces of artillery. The number of our loss is as follows: Company D, 1 killed and 5 wounded; Company I, 1 killed and 10 wounded, 3 mortally. Colonel Wolford lost 1 killed and 11 wounded. The forces now on the hill are in good spirits and ready for further service.

In conclusion, I must commend the coolness, courage, and manliness of Colonel Wolford, who rendered most valuable assistance to me during the day.

Yours, truly,

JOHN COBURN,        

Colonel Thirty-third Regiment Indiana Volunteers.

General A. SCHOEPF,
        Commanding Brigade.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 4 (Serial No. 4), p. 208-9

Official Reports: Action at Rockcastle Hills, or Camp Wildcat, Ky.. October 21, 1861. No. 6. — Report of Col. Taz. W. Newman, Seventeenth Tennessee Infantry.

No. 6.

Report of Col. Taz. W. Newman, Seventeenth Tennessee Infantry.

NEAR ROCKCASTLE HEIGHTS, Octobcr 21, 1861.

As ordered, I formed my regiment from hill-top to hill-top at open intervals to move in rear of Colonel Rains' regiment and support him. Lieutenant-Colonel Miller was ordered to take command of the left wing, composed of Companies A, D, F, and I, commanded by Captains Hoyle, Finch, Hunter, and Mathews, and for the movements of said companies upon the field I refer you to the report of Lieutenant-Colonel Miller, which is hereto appended and made a part of my report.* The six companies, viz, B, C, E, G, H, and K, commanded by Captains Marks, McDearman, and Armstrong, and Lieutenants Davis, Holden, and Harrison, constituting the right wing, were under my immediate command, and moved forward in line of battle in the direction of the heights in front of our position.

Upon reaching a point within eighty yards of the heights, we discovered a number of men ascending the heights and entering the fortifications, but supposing these men to be a portion of Colonel Rains' command, I did not order them to be fired upon.

At this point we received a heavy volley of rifles and musketry. The command moved on, however, without returning the fire, until within forty paces of the enemy's works, before we discovered they were not Colonel Rains' men, at which time the men were ordered to cover as well as they could and to return the enemy's fire. In this position we maintained a heavy fire for twenty-five minutes, when I ordered Captain Armstrong and Lieutenant Harrison to move their companies around to my extreme right, to prevent a flank movement of the enemy, which I saw they were about to make. These officers executed the order with promptness and alacrity under fire. The fire was kept up by all the companies for an hour and ten minutes, and seeing that it was impossible to fall back without great loss, I ordered the works to be charged. Four companies gallantly charged the works as ordered, officers and men seemingly vieing with each other as to who should be first to reach the works of the enemy.

After the fortification was reached, and many of my men had got within the works, driving the enemy from the first parallel, not receiving  any support, and being nearly destitute of cartridges, I ordered my command to fall back, which it did in good order. While this was being executed the other two companies maintained their position as ordered.

I take pleasure in stating that the officers and men all acted with great coolness and firmness, such as would do credit to veteran troops, and for more than an hour sustained a heavy fire.

Killed, 11; wounded, 34.

All of which is respectfully submitted.

TAZ. W. NEWMAN,        

Colonel Comdg. Seventeenth Regiment Tennessee Volunteers.

F. K. ZOLLICOFFER,
        Brigadier-General, Commanding.

_______________

* Not found.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 4 (Serial No. 4), p. 213-4