No. 248.
Report of Col. Ellison Capers, Twenty-fourth South Carolina Infantry,
of operations September 29-December 2, 1864.
CHARLESTON, S.C.,
January 4, 1865.
CAPTAIN: I embrace
this opportunity to forward a report of the Twenty-fourth Regiment South
Carolina Volunteers in the recent campaign from Palmetto, Ga., to Franklin,
Tenn., including the battle at the latter place.
The losses sustained
by the regiment at Franklin, together with the death of General Gist and the
wounding of the adjutant-general of the brigade, Maj. B. Burgh Smith, and the
terrible disaster which has since befallen the army at Nashville, make me
apprehensive that no official report may be made or called for, and I will send
this by the earliest opportunity and request that it be forwarded to the
headquarters of the army at once, and a copy kept at brigade headquarters.
On the 29th of
September last we broke camp at Palmetto and marched toward the Chattahoochee
on the Phillips' Ferry road. Lieutenant-General Hardee having left the army,
his corps was commanded by Major-General Cheatham, General Gist commanding
Cheatham's division, and Colonel Capers, Twenty-fourth South Carolina
Volunteers, commanding Gist's brigade. The brigade was composed of the
Sixteenth and Twenty-fourth South Carolina, the Forty-sixth Georgia, and the
Eighth Georgia Battalion. We crossed the Chattahoochee at Phillips' Ferry and
camped the night of the 29th in line of battle on the west bank. Turning north
on the 30th, we marched ten miles and bivouacked on the Villa Rica and
Campbellton road, the line facing the State railroad.
On the 1st, 2d, and
3d of October the march was continued beyond Powder Springs, camping on the road
to Lost Mountain on the 4th and 5th. While here we were engaged in intrenching
a strong position, facing east and running parallel, for the most part, with
the road, while Stewart's corps was at work breaking up the railroad north of
Marietta. Early on the 6th, after a dreadful night of storm and rain, from
which the men suffered very much, we broke up our line and marched in the rain
and mud on the Dallas road, continuing the march on the 7th, 8th, and 9th,
through Van Wert, Cedartown, and Cave Springs, to Coosaville, on the Coosa
River. The command crossed the Coosa on the 10th, and turning north we camped
in the beautiful valley of the Armuchee on the 11th. On the 12th and 13th the
march was pressed through Sugar Valley Post-Office to Dalton, arriving before
Dalton at 1 p.m. on the 13th, after a forced march of seventeen miles. From
Palmetto to Dalton the regiment had marched 157 miles, marching every day,
except the two days spent in fortifying the line on the Powder Springs and Lost
Mountain road. General Hood's summons to the fort at Dalton was refused, and
our division, now commanded by Maj. Gen. John C. Brown, was ordered to carry it
by assault. The fort was a square redoubt, surrounded by a deep ditch, and
situated on a hill just east of the depot and commanding the business part of
the town; it inclosed a large store-house, and was defended by a complement of
artillery and infantry. A hill immediately south and east of the fort commanded
it, and General Brown moved his division across the open fields toward this
hill, when a number of white flags were raised on the fort. The officer
commanding had supposed the summons of General Hood to be one of General
Forrest's efforts to capture him, but the display of our force and the evident
purpose to place our artillery on the hill that commanded his fort, convinced
his troops that their capture was certain, and they very eagerly surrendered.
The garrison was composed of about 800 negro troops, commanded by white
officers, and about 100 cavalry. We got some arms and a good quantity of
stores, which our corps enjoyed. The remainder of the 13th and the morning of
the 14th were spent by the corps in destroying the railroad at Dalton and back
to Tunnel Hill. We left Dalton on the afternoon of the 14th and passed Rocky
Face, through Mill Creek Gap, camping at Villanow.
On the 15th we
passed Taylor's Ridge, through Ship's Gap, and camped in the Chattooga Valley,
on the Summerville road. Early next morning, the 16th, I was ordered to march
back with the regiment to the gap, and dispute the pass until ordered to
retire. We reached the gap about 8 o'clock, and I at once disposed my regiment
for its defense. The growth of the mountain on the side of the enemy's approach
was thick, and the winding direction of the road made it impossible to see the
force advancing. To the right and left of the gap the woods made it easy for my
flanks to be turned by troops passing beyond the reach of my small force. I
placed Companies A and F, Captains Steinmeyer and Sherard, under Captain
Roddey, acting major of the Twenty-fourth, about a quarter of a mile in advance
down the mountain, and instructed Roddey to take advantage of the woods, deploy
his companies, and detain the enemy as long he could, falling back on the right
and left of the regiment when pressed too hard. I cautioned him about his
flanks, and left him full discretion to act as his judgment decided,
communicating with me as opportunity occurred. The cavalry passed in about 10
o'clock and reported General Sherman's head of column advancing on the gap. I
rode down to Roddey, and found his force well disposed, and was with him when
the skirmishers of the enemy began firing. Riding back to an open place on the
ridge, to the left of the regiment, I could see the enemy's trains and columns
on the Villanow road, and counted seventeen flags. These facts I reported by
courier to General Gist, who sent me a dispatch to hold the gap as long as I
could, but not to lose my regiment. It was now about 11 o'clock, and Roddey was
skirmishing heavily. I sent my adjutant, Lieutenant Holmes, to him, and he
reported to me that the enemy were firing from the front all along Roddey's
line, but showed only a strong skirmish line. Shortly after Lieutenant Holmes
returned from Roddey we heard the enemy raise a shout from the direction of
both flanks of Roddey's force, and the firing suddenly ceased. Very soon the
men of Companies A and F who had escaped capture came in and told us that a
force had passed around each flank of their line, and charging in rear, had cut
off Roddey and most of his command. The regiment was in the gap, with the right
and left companies deployed to protect our flanks. The enemy soon pressed up
the mountain and charged our position, but the well-directed fire of the Twenty-fourth
drove him back. He continued to fire from the front, and soon our vedettes
reported to me from the left that a force was moving through the woods to my
rear. This determined me to pass the defile, and I accordingly conducted the
regiment to the rear by the right flank, each company firing up to the moment
of marching. The enemy did not press us, and I conducted the regiment to the
bivouac of the brigade on the Summerville road, the cavalry relieving us at the
foot of the ridge. We lost 4 officers and about 40 men in this affair. Captains
Roddey, Steinmeyer, and Sherard, and Lieutenant Gray were captured, with about
half of the force they commanded. Most of those captured were so completely cut
off from the regiment that they could not escape. I regret that I cannot say
how many were killed or wounded of those who were captured; we had only 8
wounded in the gap.
The march of the
corps was continued on the 17th, 18th, 19th, and 20th of October, passing
through Alpine to Gadsden, Ala., crossing the State line on the 18th. We halted
at Gadsden on the 21st, got our mails and drew the following: 21 blankets, 112
pairs of trousers, 74 pairs of shoes, 44 jackets, 82 pairs of socks, 37 shirts,
and 46 pairs of drawers. This issue by no means supplied our necessities, but
relieved the most needy. We had twenty men absolutely barefooted when we
reached Gadsden. On the evening of the 21st the commanding general communicated
to the army his purpose to cross the Tennessee and march into that State; accordingly,
on the early morning of the 22d, the march was resumed. Passing over Sand
Mountain we arrived before Decatur, Ala., on the afternoon of the 26th and
formed line of battle. The weather was wretched, the roads muddy, and the
marching most trying on the troops. The 27th and 28th were equally as bad, and
the regiment being kept in position and moved frequently as the line was moved
to the right, and the enemy throwing some shell meanwhile, made our stay in
front of Decatur most uncomfortable, especially as we expected to attack or to
be attacked at any moment. The men had no chance to cook and suffered from
hunger. We left this position at 3 o'clock on the afternoon of the 29th and
marched nine miles on the Tuscumbia road, camping in Florence County. The march
was continued on the 30th and 31st, passing through Courtland and arriving at
Tuscumbia at 4 p.m. on the 31st. The beautiful valley of the Tennessee, through
which we marched, was desolated by the enemy, and the commanding general
published a field circular to the army, calling attention of the troops to the
ruined homes on every hand, and exhorting every man and officer resolutely to
vow the redemption of Tennessee from the grasp of the foe. The circular was
received by the Twenty-fourth with a hearty cheer, though many of the gallant
soldiers who cheered were absolutely suffering for clothing and shoes. Hardee's
corps went into bivouac west of the town, and remained in bivouac until the 8th
of November. The weather for most of the time was miserable and the camp most
uncomfortable in consequence. The following issues were made to my regiment: 64
jackets, 16 pairs of trousers, 38 pairs of socks, 28 pairs of shoes, 24
blankets. This was a very inadequate supply. I applied for 113 pairs of shoes
absolutely needed, twenty-three men being barefooted on reaching Tuscumbia. Up
to this point we had marched 361 miles. On the 8th of November, in a storm of
rain, the corps marched to within a mile of the river, and went into bivouac,
waiting for the completion of the pontoon. On Sunday, the 13th, the weather
being fine, we marched over the pontoon, the bands playing and the men and
officers in high spirits. Marching through Florence we camped one mile west of
the town. The 14th and 15th were employed by Hardee's corps fortifying a line
designed, we were told, to defend the crossing of the river in case of disaster
in front. The weather from the night of the 14th was miserably bad; cold, rain,
and snow, and the bivouac wet and uncomfortable. Rations were short, seventy of
my men had next to no blankets, and as many needed shoes. On the 16th we got 16
pairs of shoes, 45 pairs of trousers, 50 pairs of socks, 26 shirts, and 34
pairs of drawers. We had no forage for our horses and a ration of only fifteen
ears of corn. In spite of this the men were cheerful and dutiful. The
Twenty-fourth reported at Florence 256 non-commissioned officers and privates
for duty, 23 company officers, 2 field officers, and 4 on the regimental staff.
Lieut. Alfred Holmes, adjutant, having gone to the rear sick, Lieut. W. M.
Beckham, Company G, was detailed to act as adjutant of the regiment, and
efficiently discharged his duties.
On the 21st of
November we marched from the bivouac in a storm of snow, and continued the
march for ten miles on the Waynesborough road. The roads were in such a
terrible condition that the men marched in the woods and fields to escape the
mud. The march was conducted through Waynesborough and Mount Pleasant to
Columbia, reaching Columbia on the 26th, just after the enemy, retreating from
Decatur, had entered that place. The brigade was bivouacked in line east of the
Bigbyville pike. The march from Florence to Columbia was forced all the way,
the weather and roads bad, and rations very short, three biscuits only on the
24th and 25th to each man. Except to furnish picket details, the Twenty-fourth
had no duty to perform at Columbia and had no casualties.
Early on the 29th we
left the bivouac and marched to Davis' Ford, on Duck River, crossing on a
pontoon and continuing the march toward Spring Hill, immediately on the rear of
the enemy's position at Columbia. The march was rapid and over bad roads, and
part of the way over the open plantations. We arrived before Spring Hill about
sunset, and were formed in line of battle, facing the town and apparently about
a mile distant. The enemy seemed to be in confusion, as we could hear the noise
of pulling down fences and houses and the rattling of wheels on the pike. Our
troops were fighting on our right and we were expecting momentarily to be
ordered forward. No order came, however, and as dark came on the general, Gist,
and myself rode out toward the enemy within pistol-shot. This state of affairs
was, and still is, inexplicable to me, and gave us a great disappointment.
Later on in the night we could hear the rolling of wheels over the pike, as the
enemy's artillery and wagons moved on to Franklin. After an anxious night of
waiting and watching we moved next morning onto the pike and marched, after
Stewart's corps, toward Franklin. Burnt wagons and dead mules were passed on
the pike and other evidences of a hasty retreat of the enemy. About 2 p.m. the
head of our corps reached a line of high hills crossing the Franklin pike, on
which the enemy had a force. Stewart drove this force back, and we formed line
of battle at the foot of the hills. In the order of formation Stewart's corps
was on the right of the pike, and Hardee's, commanded by Cheatham, was deployed
on the left. The divisions were formed in two lines, from right to left, as
follows: Cleburne’s, Brown's, and Bate's. In our division (Brown's), Gist's and
Gordon's brigades occupied the front and Carter's and Strahl's the rear line;
Gist was on the left of Gordon, and the Twenty-fourth on the left of Gist's
brigade, so that we occupied the left of the division. In this order the two
corps moved forward to the top of the hills. The enemy was intrenched in a
semicircle in front of Franklin, with his flanks refused and resting on the
Harpeth River in his rear; there was also a short line of troops, apparently a
division, about 500 yards in front of the main force. The distance from our
position to this advanced force seemed to be about a mile and a quarter. About
4 o'clock the two corps moved down the hills, our division marching by the
right flank of regiments until we descended the slopes, then forming forward
into line. As we advanced the force in front opened fire on us, and our line
moved steadily on, the enemy retreating as we pressed forward. Just before the
charge was ordered the brigade passed over an elevation, from which we beheld
the magnificent spectacle the battlefield presented--bands were playing,
general and staff officers and gallant couriers were riding in front of and
between the lines, 100 bat-tie-flags were waving in the smoke of battle, and
bursting shells were wreathing the air with great circles of smoke, while
20,000 brave men were marching in perfect order against the foe. The sight
inspired every man of the Twenty-fourth with the sentiment of duty. As we were
pressing back the enemy's advance forces Lieut. Col. J. S. Jones fell mortally
wounded in front of the right of the regiment. General Gist, attended by Capt.
H. D. Garden and Lieut. Frank Trenhohn, of his staff, rode down our front, and
returning, ordered the charge, in concert with General Gordon. In passing from
the left to the right of the regiment the general waved his hat to us,
expressed his pride and confidence in the Twenty-fourth, and rode away in the
smoke of the battle, never more to be seen by the men he had commanded on so
many fields. His horse was shot, and, dismounting, he was leading the right of
the brigade when he fell, pierced through the heart. On pressed the charging
lines of the brigade, driving the advance force of the enemy pell-mell into a
locust abatis, where many were captured and sent to the rear; others were
wounded by the fire of their own men. This abatis was a formidable and fearful
obstruction. The entire brigade was arrested by it. Fortunately for us the fire
of the enemy slackened to let their advance troops come in, and we took
advantage of it to work our way through. Gist's and Gordon's brigades charged
on and reached the ditch of the work, mounted the work, and met the enemy in
close combat. The colors of the Twenty-fourth were planted and defended on the
parapet, and the enemy retired in our front some distance, but soon rallied and
came back, in turn, to charge us. He never succeeded in retaking the line we
held. About dusk there was a lull in the firing west of the pike. Brown's
division had established itself in the ditch of the work and so far as Gist's
brigade front on the crest. Torn and exhausted, deprived of every general
officer and nearly every field officer, the division had only strength enough
left to hold its position. Strahl's and Carter's brigades came gallantly to the
assistance of Gist's and Gordon's, but the enemy's fire from the houses in rear
of the line and from his reserves, thrown rapidly forward, and from guns posted
on the far side of the river so as to enfilade the field, tore their line to
pieces before it reached the locust abatis. Strahl and his entire staff were
killed together before reaching the work, and Carter was mortally wounded. But
there was no backward movement of this line. Its momentum, though slackened by
its terrible losses, carried it on to the ditch. Maj. B. Burgh Smith, of the
brigade staff, who was commanding the Sixteenth South Carolina Volunteers, was
now also the senior officer of the brigade, every superior officer having been
either killed or wounded. Major Smith established the line on the works and
maintained an effective fire until 9 o'clock by having the men in the ditch,
many of whom were wounded, to load and pass up the muskets to the men on the work.
Major Smith informs me that men and officers of Deas' brigade/of Johnson's
division (which came on the field late in the evening), assisted in maintaining
this fire. About 10 or 10.30 o'clock, Lieut. James A. Tillman, of the
Twenty-fourth, led his own company (I) and men from other companies of the
regiment in a charge against the enemy over the work, and captured the colors
of the Ninety-seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry and some forty prisoners. The
regiment held its position, as did the brigade, against repeated attempts to
drive it from the work, until about midnight, when the enemy retired and left
our army in possession of the bloody field of Franklin. I was shot down before
reaching the last work, and have reported the facts occurring after my wound
upon the statements of the men and officers who visited me at the hospital on
the next day.
At the close of the
battle Captain Gillis, of the Forty-sixth Georgia, was the senior officer of
the brigade; of the general's staff, Capt. H. D. Garden alone remained. Before
we reached the locust abatis the ranks of the regiment were decimated by the
direct and enfilade fire of the enemy, and the lieutenant-colonel and myself
had both been shot down, yet the company officers led their men forward, worked
their way through the abatis, and assaulted the main work. Lieutenant Galley,
of Company F, and Lieutenant Padgett, of Company I, with many of the men, were
killed beyond the work.
I would specially
commend the gallant conduct of Lieut. James A. Tillman, commanding Company I,
who led his company over the work and captured the flag and some forty
prisoners of the Ninety-seventh Ohio Regiment. Lieutenant Tillman specially
commends the gallantry of Privates J.P. Blackwell, Anderson Walls, and J. E. O.
Carpenter in this affair. I would also mention specially the gallantry of
Privates Prewett and Mock, both of whom were killed on the last line of the
enemy. Lieut. W. M. Beckham, of Company G, acting adjutant; Captain Bowers, of
Company D; Lieuts. Claude S. Beaty, Company F, Adrian C. Appleby, Company C, C.
D. Easterling, Company B, McDaniel, Company H, and Andrews, Company K, were
conspicuous in the field for their gallant conduct. The conduct of these
officers came under my notice, but I have no doubt others acted with equal
gallantry whose conduct did not come under my immediate notice. Private Adam
Carpenter bore the flag with courage and faithfulness, and Color-Corporals
Jones, Company B, and Morgan, Company K, were both wounded. Lieutenants Weeks,
Company C, Tatum, Company B, and Millen, Company H, were severely wounded on
the field.
I would specially
commend the gallantry and devotion of the litter corps, under Private Joseph
Breland. They kept up with the regiment, and rendered prompt assistance to the
wounded, several of them being themselves wounded on the field.
I have no data at
hand to report accurately our losses in the campaign. Captain Risher with his
company, E, had been detailed for special duty and was not in the engagement.
Relying upon my memory, I would report the loss of the regiment, including
about 43 captured at Ship's Gap and the loss at Franklin, to be about 150 men
and officers. Lieut. Col. J. S. Jones died of his wounds at the division
hospital a few days after the battle. His loss will be much felt by the
regiment and is greatly deplored by his colonel.
From Palmetto to
Franklin the regiment marched over 500 miles. We suffered much during November
from the bad weather and from the want of clothing, shoes, and blankets. Once
during the campaign the men received as a ration three ears of corn to each
man, and frequently we had nothing but corn meal. But I am happy to report that
no man deserted the flag of his regiment, and no command of the army fought
with more spirit and heroic determination at Franklin than the Twenty-fourth
South Carolina Volunteers.
The 1st day of
December was devoted to burying our dead and reforming the broken, decimated
ranks of the regiment. Under the skillful and kind care of Dr. W. G. McKinzie,
our division surgeon, the wounded were made comfortable in the Harrison house,
on the Columbia pike; and on the 2d of December the Twenty-fourth, under the
command of Captain Griffith, Company C, marched with the army to Nashville. I
have had no tidings from it since, except the published reports of the disaster
which befell General Hood on the 16th, and the retreat of the army to Corinth.
Respectfully submitted.
ELLISON CAPERS,
Colonel.
Capt. H. D. GARDEN,
Assistant Inspector-General, Gist's Brigade,
Army of Tennessee, near Corinth, Miss.
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. 733-9
