"They had better never do it."

My apologies for the long hiatus, but alas, I have been quite busy recently with school and work and therefore have had little time for my sideline academic pleasures. Tonight I aim to correct my aim, take a deep breath, and resume firing. Though I have been silent with the blog, I have not been silent entirely, and I recently was interviewed on WOUB radio concerning one of my many recent projects, the transcription of over 300 letters from the Brown family of Albany, Athens County, Ohio. The full interview can be heard here and I have decided to share one particular letter (with a few more to follow) on the blog this evening. The following was written by Private William Van Brown, known as "Van" to his comrades, friends, and family. I'll let the man speak for himself.

Young’s Point, Lou.

Opposite Vicksburg, Feb. 1863

Dear Parents: --

I suppose you are getting uneasy about me before this so I will write you a few lines to let you know where we are if nothing more. The last letter I wrote you was at Smithland, I also wrote you while at Louisville, and this makes the third and no answer. I would have wrote you sooner but I looked every day for a let-[ter] from you, and today our first mail since leaving the Kanawha got to us and no letter for me so I just set down and commenced scribbling. You will have to look over bad writing as there is from 10 to 15 of us crowded into this tent all the time and the most of them are now in here writing or talking; some of them of good old times past and gone, other of the good times they will have when they are discharged and get home, and others talking of the probability of a fight here soon or of us going back to W. Va., and I am writing on a knapsack. I will give you a short sketch of our movements: --

We left Smithland Jan. 11^th (I am speaking of our Brig. as we had not got with the “Army of the Mississippi” yet) got to Memphis on the 13^th, left there on the 14^th; got to Napoleon on the 16; there we got with the whole fleet of transports ready to start again for Vicksburg with Sherman’s Army; left Napoleon on the 19^th, arrived opposite the mouth of the Yazoo, 12 miles above Vicksburg, the 21^st, landed on the La. Shore that night; next day we marched across the country to 1 miles below Vicksburg. By looking at the map you will see that the river makes a big bend here, so that it is some 16 miles around while it is only about 2 miles across, thus [small drawing of map description], that is a poor drawing but it is something like it. What I marked as 3d Brig is where we were camped from Jan. 22d till Feb. 7^th when we moved up to the lower landing where we are now. I suppose you remember that Pope[?] or Farragut or some other fool started a canal across this bend, thinking they could run boats through it and get below the rebs and cut off their supplies or something of the kind. The mouth of the canal is below their principal batteries but they now have a Bat. Of 120 pds planted right opposite the mouth. Our Reg. was at work on it every other day till we moved up here, 2 miles above. The canal is 1 1/8 miles in length, and I believe it is given up to be a bad egg. On the 7^th the river raised so that the canal threatened to overflow the low land on which we were camped, that was the cause of us moving up here. We are now camped on good ground and still in sight of Vicksburg. While we were below the rebs shelled us every day but could’nt hardly reach us with shells, although we laid behind the levee within 200 yds of the river; but they would throw a 60 or 100 p’d solid ball 500 yds beyond us. The river there was about 2 miles wide and they had their Bat[terie]s planted on the bluffs back from the river about ¼ or ½ miles. For a day or two after we came here rebel boats passed up and down the river below Vicksburg unmolested, but one morning early the reb steamer “Vicksburg” came up the river and our bat[terie]s oppened [sic] on her but owing to the fog she escaped much damage and landed under the guns of Vicksburg, where she has lain ever since. The next day one of our Bat[terie]s captured  large ferry boat coming up. She is still below Vicksburg batteries and if we don’t get the place I suppose they will have to burn her.

On the morning of Feb. 2d just before sunrise we heard heavier firing above than usual and guessed at once that some of our gunboats were running the blockade; it turned out to be the large side wheel ram, “Queen of the West.” She ran down opposite Vick. And then ran over and ran into the reb steamer “Vicksburg” but finding they couldn't sink her they fired a load of cotton and turpentine into her which would have burned her had not the rebs put it out. She then ran down the river. It appeared as if batteries oppened [sic] on her from every foot of ground on the opposite side of the river for 15 miles in length. But the ram ran down on this side of the river and landed 1 mile below our Brig. She is not iron plated only the ram or “snout” and the pilot house is covered with sheet iron to stop musket balls. All around her boilers, pilot house and machinery were piled cotton bales. She was struck 14 times, mostly in the cotton which was set a few several times by shells. Col. Ellot was in command of her and had a volunteer crew. Col. Ellott stood on the hurricane roof waving his hat, the shell flying thick and fast around him[.] It was the heaviest cannonading I ever heard. The boat was und[er] fire 2 hours about. In the afternoon she ran on down the river. She got back on the 5^th and reported that she had sunk three reb transports near the mouth of the Red river loaded with provisions. Two or three days ago she went down the river again; it is said she has gone up Black river to destroy the R. R. bridge across that river.

For two or three days the rebs have been shelling our Brigade’s guards down below the mouth of the canal, but don’t kill anybody.

About half of our Reg has been sick since we have been here; most of them with the diarrhea; three have died with fever, our Co. has lost one, G. F. Waugh; he lived at Swan Creek, Gallia Co., Ohio. The health of the Reg is improving now fast. I was sick a day or two with diarrhea, but am well now. Irwin, Dossen and Bill Dean are well. John Dean is pretty sick but is able to be about.

There is all kinds of rumors afloat as to a move. Some think we will go back to W. Va. or Ky., our Reg. at least. There is some foundation for this report but I think it is slight. The boys all want to go back to Va. after this fight takes place, and the most of them ain’t noways particular about waiting to take part in it. They all wanted to come out of Va., but they have seen enough of the elephant. For my part I think any place would better than this. I don’t like a country where you can see nothing but swamp.

Jan. [February] 14. – I quit writing last night at dark and about 8 o’ck I got two letters from home, one of Jan. 18 and one of Jan. 31^st[.] It appears that you have written two other at least that I never got.

We are having very nice spring like weather here, part of the time it is uncomfortable with a coat on. Some of the boys who have been back in the country say the flowers are out in full bloom in the fields. The correspondent of the Com. Was right about the weather when we were coming down. It was awful cold from the time we left Memphis till we got below Napoleon. I don’t know who that correspondent can be. The Reg’ts down here would ask what Reg. that was, and when answered “4^th Va.” we would say “we did not ask you for a lie,” they did’nt think there was a Va. Reg. The health of the new Reg’ts here is awful, some of them don’t report a men for duty. There is talk of our Brig. Being sent to Memphis, Louisville or some place up the river, but I can’t believe it. I believe though that we won[‘]t have to stay here more than two monthes. I don’t believe there will be any fighting here of consequence till Banks comes up. In fact we can’t take the place till he makes a junction with us; how long before that will take place nobody appears to know. I expect we hae 75.000 or 100,000 men here. The rebs are said to have 150,000 but I don’t believe they have over 75,000. Grant is in Command here. Jo. Johnston is said to be in com. On the other side. The new troops here are most of them badly discouraged, especially those who were here when Sherman attacked the place before.

Ma says she “thinks if left to my choice I would rather not have come so far south;” you are mistaken, I wanted to come down here or go to Nashville, I did’nt care much which but, I have seen enough; to be sure I have not seen much fighting, none in fact, except artillery fighting, but I have seen men burried by hundreds, seen a hole dug 4 feet deep and 6 or 8 men tumbled in like hogs, with nothing on except their clothes, the dirt thrown in on them, and before night the wagons had run over them till they had cut the ground up and their feet were sticking out. It was no uncommon thing when we first came here to see them wheel men off of the hospital boats on a wheelbarrow and dump them into a hole and cover them up and that was the last of them. In fact a person can see enough here in a week to make him wish he never had volunteered. You need not think by this that I am discouraged for I aint one of them kind; but I do wish they would do something or other to bring this war to a close.

Last we heard heavy cannonading about 10 o’ck, and this morning it is reported that one of our best gun boats ran the blockade and has gone below.

It is a mistake about our Reg and another having a row in Louisville. There was a good many of our Brig. Broke guard and went up into the city; there was some Regulars doing patrol duty, and when they caught any of our boys without a pass they put them in the military prison. One night they halted some of the 37 and 47 Regts, they did’nt stop and I think they shot 2 of them But they never had any row any none of our Reg. was either shot or killed.

We have plenty to eat here such as it is, and it is as good as soldiers generally get. If we had money we could buy light bread at reasonable prices, baked by men who follow the army with portable bakeries, and we could get butter at 40 cents a pd, also apples, pies, &c. enough to keep off the scurvy. The paymasters are either here now or will be soon to pay off this army. Writing materials are pretty scarce but our sutler will be here in a few days; but the report is that the Col. ordered him not to set up when his things came as we would’nt stay here long enough to pay; but I don’t believe it. I have writing materials. I suppose Crooks Brig. has gone to Nashville, but have not heard from them since they were at Louisville. I wish we could go to them. Capt. G. W. Baker is here. He is Commissary subsistence, I believe, and issues provisions to one Division.

What wouldn’t I give to be at home a few days and help you devour some of that fresh pork and a few of those apples, to say nothing of the other good things. But, pshaw! What’s the use of talking, dinner will soon be ready and I will steop up and get some army grub, crackers and coffee, maybe some beans.

Hereafter I will try and write oftener, if I don’t write so much. I believe I have wrote about all that I can think of. I live in hopes that our Reg. will get away from here before warm weather sets in. I believe we could make them take us back any time, but that we will never do. The troops here are most of them down on the Presidents Emancipation Proclimation, and think that he wants to put the blacks on an equality with the whites. If he ever sends any negro soldiers down here they wont last long. I saw in some paper that they were trying to pass a bill to raise 300,000 negro soldiers, they had better never do it.

Well that is all I believe. It is as warm today as it is some days in August in the North.

W. V. Brown   

Co. D, 4^th Reg. Va. Vol. Inft.,

3d Brig. 2d Div. 15^th Army Corps

Army of the Miss.

Cairo, Ill.

(Care of Capt. Goodspeed.)

I don’t suppose there is any use of putting so much on an envelope but it is safer. Our Brig. is known as the “Kanawha Brig."

Source: The Brown Family Collection, Alden Library, Ohio University 

"I am going to stay with this gun."

It is truly impossible to read the following account, likely written by Sergeant John Lockard of the 6th Iowa during the Second Epoch of the Atlanta Campaign, and not get the sense of the utter hardship these men faced on a daily basis. His prose is epic and I can do it no justice in a mere introduction. The following was published in The Burlington Weekly Hawkeye in the last week in June of 1864.

Letter from the 15^th Army Corps – 6^th Iowa Infantry.
Big Shanty Station, Ga., June 14^th, 1864.

Editor Hawk-eye: For six weeks we have been engaged in digging, chopping and skirmishing, the enemy falling back slowly and contesting every position with the greatest stubbornness.

Gen. mcPherson's army, consisting of Gen. Logan's (15^th) corps, and two divisions of the 16^th corps, commanded by Gen. Dodge, left Kingston on the 23d of May, crossing the Etowah river on a fine wagon bridge West of Kingston, which the rear guard of the rebels had just fired when our cavalry came up and took possession, thus saving it for our use. Along the river are some very fine plantations, the soil being a black sandy loam. I noticed several fine fields of wheat, some looking as if it might yield twenty to thirty bushels per acre. Where it has not been used to pasture army horses and mules it will soon be ready for the sickle; but who is to harvest it is more than I can tell, both white men and black having entirely disappeared from the country. It will be a matter for regret if the crop has to be lost. If saved, it would be the means of relieving a great deal of suffering among the poor people of this State. After leaving the Etowah about four miles, we came to a section of country, of several miles in extent, covered with a heavy growth of small pines. Leaving this, we again passed into a broken country, covered with a thick undergrowth of oak and chestnut. An occasional clearing, with its log cabin, marked the places where the Georgians once lived in blissful ignorance of all the wicked world outside of their native thickets. But the approach of the dreaded “Yanks” had been the signal for many of them to desert their homes and remove south. The few who remained took a great interest in our safety, assuring us that we would go back in a greater hurry than we were going forward whenever Gen. Johnston got us to where he wanted to fight us, and warning us against going too far into their country.

Near Dallas, the county town of Pauding country, we found the enemy strongly posted and well fortified. We took up our position on a neighboring hill, and commenced building rifle-pits. This was on the 26^th of May. Skirmishing commenced early in the morning, and grew livelier all the forenoon, as our troops were getting into position. The 4^th division (Gen. Herron's) was on the right of our corps. To our left was the 2d division (Gen. Morgan L. Smith's) Gen. Osterhaus being in reserve. About two o'clock this evening the enemy opened on Col. C.C. Walcutt's (2d) brigade, of the 4^th division, with shell. – Our position was on a sharp ridge, and that of the enemy about five hundred yards distant, across a deep ravine, through which ran a small creek. Their shells were well directed, – many of them bursting in our ranks. Fortunately it did not continue long, the enemy not being able to see the mischief he was doing, owing to the thick timber on our ridge. In our regiment (6^th Iowa) one man (private Scott, Co. C) was killed during this shelling, a shell bursting right against him and crushing in his side. No sooner did the shelling cease than the enemy came out of his works and advanced against us. They got nearly down the side of the hill on which was their works when, finding the musketry fire from our half-finished rifle-pits too hot, they [turned] about and returned to their position on the hill.

All day, the 27^th, a constant skirmishing was kept up by our pickets; very little harm being done on either side, owing to the distance at which the firing was done. They day was spent in strengthening our position, by finishing our rifle-pits, covering our batteries, &c. We worked all night on the 26^th and 27^th.

Early in the morning of the 28^th, the skirmishing recommenced. About eight o'clock, while on the skirmish line giving instructions, Adjt. Newby Chase, of the 6^th Iowa, received a wound in the throat, which proved fatal. Lieut. Chase was a fine officer, a true soldier, and a gentleman in the fullest sense of that term. His loss is felt and deeply mourned by the whole regiment. He sleeps on the field of battle with thousands, who like him have fallen, victims of man's perfidy and ambition. But his memory will always live in the hearts of his comrades in the “Sixth” to whom he had endeared himself by his uniform kindness and urbanity, his noble unselfishness of disposition, and the gallantry of his conduct in the field.

About four o'clock, of the 28^th, the enemy made a furious charge all along the line occupied by the 15^th Corps. They were within a few feet of our pickets before their approach was discovered, having crawled up to them, under cover of the thick underbrush and the smoke of the dead leaves, which had caught fire in many places. In our regiment, Co. D, under command of Lieut. T.S. Elrick, and Co. C, commanded by Lieut. Baldwin, were on the picket or skirmish line. They fought the enemy hand to hand, falling back gradually to the breastwork. They were necessarily exposed to our fire as they came in, but as it was easy to distinguish between the blue coats and the gray, none of them were hurt by it. The enemy charged with great determination. Some of them were killed just outside of our works. They got possession of three guns of the First Iowa Battery, which was in a very exposed position. They made terrible efforts to get off these guns, as they were fine steel Parrots, but the fire from our rifle pits, not over twenty-five yards distant was too severe and failing to carry them off, they were obliged to leave the guns. After tow hours terrible fighting, forty minutes of which was the hardest I ever saw, they were repulsed. – Our men dashed out after them and followed them to our skirmish line, which was re-established on the old ground. Just as the enemy commenced to fall back, a [brigade] of Gen. Osterhaus' division came up to our support in fine style, having come on the double quick for two miles. Finding the crisis past they returned to their old position. Nothing could exceed the coolness and spirit of our men in resisting this charge. The enemy's loss is three thousand, including every field officer engaged, (by their own report,) shows how well directed was our fire. But we did not escape without severe loss. In the 2d Brigade, 4^th division, three of the four regimental commanders were hit, and two of them killed, Col. Dickerman, of the 103d Ills., and Maj. Gisey, of the 46^th Ohio, and Col. Miller, of the 6^th Iowa, wounded severely in the arm. Too much cannot be said in praise of these gallant officers. – While the men were in the ditch and under cover, they had to be exposed to the fire of the enemy unprotected. But Col. Miller (my position did not allow me to see the others) was right up to the line, directing his men where to fire, and keeping them well in their places. No braver man lives than Col. Miller, and no commander enjoys more fully, the respect, confidence and affection of his men. The loss of our regiment during the attack of the enemy on our lines, was seven men killed and fifteen wounded, and one brave officer killed. – Lieut. Baldwin, of Co. C, was shot through the head by a stray ball, after the enemy had been repulsed. A better man never drew a sword.

“He sleeps his last sleep, he has fought his last battle.”

But while a man of the 'Sixth Iowa” survives the slaughter of war, he will not be forgotten.

Company C, lost heavily here, as in every engagement in which we have been. There are but ten or twelve men left in the Company.

I cannot forbear to mention the conduct of one gallant soldier of our regiment, who was killed. I refer to Private George Black of Company B. When the skirmish line had been driven in as far as the guns of the 1^st Iowa Battery, already abandoned by most of the artillery men, he stopped, and extending his hand to a comrade, who was near, he bade him good bye, saying: “I am going to stay with this gun.” He did stay with it – and after the enemy was driven back, he was found laying dead with his feet to the foe and face to the skies. He was shot through the heart, evidently having been killed by a shot from the revolver of a rebel captain who lay dead on the opposite side of the gun. The captain's revolver was in his hand, one load having been discharged, and it is thought that both fired and fell at once, each killing the other.

Some of the 1^st battery displayed great bravery – one, in particular, whose name I have not learned – knocking down the first rebel who got to his gun with the swab. But as the battery was outside the line of infantry, it was impossible to hold it; and the enemy came on to them so suddenly, they had not time to get the guns off.

On the [31^st] of May we moved several miles to the left, and relieved the 20^th corps at New Hope Church. Here the enemy's rifle pits and ours, were not over one hundred and fifty yards apart. The ground was nearly level, and the trees bore visible marks of the dreadful fighting the 20^th corps had, to gain the position. Many large trees were killed by the cannon shot and some were dying from the effects of musket balls, so many having been lodged in them. We held this position till the 5^th of June; having advanced twenty-five yards, and put up new works in that time. On the morning of the fifth, we found the enemy gone from his works in our front. The same day we started for Ackworth, on the railroad leading to Atlanta. Arrived at that place on the sixth. Rested two days, and on the ninth our regiment went in company with the 2d Cavalry Division (Gen. Girard) on a reconnaissance to Big Shanty station. Found the enemy in force on a range of hills just beyond Big Shanty, and returned to Ackworth. On the tenth, a general move forward of five miles, to Big Shanty, took place, since which the 15^th corps has been in reserve.

Skirmishing is kept up all the time, and an occasional shell is tossed over towards them, just to keep them awake, I suppose. They never see fit to return the compliment, but we can see them busily at work on a hill three or four miles distant, throwing up entrenchments.

So far, Gen. Sherman has forced them to abandon all their well chosen positions for defense, by operating on their flanks and in the rear. Of course, we know nothing of Gen. Sherman's plans. but since we have been here three days and no attack has been made, we may safely conclude that no direct attack is intended at this point, since, were that the intention, so much time would not be given to the enemy to strengthen his position. It will take some time to get to Atlanta as we have been going the past two weeks. but the people may rest assured that if steady, cool and pertinacious effort can accomplish the work, we will get there some time this summer. No one who is unacquainted with this country can form any idea of the difficulties to be overcome.

The weather has been very wet for some time. It has rained every day for near a week till to-day. For more than forty eight hours ending last evening, at dark, the rain was constant, and most of the time a torrent. This was very trying, as we had no shelter save what was afforded by water-proof blankets, but the boys stood it philosophically, wondering whether it would not raise the Chattahoochee till the gunboats could come up and take Johnston in the rear, forgetting, I suppose, that Mobile was yet in the way.

I never saw our army in better fighting trim than it is to-day. Nothing within the bounds of possibility but that can be done by it.

Our own regiment is in good health. Several deaths have occurred from small-pox since we came back from furlough and considerable anxiety was felt for a time lest it should be general in the division. – But it was confined to our regiment, and has now entirely disappeared. Among the deaths from this cause was Lieut. Wright, of Co. D, whose untimely death is greatly deplored, particularly in his own company of which he was a great favorite.

Since the wounding of Col. Miller, we are ably commanded by Major Thos. J. Emis, assisted by Capt. W.H. Clune.

The cars run here regularly now, bringing plenty of “hard tack,” “swine side,” coffee, sugar, &c., together with the scarcely less indispensable Hawk-Eye, and home news.

Yours, with a Bully for Lincoln, J.L.

Source: The Burlington Weekly Hawkeye, 25 June 1864

"...being just 14 years and eight days old..."

In March of 1885, Private Rawlings of Co. H, 53rd O.V.I. wrote to the editor of the National Tribune to defend his alleged position as the youngest soldier in the Union Army (or more likely, of the Army of the Tennessee). Of course this claim is very difficult to legitimize, but his words alone are interesting enough.

 

THE OHIO BOY.

To the Editor: I notice in your issue of Feb. 19 a dozen or more comrades claiming to have been the youngest “soldier,” and as I was younger than any of them I write you the following: I was born Oct. 16, 1847, and on Oct. 24, 1861 I enlisted at Middleport, O., being just 14 years and eight days old at the time. I carried a musket from the start, and was in all of the following battles: Shiloh, Corinth, Black River, Vicksburg, Jackson, Missionary Ridge, Resaca, Dallas, Kenesaw Mountain, Little Kenesaw, Nickajack Creek, Atlanta, Ezra Chapel, Jonesboro, Fort McAllister, Savannah, North Edisto, Columbia, Bentonville, and Raleigh. I was never wounded, was never in the hospital except two weeks, never missed a march that the regiment made except one of 20 miles, never was absent from the company for any cause, walked all the way from Memphis, Tenn., to Washington, D.C. I received my discharge Aug. 25, 1865, having served 46 months and one day; and I have never made application for a pension.

– R.H. Rawlings, Co. H, 53d Ohio, Fifteenth Corps, Rutland, O.

Source: The national tribune, 12 March 1885

"The man who gave coffee"

No need for much lead in today. Just a tidbit I found somewhat touching.

Personal.

S.B. Isgrigg, Walnut, Kan., writes: “I like to read stories that happened in the war of '61 – '65. I belong to Walnut Post, 231, and I am not ashamed of the badge I wear. The National Tribune is the first and the only friend to us old soldiers who saved this Nation, and we ought to stand by it as a friend to us. I was in the service from August, 1862, until June, 1865, in Co. A, 83d Ind., Fifteenth Corps. Now, comrades, we see who our friends are (especially in Congress) by reading The National Tribune. Does any of the comrades remember the man who gave the 37^th Ohio coffee on the night of the fight at Kenesaw Mountain? If so I would like to hear from them by card, as I was the man who gave the coffee to them, after dusk and after we had made the second charge on the rebs.

Source: The national tribune, 26 January 1893.

"cut down like grass before the scythe."

Shifting to the right of the army following the devestatingly costly victory on July 22nd, J.R. Tisdale's 29th Missouri found itself meandering through the woods west of Atlanta in hopes of getting some rest on July 28th. Instead, Hood lashed out yet again.

EZRA CHAPEL.

How the Fifteenth Corps Withstood the Rebel Charges.

Editor National Tribune: The First Division, Fifteenth Corps, marched all the night previous from the battlefield of the 22d, where our brave Gen. McPherson fell, to the vicinity of Ezra Chapel, some four miles west of the city of Atlanta. Here our brigade halted in the woods and our boys had an opportunity to cook and eat breakfast, but many laid down for a little rest and sleep; but soon the familiar command 'Fall in! Fall in!” rung out in the morning air, and we were again going forward. Entering the woods to our left we were deployed in line of battle and soon reached an open field, where we encountered the rebel skirmishers and a battery to the right, but we advanced across the field and into the woods again, and halted and commenced a temporary line of works with rails from a fence at the edge of the field we had just passed. The left of our brigade (the Third) was a short distance west of the chapel and fronting south, when we discovered the enemy advancing on us through the woods in great force, and we laid low and awaited their approach.

Within five minutes the storm was upon us, coming down the line from our right like a cyclone, and our brigade was hotly engaged. We kept up a destructive fire for some time, when the enemy fell back repulsed and terribly punished. During the engagement our Major (Murphy, of the 29^th Mo.,) fell, with a bullet through his left breast, mortally wounded. I quickly got a stretcher and we bore him back to the ambulances amid a shower of shot and shell, which appeared to be doing more execution here than on the front line.

Hastening to the front again, we found the enemy advancing in another charge, more desperate, if possible, than before. But the result was the same. The casualties so far in our command were insignificant compared with that of the enemy, who were apparently charging our line without skirmishers in advance of their line. During the fight I had laid aside my knapsack while assisting the Major off the field, and some one got away with it; so I resolved to try and get another, if I had to go to the front and demand one from the rebels. Acting on this suggestion I soon ventured out some 50 yards among the small pines in our front, when, great heavens! what a sight of dead men I beheld there; they lay in the windrows, as though cut down like grass before a scythe. The carnage was awful indeed. While wounded men were calling for assistance I observed a movement of the live rebels to our left and front a short distance, so I concluded to get within our lines as quick as possible. At the same I noticed a good-sized knapsack on the back of a dead Sergeant of the 19^th La. I hastily cut a strap and walked in with the knapsack just in time to escape being caught between two fires, as the enemy were by this time advancing in another charge, while our men were waiting to receive them. Again they were beaten back, and made no further attempt on that part of the line.

I made an excellent exchange in knapsacks; the captured one contained a good outfit. Among other articles were a couple of fine wool blankets, nearly $10 in gold and silver coin, besides a quantity of Confederate money, which I graciously divided with the prisoners, as I had already more of the stuff than I needed.

The old First Division, Fifteenth Corps, sustained its reputation on this occasion as stayers. Gen. P.J. Osterhaus, in command, displayed great courage and coolness, while our brigade and regimental commanders were on the alert from first to last. The brigade to our right, with the 103d Ill. connecting, surely had a lively time during the melee, as did the 3d and 17^th Mo. on our left, where the shells were popping thick and fast throughout the entire engagement.

Prisoners taken and dead and wounded cared for represented the 4^th, 9^th, 19^th and 30^th La. as our opponents, and no braver men ever lived than they. Smarting, no doubt, with the thought of their recent defeats at Peach Tree Creek and Atlanta, they fought with a determination to win at all hazard,s but the old Fifteenth Corps was there as a stone wall, with Gen. John A. Logan at the head, and we never for a moment faltered.

Ezra Chapel was the final engagement near Atlanta that led to the capture of that stronghold.

– J. R. Tisdale, 29^th Mo., Chillicothe, Mo.

Source: The national tribune, 10 May 1888.

"...no braver act occured..."

In the fall of 1889, Captain Lucian B. Crooker of Company I, 55th Illinois, reached back in his memory to the perilous assault of the XV Corps' "Forlorn Hope" assault at Vicksburg in 1863. In hopes of putting Captain Groce of the 30th Ohio's family at rest in regards to his valiant actions, Crooker attempted to remove all question of the late officer's courage on the field.

Capt. Groce and the Forlorn Hope.

Editor National Tribune: In your issue of Sept. 5, Lem Kent inquires whether Capt. John H. Groce, of the 30th Ohio, led the forlorn hope on the Graveyard road at Vicksburg in 1864. If he means the forlorn hope which preceded the assault on that road on May 22, 1863, I am enabled to answer him. Capt. John H. Groce, of th 30th Ohio, did command that forlorn hope. In other words, he was senior officer, though assisted by three juniors: one from the 127th Ill., one from the 55th Ill., and one from the 6th Mo. The headquarters flag of Gen. Ewing's Brigade was carried by young Trogden, of the 8th Mo., who planted it upon the outside slope of the rebel fort, where it remained during the afternoon. This detail, or rather this volunteer force consisted of 150 men from the Second (Blair's) Division of the Fifteenth Corps, of whom 19 were killed and 34 wounded, Capt. Groce being among the later. The 55th Ill. had 13 men, including Lieut. William C. Porter, engaged with this detachment. Of these three were killed and five wounded. Those who reached the ditch remained in it and upon the outside slopes of the rebel works form about 2 o'clock p.m. until after dark, when they returned, bearing their wounded comrades, to the unsuccessful lines of the main assaulting force. While in the rebel ditch these gallant men were greatly annoyed by small shell thrown by hand over the rebel works. Serg't Haney, of the 55th Ill., was killed in this manner. I am happy to inform the aged father of Capt. Groce that his son did ably command on that occasion, and that no braver act occurred during the heroic age of the rebelion [sic].

- L. B. Crooker, Captain, 55th Ill., Mendota, Ill.

Source: The national tribune, 3 October 1889

"...fought with Johns[t]on all the way."

After weeks of brutal campaigning, Captain A. L. Wellman of Company F, 48th Illinois Infantry, wrote home to the editors of the Centralia Sentinel (a staunchly republican pro-war paper printed in Marion County, Illinois) on May 22, 1864 to give a solid accounting for his regiment's activities during the first epoch of the Atlanta Campaign with special emphasis given to the fighting at Resaca.

 Camp in the Field; near Kingston, Ga., May 22.

Messrs. Fletcher: -- I wrote you a short time since, in which I warned you to look for stirring news, all of which has proved true. We left Scottsboro on the 3d inst., bringing up the rear of our corps we did not get with the command until 2 o'clock on the night of the 7th, on the old battle-field of Chikamauga [sic]. Was early on the move on the morning of the 8th. Nothing of interest but occasional slight skirmishing with the enemies pickets, which we found posted for many miles, until the morning of the 13th when we found the enemy in considerable force some three miles out from their main works. The cavalry was ordered forward and soon become engaged, but found the enemy in to strong a position, and were compelled to fall back, but not until Gen. Kilpatrick was wounded. I was near him when it happened, and saw him a few minutes after. His wound is only slight, and I hope he will again soon be able to take the field, as we much need such officers at this time.

After the Cavalry withdrew, the Infantry was thrown into position, and soon the skirmishing became general; but we rapidly drove them to their works where we had very heavy skirmishing during the remainder of the day, which closed at dark, but was resumed early the next morning, and continued until the night of the 16th. There was but little else then heavy skirmishing at any time, on our part of the lines, but on our left there was some hard fighting. Those not accustomed to hear fireing would have thought we were having something of a fight, but we only looked upon it as a skirmish.

Why Johnson left the position he held, is a mystery to me, for it is the strongest I have seen in the Confederacy, and if he cannot hold such positions as that, I cannot imagine where he intends to make his final stand.

We are now at Kingston -- distance from Dalton, some fifty miles, we have fought with Johnson all the way to this point, routing him in every fight, capturing quite a number of prisoners, some transportation and some artillery, but how much I am not able to say. All of the prisoners that I have talked to, seem to think that the rebellion is played out. One of them said that he thought we would have to get shorter ranged guns, for the Confederacy was getting so narrow that we would soon be in danger of killing our own men; all of which I thought was a tolerably wise conclusion.

I must give Johnston the credit of making a splendid retreat, but it is not to be wondered at, when we consider that he has studied and practiced that much more than fighting.

We now have railroad and telegraph communication to this point. The sound of the whistles of the rebel engines have scarcely died away, until the sound of the Yankee whistle was heard. They were so tightly pressed that they injured the road but little, they are repairing it as fast as the army moves. I learn that we again move forward in the morning.

Respectfully yours,

A. L. Wellman,

Com. Co. F, 48th Ill. Inf. V. V.

Source: Centralia Sentinel, 16 June 1864