Following the American Civil War Sesquicentennial with day by day writings of the time, currently 1863.

Monday, January 12, 2015

January 12.—The late bad news from Tennessee is confirmed. A friend—one of our most influential citizens—has received a letter from his young son, which gives a graphic description of the retreat of our brave but unfortunate army from before Nashville. I give it as it is written, knowing the writer’s veracity to be beyond a doubt:

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Camp Wagon-Train. Trueheart’s Battery

Near Franklin, Tennessee,

December 16, 1864.

My Dear Father—Before this reaches you, the news of our defeat yesterday will have been received. As you will be anxious, let me say, in the first place, that I came through without a scratch.

Yesterday morning early the enemy began sharp-shooting in our front; that is, the front of Stewart’s corps, which was the extreme left of Hood’s line. We soon received orders—that is, our ordnance train and forage wagons, which are under command of the battalion quartermaster, Captain Spindle, with whom I am detailed as clerk—to be ready to move at any moment. This must have been about 2 o’clock, and was the first notice we received that there was any danger. No one had any idea that the enemy were then massing on our left. The firing soon became heavy, and our infantry commenced moving to the right—our right, but really the center of Hood’s line.

Major Trueheart being in the line, Captain Spindle dispatched a courier to him, to know whether he would move his train out or not, as the enemy’s shells began to fall pretty thick. Before the courier returned, Captain S. decided to move all his train, except the ordnance, further to the rear, and ordered me to go with him.

I started, and got upon a high hill, where I could see the Yankees moving on our left, and preparing to charge Lumsden’s battery.

And here, in order that you may understand the whole affair better, I will give you a description of our position, as far as I saw it, from the left toward the right. It was in the form of a half circle, the center about a mile and a half from the Yankee line around Nashville. Cheatham was on the right, Lee in the center, and Stewart on the left. Walthal’s division of Stewart’s corps was on the extreme left of our corps. Our battalion was with Walthal’s division, Lumsden’s battery being on the left; one section of Tarrant’s battery came next; one of ours (Seldon’s battery) about a half mile further to the right; the other section of Tarrant’s battery came next, and the remaining two guns of our battery on the extreme of Walthal’s division.

The enemy, as I stated above, first flanked and took Lumsden’s battery, the captain and most of his men making their escape. They immediately turned our guns on us, and took Tarrant’s two guns. About this time I succeeded in getting to the section of our battery to which my gun belongs. I saw the enemy advance and take Lumsden’s battery. On getting to my piece, I took a blow, and then went to work. I found Major Storrs in charge of the section.

The enemy soon began to appear in two lines of battle on our immediate front, and we poured shell and solid shot on them very heavily, causing them to halt. Our ammunition getting scarce, the major ordered us to reserve our fire. Our infantry support, consisting of about one hundred men of Sayre’s brigade (the general himself in our works) continued to fire a few rounds now and then. The Yankees about this time commenced a furious cannonading, and we had to remain idle behind our works.

We received orders about this time to hitch up and save our guns, as the enemy was now seen coming up the pike, in our rear, and at the same time charging in two or three lines of battle (I am not quite sure which) on our front and right flank.

We got our two pieces about four hundred yards from our works, in a muddy field, where we had to abandon one of them; two of the horses being shot, leaving only four, and they were not able to pull it . Our other gun and our ammunition wagon we brought off. Just as we arrived in this field, the last brigade, either Shelly’s (Canty’s old brigade) or Renold’s, being flanked, and the Yankees two hundred yards, in two lines of battle, on their left and rear, broke, General Walthal himself giving the order. From this time it was one perfect stampede for a mile. As I came out, I saw a pony rearing and pitching, and being nearly worn out, went buck and got him. But after doing this I got so far behind, and the shells and minies came so thick and fast, I could not mount the pony until I reached a skirt of wood. As soon as I got on him I felt so relieved that I did not care much what came. I was so nearly worn out, that had I not got the horse I do not know what I should have done.

After falling back nearly a mile (I may not be correct in the distance, as the fatigue made it seem much longer than it really was, I suppose) we formed a second line of battle, and there I left the front, as my piece had gone on, and we had no ammunition with which to fire any longer. As I had nothing to eat, and no blanket, I started to find our wagons, which I did after walking three or four miles, en route for this place. Being tired out, I got in a wagon and remained in it till we reached our present camp, which is a mile and a half south of Franklin. We reached here about 1 or 2 o’clock in the morning; I am not certain whether this is the 15th, 16th, or 17th; I think it is Friday, the 16th.

I am so tired and sleepy that I can scarcely write, and only do so because an opportunity of sending a letter to-morrow offers, and I know you will want to hear from me. I fear many of our infantry were captured. All of Trueheart’s battalion of artillery, except Sergeant Riddle’s piece (eleven out of twelve), to which I belong, was taken. I gave myself up once or twice, and felt sure that by this morning I would be on my way to some Yankee prison; but, God be thanked, I am safe and sound.

Our last news from Sherman was good; viz: that he had been compelled to fortify about eighty miles from Port Royal, South Carolina. Is this news?

When I left the front, about 8 P.M., no one knew whether we were going to stand and form a new line, or fall back to this point. I never had such a fine view of the enemy approaching before. If we had only had some works; but even without these, had we only been reinforced, we might have done better, for it was very evident to every one that the Yankees had massed on the extreme left.

Give my sincere love to mother, sisters, and all the family, and many kisses to the little ones. God grant that we may yet be victorious, and that peace may soon spread her balmy wings over this troubled land.

The country we are in is a rich one, and we have been doing well. We had no idea we would so soon be made to leave our winter-quarters. I had sent Bill down to Columbia to pay a visit. We had chimneys to our tents, and were doing finely.

I do not know how General Hood intended to protect his flank; I do not see how he could have expected to do so, but I am no general. If he does not take some stronger position than he has at present, I fear the enemy will do him more damage yet, by taking possession of the pike, and cutting him off entirely.

If any thing happens, I will add before closing.

With much love, etc.,                      H.

P. S.—Two of our men have just come in from the front; they report the Yankees advancing down a pike which intersects the Nashville and Franklin pike, between our position and Franklin. I hope this is not so.

On board the steamer Crescent, Atlantic Ocean,

January 12, 1865.

We are steaming on that rolling deep we’ve heard so much of, and which I have already seen and felt enough of. There is but little air stirring and the water is quite smooth, but so near the shore there is always a ground swell, which is to me somewhat demoralizing. We are out of sight of land and just before dark we saw a school of porpoise which looked just like a drove of hogs in the water. Some of the men wanted to go foraging when they saw them. This makes me quite dizzy, but I would not miss it on any account. I saw the full moon rise from the water about 6:30 p.m.

12th. Letter from Frank. Answered all my letters. Played some at chess.

Thursday, 12th—All is quiet in camp. The weather is very pleasant and everything has the appearance of spring. The trees seem alive with birds, many different kinds, some of which are very sweet singers. Sometimes the sun is so bright that it reminds one of June days in the North. We received orders to be ready to march in the morning at daylight.

January 12th.—Bright and frosty. Gold at $66 for one yesterday, at auction.

Major R. J. Echols, Quartermaster, Charlotte, N. C., says the fire there destroyed 70,000 bushels of grain, a large amount of sugar, molasses, clothing, blankets, etc. He knows not whether it was the result of design or accident. All his papers were consumed. A part of Conner’s brigade on the way to South Carolina, 500 men, under Lieut.-Col. Wallace, refused to aid in saving property, but plundered it! This proves that the soldiers were all poor men, the rich having bought exemptions or details!

Gen. Lee writes on the 8th instant, that the troops sailing out of James River are, he thinks, destined for another attack on Wilmington. But none have left the lines in front of him, etc.

Gen. Lee also writes on the 9th instant, that the commissary agents have established “a large traffic through our lines, in North Carolina, for supplies;” and he desires the press to say nothing on the subject.

Mr. Ould, to whom it appears the Secretary has written for his opinion (he was editor once, and fought a duel with Jennings Wise, Mr. Seddon being his second), gives a very bad one on the condition of affairs. He says the people have confidence in Mr. Seddon, but not in President Davis, and a strong reconstruction party will spring up in Virginia rather than adopt the President’s ideas about the slaves, etc.

The Chief of the Treasury Note Bureau, at Columbia, S. C., asks where be shall fly to if the enemy approaches. It is understood one of our generals, when appealed to by the Secretary, exclaimed: “To the devil!”

Mr. Miles introduced a resolution yesterday (in Congress) affirming that for any State to negotiate peace is revolutionary. Ill timed, because self-evident.

Gen. Bradley T. Johnson writes from Salisbury, N. C, that because the travel hither has been suspended by the government, the Central Railroad Company of that State refuse to send the full amount of trains for the transportation of soldiers. It must be impressed too.

I am assured by one of the President’s special detectives that Francis P. Blair, Sr. is truly in this city. What for? A rumor spreads that Richmond is to be evacuated.

Gen. Lee writes for the Secretary’s sanction to send officers everywhere in Virginia and North Carolina, to collect provisions and to control railroads, etc. The Secretary is sending orders to different commanders, and says he would rather have the odium than that it should fall on Lee! The Commissary-General approves Lee’s measure.

Gen. Lee’s dispatch was dated last night. He says he has not two days’ rations for his army!

Commissary-General Northrop writes to the Secretary that the hour of emergency is upon us, and that Gen. Lee’s name may “save the cause,” if he proclaims the necessity of indiscriminate impressment, etc.