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.
