Yale University Library 39002015506844 YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY iur'*ft|M ? ¥i 3 L A D £ L P> 1 _ :¦ j PFISf 0 [ : :; ANNALS ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND: comprising: BIOGRAPHIES, DESCRIPTIONS OF DEPARTMENTS, ACCOUNTS OF EXPEDITIONS, SKIRMISHES, AND BATTLES; POLICE RECORD SPIES, SMUGGLERS, AND PROMINENT REBEL EMISSARIES. TOGETHER WITH &mtMt$, ^uMmH, \Qattnj, § minimum, tti. OFFICIAL REPORTS OF THE BATTLE OF STONE RIYER AND OF THE .CHICKAMAUGA CAMPAIGN. By JOHN FITCH, ATTORNEY AT LAW, ALTON, ILLINOIS, AND PEOTOST JUICE, AEMT OP THE CUHILEBliHIi. Illustrated with Steel Portraits, Wood Engravings, aid laps. SIXTH EDITION. PHILADELPHIA: J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO. 1864. Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1863, by J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO. FOR THE AOTHOR, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. PREFACE. To the soldiers of the Army of the Cumberland, and to their friends at home, the author presents this volume of portraits, sketches, and incidents, — a work undertaken at the solicitation of many friends, with the view of affording pleasure to our soldiers and imparting information to the people, and, if it may be, to secure a fund for the erection of a monument to overlook the battle-field of Stone River, Tennessee, where rest, "unknelled, uncoflined, and unknown," hundreds of American citizens. This work is not intended as a history of the Rebellion, in a general sense, nor even as a detailed account of events occurring in the history of , the Army of the Cumberland. It is simply a collection of sketches and portraits of many of its representative men, and a narration of many interesting events which have transpired within its lines. The more important of its military operations are given up to the time of going to press. The various departments are sufficiently described to illustrate their practical operation, at every fireside ; and in the grouping together of incident and anecdote, and of spy and smuggling events, the author has aimed to give life and zest to the volume. The work is issued almost regardless of cost, and is intended as a souvenir that shall remain when this army shall have been disbanded and these stirring times and scenes have passed away, — one which, it is hoped, the soldiers of the Cumberland will prize as their booh, to be preserved by succeeding generations as a household treasure, its pages to be scanned by the descendant, while glorying in the deeds of a patriot sire during the dark days of the Great Rebellion. The author has endeavored to be modest and impartial in his meed of praise, — a most difficult task, where so much can be truly said of so many. The thousands of noble men in the Army of the Cumberland, who have left home, friends, fortunes, and high position, to brave the perils of camp and battle-field, all merit mention in such a work. Especially was it desirable that many particularly daring deeds of our officers and privates 3 4 PREFACE. should find record within these pages ; but the original limit of the work has already been greatly exceeded, and prudence restrains from a further advance. Although intended as a picture of our army, it is far from being complete. We have used but a small portion of attainable matter and portraits ; and many of our best and most notable generals — as Crittenden, Reynolds, Wood, Granger, Mitchell, Morgan, Turchin, and other high officers — we are unable to properly present in this volume. Ample material is left for a second volume of the "Annals," should its publica tion prove desirable. To many friends in the army the author is indebted for assistance in collecting material, and with them any credit arising from the work ia duly shared. The composition of such a volume amid the incidents and excitement of the camp will, we trust, constitute some apology for literary deficiencies. All responsibility respecting misstatement of fact in military movements, or of dulness or exaggeration in estimating individual character, rests with the author. Brief outlines were furnished, in some instances : for the rest, we have garnered here and there, with these pages as the result. , This volume is published under peculiar circumstances ; and, in behalf of the officers of our army, — whom it represents, — the author tenders acknowledgment for its successful presentation to the public, as a work of art, to Messrs. Illman Brothers, the contracting engravers, for the sur prisingly faithful likenesses of the portraits, — to Messrs. L. Johnson & Co., and to their admirable proof-reader and critic, for elegance of typography and correctness of diction, — to our publishers, Messrs. J. B. Lippincott & Co., for their encouragement, enterprise, and generous expenditure of capital, — and to all connected with the work, for despatch, it being issued within a period of ninety days from the commencement. Should the work prove sufficiently successful, the monumental idea will be carried out, and a shaft will be erected upon the battle-field, similar in design to that upon our title-page, — not of a boastful and vainglorious character, but simply to proclaim the story of the conflict and to transmit to posterity the moral of civil war. Tullahoma, Tenn., August 10, 1863. Missing Page Missing Page CONTENTS. s StogrcpMcal $kirte. Major-General William S. Rosecrans 9 Officers of Staff 40 M». or-General George H. Thomas , 56 Officers of Staff 66 Major-General A. McD. MoCook 73 Major-General L. H. Rousseau 79 Officers of Sta'-f 88 Major-General J. S. Neglet «. 91 Officers of Staff Ill) Major-General John McA. Palmer lit Officers of Staff.... 134 Major-General P. H. Sheridan 140' Officers of Staff 146 Brigadier-General R. W. Johnson 152 Officers of Staff 154 Brigadier-General Jefferson C Davis 158- Officers of Staff 170 Brigadier-General H. P. Van Cleve 174 Officers of Staff 175 Brigadier-General J. St. Clair Morton (Pioneer Brigade) 180 Officers of Staff 184 Colonel William P. Innes (1st Michigan Engineers) 192 Officers of Staff 196 Major-General D. S. Stanley (Chief of Cavalry) 199 Colonel R. H. G. Minty 205 Colonel Eli Long 210 Colonel William B. Stokes 213 Captain Elmer Otis 215 Brigadier-General W. B. Hazen 219 7 8 CONTENTS. ?A8I Brigadier-General W. P. Carlin. 225 Colonel H. C. Heg 229 Colonel J. T. Wilder 233 Colonel W. L. Stoughton 238 Colonel J.W. Burke 239 Brigadier-General J. W. Sill (deceased) •¦• 243 Colonel J. P. Garesche (deceased) 246 Colonel G.W. Roberts (deceased) 250 Colonel Leander Stem (deceased) ,,.„.„ 252 ^rmg f egartmenk General Rosecrans's Head-Quarters 257 Quartermaster's Department 265 Commissary Department 274 Provost-Marshal General's Department 282 Medical Department 289 Artillery Department 293 Signal Corps and Telegraph Department 303 Army Mail... 309 Army Directory 318 Army Chaplains 320 Head-Quarters Chaplain 325 United States Sanitary Commission 331 Army Police Department, and its Chief 346 (Seditions, gattta, and ^hirmtsnes Of the Army of the Cumberland 359 gtrmg p«Iir* %ecor& Op Spies, Smugglers, and Rebel Emissaries 485 Utisfettanectts. Arecdotes, Incidents, Poetry, etc 847 Appendix. Oppioial Report op Generals Rosecrans and Bragg, op the Battle op Stone River 885 General Rosecrans's Official Report op the Chickamauga Campaign 704 AEMY OF THE CUMBEKLAND. Jtajor- whose whereabouts no definite information could be ascertained. Strange, and even ludicrous, as the fact may seem, the division was actually lost, and an extended and systematic search had to be made for it. General Rosecrans was directed to confer with General Banks, and, after finding the troops of Blenker, to put them in serviceable condition and get them to Fremont as soon as possible. Proceeding to Winchester, he sent out messengers and scouts, and through them learned that General Blenker had reached Berry's Ferry, and, in attempting to cross the Shenan doah at that point, had swamped the ferry-boat and lost a number of men. Blenker was immediately directed to pro ceed to Snicker's Ferry, cross the river, and come to Win chester. While awaiting the arrival of this division, General Rosecrans occupied the time in conferring with General Banks upon the state of military affairs and planning for the coming campaign. The situation at that time was thus: General Banks, with thirty thousand men, was advancing up the Shenandoah Valley, and was then sixty miles distant from his base of operations at Harper's Ferry. General Milroy, with five thousand eight hun dred men, was at Huttonsville. The centre of Fremont's force under General Schenck, and numbering about four thousand five hundred effective men, was at New Creek Station. On the rebel MAJOR-GENERAL W. S. ROSECRANS. 21 side, Stonewall Jackson and Ewell were in the vicinity of Mount Jackson with a light column of from six thousand to eight thou- sand men. To make the rebels feel the weight of their heavy force, the following plan was agreed upon,, after consultation with Generals Banks, Shields, and others, and telegraphed to the Secretary of War. Blenker, without crossing; the Shenandoah, was to move rapidly to Sperryville, thus cutting- off Jackson's retreat through Luray Gap and compelling him to go south ward to Brown's or Rockfish Gap. Banks was to advance im mediately to Harrisonburg. The force at New Creek Station was to move up South Branch by way of Franklin, being no longer menaced by the rebels,and join Milroy, who was to come across Cheat Mountain to Middleburg. There the senior officer would take command of the whole force, and move on to Staunton and Charlottesville, while Blenker moved south along the Piedmont, with McDowell's force in echelon to support him. This dispo sition would bring the weight of a heavy army corps on the left of the enemy's position at Gordonsville, while it would facili tate the taking of the East Virginia Road by Cox. The Secretary acknowledged the receipt of the plan, and submitted it to the President. The latter determined that it was too late to con sult all the generals interested, and the whole plan came to naught. Thus a second opportunity to make an effective campaign was neglected, and a whole season lost. Perhaps its value may be best determined by the disastrous results which fol lowed its non-adoption. The enemy made a raid northward, which this plan would have prevented. McDowell's plan of operations was rendered inoperative. Our magnificent oppor tunities were wasted. The enemy was relieved of all apprehen sion of danger from our forces in the Valley. The crushing blow which McDowell, in aid of McClellan, had prepared to deal Jackson was averted, and the rebel general, making good his. escape from the Shenandoah, was permitted to fall upon the right of our army on the Peninsula, and thus turn the scale of conflict. Such was the actual result. What would it have been had the plan 22 ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. agreed upon by Generals Banks, Shields, and Eosecrans been adopted and carried into effect? Jackson would have been forced southward, and his junction with Lee prevented. McClel lan would have crushed the rebel army on the Peninsula, and McDowell, going in on McClellan's right, would have occupied Richmond. To sum up all in a word, the campaign would have been illustrious, and the rebels have been driven from Virginia. , About the 1st of April, General Blenker' s division arrived, hungry and destitute, and went into camp. Their condition was wretched, resulting from neglect and incompetency. General Rosecrans at once inspected the corps and reported their con dition to the War Department. His whole attention was devoted to the supplying of their wants and equipping them for the spring and summer campaign. A rise in the Potomac River delayed him somewhat, but he finally succeeded in getting them into serviceable condition, and marched with them to the vicinity of Moorefield, where he reported to General Fremont in person, on the 9th of May, 1862. This duty performed, the general pro ceeded to Washington, arriving there on the 15th of May, and the same day was ordered to report to General Halleck at Corinth, Mississippi, then the great centre of public interest in the West as the probable field of an impending battle. Leaving his staff, horses, &c. behind, he hastened forward, ' and reached Corinth on the 23d, when General Halleck ordered him to report to General Pope, by whom he was placed in command of Colonel Jefferson C. Davis's division, which had just arrived from Pea Ridge, Arkansas. Four days afterwards, he was assigned to the command of the right wing of the Army of the Mississippi, just as it had advanced from its camp to the last line of trenches. While thus in the advance, sounds of constantly occurring explo sions were heard within the enemy's lines ; and he immediately sent to General Pope information that the rebels were un doubtedly preparing to evacuate, and himself sent out two squadrons to reconnoitre. They advanced to Corinth, and, find ing it evacuated, poured in with other troops. His command MAJOR-GENERAL W. S. ROSECRANS. 23 was then ordered to take five days' rations and march in pur suit. He followed the enemy until eleven o'clock that night, by which time our cavalry had arrived and engaged their rear at Tuscumbia. Passing through their deserted camps, in which many tents and much camp-equipage had been left, General Rosecrans pushed on to Booneville, and stationed his outposts beyond that town. General Halleck followed Beauregard's forces thirty-three miles, and General Rosecrans pushed on twelve miles farther, reconnoitring with infantry and cavalry. At Twenty-Mile Creek he touched the main body of the enemy, in strong force, at several points. Two or three hundred prisoners were cap tured, and many stragglers released. General Buell's force now reinforced him preparatory to an attack on the rebels; but they hastily retreated; and on the 13th of June General Rosecrans returned to Camp Clear Creek, seven miles from Corinth. On the 17th General Pope left for Virginia, and General Rosecrans assumed command of the Army of the Mississippi, consisting of four small divisions. Of these, two were ordered to reinforce General Buell, and marched to Tuscumbia, while General Mitchel crossed at Eastport. This done, the remainder- of the army returned to Corinth, — two and a half regiments having been left at Iuka. General Bragg's forces had now gone, leaving Price and Van Dorn on their front. Two days after General Stanley's division left Iuka Price advanced and took possession of the place. A reconnoissance made by Colonel Mowry having established the fact that Price was really there, with a force variously estimated at from twenty to thirty thousand men, General Rosecrans devised a plan to attack and capture or totally rout him. With this view, he proposed to General Grant that the latter should advance his forces on one road directly to Iuka, while he him self would march his two divisions by way of Jacinto, get in Price's rear, and cut off his retreat southward. This was agreed to by General Grant ; and on the 18th of September General Eosecrans concentrated at Jacinto two divisions of infantry and 24 ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. artillery and two regiments of cavalry. Starting at four o'clock on the afternoon of the 19th, and marching eighteen and a half miles, he arrived within a mile and a half of Iuka. Here the advance-guard of our forces, having skirmished for the last seven miles with the enemy's cavalry, encountered his infantry. Their camps being close by, a heavy force was rapidly pushed out to meet Eosecrans, who was obliged to deploy skirmishers on a narrow, wooded point, where there was room for only seven regiments. The enemy now opened with a heavy fire of canister and musketry, and the battle soon became very hotly contested. But two of General Eosecrans's batteries could be used, and one of these was in a cramped, unwieldy position. Over this battery a fierce contest raged, the enemy seeming determined to capture it at all hazards. Thrice was it taken and retaken, and, a fourth time falling into the hands of the rebels, remained there until the next morning, when it was again recovered. Night put an end to the struggle, as yet undecided; and the wearied com batants rested upon their arms almost within whispering distance of each other. During the whole engagement General Eosecrans eagerly listened for Grant's answering guns, supposing that he was rapidly advancing in front; but, to his surprise, none were heard. Thus left in suspense as to the other column, he pre pared to renew, unaided, the battle against the enemy's whole force. About midnight, however, he found- that they had begun to retreat, and were already gone from his immediate front. Pursuit was at once made with cavalry and infantry, and the retreating column overtaken. The cavalry hung upon their flanks, and annoyed them to the extent of their power; but General Eosecrans's force was too small to cope with the rebels, and, having followed them to Bay Springs, a distance of twenty- five miles, he desisted from the chase. Returning to Jacinto, he moved thence to Corinth, and there established his head quarters, having been placed in command of that district by General Grant, who had himself moved to Jackson Tennessee. This was on the 21st of September. Rumors, various and inde- MAJOR-GENERAL W. S. ROSECRANS. 25 finite, followed the battle, and the movements of the enemy were closely scrutinized. It was finally ascertained that Price, marching rapidly in a southwesterly direction for thirty miles, had struck Baldwin ; thence, making a detour to the northwest, he passed Dumas Post Office, fifteen miles from Baldwin, where he was joined by Van Dorn, Who assumed chief command. The force now moved to Pocahontas, thirty miles, leaving Ripley a little on the left; and here it was joined by Lovell, whence they were reported to be about moving down to Chewalla, and thence to Corinth. To meet the emergency, General Rosecrans, upon learning the first movements of the enemy, on the 29th ordered in the troops from Rienzi and Jacinto, and they arrived at Corinth on the 30th and 31st. On the 1st of October it was definitely ascer tained, from strong cavalry scouting-parties sent out for that purpose, that the rebels were moving from Ripley via Ruckers- ville, and that the main body was at Pocahontas. They evi dently meant work ; but where would the blow fall ? From their position it was equally easy to strike Bolivar, Bethel, Jackson, or Corinth ; and the question was, which would it be ? No map of the country northwest of Corinth could be found; and it was not easy to determine whether the threatened attack upon Corinth was a feint to cover a movement upon some other point, or whether the feint would be made elsewhere and the blow struck there. Rumors that the attack was to take the direction of Jackson or Bolivar via Bethel were so rife, and the fortifications of Corinth were so well known to the rebels, that General Rose crans had hopes they would undertake to mask him, and, pass ing north, give him an opportunity to beat the masking force and cut off their retreat. This hope gained some strength from the supposed difficulties of the country lying in the triangle formed by the Memphis & Charleston and Mobile & Ohio Railroads and Cypress Creek. To be prepared for eventualities, Hamilton's and Stanley's divisions were placed just beyond Bridge Creek, the infantry outposts were called in from Iuka, 26 ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. Burrsville. Rienzi, and Danville, and the outpost at Chewalla retired to New Alexander, and strengthened by another regi ment and a battery, early on the morning of the 2d. During that day it was ascertained that the country to the north west was practicable, and that there were two good roads eastward from Chewalla, one leading directly into the old rebel intrenchments, and the other crossing over into the Pittsburg Landing road. Accordingly,' at half-past one on the morning of the 3d, Gene ral Rosecrans ordered the following disposition of the forces for that day : — " There being indications of a possible attack on Corinth, immediately the following disposition of troops will be made. General McKean with his division will occupy the present position ; General Davies will occupy the line between the Memphis & Columbus road ; General Hamilton with hia division will take position between the rebel works on the Purdy and on the Hamburg roads ; and General Stanley will hold his division in reserve at or near the old head-quarters of Major-General Grant. " The respective divisions will be formed in two lines, the second line being either in line of battle or close column by division, as their circumstances may require. " The troops will move towards their positions, with one hundred rounds of ammunition and three days' rations per man, by three o'clock a.m." The troops at nine o'clock on the morning of the 3d occupied positions as follows : — Hamilton on the right, Davidson the centre, McKean on the left, with an advance of three regiments of infantry and a section of artillery under Colonel Oliver on the Chewalla road, at or near Alexander's, beyond the rebel breast works. The cavalry were disposed as follows : — a battalion at Burnsville, one at Roney's Mill on the Jacinto and Corinth road. Colonel Lee, with the 7th Kansas and a part of the 7th Illinois, at Kossuth and Boneyard, watching the rebels' right flank ; Colonel Hatch and Captain Wilcox on the east and north fronts, covering and reconnoitring. These dispositions are said by General Eosecrans, in his detailed report, to have been made because of the fully explained difficulties of the northwesterly approach, and of the possibility that the rebels might threaten on the Chewalla road and attack MAJOR-GENERAL W. S. ROSECRANS. 11 by the Smith's Bridge road, on his left, or go round and try him with their main force on the Purdy or even on the Pittsburg Landing road. The general plan to be pursued was verbally explained to the division commanders on the morning, and was in effect this : — to hold the rebels at a distance by approach ing them strongly from our assumed position, and, when their force became fully developed and they had formed their lines, to take a position which would give us the use of our bat teries and the open ground in front of Corinth, that position to be exactly determined by events and by the movements of the enemy. Early in the morning the advance under Colonel Oliver per ceived indications that the pressure under which he had retired on the 2d came1 from the advancing foe, and accordingly took a strong position on the hill near the angle of the rebel breast works, with his three regiments and a section of artillery. By eight o'clock there was sharp fighting at this point ; but it was still by no means certain that the main attack of the enemy would be on Corinth. By nine o'clock the enemy began to press them sharply and outflank them. An officer sent to the front reported wide-spread but slack skirmishing, and said that the position of our advance-guard was an advantageous one and would be of great benefit to the attacking force. With this view, it was ordered to be firmly held. At ten o'clock word came that the enemy were pressing the point hotly, and that unless reinforced the position must be yielded. General Davies was ordered to send up from his division two regiments; but it was found that General McArthur had taken four more regi ments from McKean's division, and was stoutly contesting the ground. General Davies now asked permission to rest his right on the rebel intrenchments ; and it was granted, with the verbal instruction that he might use his own judgment about leaving his present position for that, but in no event was he to cease touching, if possible, the left on McArthur's right. Davies accordingly advanced to the breastwork, but leaving an interval between his own and McArthur's left. The rebels, seizing the 28 ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. opportunity, developed their force along that line as McArthur retired from his position, and advanced behind Davies's left, and forced it, after an obstinate resistance, to fall back about a thousand yards, with the loss of two heavy guns. Our troops were fighting with great determination, firing low and very steadily. At one o'clock in the afternoon, Davies had resumed the position he occupied in the morning, and McArthur's brigade had fought a heavy force. The enemy were evidently in full strength and meant desperate work. There were no signs of any movement on our left, and only a few cavalry skirmishers on our right. It seemed certain that the attack in force would be made on our centre. Orders were accordingly given to McKean to fall back to the next ridge beyond our intrenchments, to touch his right on Davies's left, and Stanley to move north ward and eastward, to stand in close echelon, but nearer town. General Hamilton was ordered to face towards Chewalla, and move down until his left reached Davies's right. Davies was informed of these dispositions, told to hold his ground obsti nately, and then, when he had drawn them in strongly, Hamilton would swing in on their front and rear and close the day. Owing to a loss of time in conveying the orders to Generals McKean and Davies, they were less perfectly conformed to than was wished, and the movement did not begin until about five' o'clock. The enemy pressed Davies back with tremendous force; and Stanley, with his division and his batteries held in reserve, was called upon, and sent a brigade under Colonel Mower to support Davies, whose right had at last become hotly engaged. Mower came up while Davies was contesting a position near the White House, and Hamilton began to swing in on the enemy's flank, across the Columbus Eailroad, through a very impracti cable thicket, when night closed in and put an end to the opera tions for the day. General Eosecrans now had opposed to him the entire army which the rebels could muster in Northern Mississippi, composed of Price's and Van Dorn's armies, Villepigue's and Lovell's com mands, and the remnants of Breckinridge's corps, all under the MAJOR-GENERAL W. S. ROSECRANS. 29 command of Van Dorn. They were in an angle between the Memphis and Columbus Eailroads, a position which rendered his left comparatively free but made his right very assailable. They undoubtedly outnumbered us two to one, and were now advised of our intended movements. New dispositions accordingly became necessary. The plan adopted was to rest our left on the batteries extending from battery Eobinette, our centre on the slight ridge north of the houses, and our right on the high ground, covering both the Pittsburg and Purdy roads, while it also covered the ridge roads between them, leading to their old camps. McKean had the extreme left; Stanley, with his well-tried division batteries, Williams and Eobinette, the Memphis Eailroad and the Chewalla road, extending nearly to the Columbus road; Davies's sure division was placed in the centre, which was retired, reaching to battery Powell; Ha milton's staunch fighting division was on the right, with Dillon's battery, supported by two regiments posted on the prolongation of Davies's line. Early in the evening, General Eosecrans called his division commanders together and explained to them the plans. By three o'clock in the morning, these dispositions were completed, and officers and troops, alike exhausted by fatigue, endeavored to obtain some rest. In a short time, however, and before day break, they were awakened by the enemy's artillery — four bat teries — firing upon battery Eobinette, within six hundred yards of which they had planted their guns. Shells flew thick and fast, perforating the Tishemingo House at Corinth, the telegraph- office, and the ordnance building. Our heavy batteries and the 10th Ohio, placed north of General Halleck's old head-quarters, silenced them by seven o'clock, one piece being captured and the rest withdrawn. The skirmishers and sharpshooters were sent forward into the woods on our front, and found the enemy in force, evidently preparing for an assault. No movement took place, however, until about nine o'clock, when the heads of their columns emerged from the woods and bore straight down upon our centre, attacking first Davies, then Stanley, and Hamilton 30 ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. last. The rebels came on in gallant style ; and our troops pur posely yielded ' and fell back, scattering among the houses. Re treating some two hundred and fifty yards, they rallied, and were reinforced by reserves from Hamilton's division. At the head of Price's right, storming columns advanced to near the houses on the north side of the square, in front of General Halleck's head-quarters, when they were greeted with a storm of grape from a section of Immell's battery, soon reinforced by the 10th Ohio, which sent them reeling back, pursued by the 5th Minnesota, which advanced to them from their position near the depot. General Sullivan was ordered and promptly moved to the support of General Davies's centre. His right rallied, and retook battery Powell, into which a few of the storming column had penetrated ; while Hamilton, having played upon the rebels on his right, over the opening, very effectively with his artillery, advanced towards them, and they fled. The battle was over on the right. During this time the skirmishers of the left were moving in our front. A line of battle was formed on the bridge. About twenty minutes after the attack on the right, the enemy advanced in four columns on battery Eobinette, and were treated to grape and canister until within fifty yards, when the Ohio brigade arose and gave them a murderous fire of musketry, before which they broke and fell back to the woods. General Van Dorn's attack was to have been simultaneous with that of Price. The generals had arranged to carry Corinth by one grand assault. But in their reconnoissance on Friday even ing they entirely overlooked Fort Eobinette, — a fatal oversight. When they drove their wedge towards Corinth, one flange on the Bolivar road, the other on a branch of the Chewalla, they intended that both wings should move together. Topographical and artificial obstructions interrupted Van Dorn. He was obliged to sweep over a rugged ravine, through dense thickets,, up hill over a heavy abatis, with his left; it was necessary for his centre to dip down hill under the fire of Fort Williams, Captain Gan's siege-guns in the rear of the town, and under MAJOR-GENERAL W. S. ROSECRANS. 31 heavy musketry ; while his right had to girdle a ridge and move over almost insurmountable abatis under the point-blank fire of both Fort Williams and Fort Eobinette, supported by a splendid division of veteran troops. The latter fort had three ten- pounder Parrotts, and the former, thirty-pounder Parrotts. Price had nothing to delay him, and was in time. Van Dorn was too late, — a few moments only, but long enough to seal the fate of Price, who was overwhelmed and driven back. Van Dorn's situation was desperate. Nothing but a feat of daring whose success would be little short of a miracle could save his army from total rout. Battery Eobinette must be carried by storm; and audaciously Enough he attempted it. His men obeyed magnificently. Gallantly they were reformed and led to the charge by Colonel Eogers, of the 2d Texas, acting brigadier-general. The troops most relied on were those from Texas and Mississippi. Two brigades, one supporting the front at. close distance, moved up solidly towards the face of the fort. The Parrotts of both redoubts poured a constant stream of shot and shell, grape and canister, into their close ranks, from the moment they began their advance; and at every discharge great gaps were made in their columns. But there was no faltering. The ranks were promptly closed, and steadily they moved to the front, bending their heads to the storm. Scores were slaughtered while thrusting themselves through the rugged timber, but no man wavered. Onward, onward they came, steady and unyielding as fate, their leader in front. The edge of the ditch is reached, and they pause to take breath for a final onset. It is a fatal pause. It gave our men time to recover from the surprise into which the boldness and audacity of the movement had thrown them, and they were now ready for the assailants. Eogers, the brave Texan, with the rebel flag in his left and a revolver in his right, advanced, firing, leaped the ditch, scaled the parapet, waved his banner aloft, and tumbled head long to its base. And now the deadly musketry fire of the in fantry supports staggered and broke the ranks of his followers, and at the word " Charge !" the 11th Missouri and 27th Ohio 32 ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. sprang up and forward at them, chasing their broken fragments back to the woods. Thus by noon ended the battle of the 4th of October. The day was extremely warm, and our troops were nearly exhausted. Water and ammunition were sent to them as they rested on the field, and they patiently awaited another advance of the enemy. No signs of their reappearance occurring, skirmishers were sent out, who soon found and reported that their skirmishers had gone from the field, leaving their dead and wounded. By four o'clock it was known that the enemy were retreating, at least to Chewalla. Having satisfied himself of this, General Eosecrans rode over our lines, announcing the result of the fight in person, and notified his victorious troops that after two days' fighting and two sleepless nights of pre paration, movements, and march, he wished them to replenish their cartridge-boxes, haversacks, and stomachs, take an early sleep, and start in pursuit by daylight. The results of the battle are thus briefly stated by the general in his official report : — "We fought the combined rebel force of Mississippi, commanded by Van Dorn, Price, Lovell, Villepigue, and Rust, in person, numbering, according to their own authority, thirty-eight thousand men. " We signally defeated them, with little more than half their numbers, and they fled, leaving their dead and wounded on the field. " The enemy's loss in killed was one thousand four hundred and twenty- three, officers and men; their loss in wounded, taking the general average, amounts to five thousand six hundred and ninety-two. We took two thou sand two hundred and forty-eight prisoners, among whom are one hundred and thirty-seven field-officers, captains, and subalterns, representing fifty- three regiments of infantry, sixteen regiments of cavalry, thirteen batteries of artillery, and seven battalions, making sixty-nine regiments, six battalions, and thirteen batteries, besides separate companies. " We took also fourteen stands of colors, two pieces of artillery, three thousand three hundred stand of arms, four thousand five hundred rounds of ammunition, and a large lot of accoutrements. The enemy blew up several wagons between Corinth and Chewalla, and beyond Chewalla many ammunition-wagons and carriages were destroyed, and the ground was strewn with tents, officers' mess-chests, and small arms. We pursued them forty miles in force, and sixty miles with cavalry." MAJOR-GENERAL W. S. ROSECRANS. 3S Something additional may be said in reference to the pursuit. It began early the next morning, and their rear-guard was over taken at Chewalla. Pressing on, they made a short stand at Tuscumbia Hill, but were driven from it after a short struggle. As our forces advanced, they found innumerable marks of a pre cipitate and disordered retreat. Tents, camp-equipage, wagons, &c. had been abandoned, and lay thickly scattered along by the roadside. The pursuit Was still vigorously kept up. Upon reaching the Hatchie Eiver, the bridge was found to be destroyed ; but McPherson's engineers repaired it, and by dark our forces tvere crossing over and in hot pursuit. On our first day's ad vance, General Hurlbut had met the rebels and driven them back towards Eosecrans; and now word came from Jonesborough that General Ord's command had fought them and driven them on to the route by which he was so rapidly pursuing them. Upon this intelligence, General Eosecrans requested General Hurlbut to support him, and also asked General Grant to send General Sherman to his assistance. The enemy were thoroughly beaten. Our own men were in the best. of spirits, and eager for. a rapid, effective, and uninterrupted pursuit until the rebels were captured or destroyed It was explained to General Grant that if Sherman would come in on the west the enemy could be kept moving south, and thus be effectually scattered or driven to the wall. Sixty thousand rations were issued to his own troops, thirty thousand were sent to Hurlbut, and eighty wagon-loads followed immediately from Corinth. But General Grant decided that further pursuit was inadvisable ; and the army was recalled, greatly to its chagrin and mortification. Thus we failed to realize the full results of this magnificent victory. The rebels were demoralized and badly frightened, even going so far as to burn their stores at Tupelo. General Eosecrans is confident that had he been allowed to continue the pursuit he would easily have gone to Vieksburg, which was then but feebly defended, and have captured that important stronghold with but a tithe of the blood and treasure which have since been expended in its reduction. 3 34 ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. Eeturning from the pursuit, General Eosecrans re-established his head-quarters at Corinth, remaining there until October 26, when, in pursuance of an order from the War Department, dated October 24, creating the Department of the Cumber land and the 14th Army Corps, and assigning him to its direc tion, he left Corinth, arriving at Louisville on the 30th, and at once assumed command. From that time his military career is inseparably connected with that of the Army of the Cumberland, and is related in other pages of this volume. To them the reader is referred, with the confident assurance that he will there find a record no less bright in all that goes to make his previous life one of usefulness to his country and of honor to himself. Not only has General Eosecrans excelled as a military leader, but as a far-seeing statesman with military power, located in the midst of a rebellious and socially diseased community. During his several weeks' stay in Nashville, Tennessee, last winter, be was especially mindful of the social condition of that people, and labored with them in every possible direction, — with words of kindness and acts of favor, and at times with force and seve rity, as occasion demanded. He devised a system of oaths and bonds as one medium of reconciling and persuading, and even forcing, a stiff-necked people to be loyal. Facilities of trade were afforded only to Union men, and passes to and fro were rigorously denied to rebels and traitors. Protection-papers were granted only where parties placed themselves in a proper atti tude of loyalty to that power to which appeal was made for protection. He paid much personal attention to his scout and spy system, in connection with his Chief of Army Police, Colonel William Truesdail, with, at times, remarkably beneficial results. He heard complaints, and investigated serious personal charo-es, daily, restoring property hero, condemning it there, and con stantly dealing out righteous, even-handed justice, with a quick ness, sagacity, and prudence which were universally appreciated. After the memorable tragedy of Stone River, and during the past four or five months, General Eosecrans has been daily MAJOR-GENERAL W. S. ROSECRANS. 35 called upon to adjudicate in the manner of a magistrate and with the power and responsibility of a military autocrat. Through it all shine forth, daily and hourly, his native, inhe rent love of truth and justice, and its attendant modesty, sim plicity, and gentle kindness. As a rule, his action is in constant conformity to high principle. Recently he ordered the seizure of all serviceable horses in Murfreesborough, Nashville, and the adjacent country, for military necessities; and some seven hundred were thus gathered in and about the city of Nashville. A remarkable sensation ensued : prayers and petitions flooded in upon him for restoration, upon innumerable strenuous pleas, but in vain. He excepted but three cases, — one, of a team owned by and necessary to the manager of the State Insane Asylum, six miles in the interior ; one horse owned by the aged Major Lewis, once an aide to General Andrew Jackson; and the carriage-horses of Mrs. Ex-President James K. Polk. " No, sir," said he to one persistent in his claims for restoration : " the Government needs your horses, and will pay you for them. I cannot restore them to you : I could not restore those of my old friend Bishop Whalen, the Catholic Bishop of Nashville, nor can I yours." As is well known, General Rosecrans is a firm and consistent member of the Roman Catholic Church. His religious duties are a matter of daily thought and practice, whether at home or abroad, at the house of prayer or upon the field of battle. Night and morning find him a suppliant before the throne of the Eternal One, and the life of to-day seems a lesson impressive of the life to come. So believe those who during many months past have often witnessed his heartfelt, unostentatious attention to sacred things. Especially in times of peril is this faith and confidence attended with happiest results. During the battles of Stone River, while riding over the fields through the fiery hail, the general's calm courage was remarked by all. He is truly a hero upon the battle-field. In Western Virginia, and at Iuka and Corinth, he was personally present at each conflict, and at times in its very midst. His record as a general is no 36 ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. brighter than is his record as a soldier. During those mo mentous hours of undecided contest at Stone River, he was everywhere amidst battle-dangers, cheering and reviving his scattered columns, while his adversary, the rebel General Bragg, is said to have been safely seated in the cupola of the court house at Murfreesborough, overlooking the field, and from thence momentarily despatching orders. Sustained by his religious faith, and therefore truly fearless of personal consequences, death for him had no terrors. When told that the lamented Colonel Garesche, his chief of staff, had been killed, he remarked to his companions, " Brave men die in battle. Let us push on." Upon learning of the death of the gallant General Sill, and the reported death of Major-General McCook, he paid a brief tribute to their courage, and cheered those about him with words some what as just related. When the tremendous battle of Friday evening was won, and Breckinridge and his rebel legions were so signally repulsed, the general remarked, in response to the congratulations of the author, " YeB, God has truly blessed us." This faith in God and His goodness is the result of many years' belief in the doctrines of the Catholic Church, and of participa tion in its rites. His parents were Episcopalians, and he was bred to that faith, but embraced Catholicism while a student at West Point, — as was also done about the same time by his bro ther, now Bishop of Cincinnati, and one of the pillars of that Church in the West. While thus a devoted and earnest Catholic, the general is no bigot. His religion is a personal matter, and is not intruded upon others, he respecting the reasonable views of all, while adhering strictly to his own. His staff embraces religionists of various denominations and creeds, there being upon it but a single Catholic. In the walks of home life he inclines to associates of pure mind and refined understanding, as most congenial to his taste. In time of war he wisely extends this preference, and, while he has. due regard for intelligence and purity, is not unmindful of the brightness and beauty of the rough diamond, and delights to call around him the bold and daring. MAJOR-GENERAL W. S. ROSECRANS. 37 Another of the general's characteristics is his pride in young- men. Of such his staff is mainly composed ; and many of his generals have not yet seen the midsummer of life. As with his officers, so with the masses of his soldiery, youth is their marked peculiarity and crowning glory. In this rebellion the general recognizes a contest in which the young and giant mind of the nineteenth century is battling against old systems of social and moral barbarism, and by which a new life and a higher civiliza tion will be developed. He believes it to be a struggle of liberty, Heaven's choicest blessing to man, with human bondage, — a struggle in which the chains of the latter shall be broken, and idleness and the grovelling vices of a serfdom equally degrading to master and slave give place to labor and its concomitant virtues. Previous to the rebellion, no man's history was complete without the record of his political and partisan life. General Rosecrans has no such record. Party machinery was always uncongenial to him, and he thoroughly avoided it. His aversion to, and even contempt of, professed politicians, the manager^ of political clubs and caucuses, the connivers at election tricks and the winkers at ballot-box frauds, is refreshingly hearty. He participates in no party caucuses, but votes for such men and measures as seem at the time to be best. Until quite recently, his political views and votes were not generally known beyond the circle of his more intimate friends. He believes that the strict adherence to party in times past, and the consequent party excesses, have been a bane to our national prosperity, and that it is this partyism which, lending strength to ambitious and dissolute leaders, has involved the country in all the calamities of civil war. At the last election he voted for Stephen A. Douglas for President, persuaded that the views of that states-' man upon the all-absorbing slavery question, fairly and fully carried out, would best tend to avert the impending storm. When the first gun was fired at Sumter, with Douglas he came to the rescue, believing, with him, that the preservation or S8 ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. destruction of the Government was now the only issue before the people. Upon the question of slavery General Rosecrans is decided, almost to radicalism. What he would not have forced upon the South he is now confident they have accomplished for them selves. While he would have left their peculiar system to wrestle with the steady advance of free labor and thus through a gradual decline reach at last its inevitable end, he is now earnest in the belief that its days are numbered with the present century. The evils of slavery are with him a pregnant text. In the desolated fields and deserted homes of Virginia and Ten nessee he witnesses the vengeance of Heaven upon the iniquities of man, and in the suffering' and sorrow which war produces he recognizes a just retribution for the wrongs our nation has per petrated upon a weak and lowly race. Especially is he severe in his comments upon the assumed superiority and aristocracy of the slaveholding portion of the South. The author has often heard him declare that " of all aristocracies upon earth, that of the slaveholder is the most meaningless, the most contemptible, and the most damnable." The following extract from a letter written by General Rosecrans, dated at the head-quarters of the Army of the Mississippi, July 20, 1862, most forcibly portrays his sentiments respecting the rebellion, and the institution ol slavery : — " For more than a year we have engaged in this struggle, into which an arrogant and dictatorial slave-oligarchy has driven a free, happy, and peace ful people, fighting for the rights of all. With true bravery and invincible patience our citizen soldiers have stood on this ground to the present moment, against violators of the laws of war and humanity. Remaining true to their principles, they have said, bywords and actions, to their fellow-citizens in the South, We fight for common rights. If we win, you win. If the Govern ment is maintained, you will dwell under the protecting shadow as freely as we. And there we stand, and thus we say, to-day. " But if the Confederates prevail, farewell peace and safety to us ; farewell freedom, forever! Their principles and leaders are known to us. They cheated us, crying out, No coercion ; holding out false hopes and deceitful assurances of friendly regard, while, assassin-like, they were preparing to destroy our Government and reduce us to anarchy or servitude. The past year's experience renders it certain that if they triumph, blood and desola- MAJOR-GENERAL W. S. ROSECRANS. 39 tion, fire and sword, or arbitrary subjection to their will, awaits every whitt man who has manhood enough to dislike their system of slavery. " They will omit no means, honest or dishonest, to insure success. Misre presenting, calumniating our motives, ridiculing our honest efforts to mitigate the horrors of war, and inflaming the passions of the populace by low epithets, are among the milder and more ordinary means resorted to by this pseudo 'chivalry,' the meanest aristocracy that ever stood at the head of a civilized society." An incident is related which illustrates his disregard of popular and local prejudices. While in charge of the Government works at ¦ Washington, he was for some time superintendent of a Sabbath-school connected with his Church, where some seven hundred little negro children were taught their only lesson of Christianity, — an act creditable to the manliness that will thus rise above prejudices, and due to that true religion which teaches that all nations, all classes, all races, have an equal part and claim in the blood of Christ. Lest the author should be accused of partiality, which will, at times, mislead the judgment of the most cautious biogra pher, he appends the following testimony of ability and worth, from an enemy. A correspondent of the Atlanta (Ga.) " Com monwealth," in a letter published some two months after the battle of Stone River, thus speaks of him : — " General Rosecrans is a man of more than ordinary ability. In all the various positions in which he has been placed, he has exhibited the most untiring industry and indomitable energy. He is an accomplished engineer, a wily strategist, and a brave and prudent leader. He is undoubtedly the ablest general now in the Federal army. He is very different from the native Yankee, being bold, frank, outspoken, and possessing the dash and manner of the Western people. He is the idol of his officers and men, and possesses their entire confidence to an eminent degree. He will fight ; and he impresses it upon those about him that hard licks alone will end the war. " Socially, General Rosecrans is modest, refined, polite, and affable. He would command respect and confidence in any community. In person he is five feet ten inches, and in weight about one hundred and sixty pounds. He stands very erect, with military dash and bearing strongly depicted in his person. His features are mild, but there is a striking expression in his clear gray eyes. His complexion is florid, hair slightly tinged with gray, and his features and person would be ealled handsome. General Rosecrans is a devoted member of the Roman Catholic Church.'' 40 ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. In conclusion, we may add, the friends of General Rosecrans claim for him no Napoleonic attributes, nor do they attempt to clothe him with the Tyrian purple of a Csesar. Every age has its hero; and the boast of one century may be the curse of another. All that we claim for him is that he is an honest, practical man, a shrewd, patient, skilful general, and an ardent, self-sacrificing "patriot. The foregoing pages show that his life has been one of eminent usefulness to society and to his country. As a citizen, as a teacher, as a public servant, as a soldier, and as a commander, we may well regard him as a beaming light in the pathway of virtue, honor, and integrity. His genial coun tenance, pleasing smile, and easy, unaffected manners, every where the same, have kindled in all his friends an affection as lasting as it is warm ; and many a soldier and citizen will in after-years remember with feelings of admiration and love the present commander of the Army of the Cumberland. THE STAPF. The staff of General Rosecrans is composed as follows. The biographies of such as we have been able to obtain will be found following the list. Brig.-Gen. J. A. Garfield Chief of Staff. Brig.-Gen. J. St. C. Morton Chief of Eng'rs, com'aVg Pioneer Brigade. Col. James Barhett, 1st 0. V. Art'y ...Chief of Artillery. Col. Jos. C. McKibbin Add'lA.D. C, A.A.I. Gen'l. Lieut.-Col. C. Goddard A. A. Gen'l. Lieut. -Col. A. C. Ducat A.I. Gen'l. Lieut.-Col. Jno. W. Taylor Qr.M., Chief Quartermaster. Lieut.-Col. Sam'l Simmons C.S., Chief Commissary. Lieut.-Col. Wm. P. Hepburn, 2d Iowa Cavalry Insp. Cavalry. Major Wm. McMichael A. A. Gen'l. Major Ralston Skinner Judge-Advocate. Surgeon G. Perrin, U.S. A Medical Director. Surgeon A. H. Thurston, U.S.V Ass't Medical Director. Asst.-Surg. Dallas Baohe, U.S. A Staff Surgeon. Asst.-Surg. Jas. F. Weeds, U.S. A Medical Inspector. ^kh^ . Bl 2, ^ *»SEC|fc„ ' lHi%< lMSEF"oFF3t5'£-a'8 OF 3fh¥¥, .TB.LIPPIMt'OTT 8c CO PHIL AD* BRIGADIER-OENERAL GARFIELD. 41 Major W. H. Sidell, 15th Inf. U.S.A. ..A. A. G., and Chief Mustering and Dis bursing Officer. Major W. M. Wiles, 44th Ind. Vols.... Provost- Marshal General Major Frank S. Bond Senior Aide-de-Camp. Capt. J. H. Youno, 15th Inf. U.S. A Mustering Officer. Capt. J. C. Peterson, 15th Inf. U.S.A... A. A.I. G. Capt. Henry Thrall A.A.G. Capt. J. Bates Dickson A. A. Gen'l. Capt. James Curtis, 15th Inf. V.S.A...A.A. I. G. Capt. A. S. Burt AdcTl A.D.C., A. A.I. G. Capt. Hunter Brooke Add' I A.D. C, Acting Judge-Advocate. Capt. W. M. Warren A.Q.M., In chargeof Army Supply Trains. Capt. Elias Cosper, 74th 111. Vols 1st Ass't Provost-Marshal Gen'l. Capt. R. M. Goodwin, 87th Ind. Vols...2 taincy of Company C, took command of Company E, as senior lieutenant, which position he retained until February 14, 1847. In December, 1846, he was again placed in the advance, with the brigade of General Quitman, and entered Victoria about tho 1st i)f January, 1847, General Taylor having started for the interior by way of Tampico. 58 ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. General Scott, having assumed command of the army in the field at Camargo, ordered General Taylor to select a division and with it occupy the country he had conquered. In accord ance with these instructions, the latter general, with a squadron of the 2d Dragoons, Companies C and E 3d Artillery, the 1st Mississippi and the 1st Georgia Infantry, and General Wool's brigade, then stationed at Saltillo, returned to Monterey about the last of January. Soon afterwards Santa Anna advanced from San Luis Potosi, with a force outnumbering General Taylor's four to one. General Taylor pushed all his troops, except four regiments, towards Saltillo, and eventually took a strong position about five miles south of that place. Here, on the 21st of February, was fought the bloody and decisive battle ' of Buena Vista, resulting in the overwhelming defeat of Santa Anna and the dispersion of his army. In this battle Lieutenant Thomas actively participated, and for gallant and meritorious services therein was brevetted major, February 23, 1847. He remained in Mexico on duty until August 20, 1848, when his company recrossed the Rio Grande into Texas, among the last to leave, as it had been among the first to enter, the Mexican territory. About the 1st of September he was ordered to Brazos Santiago, to take charge of the commissary depot at that place, and remained there until December, when his company was ordered to Fort Adams, Rhode Island, and he was relieved in order to join it at that place, which he did, at the expiration of a six-months leave of absence. July 31, 1849, he was placed in command of Company B, 3d Artillery, and in September of the same year was ordered to Florida with his company, hostilities having again broken out between the Indians and settlers in the southern part of that State. Remaining on duty in Florida until December, 1850, he re ceived orders for Texas, but on arriving at New Orleans, on his way thither, found awaiting him there later orders for Bos ton harbor. He reached Fort Independence January 1, 1851, where he remained until March 28, when he was relieved by Captain Ord, and assigned to duty at West Point as Instructor of MAJOR-GENERAL G. H. THOMAS. 59 Artillery and Cavalry. This position he retained from April 1, 1851, until May 31, 1854, having been promoted, meanwhile, December 24, 1853, to a captaincy in the 3d Artillery. Captain Thomas, on leaving West Point, took command of a battalion of artillery, and conducted it to California by way ^>f Panama. Arriving at Benicia Barracks June 1, 1854, he was assigned to Fort Yuma, in Lower California, and, reaching that place July 15, with two companies of artillery, relieved Major Heintzelman of the command. Congress having increased the army by four regiments, two of infantry and two of cavalry, Captain Thomas received the appointment of junior major of the 2d Cavalry, and, leaving Fort Yuma July 18, 1855, joined his regiment at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri, early in the fol lowing September. The regiment was ordered to Texas, and Major Thomas remained on duty there from May 1, 1856, to November 1, 1860, when he left Camp Cooper on a leave of absence. During this time he was for three years in command of the regiment, and in August, 1859, headed the escort which accompanied the Texas Reserve Indians from that State to their new home in the Indian Territory. Immediately after this he was ordered to examine the country on the head-waters of the Canadian and Red Rivers. He was absent on this service several months, and collected much valuable information concerning the geography of that region, having passed over a route north of the Canadian which previously had been entirely unknown. In the summer of 1860 he commanded another expedition to the head-waters of the Conchas, on which, besides obtaining much geographical knowledge, he fell in with a party of predatory Indians, and recaptured from them all the animals they had stolen from the settlements. In the skirmish on this occasion, August 26, 1860, he was slightly wounded in the face. In April, 1861, Major Thomas was ordered to Carlisle Barracks, Pa., to remount the 2d Cavalry, which had been dismounted and ordered out of Texas by General Twiggs. Four companies were equipped at once and sent to Washington to join the two that had preceded them thither. The remaining four were assigned to the 60 ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. Department of Pennsylvania, and Major Thomas was ordered to report to its commander, which he did on the 1st of May, 1861, at Greencastle, Pennsylvania. April 25, 1861, he was promoted lieutenant-colonel, and colonel May 3. From May until July he commanded the first brigade of Major-General Patterson's army in Northern Virginia, and subsequently under Major-General Banks until August 26. August 17 he was appointed a brigadier-general of volunteers, and on the' 26th was relieved from duty in the Army of Northern Virginia, and ordered to report to Brigadier-General Robert Anderson, commanding the Department of the Cumberland. Arriving at Louisville, Ken tucky, September 6, General Thomas was assigned to the command of Camp Dick Robinson, fifteen miles southeast of Nicholasville, Kentucky, which he reached September 15, and relieved Lieutenant Nelson, U.S.N, (subsequently Major-General Nelson, U.S.V.), who had organized the camp and by his energy and boldness had assembled there over six thousand Ken tucky and Tennessee troops. Zollicoffer had invaded Kentucky by way of Cumberland Gap ; and General Thomas began making vigorous preparations to meet him and thwart his designs. Four regiments of infantry, a battalion of artillery, and Woolford's cavalry, under the command of Brigadier-General Schoepf, were sent to Rockcastle Hills, thirty miles southeast of Camp Dick Robinson, where was established Camp Wildcat. Brigadier- General W. T. Sherman, having been appointed to the command of the department in place of General Anderson, who was re lieved at his own request on account of ill health, visited Camp Dick Robinson soon after, and expressed much satisfaction with the dispositions made to resist the advance of the rebels. The result of these movements was the battle of Wildcat, fought October 26, in which Zollicoffer was completely routed and driven back to Cumberland Gap by our troops, under the personal command of General Schoepf. Immediately after the battle of Wildcat, General Thomas' moved his head-quarters to Crab Orchard and began prepara tions for an advance into East Tennessee ; but, the enemy having MAJOR-GENERAL G. H. THOMAS. 61 assembled a large force at Bowling Green, the department com mander ordered General Thomas to move with his force, except one Kentucky regiment and the two East Tennessee regiments, to Lebanon, Kentucky, and be in readiness for an active cam paign. Under these orders, General Thomas marched to Lebanon and there organized the first division of the Army of the Cum berland. Immediately on the arrival of the troops at that place, it being reported that Zollicoffer had advanced to Monticello, Wayne county, and was threatening Somerset, General Schoepf was ordered to the latter place with a battery of artillery and two regiments of infantry, to prevent him from crossing the Cumber land. Two days afterwards two additional regiments and an other battery were ordered to reinforce Schoepf; but Zollicoffer had succeeded in crossing the Cumberland with about eight thousand men, and established himself on the north side, opposite Mill Spring. General Thomas had his command in readiness to take the field by December 31, and on that day left Lebanon under orders from Brigadier-General Buell to march against Zolli coffer and dislodge him from his intrenchments if he should not come out to meet the combined forces of Schoepf and Thomas. After a most laborious march of nineteen days, over roads made almost impassable by heavy rains, General Thomas reached a point ten miles north of Mill Spring, called Logan's Cross-Roads, with the 9th Ohio, 2d Minnesota, 10th Indiana, and 4th Ken tucky Regiments of infantry, Kenny's battery of the 1st Ohio Artillery, Woolford's regiment of Kentucky Cavalry, and four companies of the 1st Michigan Engineers. Here he halted to await the arrival of the 14th Ohio and the 10th Kentucky, and to communicate with General Schoepf at Somerset and arrange for a combined movement upon the enemy's intrenchments. The preliminary arrangements were made on Saturday, and the troops were to move on Monday, the 20th. But the enemy, having received information that only two regiments had succeeded in reaching Logan's Cross-Roads, and that the re mainder were still behind, exhausted and discouraged by the difficulties which they had encountered left his intrenchments 62 ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. on the evening of Saturday, the 18th, with the evident intention of surprising and overwhelming the small force at Logan's, and encountered the Federal pickets at daylight on the morning of the 19th, driving them in rapidly. Two regiments— the 10th Indiana and 4th Kentucky — were quickly formed, and* advanced into a wood about half a mile in front of Logan's. This position was held against a desperate assault of the enemy's advance until the arrival of the 9th Ohio and 2d Minnesota, when the battle was renewed by these two fresh regiments attacking the rebels in front, while the 12th Kentucky and 1st and 2d East Tennessee advanced on their right and rear. The contest raged violently for half an hour, until the 9th Ohio routed the enemy's left at the point of the bayonet, their right being simultaneously attacked by the 12th Kentucky. The advance fell back in con fusion behind their reserves, and the rebels began a rapid and disorderly retreat towards their intrenchments. As soon as our troops could refill their cartridge-boxes, the enemy were pursued to their ihtrenchmeats, and preparations were made to storm them the following morning. But when morning came it was' found that they had fled during the night, abandoning their pro visions, artillery, ammunition, wagons, cavalry, horse and camp equipage of every kind. The rout was complete, and its demoralizing effect so great that many men of wealth in Middle Tennessee removed their slaves and household effects to Alabama and Mississippi, without waiting to hear of new disasters. The enemy's loss in killed and wounded, in the battle and during the retreat was very heavy, including among the former Brigadier- General Zollicoffer. Immediately after the battle of Logan's Cross-Roads, or, as it is more generally called, Mill Spring, General Thomas concen trated his command at Somerset and entered jipon active pre parations for a move into East Tennessee, and had nearly accumulated a sufficient amount of subsistence for that expe dition when he received orders to move with all possible despatch to Lebanon, and thence to Munfordsville, General Buell intending to concentrate his forces at that place and move MAJOR-GENERAL G. H. THOMAS. 63 immediately upon Bowling Green. Before the troops could be assembled, however, the enemy had lost Forts Henry and Donel- son, and evacuated Bowling Green and Nashville, retreating by different routes through Tennessee, and eventually reassembling in front of Corinth, Mississippi. On the march to Munfords- ville, General Thomas received orders to proceed with his divi sion to Louisville, there to take steamers and go to Nashville, which he did, reaching the latter city on the 2d of March, with his division in readiness to take the field. But it con stituted the reserve of the Army of the Cumberland, and remained as such until May 1, when the advance from Pitts burg Landing upon Corinth began. As soon as the troops could be supplied with clothing, and the trains fitted up, General Buell began his march to Pittsburg Landing, a portion of his army reaching that place in time to participate in the battle of Shiloh. General Thomas's division, being in reserve, did not reach the battle-ground until after the retreat of the enemy. April 25, 1862, Brigadier-General Thomas was appointed and confirmed major-general of volunteers, and on the 1st of May his division was transferred to the Army of Tennessee, he being assigned by General Halleck to the. command of the right wing of that army, consisting of Brigadier-General T. W. Sher man's division (the old 1st Division), Brigadier-General W. T Sherman's division, Brigadier-General S. A. Hurlbut's division, Brigadier-General T. J. McKean's division, and Brigadier-Gene ral Thomas A. Davies's division. He continued in command until the evacuation of Corinth by the rebels, when his division was stationed along the Memphis & Charleston Railroad, from Iuka, Mississippi, to Tuscumbia, Alabama, for its protection. On the 10th of June he was re-transferred to the Army of the Ohio (the first Army of the Cumberland), and about the 1st of August was ordered to concentrate his command at Dechard, Tennessee, at which place he arrived about the 6th and remained with his division several days. Leaving his command here in temporary charge of General Schoepf, he proceeded to McMinn- ville, to take charge of the divisions of Generals Nelson and 64 ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. Hood at that place. September 3, he left McMinnville, having received orders from General Buell to join him with his forces at Murfreesborough, the rebel cavalry having destroyed the Louis ville & Nashville Railroad and blown up the tunnels near Gal latin, Tennessee, thus rendering a backward movement necessary. On arriving at Murfreesborough, he found that General Buell had already gone to Nashville, leaving orders for the army to follow him. Reaching Nashville on the 8th, General Thomas was at once put in command of the post. The next day General Buell, having already pushed forward a portion of his troops, set out for Kentucky. On the evening of the 13th, General Thomas received orders to follow, and at four o'clock on the evening of the 15th started with his division, leaving at Nash ville the divisions of Generals Negley and Palmer, the whole under command of the former. Joining Buell at Prewitt's Knob, near Cave City, on the 19th, he was made second in command of the entire army. Approaching Munfordsville, it was expected that Bragg would make a stand there, and preparations were made for a battle; but the enemy were soon found to be retreat ing, and the march was resumed on the 23d, and in three days the army reached Louisville. On the 29th, the Army of the Ohio was divided into three corps, under Generals McCook, Crittenden, and Gilbert, General Thomas still remaining second in command of the whole. On the 1st of October the army left Louisville for Bardstown, where the rebel army was encamped, their cavalry vedettes extending to within five miles of Louisville. As Buell advanced, Bragg retreated, evacuating Bardstown after a slight skirmish. The rebel forces making a stand at Harrodsburg and Perryville, a severe battle was fought, principally by General McCook. com manding the left wing, the right, under General Thomas, being engaged only in skirmishing. General Thomas accompanied the army in all its movements until it again concentrated at Bowling Green. When the command was assumed by Major- General Rosecrans, its name. was again changed to the "Army of the Cumberland," and on the 5th of November General MAJOR-GENERAL Q. H. THOMAS. 65 Thomas was placed in command of the centre, 14th Army Corps, Department of the Cumberland, consisting of the 1st Division, Brigadier-General S. S. Fry commanding, the 3d Division, Major-General L. H. Rousseau commanding, the 8th Division, Brigadier-General J. S. Negley commanding, the 12th Divi sion, Brigadier-General E. Dumont commanding, and the 13th Division, Brigadier-General J. M. Palmer commanding. In charge of his corps, General Thomas, reached Nashville early in November, where he remained until the morning of the 26th of December, when the army advanced towards Murfreesborough. In command of Rousseau's and Negley's divisions, he left Nash ville on the morning of the 26th, moving on the right of McCook by the Franklin and Wilson pikes and falling in by cross-roads to Nolensville. During the whole of that terrible series of battles on Stone River, he was cool, active, and vigilant, cheer ing on his men by voice and example, and sharing their dangers, and in the official reports of General Rosecrans is mentioned with especial commendation as " true and prudent, distinguished in council and on many battle-fields for his courage." Since the occupation of Murfreesborough, the Army of the Cum berland having been divided into three army corps, — the 14th, 20th, and 21st, — General Thomas has been in command of the 14th Army Corps, comprising five divisions, under the command of Major-Generals L. H. Rousseau, Jas. S. Negley, and J. J. Rey nolds, and Brigadier-Generals S. S. Fry and R. B. Mitchell. General Thomas's residence — the place of his birth — is now in possession of the rebels. In 1852 he was married to Miss Frances S. Kellogg, of Troy, New York, and his wife now resides in New York City. Notwithstanding his many years of military service and active campaigning, he is still apparently in the prime of life. In personal appearance dignified and manly, in manners gentle and courteous, in habit temperate and virtuous, none " know him but to praise." His military and personal record is without a blot. Although a Virginian, he never fal tered for a moment in his duty to his country to follow after the false gods of his native State and the South ; and let it ever be 66 ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. remembered that it was he who won for our arms one of the first and most decisive victories of the present war, in front of Mill Spring, Kentucky. THE STAPP. Lieutenant-Colonel George E. Flynt, Assistant Adjutant- General, was born in Delaware county, New York. He received a mercantile education, and was engaged in trade until the year 1853. In the following year he emigrated to Texas. During his residence in that State he was more or less, socially and in his business relations, connected with the United States Army there on duty. At the commencement of the rebellion he was present at Camp Cooper, on the Clear Fork of the Brazos River, when it was surrendered to the Texas rebels. Having no sympathy with the revolutionists, he left Texas at the earliest moment, and arrived in Western New York in June, 1861. At the request of Brigadier-General George H. Thomas, he was commissioned assistant adjutant-general, with the rank of captain, August 31, 1861, and was assigned to duty on the staff of General Thomas, joining him at Camp Dick Robinson. Captain Flynt was with General Thomas in his Kentucky campaign, being present in the decisive battle of Logan's Cross-Roads (known as the battle of Mill Spring), and for his gallantry on that occasion was honorably mentioned in the official report. At Shiloh, Major-General Thomas was placed in command of the right wing of the Army of Tennessee, and selected Captain Flynt as his chief of staff, he having been promoted major, by commission ibearing date June 11, 1862, after the taking of Corinth. Major Flynt accompanied General Thomas when that officer was trans ferred to the Army of the Cumberland, and with him partici pated in the battle of Perryville. Major-General Rosecrans having been assigned to the command of the Army of the Cum- LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ALEXANDER VON SCHRODER. 67 berland, and Major-General Thomas being appointed to the com mand of the centre, the subject of this sketch, as his assistant adjutant-general, was present with him at the battle of Stone River. After ' the battle, General Thomas was placed at the head of the 14th Army Corps, and Major Flynt, for his prompt, efficient, and gallant conduct, was called to the staff of this corps, with the rank of lieutenant-colonel, which position he now fills. LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ALEXANDER VoN SCHRODER, Assistant Inspector- General, was born at Blankenburg, in the Hartz Moun tains, in 1821. His father, an old soldier, who had fought his way up from the ranks to a lieutenant-generalship, and for his bravery had been made a nobleman; thought no profession so fitting for his son as the one by which he himself had won honor and position; and accordingly, in 1835, at the early age of fourteen, the latter entered the Prussian army as a cadet. Here he remained for two and a half years, when he entered the service of the Duke of Brunswick, and served three years as cadet and ensign. During this time he was either on active duty with his regiment vor hard at study. In 1841 ho was com missioned as second lieutenant in the body-guard of the Duke of Brunswick. This regiment was called " the schwarzen Jaeger," and their dress was black, with a skull and cross-bones as a distinctive badge. The organization was maintained in remembrance of Frederick William, Duke of Brunswick, who had ten thousand such troops, to raise and equip which he had sold all his possessions. In 1852, Lieutenant Von Schroder left Germany for England, where he remained some months, and then came to America. The following ten years were spent in various pursuits. At the beginning of the present war he was residing in Cincinnati. Having always been loyal to good government, he was ready to render his best service. He accordingly acted for a time as drill-master to the 18th Ohio Regiment at Camp Dennison, and afterwards to the' 73d Ohio Regiment at Chillicothe. Subse quently he was appointed major in the latter regiment, and on 68 ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. the 10th of December, 1861, was commissioned lieutenant-colonel in the 74th Ohio, and was mustered into the service from that- date. The regiment was detailed to guard prisoners at Camp Chase for several months, and, Colonel Moody being post com mander, Lieutenant-Colonel Von Schroder was in command of it during this time. Thence he proceeded, still commanding officer of the regiment, to Nashville, where he remained for about two months, until Colonel Moody, being relieved %s post com mander at Camp Chase, rejoined his regiment, which was shortly after attached to the command of Brigadier-General Negley, by whom Lieutenant-Colonel Von Schroder was placed in charge of the troops guarding the railroad between Franklin and Columbia. In this position his soldierly abilities attracted the attention of his commanding general, who made application for his appointment on his own staff as division inspector. Upon General Negley's assuming command at Nashville, Lieutenant- Colonel Von Schroder became inspector of the division and post, and so remained during the investment. He participated in the fight in front of the city, November 5, 1862, and, together with three other of General Negley's staff officers, led the cavalry charge upon the rebels, within four miles of Franklin. As inspector, Lieutenant-Colonel Von Schroder discharged his important duty with unusual skill and fidelity; for which he was specially complimented in the following order from head quarters : — " Special Order No. 2. " Head-Quarters 14th Army Corps, Department op the Cumberland. "Nashville, Tennessee, Nov. 19, 1862. " XII. The general commanding has read with great pleasure the favorable report of Lieutenant-Colonel Ducat, Assistant In spector-General, upon the condition of the grand guards and pickets of the garrison of Nashville, on the recent inspection ordered from these head-quarters, without any notice to the troops. " The general compliments Lieutenant-Colonel Von Schroder, lieutenant-colonel Alexander von schroder. 69 the officer in charge of grand guards, the officers and men of the 21st Ohio and 27th Illinois Infantry, on duty the day of inspection. ********* "By command of Major-General Rosecrans. "W. H. Sidell, "Major 15tft U.S. Infantry, and A. A. A. G." On the 16th of December, 1862, he was assigned to General Thomas as acting assistant inspector-general of the 14th Army Corps, and was with him during the battle of Stone River, remaining by his side during that terrible conflict, exhibiting coolness and courage under most trying circumstances. After the battle, at the request of General Thomas, Lieutenant-Colo nel Von Schroder, by a special order from the War Department, was assigned to the staff of General Thomas as assistant inspector- general, which position he now fills. To this office he brings the experience of many years, and the same ability and faithful ness which characterized his labors at Nashville. Only recently he was again complimented by General Rosecrans, in the follow ing note to General Thomas : — Head-Quarters, Department op the Cumberland, April 19, 1863. " Major-General Thomas, Commanding 14th Army Corps. " General : — Your picket-line, inspected under orders from these head-quarters, has recently been reported as in the best possible condition. "The major-general commanding desires to express to you his satisfaction, and to compliment Lieutenant-Colonel Von Schroder, A.I.G. of your corps, upon the zeal and energy which he has displayed in the discharge of this duty. v " Very respectfully, " Your obedient servant, "William McMichael, " Major and A. A. G " 70 ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. Lieutenant-Colonel A. J. Mackay, Chief Quartermaster, is a native of Livingston county, New York, of Scotch descent, and about thirty-three years of age. At the age of sixteen he emigrated to Texas while it was yet an independent republic, and remained there until the breaking out of the rebellion. In June, 1861, he returned to New York. October 7, 1864, he was appointed assistant quartermaster, with the rank of captain, and assigned to duty with General Thomas, then in command of Camp Dick Robinson. He has since remained upon the staff, and has risen, gradually and by merit, to his present rank. Possessing rare business qualifications, he discharges the responsible duties of his office with general satisfaction. Lieutenant-Colonel James R. Paul, Chief Commissary, was born and raised in Franklin county, Ohio, and now resides in the city of Columbus. Until twenty-eight years of age he was a farmer, and then engaged in the grain and produce business On the 31st of October, 1861, he was appointed by the Presi dent a commissary of subsistence, with the rank of captain, and assigned to duty on the staff of General O. M. Mitchel. In this position he remained until General Mitchel was ordered East, when, on the 4th of July, 1862, he was transferred to the staff of General Rousseau, and remained with him up to the time of the Stone River battle. Just before the fight began, he was assigned to ^General Thomas as chief commissary, and acted as such during the engagement. During his long service he. has had many remarkable experiences and some narrow escapes. At the battle of Stone River- he saved a large wagon-train by his presence of mind. He also rode back to Lavergne to find the trains and get flour for the men, and discovered a small drove of cattle and a large amount of corn belonging to the rebels which was immediately distributed among the soldiers. In this and other ways he rendered efficient and invaluable service. January 28, 1863, Colonel Paul was promoted to his present rank. He is one of the most competent and faithful commis- saries in the army. He has a family whom he has not seen since MAJOR OSCAR A. MACK. 71 entering the service, having been constantly at his post without asking for a furlough. Major Oscar A. Mack, Senior Aide-de-Camp, entered the United States Military Academy at West Point as a cadet from New Hampshire in 1846. He graduated eighth in his class in 1850, was attached as brevet second lieutenant to the 3d Regi ment of Artillery, and in 1851 was promoted as full second lieu tenant in the 4th Regiment of Artillery. In this regiment he served on the Northern lakes, the Atlantic seaboard, in Florida during the last campaign against " Billy Bowlegs," and on the Western frontier. On the breaking out of the rebellion he was a first lieutenant, commanding a company of his regiment at Fort Randall, Ne braska Territory. In April, 1861, he was ordered into the States, and reached Cincinnati with his company in May. In June he accompanied Major-General McClellan to Western Vir ginia, and commanded his body-guard until after the battle of Rich Mountain. About that time he accepted the appointment of senior captain in the 13th Regular Infantry. Captain Mack was then given a mountain-howitzer battery, manned by his old artillery company, and remained in Western Virginia under General Rosecrans, accompanied him through his campaign on the Gauley, and was present at the battle of Carni fex Ferry and the affairs on New River. In December, 1861, Captain Mack was ordered to Kentucky to- report to General Buell. On arriving in Louisville he was placed in command of the artillery camp of instruction for volunteer batteries. While there, he fitted out his own battery with light field-guns and a section of ten-pounder Parrotts. About the middle of January, 1862, he left Louisville with his new battery and joined General George H. Thomas at Somerset, Kentucky, but too late to be in the fight at Mill Springs. He remained with General Thomas's division, accompanying it to Nashville and Pittsburg Landing, until May, when he relin quished the command of his battery and accepted the position of 72 ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. inspector of artillery on the staff of General Thomas, then assigned to the command of the right wing of the Army <# the Mississippi. He served in this capacity with General Thomas through the operations about Corinth, in Northern Alabama, Tennessee, and Kentucky. After the battle of PerryvilLe, he was obliged to go home on sick leave. He rejoined General Thomas at Nashville, and at the battle of Stone River, December 31, 1862, was severely wounded. From the effects of this wound he has not yet suffi ciently recovered to take the field. On the 11th of March, 1863, he was confirmed by the Senate as aide-de-camp, with the rank of major. Captain John D. Barker, Aide-de-Camp, and commander of the escort, was born in Marietta, Ohio, February 16, 1832. He was raised a farmer-boy, but at the time the rebellion began was engaged in mercantile pursuits. He entered the service, September 16, 1861, as lieutenant of a company partly enlisted by himself, and belonging to the 1st Ohio Cavalry. For a time he was actively engaged in scouting in Kentucky, and was after wards at the battle of Shiloh and the siege of Corinth on ordinary cavalry duty. In March, 1862, he was assigned to General Thomas as aide-de-camp and commander of his escort, and has thus re mained with him to this time. He participated in the battles of Perryville and Stone River, and soon after the latter was pro moted to a captaincy. Captain Barker is especially commended by his associates as a faithful officer and a brave soldier. JB LIPFINCOTT & CO PHILADA ftajor-Cenwat &t#sn&r ftrjotcett ftrdfcolt. Alexander McDowell McCook, Major-General of Volunteers, and Captain of the 3d Regiment U.S. Infantry, commanding. the 20th Army Corps, was born in Columbiana county, Ohio, April 22, 1831. At the age of sixteen he entered the Military Academy at West Point, and graduated in July, 1852. Upon graduating, he was commissioned brevet second lieutenant in the 3d Regu lar Infantry, and detailed to duty at Newport Barracks. Re maining there a few months, he was ordered, in April, 1853, to join his regiment, then serving in New Mexico. He continued there nearly five years, constantly on active duty in the field, and participating in several of the Indian campaigns on that remote frontier. His long service and good conduct were mentioned and complimented in general orders by Lieutenant-General Scott. In January, 1858, he was recalled from New Mexico, and assigned to the Military Academy at West Point as In structor in Tactics and the Art of War. At the beginning of the present rebellion he was relieved from duty at West Point, and in April, 1861, ordered to Columbus, Ohio, to act as mustering officer for the volunteers of that State. Before his arrival, however, he was elected colonel of the 1st Ohio Volunteers, a three-months regiment, already on its way to the seat of war in Virginia. Hastening to assume the position to which he had been elected without his knowledge or solicitation, he soon had an opportunity of exhibiting his ability as a field commander. On the 17th of June a train of cars containing a detachment of Ohio troops under command of Brigadier-General Schenck, of which Colonel McCook and his regiment formed a part, and which was on a reconnoitring expedition, was fired upon by a masked rebel battery near Vienna, Virginia. The fire 73 74 ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. proved very destructive, and threw the troops into confusion, from which they were rallied by the skill and coolness of Colonel McCook, and succeeded in retiring from the place without further casualty. In the battle of Bull Run Colonel McCook was en gaged, and won universal commendation for the admirable manner in which he managed his men. At the close of this memorable conflict he marched his regiment back to Centreville in the same good order in which it had left that place, an honorable exception to the wide-spread confusion that prevailed elsewhere among the Union forces. When the three-months men were mustered out of the service, he received authority from the President to raise the 1st Ohio Volunteers, a three-years regiment; but on the 3d of September, 1861, and before his command was ready to take the field, he was appointed a brigadier-general, and assigned to the command of the advance of the Federal forces in Kentucky, then at Camp Nevin. There, and while lying in camp on Green River, he organized his notable 2d Division, with which he afterwards marched to Nashville, and thence towards the Tennessee River. On the 6th of April, 1862, alarmed by the sullen sound of distant artillery, and aware of the dangerous situation of General Grant's army, he moved his division over wretched roads twenty-two miles to Savannah, there embarked on steamboats for Pittsburg Landing, and, after clearing with the bayonet a road through the army of stragglers that swarmed upon the river's bank, soon after daylight on the morning of the 7th deployed his brave and eager men upon the field of Shiloh. General McCook fought his troops on that day with consummate ability, holding them well in hand. His line of battle was not once broken nor retired, but was steadily and determinedly advanced until the enemy fled, and the reverse of the day before .was more than redeemed by the victory which crowned the second day's struggle. In the movements upon Corinth which followe'd the battle of Shiloh, General McCook commanded the advance of General Buell's corps, and his skirmishers were among the first to scale the enemy's works. After the evacuation of Corinth, his com- MAJOR-GENERAL A. M°DOWELL MCCOOK. 75 mand was moved through Northern Alabama to' Huntsvihe, thence to Battle Creek, Tennessee, where it remained for nearly two months, confronting Bragg's forces at Chattanooga. On the 17th of July, 1862, he was appointed major-general, in view of his gallant conduct and distinguished services in the battle of Shiloh and the. siege of Corinth. Upon the withdrawal of Gene ral Buell's army from Alabama and Tennessee, General McCook moved his division, by a march of four hundred miles, back to Louisville. Here the Army of the Ohio, newly equipped and largely reinforced, was . divided into three corps, and he was assigned to the command of the first. On the 1st of October he started from Louisville upon a new campaign in pursuit of Bragg. On the 8th the enemy was met and engaged near Perryville ; but, owing to accidental causes, two divisions of General McCook's corps — one of them Jackson's, composed entirely of raw recruits — were foreed to bear unsustained the assault of nearly the entire rebel army. The unexpected withdrawal of General Gil bert's corps from the right, the early death of those two gallant generals, Jackson and Terrill, and the tardiness with which re inforcements arrived, made the contest a desperate one, and when night settled upon the combatants it was yet undecided. During the night, however, the enemy retreated, leaving the Union forces masters of the field and winners of an honorable but incomplete and dearly-bought victory. The object of this sudden onslaught by Bragg upon McCook's corps has never been fully determined ; but the most plausible presumption is, that, supposing he could completely crush it before the arrival of reinforcements, he hoped thus so to weaken Buell as to prevent further pursuit and enable him safely to make his way from Kentucky into Tennessee. The desperate resistance of General McCook's gallant twelve thousand troops against overwhelming odds, losing in the fight one-fourth of their number in killed and wounded, but inflicting far deadlier injury upon the enemy, frustrated the designs of the rebel lead ers. Bragg, however, succeeded so far as to escape from Ken tucky witnout again coming in contact with the Federal forces; 76 ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. and the march of the latter was now turned towards Nashville. On the 30th of October General Rosecrans assumed command of the Department of the Cumberland, and on the 6th of Novem ber General McCook was placed at the head of the forces in the vicinity of Nashville; and upon the organization of the Army of the Cumberland he was assigned to the leadership of the right wing. On the 26th of December the army moved from Nashville to attack the enemy in position in front of Murfreesborough, General McCook commanding the right. His line of march was by the Nolensville pike to Triune, where he arrived on Saturday, having had a brisk skirmish at Nolensville the day previous, result ing in his capturing one gun, and gaining possession of the town and the hills in front, with a loss of about seventy-five in killed and wounded. On Sunday the troops rested, and on Monday, the 29th, he was ordered to. move from Triune to Wilkerson's Cross- Roads, six miles from Murfreesborough, leaving a brigade at Triune. By evening he reached Wilkerson's Cross-Roads, with an advance brigade at Oversall's Creek, and the next day moved steadily forward, meeting with obstinate resistance from Over- sail's Creek, and about four o'clock in the afternoon he got position on the Wilkerson pike, joining General Thomas, having lost in the day's contest about one hundred and thirty-five in killed and wounded. It was now the evening of December 30, and the two armies were in line of battle, confronting each other. General Rosecrans had massed his reserve on the left, to crush the rebel right with heavy columns and turn their position. But Bragg, learning of this disposition during the night, massed the larger portion of his force in front and on the flank of McCook, and in the gray of the following morning, before any attack had been made upon the left, advanced in heavy force and with great fury upon the right wing. Outnumbered and outflanked, the right was forced to give way, but not until its line of battle had been marked with the evidences of a fiercely-contested struggle and of a fearful havoc in the enemy's ranks. To check the advance of the already victory-flushed MAJOR-GENERAL A. MCDOWELL MCCOOK. 77 rebels, the Federal reserve were rapidly moved forward, and by their aid the enemy was held at bay and the right wing and the fortunes of the day were saved. Defeated on the left and in tho centre, checked on the right, foiled in every attack, and again defeated on the 2d and 3d of January, the rebels, having lost nearly one-third of their army, abandoned the field on the night of the 3d, and on the 4th the victorious army of the Union passed through their deserted intrenchments and entered the town of Murfreesborough. General McCook comes from a remarkable family of " fighting- stock," — several brothers of whom have fought, and some fallen, in defence of their country. As possessors of stalwart and vigorous frames and constitutions, they are notable. The subject of this sketch is the hero of several contests. At Chap lin Hills he displayed great coolness and daring; and during the adversities of the memorable 31st at Stone River he rode to and fro through the fiery storm, narrowly escaping death at every hand, losing his horse, struck dead under him, and his own death being for several hours currently reported upon the battle field. A brief allusion to the causes of the first day's discomfiture at Stone River will not in this connection be deemed improper. The smoke of the battle-field has cleared away, and time and reflection and better knowledge are aids to a clearer under standing of re.cent momentous events. General McCook's divi sion, composing" the right wing of the Army of the Cumberland, led the advance from Nashville to Murfreesborough For three days preceding, this division had followed up the rebel forces, constantly skirmishing with and forcing back their heavy rear guard of cavalry and artillery. Arrived at the final battle ground, the lines of our right wing were formed to face the lines of the enemy's left. If our right wing was too far extended, so was theirs. The surface of the country, though not hilly, was very rough, rocky, and broken with clumps of low, scrubby cedars, — very unfavorable ground upon which to manoeuvre troops and re form broken lines. But the ground was ours from necessity, not 78 ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. choice. When General McCook was questioned by the com mander-in-chief as to his ability to maintain that three miles of battle-line, he replied that he was confident he could do it; and his grounds ior that confidence seem ample. His troops were flushed with the successes recently obtained, they had been under fire in Kentucky, and there was mutual confidence and the best of feeling between officers and men, — which continues to this day. The massing of the rebels upon the extreme right of that wing early in the morning, and their impetuous dash, their rushing upon one or two batteries at the outset and seizing them, some of the horses, it is said, being away to be watered (a very natural and necessary circumstance), and the ground being so rough and clumpy that large bodies of troops could not be successfully halted and re-formed or reserves be brought up at the right time and place,— were among the causes of the misfor tunes of that day. History is pregnant with kindred instances, where many minor and even trifling occurrences have con tributed to momentous results. Be the circumstances of this mishap as they may, the author but repeats the familiar mili tary opinion and criticism of months past, in asserting that they were such as no ordinary military foresight could have foreseen, and no individual human skill and bravery have more speedily resisted. After the occupation of Murfreesborough, the Army of the Cum berland was divided into three army corps, — the 14th, 20th, and 21st; and Major-General McCook, who fully retains the confidence and esteem of the commander-in-chief and of his soldiers was assigned to the command of the 20th Army Corps, the position he now holds. On the 29th day of January, 1863, he was married to Miss Kate Philips, of Dayton, Ohio, a lady whose beauty and gentleness are appreciated in tho Army of the Cumberland, where she has since been a welcome visitant. In this instance the saying is indeed trite, that "none but. the brave deserve the fair." tl^ §EH. U'QIU: mi »*lH!!^^" m^t*- 3'-.c.o~oo^' 'OFFICERS '01? STXFlf, M.CARP^ Enj'liy GRRsii Pa]or- f-i .3M*.tQ officers @f §T4Fr0 J°-; f.h"g«°- En^VyJIofl ftajor-teral James g. Dogleg and £ James S. Negley, Major-General of Volunteers, commanding 2d Division, 14th Army Corps, was born December 26, 1826, in East Liberty, Alleghany county, Pennsylvania. His family is of Swiss descent; and its members are very numerous and among the most respectable and influential in the county. His earlier days were spent in the quiet of home, and employed in obtaining a plain practical education in the English branches as taught in the common schools of Pennsylvania. After passing through the preparatory studies, he entered college, but had left it, and was preparing himself for mercantile pursuits, when the military ardor of his nature, then already attracting comment and attention, was fully aroused by the declaration of war with Mexico and President Polk's call for troops. Though not of age, young Negley enlisted in the Duquesne Grays, at that time one of the finest companies in the State, and thus became a pri vate in the 1st Pennsylvania Infantry. His friends and rela tives doubted his physical ability to endure the hardships of the campaign, and endeavored to dissuade him from his purpose. Failing in this, they applied to the legal authorities to prevent his going. With a spirit of determination which later events have shown to be a prominent characteristic of the man, he informed the court that it was his purpose to go at all events. Under such circumstances it was thought useless to restrain him longer; and he was allowed to go with his company. During the cam paign under General Scott, Negley participated in the siege of Puebla, the battle of Cerro Gordo, and other minor engage ments. During this service his friends heard of his severe ill ness, which nearly proved fatal, and, on application to the War Department, procured his honorable discharge. This reached 91 92 ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. him immediately after the siege of Puebla; but he refused to accept it ; and, though it could not be cancelled, he remained on duty — having been promoted to be a sergeant — until the close of the war, when he returned home with his company. Negley now went to Pittsburg, where he engaged in the manu- facture of agricultural and railroad machinery; but, this proving unprofitable, he returned to East Liberty and devoted himself to agriculture and horticulture; and in these pursuits he was distinguished for activity and scientific ability. While thus engaged, he was married to Miss Kate Lozey, a niece of the late Commodore Van Voorhies. Although thus retired t'o private life, Negley felt an active interest in military affairs. A company was formed in his native village, of which he was elected commander, and, devoting thereto much time and attention, by his labors raised it to a state of the highest efficiency. Several of its old members hold distinguished positions in our army; and the company itself — the Negley Zouaves — is attached to the 77th Regiment Pennsylvania Volun teer Infantry, at present in the Army of the Cumberland. The interest felt by Captain Negley in military matters was not confined to his own company. As early as 1858 he became generally known by his earnest efforts to induce the executive and legislative powers of his native State to reorganize the State militia, predicting at that early day that a time would soon come when Pennsylvania would regret that her militia was not upon a war-footing. Although Captain Negley's plans and arguments were much in advance of the hour, they were not wholly lost upon the people, and something of a military interest was created in his own county, which gradually extended over the State. In 1858 he was offered the colonelcy of a regi ment raised in Alleghany county, but declined, as he subsequently did the proffered major-generalship of the 18th division of the State militia, accepting, however, the brigade-generalship of the troops raised as militia in his own county, believing that he could thus more effectually contribute to the State military ser vice. He early foresaw that tho political struggles of 1860 MAJOR-GENERAL JAMES S. NEGLEY. 93 would eventuate in civil war, and made earnest preparations to take the field at the head of a brigade, and as early as December 1, 1860, offered the services of the brigade to the Governor of Pennsylvania. At last the war opened, as he had predicted. Governor Curtin, on the 18th of April, telegraphed General Negley that his services and those of his brigade were needed ; and the call was immediately responded to by the organization of the brigade, and its appearance in Harrisburg within ten days thereafter. The organization of all the volunteers in Western Pennsylvania was then placed under General Negley's control, and he soon forwarded several regiments to Washington. In addition to his brigade, he organized forty companies, all of which subsequently took the field. He was then ordered to Harrisburg, York, and Lancaster, where he was placed in charge of the 14th and 15th Pennsylvania Regiments, which he soon brought to an excellent state of discipline. He also, with the assistance of Captain (now Brigadier-General) Charles Campbell, organized the first battery of the famous regiment of Pennsylvania Artillery. During the three-months service, General Negley commanded a brigade in Maryland and Virginia. Previous to its close, however, he was authorized by the War Department to raise a brigade for the three-years service, which was done in an almost incredibly short period. On the 28th of September, 1861, he was ordered to march his brigade, consisting of the 77th, 78th, and 79th Pennsylvania Regiments and Mueller's Pennsylvania Battery, to join General Rosecrans in Western Virginia, Before embark ing at Pittsburg, however, the order was countermanded, and he was directed to report to General Sherman at Louisville, Kentucky. Upon arriving there, his brigade was attached to the division of General McCook, and remained with it during the weary waiting at Green River and the advance upon Bowl ing Green. Subsequently detached from the division at the request of General Negley, it made the overland march to Nash ville, and advanced with Buell's army towards Pittsburg Land- 94 ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. ing, as far as Columbia, Tennessee, where General Negley was left in command. General Negley assumed command at Columbia, April 1, 1862, with a force of three thousand men, which was gradually increased, as the armies of Buell and Mitchel advanced, to about ten thousand. In his new position he labored under many disadvantages. He had the entire rear of both armies to protect, their communications to keep open, their supplies to forward, and at the same time was expected to be ready at a moment's notice to march to the aid of either. To add to his labors, every thing was in disorder and confusion. The strag glers, convalescents, and sick of Buell's whole army, amounting to some five thousand men, were left at Columbia, with no com mander, no rations, no quarters, and, in fact, no one to do any thing for them. His first duty was to attend to these. He immediately cleared out and prepared for their use several of the largest buildings in the town, and by sending those able to do duty to their commands on the march to the Tennessee River, and moving the convalescents back to Nashville, he reduced the number of hospital patients, in less than ten days, to not more than one hundred. In his new command it was his especial duty to guard the posts of Columbia, Shelbyville, Frank lin, Tullahoma, Pulaski, Mount Pleasant, and other minor points, besides keeping open at all hazards the railroads to Huntsville and Decatur, Alabama. The country swarmed with guerrillas, who were constantly hovering about our- lines, on the alert for every chance that might offer for a dash at an inferior force, or a surprise of some inadequately guarded supply-train. In watching the movements of these roving bodies, and in govern ing and keeping in order the inhabitants of his district, the period of his command at Columbia was mostly occupied : yet he found time for two important expeditions— one to Rogers- ville and Florence, and the other to Chattanooga,— besides various smaller skirmishes and guerrilla-hunts. On the 8th of May he was ordered by General Mitchel to concentrate at Pulaski, Tennessee, at least two thousand men, MAJOR-GENERAL JAMES S. NEGLEY. 95 infantry and cavalry, and three thousand, if possible, from his own command at Columbia and Colonel Duffield's at Murfrees borough, for a movement upon the enemy's cavalry beyond Elk River and in the vicinity of Rogersville and Florence. On the 10th he left Columbia, with about one thousand men, for Pulaski, ordering about the same number from Mount Pleasant to join him at the rendezvous. On the 13th, at three p.m., his force, con sisting of four regiments of infantry, two battalions of cavalry, and two sections of artillery, left Pulaski, and marched twelve miles, where they encamped for a few hours, and then made a forced march of twenty-one miles in six hours. The enemy's pickets were driven in, and gave the alarm to the forces in the town of Rogersville, who fled in every direction. A portion of the cavalry pushed on to Lamb's Ferry, on the Tennessee River, and fired upon a boat-load of the enemy as they were crossing the river, killing several men and horses. Once over the river, the rebels opened fire upon our men, but were soon dispersed by the Federal artillery, and fled hastily beyond the range of our guns. A ferry-boat on the north side of the Ten nessee was destroyed, and General Negley pushed on to Flo rence and to Cheatham's Ferry, fifteen miles below, destroying all the water-craft as he proceeded. He also arrested all the manufacturers of cotton and woollen goods, and all the iron- founders near Florence who had been supplying the rebel army with their products, and exacted of them heavy bonds and their parole of honor not to sell, directly or indirectly, any thing to the enemies of the Federal Government, — a policy then con sidered of great importance, as immense quantities of goods had been sold there. He also levied taxes upon the prominent secessionists to remunerate Union men for the damages done them by the rebels, and on one occasion ordered his aide-de camp to ride many miles out of the way to pay, from the funds thus raised, a widow who had been robbed by guerrillas. For his energy and rapidity of movement in this expedition he was highly complimented, by Major-General Mitchel. Returning to. Columbia on the 20th, matters remained quiet 96 ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. for a day or two, when General Negley advised General Mitchel that a large force of rebel cavalry was being concentrated at or near McMinnville, Tennessee, and urged upon Mitchel to allow him to strengthen Colonel Lester at McMinnville. About the same time he reported that Starns's rebel cavalry was said to be moving towards McMinnville. On the 25th of May, General Mitchel, again urged, gave General Negley the requested order, and Murfreesborough was strengthened by forces placed at Shelbyville, Wartrace, and other points. General Mitchel, about the same time, getting important information on the subject, went from Huntsville to Nashville, where on the 26th of May he telegraphed to Negley to meet him. On the 27th of May, Negley was at Nashville, and had an interview with Mitchel and Lester. Mitchel asked of him an elaboration of the views he had telegraphed. General Negley stated to him briefly his information. The rebel forces threat ening Murfreesborough had come from Chattanooga, taking advantage of the Sequatchie Valley. The true way to attack him, he argued, was to do so by the same valley, thus endanger ing his rear. At the same time, he proposed to attack Starns's force in front and drive it into or across the river, or capture it. By thus threatening Chattanooga, the rebels would be compelled to withdraw from McMinnville, or frt>m some other point, to reinforce Chattanooga. While this plan would be offensive against Starns, it would be strategical also; and, besides, if made by the route named, the railroad brought supplies near at hand. To make Murfreesborough the base would require a force of greater magnitude than both generals could raise. A calcu lation was made : five thousand men could be spared for the ex pedition. General Mitchel decided that it should be made, and placed General Negley in command of it. " When can you put your troops in motion?" asked Mitchel. "To-night," replied Negley. " Then I will go to bed," said Mitchel ; and the inter view ended, Lester, however, being dissatisfied with the plan. At four o'clock the next morning the troops of General Negley were in motion at Columbia, on the way to Pulaski. MAJOR-GENERAL JAMES S. NEGLEY. 97 By a special train the general reached Columbia the same day. From there he telegraphed to Governor Johnson and General Morgan, in front of Cumberland Gap, the purpose of the expe dition. He said to Morgan that he should be in front of Chatta nooga on the 6th of June, and that it was his belief that the movement would result in the evacuation of Cumberland Gap ; that the rebels laid more stress on the position at McMinnville, and the result it promised, than they did on the gap. He pushed forward, assumed the command, and entered Pulaski on the 29th. On the 31st he was at Fayetteville, where he received further intimations of danger at Murfreesborough, and was re quired by Mitchel to look to that place and reinforce it. Mitchel in this despatch said that he was at a loss to understand Beaure gard's movements, — the evacuation of Corinth taking place at that time. Negley's reply was to the effect that if the expedi tion were pushed forward and the road cut at Chattanooga, the evacuation of Corinth would be in vain, and that in his opinion Beauregard was passing East via Chattanooga. On the 3d of June, the march having been resumed, Negley entered Win chester, dispersing a small force of the enemy and capturing several prisoners. On the 4th, General Morgan thanked General Negley for his advice, and desired to know what force was moving against Chattanooga. On the same day (June 4), having made a forced march of twenty miles over a rugged and almost impassable mountain- road, he captured the enemy's pickets at Sweeden's Cove, com pletely surprising General Adams's rebel cavalry encamped at. the foot of the mountain. After a hand-to-hand fight in ai narrow lane and upon broken ground, the enemy was routed, with: a loss of twenty killed and twice as many wounded. Thus dis persed, they fled in wild disorder, strewing the ground for miles- with guns, swords, and pistols, and not once stopping until, they reached Chattanooga, forty-three miles distant. Their ammu nition and commissary wagons, filled with supplies, were also captured by our forces. On the 5th of June, General. Negleyr arrived at Jasper, beyond his new base of supplies, andr he 98 ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. began to look to the safety of his flanks. He put Colonel Sill's brigade at Shell Mound to protect his right, and stationed a regiment at Battle Creek to protect the left and to hold the pontoon bridge over the creek. He then ordered Turchin's brigade by one road, and Colonel Hambright's by the Anderson road, to Chattanooga. On the 6th of June he was opposite that place. On the 7th the battle occurred, consisting principally of a heavy cannonade lasting an hour and a half, during which the enemy was driven from his guns and three of them seriously damaged ; and on the evening of the 8th he began his retreat. Why did he withdraw 1 Why did he not occupy and hold the place after he had silenced the enemy's fire and driven them from the city ? Simply because he had not force enough to cross the river in the face of the enemy with safety, or to hold the place when once within it. The moment Adams was de feated at Sweeden's Cove, Kirby Smith with five thousand men withdrew from Cumberland Gap, and on the 8th was actually in Chattanooga. This decided Negley to withdraw. It also de cided Morgan to enter Cumberland Gap; and in that and in the dispersal of the guerrillas we have the legitimate results of the expedition, and all that Negley had expected of it. On the 7th Negley knew that Chattanooga was occupied by only a small force under John Morgan. He telegraphed to Mitchel and Buell, "I can take Chattanooga without loss. Will you give me enough men to hold it ?" Not receiving from them any assu rance of the needed reinforcements, he telegraphed on the 8th, " It is almost impossible to construct sufficient pontoons to cross the river in force. I do not consider the capture of Chattanooga as very difficult or hazardous, if we were prepared to do it and then to hold the place. But, taking.into consideration the exposed condition of both front and rear of our lines to Pittsburo- Land- ing, the long line of communication over a hardly passable road, the liability of a rise in the streams we have to ford, — some of them being now three feet deep, with rough bottoms,— our limited supplies, and the fact that our expedition has accomplished all we expected to do, have determined me to retire, the forces r MAJOR-GENERAL JAMES S. NEGLEY. 99 taking different routes, so as to drive Starns to Knoxville. I shall make another demonstration against Chattanooga this morning, during which time the trains will be ascending the mountain, which is almost impassable for artillery and loaded wagons." During the evening of the 7th the enemy threatened to cross the river opposite Chattanooga and at Shell Mound; but the dispositions made by General Negley prevented them from carrying out their object. At nine o'clock on the morning of the 8th, Colonel Scribner's command took position before Chattanooga. His artillery im mediately opened fire upon the enemy's works, while the infantry approached to within six hundred yards and drove the rebel sharpshooters from their places of shelter. Having again silenced the enemy and driven him from the town, Colonel Seribner marched for the Sequatchie Valley; and this was the end of the Chattanooga expedition. The forces were withdrawn with rapidity and divided, General Turchin's brigade being stationed at Battle Creek, and General Negley with the remainder of the force pursuing Starns via the Alta- mont and Thierman road. Returning to Shelbyville by way of Manchester, he resumed command at Columbia, where he remained until its evacuation on the 31st of August following. General Negley ruled with an iron hand at Columbia. The country, under former commanders, had been infested with guer rillas. Men suspected of belonging to these bands were arrested, and the guilty were punished. The new ruler soon became dis tasteful to the citizens. His manners and kindly mode of doing his duty prevented their hating him; but they feared him. With a small force, a good deal of energy, and the daily illus trated determination to punish the guilty, he kept the country quiet and free of guerrillas. He instituted a military prison, into which many rabid rebels found their way. If drunken sol diers committed outrages, he made the man who sold the liquor pay the damages. Even those who had once been advocates of the tender, con- 100 ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. Biderate, and forgiving policy which has since been designated as the "rose-water" system were at length compelled to acknowledge the correctness of General Negley's conclusions. Many who had thought that severity could do no good, and who were sorry when General Buell passed through the State and left it to the not over-tender mercies of Generals Negley and Mitchel, soon found their mistake; and when General Buell returned and reinstated his " rose-water" policy it was made tho roughly manifest. The rebels flew to General Buell for protection from the iron rule of Negley. The screws were taken off; and the natural result followed. The country was overrun with guer rillas. The citizens formed guerrilla bands in every county, giving an almost inconceivable amount of trouble. So great was it, in one way, that it kept Buell's army on half-rations. The guerrillas organized in such force that they actually captured whole regiments, as at Murfreesborough. A short time before the evacuation of Columbia, General Negley received information that sixty guerrillas had attacked eight of his men in a log house within five miles of his head-quarters, and had demanded their surrender. The men refused. Reinforcements were sent; but the guerrillas had disappeared. It afterwards appeared in proof that these guerrillas were citizens, and that they had demanded the surrender of the eight men by a flag of truce carried by a lone woman. The general was no respecter of rebel rights or property. He was the first officer in General Buell's department to use slaves as teamsters. He levied taxes upon the Secessionists, and in all his district guarded the property of but two men, one John Morgan, and General Gideon Pillow. The premises of the first were guarded to protect the horses of Mr. Morgan, who was an ardent, uncompromising Union man. The guard over the pro perty of General Pillow was instructed to take care of four hundred head of United States horses which were quartered there for some four months. These horses were broken-dowD animals left behind by General Buell's army, and were collected together and recruited upon rebel pastures. Towards rebel MAJOR-GENERAL JAMES S. NEGLEY. 101 sympathizers, as well as those actively engaged in guerrilla or regular warfare, he was unrelentingly severe. He also struck a blow at the States' Rights doctrine by requiring of every one who applied for a pass, oaths of allegiance, fortified by heavy bonds. On the 11th of August, 1862, General Negley planned an expedition against a guerrilla band of about five hundred men who were constantly hovering about Mount Pleasant, Williamson, and Hillsborough. He sent by the way of Spring Hill to Hills borough a cavalry force of about three hundred, and by way of Williamson one of about one hundred and fifty troops. The detachment sent to Spring Hill met a party of the guerrillas, about three hundred strong, a few miles beyond that place ; and a sharp skirmish ensued, resulting in the total rout of the enemy, with a loss of thirty killed and wounded and forty-five prisoners. The remainder, retreating towards Hillsborough, came in con- ' tact with the force sent by way of Williamson, when a hand-to- hand engagement occurred, and the rebels, again completely routed, took to the woods and hills. Some of them were found concealed in hollow logs, others under jutting rocks, having thrown their arms into the creek. A number, when caught, declared, with a fine show of innocence, that they were " only out squirrel-hunting." It having been determined to abandon Northern Alabama and Southern Tennessee in order to be able to cope with Bragg in Kentucky, a gradual withdrawal of the forces began in the latter part of August. The evacuation of the line of railroad under General Negley's command took place under very peculiar cir cumstances, involving danger to a large amount of rolling stock and Government property. The commandant at Nashville with drew the guard of the railroad bridges at Elk River and Richland Creek, while four trains and two regiments of infantry were between the two. The bridges were destroyed by Biffles's re giment of rebel cavalry, thus rendering retreat by rail impos sible; and the officer in command of the trains would have burned them and the Government property but for the timely 102 ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. interference of General Negley, who. started from Columbia on the 27th of August, with a force of two hundred infantry and his cavalry escort, leaving Captain Lowrie, his adjutant-gene ral, with but ninety men, to guard Columbia. He marched to Reynolds's Station, got the trains under way, and arrived with them at Richland Creek. Here he impressed all the negroes in the vicinity, and constructed a bridge by means of timber and cotton-bales, over which he passed the entire force and trains, running them safely to Nashville. Soon after his return, General Negley was ordered to evacuate Columbia with his command. The evacuation was admirably accomplished, all the beef-cattle in the surrounding country being collected and driven to Nashville, and one hundred thou sand bushels of corn, together with all the commissary, quar termaster's, and ordnance stores, the sick, and even the hospital furniture, being shipped safely to that city. The occupation of Nashville during the two months when the city was isolated and cut off from communication with the North constitutes a feature in this war as novel as it is interesting. In the space to which we are confined, it is hardly possible to present as graphically as we desire the strange and novel picture. Assuming command on the 6th of September, with two small divisions as a garrison, General Negley found himself shut up with but five days' provisions in a city weakly fortified and strongly menaced, with a hostile people within his besieged lines to rule and to watch. With the aid of Captain Morton, chief engineer, he pushed forward to early completion the forts which subsequently became known as " Forts' Negley," "Andrew Johnson," "Confiscation," and "Casino," and esta blished a complete and thorough picket-line, strengthened by rifle-pits and heavy abatis, soon making the city one of the best- fortified in the country. At the same time he reorganized the 8th Division, composed of fractions of brigades and regiments left, by reason of non-organization, to add to the garrison at Nashville. He also formed a regiment out of the convalescents of various regiments left by Buell's army in the rear. He MAJOR-GENERAL JAMES S. NEGLEY. 103 made new laws for the regulation and control of the hostile citizens within his lines, and soon began at Nashville the process of government which had produced such happy results at Colum bia. Perhaps in no city in the South had our army met with so bitter a reception as at Nashville. The intense hatred of the Secessionists of Nashville for the Union troops displayed itself in the most contemptuous expressions and incidents. As an instance, we transcribe the following inscription, written in a female hand on the window-shutter of a house in Nashville then used by us as a hospital : — " I hope that every officer who enters this house may depart this life in double-quick time ; that they may suffer the torture of ten thousand deaths before they die. And paralyz'ed be the hand that would alleviate their sufferings ; and may the tongue of him who would speak words of comfort cleave to the roof of his mouth. And as for the Yankee women who are hungry for the spoils, may but cursed are they already. God bless the Southern cause ! curse the Northern, and all that fight for it !" General Negley did not confine his operations to the govern ment of the rebel citizens or the fortification of the city. Re peated sallies were made upon the guerrilla bands, and foraging- parties went many miles into the country, invariably meeting with success. Shortly after assuming command, he surprised Ben nett's rebel cavalry at Goodlettsville, and, after a short but sharp contest, completely routed him, capturing forty prisoners and most of their horses and entirely destroying the regiment as an organization. One of the most complete and successful expeditions of the whole war was carried into effect, October 7, by General Neg ley, assisted by General Palmer, resulting in the victory of Lavergne. It is worthy of note that the information of General Negley regarding the rebels at Lavergne was found correct in the minutest circumstances, and also that his plan and orders regarding the expedition were carried out and followed with a fidelity which reflects great credit upon the officers acting under him. 104 ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. General Negley ordered General Palmer to move with his command, and instructed Colonel Miller to co-operate in the movement. The whole force moved promptly at nine o'clock on the night of Monday, the 6th of October, on the Murfrees borough road, while Miller took a direction to the left of the railroad. Palmer arrived at Lavergne at half-past three o'clock on Tuesday morning. Miller did not arrive in front of the enemy until the battle had begun, which was at daybreak. Before the encounter General Palmer captured some rebel pickets at Lavergne, and sent them to Nashville. The enemy, under General S. R. Anderson, opened upon Palmer, and at tempted to, flank him by throwing the 32d Alabama on his right. They also opened fire with one gun ; but Hough taling's battery, % short distance off, returned fire from two sections, and the second shot from our artillery went through the enemy's powder- magazine, causing its complete destruction. When the Alabama regiment above referred to made its demonstration upon Palmer's flank, Miller's force had just arrived through a cornfield, and he threw his force across their front and on the Murfreesborough road on the right, while the 78th Pennsylvania Infantry formed in front of the retreating enemy when he attempted to pass his line to the left. Colonel Sirwell threw his regiment rapidly by the left flank, completely in front of the enemy in that direction. During this time the artillery was playing upon them with telling effect. The cavalry dashed against the line of the 78th, but was met by a succes sion of volleys of musketry. The 32d Alabama quickly threw down their arms, and the cavalry displayed a white flag, but the captain of our artillery, not seeing it, kept on firing. The cavalry then broke, and fled in groat confusion to the woods. Mean while the 18th Ohio had arrived nearly at the place where the enemy's artillery made the first stand, and, by order of Colonel Miller, deployed as skirmishers to sweep the woods recently occupied by the Alabama regiment. The men swept the woods back to the rebel camps, and took numerous prisoners,— among them Colonel Maury. General Negley at an early hour on MAJOR-GENERAL JAMES S. NEGLEY. 105 Tuesday morning, deeming it expedient to risk no sacrifice of troops, sent out reinforcements from Nashville, when they were met by the victorious troops on their return. The rebels had but one gun, which was captured. We also took from them four hundred small arms, a regimental stand of colors, fifty-six loads of flour, several hundred-weight of bacon, forty beeves, and a large number of horses. Our loss, as far as ascertained, was four killed and seven wounded. The rebel loss was thirty killed and eighty wounded, and three hundred prisoners, comprising two colonels, several captains and lieu tenants, some ordnance officers, and a squad of sergeants and corporals. On the 19th of October, General Negley also succeeded in routing Forrest's cavalry while crossing the Cumberland River. The following is his brief official report of the affair, which reflected much credit on all concerned : — " Head-Quarters U.S. Forces, Nashville, Tennessee, October 20, 1862. " Yesterday General Forrest commenced crossing a consider able force of cavalry over the Cumberland. The advance, about one thousand strong, encamped on the Gallatin pike seven miles from Nashville. I immediately sent a force under Colonel Miller, who attacked the enemy at daylight, speedily routing and driving them back over the river. In their consternation, they lost one of their cannon overboard from a flat-boat in re- crossing, and strewed the pathway of their flight with arms (all new) and knapsacks. But few killed or wounded. A num ber of prisoners, including a colonel. The 78th Pennsylvania behaved handsomely. The result was very satisfactory, — espe cially as it is the third time we have completely routed the enemy's forces near Nashville. " James S. Negley, " Brigadier-General commanding. " To Colonel James B. Fry, Adj.-Gen. and Chief of Staff." The rebel forces concentrated at Murfreesborough to operate 106 ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. against Nashville were under the command of Major-Gen jral John C. Breckinridge. He had succeeded in accumulating about five thousand infantry, an unknown force of cavalry, and a large amount of artillery, principally of a heavy character, and on November 5 made an attack on the city with his cavalry. At two o'clock on the morning of the 5th, Forrest, with three thou sand men and four pieces of artillery, opened fire on our pickets on the Lebanon and Murfreesborough roads, driving them in, — they, in accordance with orders, making but feeble resistance, Negley indulging in the hope of drawing the enemy under the fire of the forts. About the same hour a similar cavalry force under Morgan, two thousand five hundred strong, with one gun, attacked the works on the north side of the river, defending the approaches to the railroad and pontoon bridges, to destroy which was pro bably their purpose. The forces holding these defences quickly and gallantly repulsed the enemy ; while about the same time the guns of Fort Negley opening on Forrest, his forces were dispersed and driven back. The enemy, however, soon rallied on the south, and took position with their cavalry and infantry a little beyond the original picket-line. Colonel Roberts, with two regiments of infantry and one section of artillery, advanced on the Murfreesborough road, while General Negley, with the 69th Ohio, 78th Pennsylvania, 14th Michigan, and a cavalry force, marched out on the -Franklin road, quickly driving the enemy from their position there, who then fell back, closely pur sued, seven miles from the city. At this point Colonel Stokes's Tennessee Cavalry was ordered to charge the rear of the retreating rebels ; but their main body had succeeded in making a detour to the left, and, in the excitement of the charge, the cavalry and infantry pursued a small force in the direction of Franklin. The enemy, with the view to cut off Negley from the city, soon appeared in his rear with the force making the detour, and planted a battery near the road. On learning of this movement, General Negley changed front, and advanced on the enemy in MAJOR-GENERAL JAMES S. NEGLEY. IO'i their new position. The artillery was soon got into action, and the battery of the rebels was disabled, — shortly after which they retired in confusion, with heavy loss. It was soon after ascertained that the enemy, greatly outnumbering our forces, were about to make a charge with cavalry on Negley's flanks ; and he slowly retired towards the city and to more favorable ground. Stokes's cavalry were so disposed as to divert the expected charge upon the rear; and the 14th Michigan was stationed in such a manner that when the charge came the enemy were received with so destructive a fire that they were driven back in great disorder. They then attempted to plant their artillery on the turn pike, but were driven from that position before the guns could be discharged. General Negley still continued to retire towards the city, the enemy making but one more effort to get in his rear. In this attempt they were completely foiled by the reserve force, which had been ordered forward. Colonel Roberts, on the Murfreesborough road, met with equal success, and drove the enemy back in confusion. Their loss here was four killed and seventeen wounded, and about one hundred and fifty horses, which were captured running at large in the woods. The entire loss of the rebels was never known, but was reported to be heavy. Twenty-three prisoners, including two captains from Morgan's command, were taken. Our casualties were none' killed, twenty-six wounded, and nine teen missing. On the following day the advance of the Army of the Cum berland appeared at Nashville, and the famous siege was raised. General Negley next comes prominently into view at the bloody battle of Stone River, in which he was a distinguished actor. On the evening before the great battle of December 31, his division had skirmished and fought into position, as the centre division of the army, on a rolling ridge where begins the slope to the west bank of Stone River. The right rested upon the Wilkerson Pike, hinging on to Sheridan's division, 108 ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND, while the line, diverging from the road, ran through a thicket and rested upon the right division of General Crittenden's corps. In the rear of the division was the since famous " Cedars,"— that dark, gloomy, and almost impassable forest, which, ere the day was over, witnessed one of the bloodiest contests of modern days. In his front, intrenched in an oak forest, were the divi sions of Withers and Cheatham, holding the key to the com manding position which Bragg had deliberately chosen, resting behind the tetes-de-pont erected to protect the bridges by which he eventually retired. From this position the rebels had a com manding view of our whole field. Early upon the morning of the last day of 1862, the enemy in force attacked the three divisions of McCook by a rapid advance upon their lines, and simultaneously the artillery of Withers opened furiously on Negley and Rousseau, receiving a rapid and destructive fire in return; while on McCook's left General Sheridan manfully withstood the impetuous assaults of Cheat ham, and thrice repulsed him. The rebels of McCown and Cleborne met with better success, as opposed to the divi sions of Generals Johnson and Davis, who were driven before the superior numbers of the advancing foe, leaving the as yet successful Sheridan and Negley to be flanked and over powered by the enemy, now in their rear. About eleven o'clock Sheridan sent word to Negley that his ammunition was ex hausted; and about the same time his division began to fall back through the "Cedars." Negley's artillery, having been hotly engaged for four hours, was also short of ammunition. The rebels were in his rear, and already pouring a cross-fire into his column. Unflinchingly the division had withstood for four long hours the destructive fire of the enemy, dying like brave men in their ranks. At last, our troops retiring from his right and from his left to form on a new line which General Rousseau was establishing in the rear of the " Cedars," and there being a heavy column of rebel infantry in the forest, endeavoring to cut him off, Negley was forced to withdraw. He literally cut his way through the enemy, succeeding, with the timely aid of the MAJOR-GENERAL JAMES S. NEGLEY. 109 brigade of United States Regulars which Rousseau sent to his assistance, in repulsing McCown's division and reaching safely a second position. With maddened fury Withers attacked him as he retired, but was again gallantly repulsed. " Out of the ' Cedars' safely !" is an eulogium pronounced upon Negley and Sheridan whenever the phrase is uttered; for to' say that they brought their men off safely from their perilous position is to declare them generals of superior ability, and to say of their men that each was a hero. In the second position to which he was ordered, General Negley was permitted to rest for the remainder of the day. At noon on January 1, the division was sent to McCook's right, in anticipation of an attack upon the right wing; but none was made. On January 2, he was ordered to the left, to support Crittenden's corps, and took position in the rear of the line and on the west bank of Stone River. On the events of the day following justly rests much of the reputation of General Negley. The troops of General Rosecrans were undeniably in rather low spirits. The repulse of our right wing when they had anticipated victory, the want of pro visions, and various reports of rebel cavalry operations in our rear, tended to add to the prevailing despondency. Upon the afternoon of January 2, the second grand charge of the rebels was made. Their line had been naturally broken in their suc cessful assault upon General Van Cleve's small division, and they were gathering themselves for a further advance and to cross the river, when General Negley, having obtained permission, ordered a charge of his whole division, now formed in echelon of brigades. His men sprang forward upon the double-quick, with fixed bayonets, and with cheers, evincing that the noble deter mination and enthusiasm of the corps were unbroken. The division crossed the river at a rapid rate', flanking the 2d and 4th Kentucky (rebel) Regiments — already at and nearly across the river — and forcing them to retreat, and immediately attacked Preston's brigade, capturing the 26th Tennessee Regiment and the battery it was supporting. At the same tinie the numerous 110 ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. batteries massed by General Rosecrans on the west bank of the river were playing furiously upon the rebels. The enemy re coiled before the terrible fire of these batteries and the into lerable fire and charge of Negley's division. Vainly attempting to rally his troops, Hanson fell, and the men fled in confusion. Breckinridge's' staff officers were falling around him, Preston's brigade was scattered over the field, and the Washington (Ga.) Artillery, serving with Jackson's brigade, was in our hands; and now the enemy's entire right wing fled in general and utter confusion, pursued by Negley. Not once did they attempt to rally until behind the intrenchments from whence they had advanced. The brief battle of the 2d was one of the bloodiest upon record. The rebels estimated their loss at the time at two thousand five hundred ; but a month later a rebel newspaper declared, on the authority of Colonel Dana, of Breckinridge's staff, that their loss was two thousand eight hundred in the two hours' fight. When night closed in, General Rosecrans ordered the division of General Negley to recross the river and resume its former position. On the morning of January 4, one of his brigades was ordered in pursuit of the retiring enemy; and on the 5th General Negley, with the rest of his command, went forward and con tinued the pursuit of the enemy, driving him rapidly and with considerable loss many miles south of Murfreesborough. For his gallant conduct in the contest of Stone River, General Negley was specially commended by General Rosecrans and recommended for promotion to a major-generalship, which has since been bestowed upon him. In person General Negley is a little above the medium height, stoutly built, with a healthy, florid complexion, and pleasing countenance. His manners are genial and courteous ; he is easy of approach, being quite destitute of that official frigidity which repels acquaintance; and he is devoid of that ceremonious punc tilio which measures friendship by rank and worth by position. Among his men he is very popular both because of his affability and his bravery. Mild and determined, generous and just, he is CAPTAIN CHARLES T. WING. Ill recognized throughout the army as a strict disciplinarian and a correct administrative officer. Treason and rebellion meet with no sympathy at his hands. In them he sees only crimes worthy of the severest punishment, and upon their advocates he draws a constantly tightening rein. His rule at Columbia — severe but just, once much condemned, because in advance of its time, in advance of public sentiment, yet attended with happiest results, — is an index of this phase of his character. As a commander, he has the confidence of his superiors, — a confidence that has not been misplaced. Quick to see and prompt to act, he has proved himself a general in his skilful defence of Nashville1 and upon the blood\ field of Stone River. THE STAFF. Captain James A. Lowrie, Assistant Adjutant-General, is the eldest son of Hon. W. H. Lowrie, Chief- Justice of Pennsylvania, and was born in the city of Pittsburg, January 23, 1833. In July, 1851, he graduated at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, and in December, 1854, was admitted to the bar at Pittsburg. He practised his profession until April 17, 1861, when he enlisted for the three-months service, and served with General Negley, in Maryland and Virginia, until August 8, 1861. On the 7th of October, 1861, he, was appointed assistant adjutant-general, with the rank of captain, and assigned to the staff of General Negley, with whom he has served constantly until the present time. Captain Charles T. Wing, Quartermaster, was born in Gam- bier, Knox county, Ohio, January 14, 1836, and graduated at Kenyon College in August, 1853. He removed to Columbus the same month, and was engaged in book-keeping for various mercantile houses and for the State Treasury Department until October 31, 1861, when he was appointed captain and assistant 112 ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. quartermaster of volunteers, and assigned to the post of Evans- ville, Indiana, in the Department of the Ohio. Here he remained until May 5, 1862, when he was relieved and ordered to Pitts burg Landing, Tennessee, where he was placed on duty with the 7th Division, then in front of Corinth and under command of Brigadier-General T. W. Sherman. June 26 he was ordered to the' posts of Eastport and Iuka, from which he was relieved July 27, and on the 7th of August stationed as post quarter master at Dechard, Tennessee. On the 7th of September he was assigned to duty with the 8th Division, then at Nashville and commanded by General Negley. In this capacity he served ably and faithfully until January 9, 1863, when he was temporarily relieved from duty and assigned as post quartermaster at Murfreesborough, Tennessee. Hie ability in this position, for four active, arduous months, is uni versally conceded. May 1, 1863, he was relieved from duty as post quartermaster, and returned to his division, now the second of the 14th Army Corps. Captain G. M. Lafayette Johnson, Division Inspector, was born in Warren county, Ohio, November 4, 1837 ; but his early years were spent at Wilmington, Clinton county, Ohio. At the age of fourteen he removed to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he was engaged in mercantile pursuits up to the age of twenty-one. He then accepted a situation in a prominent mercantile house of New York, where he remained till the commencement of the rebellion, when he returned to Ohio and began recruiting for the artillery service. Being proffered a position, however, in a regiment already formed at Indianapolis, Indiana, he accepted it, and was commissioned October 5, 1861, as first lieutenant of Company D, 2d Indiana Cavalry, and was promoted to captain in the same regiment, March, 1862. He followed the varying fortunes of the regiment till the fight at Gallatin, Tennessee, August 21, 1862, against General John Morgan, when he received injuries from which he was detained for several weeks in hos pital at Nashville. When sufficiently recovered, he reported CAPTAIN JAMES R. HAYDEN. 113 for duty to the post commandant of Nashville, — General Negley. — who assigned him to duty as a member of his staff, where he is now acting as division inspector. Captain James R. Hayden, Ordnance Officer, was born in Os wego, New York; February 22, 1839, and removed to the city of Chicago in 1852, of which place he "has since been a resident. Captain Hayden's attention was directed towards military pursuits long before the breaking out of the present rebellion. As early as 1856 we find his name on the roll of the " Chicago National Guard Cadets," of which company the present colonel of the 19th Illinois Volunteers was at that time captain. After the disbanding of that corps, Captain Hayden became one of the most active assistants of the late Colonel Ellsworth in organ izing the company which afterwards became so famous under the title of the " Chicago Zouave Cadets," of. which he was elected second officer, and afterwards captain, vice Ellsworth, resigned, which position he held until the fall of Fort Sumter, when he was one of the first to respond to the call of his country, and ( raised the first company of volunteers for the war from Chicago, the date of its organization being April 16, 1861, and that of its departure from Chicago for the seat of war, April 19, 1861. At this time Captain Hayden had been elected major of Colonel Ellsworth's "Fire Zouaves;" but, receiving no notification of his election until he was on the way to Cairo with his new company, he did not accept the position. At the expiration of the three-months service the same company re-enlisted under Captain Hayden for three years, leaving Chicago again on the 12th day of August, 1861. Captain Hayden has seen hard service since that time, in Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Alabama, and has proved himself a brave and efficient officer. On the 27th of August. 1862, while in charge of a train on the Nashville & Chatta nooga Railroad, and having but seventy-five men under his command, he repulsed with severe loss a force of six hundred, rebel cavalry who made an attack upon the train. Captain 114 ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. Hayden is the senior captain of the State of Illinois, and during the fall of 1862 was in command of his own regiment for the period of three months. He was subsequently assigned to duty on the staff of Major-General Negley, as division ordnance officer, which position he has since occupied. Major Ferdinand H. Gross, Medical Director. Though at pre sent medical director of the 14th Army Corps, it is proper to represent Major Gross in connection with the staff of Major- General Negley, his services up to a late date having been almost entirely with that officer. Surgeon Gross was born in Gutenberg, Germany, August 18, 1831. His father, Dr. Hermann Gross, emigrated with his family to America in 1833, and settled in Somerset county, Penn sylvania, but remained there only two years, when he esta blished himself as a practising physician in the city of Pittsburg. Young Gross there received his education, and at Washington College, a popular institution of learning in an adjoining county. On leaving this institution he entered upon the study of medi cine, under the direction of his father, preparatory to attending lectures. Subsequently he attended the medical colleges of Cleveland, Ohio, the University of the City of New York, and the Jefferson Medical College at Philadelphia, — at the latter of whieh he graduated, March 10, 1855. Returning to Pittsburg. he joined with his father in the practice of medicine and surgery, continuing with but an intermission of a spring and summer whieh he spent on a visit to England and the continent of Europe. At xue breaking out of the war, when General Negley raised his brigade in Pittsburg and the adjoining county, a number of medical gentlemen offered their services, and among >them Dr. Gross, who was appointed by General Negley to the position of brigade-surgeon. It was subsequently discovered, however, that no provisions for brigade-surgeons had been made in the call of the President for troops. Dr. Gross, having enlisted as a private in the 13th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, was immediately detached from the regiment and commissioned by MAJOR FERDINAND H. GROSS. 115 Governor Curtin as aide-de-camp, with the rank of captain. In this position he served during the three-months service on the staff of General Negley, and participated in Patterson's cam paign in Maryland and Virginia. At the close of the three-months service, being desirous of entering that branch of the service for which his professional acquirements best fitted him, Captain Gross appeared before the Medical Examining Board of Pennsylvania; and, being recom mended by the Board, he was commissioned by Governor Curtin as surgeon. He acted as medical officer to the 100th Pennsyl vania Regiment, then stationed near Washington, and commanded by Colonel D. Leasure. On the 17th of October, 1861, Surgeon Gross was appointed by the President to Ihe position of brigade- surgeon, and he was so commissioned, and again ordered to join General Negley's command, then in the Army of the Ohio, operating in Kentucky. Upon the 8th Division being organized on the 5th of Sep tember, we find Surgeon Gross announced as medical director of the division. During the defence of Nashville he re mained with this command. On the advance of General Rose crans's army to Murfreesborough, Surgeon Gross moved with the 8th Division, and participated in the bloody engagement of Stone River. By unexpected changes in the line of battle, the hospital established by him on the 30th of December fell into the hands of the enemy on the morning of the 31st; but, partly through his efforts, nearly the entire ambulance train of the division was saved. Having been cut off from his hospital while with the staff, he remained engaged upon the field the entire day. After aightfall on December 31, he succeeded, by co-operating with General Rousseau's medical director, in re-establishing hospitals and obtaining shelter for the wounded on the Murfreesborough and Nashville road. After the battle of Stone River, Surgeon Gross remained on the staff of General Negley until March 31, when, by order of General Rosecrans, he was promoted and assigned as medical 116 ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. director to the 14th Army Corps, and attached to the staff of Major-General Thomas, in which capacity he is now acting. Major Roswell G. Bogue, Medical Director, was born at Louisville, St. Lawrence county, New York, May 3, 1832. At the time the rebellion broke out he was a practising physician in Chicago, Illinois, and on the 3d of August, 1861, was ap pointed surgeon of the 19th Illinois Infantry. This position he retained until March 31, 1863, when he was detached'from his regiment and appointed medical director of General Negley's. division. Lieutenant Nathan D. Ingraham, Topographical Engineer, was born at Granger, Medina county, Ohio, on the 18th day of May, 1835.- He removed to Lockport, Will county, Illinois, in June, 1844, and was married at Gooding's Grove, Will county, to Miss Ruth Gooding, daughter of James Gooding, Esq., on the 27th of November, 1854. He went to the Rocky Mountains in July, 1860, and returned January, 1862. He enlisted as private in Company F, 100th Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, July 25, 1862, and was commissioned first lieutenant of the same company August 30 following. He served with his company in General Buell's march through Kentucky, in pursuit of Bragg, in the fall of 1862, and, arriving at Nashville, Tennessee, Novem ber 26, 1862, reported to Captain J. C. St. Clair Morton (now Brigadier-General Morton) on the 27th as lieutenant in com mand of a detachment of pioneers, and was ordered to Gallatin, Tennessee, to work on fortifications, returning to Nashville December 13. On the 26th he was ordered by Captain Morton to report to General Negley as topographical engineer, which he did at Nolensville. At the battle of Stone River he was acting aide-de-camp to General Negley, as well as topographical engi neer. By profession he is a surveyor and engineer. Lieutenant Charles C. Cooke, Aide-de-Camp, was born at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, February 27, 1837. At the commence- LIEUTENANT W. W. BARKER. 117 ment of the present rebellion he enlisted as a private in the ranks of the United States Zouave Cadets, a company then forming at Pittsburg, all of the members of which responded to the call for seventy-five thousand men by President Lincoln, April 12, 1861. In response to the call for six hundred thousand men, he enlisted and served as private in Company E, 77th Regiment Pennsylvania Infantry, said regiment composing a part of the Pennsylvania brigade, commanded by General James S. Negley, which landed at Louisville, Kentucky, October 22, 1861. October 31, 1861, he was elected by his comrades as second lieutenant of the company, in which position he remained one month, when he was assigned to duty as aide-de-camp on the staff of General Negley. Captain W. H. H. Taylor was born at North Bend, Hamil ton county, Ohio, on the 21st day of March, 1837. His father is now in command of the 5th Ohio Volunteer Cavalry. His mother was the youngest daughter of President Harrison. He entered the service as private in the first company that left Cincinnati, Ohio, for the defence of the city of Washington. He was appointed a first lieutenant in the 18th U.S. Infantry, May 14, 1861, and promoted captain August 11, 1862. His occu pation before he entered the service was that of a farmer. Lieutenant W. W. Barker, Commissary of Subsistence, was born in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, February 23, 1839, and at the commencement of the present rebellion was engaged in the pro duce and commission business in that city. Upon the call for seventy-five thousand three-months troops in April, 1861, he enlisted as a private in Company 1, 12th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, one of the regiments composing General Negley's 1st Brigade, but was detached from his command May, 1861, and stationed on the Northern Central Railroad, near Baltimore. He afterwards enlisted as sergeant in Company B, 77th Penn sylvania Volunteers, September 13, 1861, and was detailed to the commissary department of General Negley's brigade at 118 ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, October 17, 1861, in which department he served until July 25, 1862, when he was appointed by Gov ernor Andrew Johnson, lieutenant of Company B, 1st Regiment Tennessee Cavalry, and reported to General Negley at Columbia, Tennessee, for recruiting service. September 16, 1862, he was detailed as aide-de-camp to General Negley, then commanding the post of Nashville, and assigned to the command of his escort of cavalry. During the battle of Stone River, the escort was used as a courier line, and Lieutenant Barker acted as aide to the general. After the battle he was recommended to the President for promotion to commissary of subsistence, with the rank of captain. February 13, 1863, he was ordered on duty in the commissary department as acting commissary of the 2d Division, 14th Army Corps Lieutenant R. H. Cochran, Provost-Marshal and Judge-Advo cate, was born in Belmont county, Ohio, May 25, 1836. His father was an honest, frugal farmer, grandson of Captain Thomas Cochran, who was slain by the Indians in West Virginia during the Revolutionary War. His mother is a daughter of Ellis Davis, deceased, who was a soldier in the War of 1812 and one of the early settlers of Ohio. In September, 1861, young Cochran entered the service as first lieutenant in the 15th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. At the battle of Lavergne, October 7, 1862, he was aide to Brigadier-General Palmer, where the enemy under the rebel General Anderson were signally defeated. At the request of General Negley, he was soon after appointed provost-marshal on the general's staff by special order of Major- General Rosecrans. ^En.PAii ¦¦-¦" b? H.B.Ha Irk lM iliS- 6FFI6HBS <9F S¥^FF= XB. LIFPINCOTT fr CO FHIL Jltajor-¦,'-:¦ ^8H IB! DAWJL SSk J B LIPPINCOTT St CO PHILAIW MAJOR-GENERAL PHILIP HENRY SHERIDAN. 141 and returned to the Dalles of the Columbia the same fall. He was specially mentioned in general orders for gallant conduct in an engagement with the Indians at the Cascades of the Columbia, April 28, 1856. In May following he was ordered to take com mand of the Indian Reservation in the Coast Range of mountains. In September, 1856, he was directed to select a post on this reservation in the Seletz Valley. In the spring of 1857 he was complimented by the general-in-chief for meritorious conduct in the settlement of the difficulty with the Coquillo Indians, on Yakima Bay. In the summer and fall of the same year he built the military post at Yamhill, on the Indian Reservation. Promoted to a captaincy in the 13th Infantry, March 14, 1861, he was ordered to join his regiment at Jefferson Barracks, Mis souri, in September of the same year. Soon afterwards Captain Sheridan was made president of the military commission to audit the claims arising from the operations of our army in Missouri during the summer of 1861. December 24, 1861, he was appointed chief quartermaster and commissary of the Army of the Southwest. In this position he organized the transporta tion, and supplied that army with the greater portion of its sub sistence from the surrounding country, until after the battle of Pea Ridge. In March, 1862, he was ordered to St. Louis, and thence, in the latter part of April, to report at the head-quarters of General Halleck in front of Corinth, Mississippi. Upon his arrival at that place, he was appointed chief quartermaster and commissary on the staff of General Halleck, about the 10th of May, 1862. His superior officers soon discovered, however, that his proper place was at the head of a regiment in the field ; and on the 27th of May he was appointed colonel of the 2d Michigan Cavalry, and was ordered with his regiment to accompany the command of Colonel Elliott in his famous expedition to destroy the Mobile & Ohio Railroad at Booneville, Mississippi, about thirty miles south of Corinth. After making a circuit of about one hundred miles to the rear of the enemy, then concentrated at Corinth, the expedition burned the railroad-bridge at Booneville, captured 142 ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. and destroyed a large train and a great quantity of muskets and side-arms, and paroled two thousand prisoners. On the morn ing of May 30 he repulsed an attack of the enemy's cavalry under Colonel McNairy, scattering them in every direction. Upon his return to Corinth, he was ordered to join the army near Booneville in its pursuit of the forces of Beauregard after their evacuation of Corinth. Accompanying the cavalry reconnoissance of Colonel Elliott to Blackland, he encountered the left wing of the enemy's forces at that place. Being in the advance with the 2d Michigan Cavalry, he repulsed an attack made by two regiments of infantry, two regiments of cavalry, and a battery of artillery, and, bringing off Powell's battery, fell back on our main force near Booneville. During a reconnoissance with his regiment on the 6th of June, he encountered a force of rebel cavalry under Forrest at Donelson's Cross-Roads, between Booneville and Baldwin, and signally defeated them. On the 8th of June, with the 2d Michigan and 2d Iowa Cavalry, he pursued the enemy, who were evacuating their position on Twenty-Mile Creek and falling back to Tupelo, captured the town of Baldwin, and drove the retreating rebels to Guntown, where they were forced to form in line of battle, with infantry, cavalry, and artil lery. Thence he was ordered back to Booneville and with the wmy to Corinth. On the 11th of June Colonel Sheridan assumed command of the 2d Brigade of the Cavalry Division of the Army of the Mississippi, composed of the 2d Iowa and 2d Michigan Cavalry Regiments, and on the 26th was ordered to take a position with his brigade at Booneville, twenty miles in advance of the main army, and cover the front. While at this place, he was attacked on the 1st of July by nine regiments of rebel cavalry, under General Chalmers, numbering between five thousand and six thousand men. After considerable skirmishing, he fell back towards his camp, which was situated on the edge of a swamp, —an advantageous position, in which he could hold the enemy at bay, in front, for some time. Finding that he was about to be surrounded, he selected ninety of his best men, armed with MAJOR-GENERAL PHILIP HENRY SHERIDAN. 143 revolving carbines and sabres, and sent them around four miles to attack the enemy's rear at a given time, while he would make a simultaneous charge in front. This plan worked ad mirably. The ninety men appeared suddenly in the rear, not having been seen until near enough to fire their carbines, and, having emptied these, charged with drawn sabres upon the astonished rebels, who supposed them to be the advance-guard of a large force, not dreaming that so small a body would have the audacity to throw themselves upon an opposing body of six thousand, without the promise of speedy reinforce ments. Before the enemy had recovered from the confusion caused by this attack in the rear, they were fiercely charged in front by Colonel Sheridan and his remaining handful of men, and, utterly routed, fled in wild disorder from the field. So panic- stricken were they, and so hasty was the flight, which ended only at Knight's Mills, some twenty miles south of Booneville, that the road over which they ran was literally strewn with arms, knapsacks, coats, and articles of every description. This battle, in which two small regiments of cavalry defeated nearly six thousand of the enemy, won for Colonel Sheridan his first star, — his commission as a brigadier-general dating from the day upon which it was so gallantly fought. Twenty-Mile Creek was at this time the only place where water could be obtained by the rebels for their stock; and Gene ral Sheridan while stationed at Booneville frequently took ad vantage of this circumstance, making sudden expeditions in that direction and capturing at various times large quantities of stock. On one occasion, with the 2d Michigan, 2d Iowa, and 7th Kansas Cavalry Regiments, two companies of the 36th Illinois In fantry, and Hescock's Battery, he made a dash upon the enemy and succeeded in capturing and bringing away three hundred head of cattle. In August he was attacked by Colonel Faulk ner's cavalry, near Rienzi, Mississippi, whom he defeated and followed to within a few miles of Ripley, dispersing the whole force and capturing a large number of prisoners and arms. He remained with his brigade in that vicinity until September 7 144 ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. when he and his old regiment, the 2d Michigan Cavalry, were ordered to join the army in Kentucky, via the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. Arriving at Louisville, he was' assigned to, and on the 20th of September assumed, the command of the 3d Division of the Army of the Ohio, consisting of ten regiments of infantry, one of cavalry, and two batteries of artillery. With this division he con structed, in the short period of a single night, the whole series of rifle-pits from the railroad-depot in Louisville around to the vicinity of Portland. On the 1st of October he took command of the 11th Division of the Army of the Ohio, and accompanied General Buell in his advance against Bragg. In front of Perry ville, on the 8th of October, he was ordered to take position on the heights to the east of Doctor's Creek, for the purpose of securing the water for our men and animals. Gaining the heights (Chaplin Hills) early in the morning, with two regi ments he repulsed an attack of a rebel brigade under General Leydell. At two o'clock the same day he was attacked by the enemy in strong force under command of General Hardee, who was handsomely repulsed. Soon afterwards he was again attacked, and a second time repulsed his assailants, driving them from the open ground on his front. The heights held by Gene ral Sheridan formed the key to the whole position : hence the desperate energy with which the enemy sought to drive him from them. After his second repulse of the rebels, some advan tage having been gained by them upon our left, General Sheridan directed his artillery-fire upon them, and drove them from the open ground to which they had advanced. For a time the con test raged furiously at this point. The enemy came charging up with fixed bayonets, determined to take the position, but were driven back in disorder by the murderous fire which opened upon them, leaving the ground in front of the batteries covered with their dead and wounded. In this short but severe engage ment the loss of General Sheridan's force was over four hundred in killed and wounded, and but for the sheltered position which he occupied it would have been much greater. MAJOR-GENERAL PHILIP HENRY SHERIDAN. 145 After the battle of Perryville, General Sheridan accompanied the army through Kentucky, until, early in November, he reached Nashville in command of a division of the Army of the Cum berland. Upon the advance to Murfreesborough on the morn ing of December 26, he had command of one of Major-General McCook's three divisions. Through the several days' skirmishing and fighting which terminated in the flight of Bragg and the evacuation of Murfreesborough, he was ever present and active, and by the skilful handling of his men contributed not a little to the successful issue of the battle of Stone River. For the part borne by himself and his division in that conflict, reference must be made to another chapter in this work, it being only necessary to say here that he was highly commended in the report of the general commanding, and recommended for promotion to a major-generalship. In the whole of that celebrated document, from the beginning down to " non nobis," no better compliment can be found than the following, paid to General Sheridan by one who, of all others, is the most competent judge : — "Sheridan, after sustaining four successive attacks, gradually swung his right round southeasterly to a northwestern direction. repulsing the enemy four times, losing the gallant General. Sill. of his right and Colonel Roberts of his left brigade, when, having exhausted his ammunition, Negley's division being in the same predicament and heavily pressed, after desperate fight ing they fell back from the position held at the commencement, through the cedar woods, in which Rousseau's division, with a portion of Negley's and Sheridan's, met the advancing enemy and checked his movements." The major-generalship to which he was declared entitled by General Rosecrans by reason of his gallant and meritorious services was conferred on December 31, and he was confirmed in the position by the Senate at its extra session in March last. To such a record, that of a man but thirty-one years of age, no word of commendation need be added by the author. Deeds speak with deeper meaning: by. them let his life be judged,. 10. 116 ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. upon them let his claim to popular favor be based. In per son General Sheridan is rather under the medium size, with features strongly indicative of will and energy. Gentle and modest almost to a fault in ordinary intercourse, he is a very lion in daring when roused by. the din of battle or momentarily swayed by the fierce passion called forth in imminent strife, and dashes into the fray with an ardor and impetuosity which usually attains its ends. As yet unmarried, his home is in the camp and field. His courage, kindness, and, above all, his soldierly abili ties, have won for him the love of those whom it has been his fortune to command. He knows how to care for his men in the camp and how to handle them in the field, — qualities which a soldier never fails to appreciate. Very recently the officers of his division surprised him with an elegant and fitting testimonial of their regard, in the form of a magnificent sword, the blade exquisitely wrought, jewelled hilt, gold-plated scabbard, and the sword-belt woven with bullion. The present also comprised a -set of silver service, a case of elegant, ivory-handled, silver- mounted Colt's pistols, and a general's saddle and bridle of the most gorgeous description. The cost of the sword alone was one thousand dollars, that of the whole present over two thou sand dollars. Such a tribute from brave and gallant men to their commander is a sure index of the esteem in which they hold him. THE STAFF. Captain George Lee, Assistant Adjutant- General, was born in Yates county, New York, February 16, 1830, and was commis sioned, by the Governor of Michigan, first lieutenant and adju tant of the 3d Battalion, 2d Michigan Cavalry, September 2, 1861. On the 10th of March, 1862, he was appointed acting regimental adjutant, at New Madrid, Missouri, by Colonel Gordon Granger i i CAPTAIN A. F. STEVENSON. 147 (now major-general), then commanding the regiment. June 20, he was made acting assistant adjutantgeneral of the 2d Brigade of the cavalry division of the Army of the Mississippi, Colonel P. H. Sheridan commanding; and on the 11th of March, 1863, was appointed assistant adjutant-general, with the rank of captain, by the President, and assigned to duty with Major- General Sheridan. Captain Lee has been engaged in the following battles, expeditions, affairs, &c. : — New Madrid, Farm ington, Booneville, Mississippi, May 29 and July 1, 1862, Chaplin Hills, and Stone River. Captain A. F. Stevenson, Inspector-General, was born in 1837, in the city of Hamburg, Germany, of Scotch-German parents. In 1854 he emigrated to America, and for several years cultivated a farm near Cambridge, Illinois. He then began the study of law with Judge Wilkinson, of Rock Island, and about a year thereafter was admitted to the bar. He continued in the practice of his profession until the beginning of the war, when he enlisted a company in Henry county, which, however, was not accepted by the Governor, a large surplus of volunteers having already offered. Under the second call for troops he enlisted a com pany for the 42d Illinois Regiment (Douglas Brigade), and served as first lieutenant in its Missouri campaign under Fre mont and Hunter. He was afterwards appointed adjutant- general to Colonel Roberts, and remained with him in that position until the colonel was killed at the battle of Stone River. In the battles of Farmington and Stone River, and in the siege of Corinth and the pursuit of the rebels by General Pope after its evacuation, Captain Stevenson took an active part; and during the investment of the city of Nashville by the rebels, and its bombardment on the 5th of November, 1862, he was pre sent with his command, participating in many of the skirmishes occurring in that vicinity. Soon after the battle of Stone River he was selected by General Sheridan as the inspector-general of his division. 148 ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. Captain Francis Mohrhart, Topographical Engineer, was born in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, October 23, 1823. In August, 1847, he came to the United States and settled in St. Louis, where he practised his profession as civil engineer until the war broke out. In April, 1861, he entered the service in the 2d Mis souri Infantry, serving during the Fremont campaign in Mis souri, and being present at the battle of Pea Ridge. With his regiment he joined the army of General Halleck before Corinth, and afterwards the Army of the Ohio under General Buell. Soon after the battle of Perryville, in which he was actively engaged, he was appointed Topographical Engineer on General Sheridan's staff, and in that capacity participated in the battle of Stone River. Surgeon D. J. Griffith, Medical Director, was born in Lam peter, South Wales, in 1830, and emigrated to the United States in 1841. Afterwards he began the study of medicine at Louis ville, Kentucky, and graduated there in 1853. In October, 1861, he entered the army as assistant surgeon of the 2d Ken tucky Cavalry. After serving some time in this capacity, he was promoted to be surgeon of the 2d Kentucky Infantry, and with that regiment was at Shiloh, where he, with a number of other surgeons, received special mention for effi cient service from the general commanding. He was also at Corinth, and in Buell's campaign. Two days before the battle of Perryville he was appointed medical director to General Sheridan, and in that position was actively engaged in that contest, as he was also, later, at the battle of Stone River. Captain Henry Hescock, Chief of Artillery, is a native of Vir ginia, and about thirty-five years of age. He entered the United States service in 1846, served in the regular army as a sergeant during the Mexican War, was at Vera Cruz, Cerro Gordo, Hua- mantla, and Puebla, and afterwards in Texas and New Mexico. In January, 1861, he was stationed at Jefferson Barracks, and on the 17th of the same month was ordered, with a party of CAPTAIN HENRY HESCOCK. 149 forty men of the 4th United States Artillery, to protect the United States Sub-Treasury and Post-Office at St. Louis, to prevent the seizure by rebel citizens of the funds deposited there. In the latter part of January he was stationed at the arsenal in St. Louis, and remained there until April 22, assisting General Lyon and Colonel Blair in the organization of the five regiments of volunteers enlisted in St. Louis. Hav ing been appointed adjutant of the 1st Missouri Infantry, he participated in the actions of Booneville, Missouri, June 17, Dug Springs, Missouri, August 3, and Wilson's Creek, August 10, 1861, and returned to St. Louis in September with his regi ment, which was then changed to a regiment of light artillery. Resigning as adjutant and joining Battery A, he marched from Jefferson Barracks, October 18, and participated in the battle of Frederickstown, Missouri, October 21. He was appointed assistant adjutant-general on the staff of Brigadier-General Schofield, November 21, in the Missouri State Militia, which posi tion he held until February 25, 1862, when he was made captain of Battery G, 1st Missouri Light Artillery, and went with General Pope's army to New Madrid, sharing actively in the operations before that place until its evacuation, March 13. He was afterwards with General Palmer's brigade at Riddle's Point, in charge of a heavy battery, until the capture of Island No. 10. Accompanying General Pope to Hamburg Landing with his light battery, he took part in all the operations before Corinth, Mississippi, particularly the battle of Farmington, May 9. July 4, 1862, the battery was attached to Colonel Sheridan's cavalry brigade. He left Mississippi, September 7, 1862, and arrived in Cincinnati, September 12, thence going to Louisville, whence he marched with General Sheridan's division, October 1, 1862, participating in the battle of Chaplin Hills, October 8. He afterwards went to Tennessee with General Rosecrans, and took part, with his battery, in the battle of Stone River. He was appointed chief of artillery on the staff of General Sheridan. September 30, 1862. Captain Hescoek has seen at least as 160 ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. much of active and dangerous service as " any other man" now in the army. Lieutenant Arad J. Douglass, Ordnance Officer, entered the service, July 6, 1846, in the Mounted Rifles United States Army, and served through the Mexican War as quartermaster sergeant. After his return to the United States at th" close of the war he resided on his farm at Gambier, Knox county, Ohio, until September 19, 1862, when he was commissioned as a first lieu tenant in the 71st Ohio Volunteers, and assigned for duty to General Sheridan as ordnance officer. Lieutenant Douglass has been in the following battles: — taking of Vera Cruz, Cerro Gordo, Contreras, Churubusco, Molino del Rey, Castle of Cha- pultepec, and the City of Mexico, and, in the present war, of Perryville and Stone River. Lieutenant R. M. Denning, Aide-de-Camp, was born in Prince ton, Bureau county, Illinois, May 23, 1839. He entered the service at Morris, Illinois, August 1, 1861, as second lieutenant in the 36th Illinois Infantry, and served through Sigel's cam paign in Southwestern Missouri. Previous to the battle of Pea Ridge, Arkansas, he was appointed aide-de-camp to Colonel Greaut, commanding a brigade in Sigel's 1st Division. His command at Covington, Kentucky, was attached to General Sheridan's division. Lieutenant Denning acted as adjutant- general of his brigade until October 8, the day of the battle of Perryville, when he was appointed aide-de-camp to General Sheridan. At Nashville, in November, 1862, he was promoted first lieutenant, and actively participated in the battle of Stone River. Lieutenant Frank H. Allen, Aide-de-Camp, was born in Craftsbury, Orleans county, Vermont, and went to Illinois in 1858. He enlisted in the 22d Illinois Infantry at Alton, and was mustered into service upon the formation of the regiment, May 11, 1861. He was promoted to the second lieutenancy of LIEUTENANT FRANK H. ALLEN. 151 Company B of the regiment on the 11th of February, 1862, and on the 13th of June following was made first lieutenant of the same company. In September, 1862, he was detailed as aide-de camp to Colonel Geo. W. Roberts, commanding a brigade of the Army of the Mississippi, and was appointed aide to General Sheridan just before the battle of Stone River. Lieutenant Allen has borne a part in the following battles f.nd sieges : — Belmont, New Madrid, Island No. 10, Tiptonville, V'.rnmgton, Corinth, and Stone River. 3§rigadkr-