Statewide County TN Archives Military Records.....Chapter XII 
Civilwar 1st TN Cavalry (Union)
************************************************

Copyright.  All rights reserved.

http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/tn/tnfiles.htm

************************************************



File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com April 13, 2007, 3:14 am

Chapter XII
CHAPTER XII.

ATLANTA CAMPAIGN CONTINUED—OPERATIONS AROUND PINE MOUNTAIN—ADVANCE ON THE

KENNESAW LINE—ASSAULT AND FLANK MOVEMENT—DARING FEAT OF THE FIRST TENNESSEE AT

THE CHATTAHOOCHEE—BROWNLOW'S NAKED CHARGE.



    Johnson had spent considerable time on his works around Pine Mountain. In

fact, we found a fort on almost every hill, each being invariably flanked with

long lines of rifle-pits, with bristling bayonets visible above the head-logs.

McCook moved his division from Acworth and drove back the enemy's advance and

formed in line of battle near Pine Mountain. From this position we could plainly

see the enemy in force on the top of the mountain.



    Johnson had not only fortified the top of Pine Mountain, but had built a

strong line of works close to the foot, and from his lofty position he could

overlook the camp of the Union army and watch all of its movements. Lively

skirmishing was carried on between the two armies night and day, and the keen

crack of the rifle and the still louder sound of the loud-mouthed cannon was

heard all along the line as the skirmishers crept forward.



    Heavy rain-storms, accompanied with thunder—"heaven's own artillery"—at

times could hardly be distinguished from the terrible discharges of the

artillery from both armies, which were constantly belching and bellowing at each

other. The constant "pop, pop" of the carbines and muskets along the skirmish

line sounded like wood-choppers, while the much-dreaded "Minie" would come

whistling uncomfortably close to our heads. In this way hundreds of the boys in

blue were killed and wounded.



    Johnson's lines extended from Lost Mountain to Kennesaw Mountain. Pine

Mountain, or Pine Hill, as it is sometimes called, is a little in front of the

other mountains and to the right of the Western & Atlantic Railroad, but was

connected with the main line of works by strong rifle-pits. Pine Mountain is

conical in form and very steep, and is a great deal higher than Lost or Kennesaw

Mountains. On its summit Johnson had a signal station in full working order,

from which he kept his army fully posted about the movements of Sherman's army.

There were numerous batteries on this eminence, protected by heavy earthworks,

while down near the base a strong line of rifle-pits encircled the hill.



    On the 14th, Lieutenant-General Leonidas Polk, who commanded a corps in

Johnson's army, was killed by a shell fired from Simonson's Fifth Indiana

Battery, Fourth Corps. On the 15th, we were ordered to Lost Mountain and took up

a position on the right of the Twenty-third Corps, which at that time was the

extreme right of the Union army. The next day we advanced and drove the enemy

from his position on the side of the mountain. In this engagement the First

Tennessee sustained the following loss:



    Killed—Company B, Elcana Gipson.

    Wounded—Company M, Corporal James S. Moody.

    Captured—Company D, Corporal George Beckner, John B. Morelock, Samuel Short,

William Rush and Jack Brown; Company E, Captain Charles H. Burdick; Company G,

W. B. Taylor.



    General McCook, in his report of the Atlanta campaign, makes mention of the

engagement at Lost Mountain as follows:



                            HEADQUARTERS FIRST CAVALRY DIVISION,

                              DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND.

                 In the Field near Lost Mountain, June 17th, 1864. 

SIR:   I have the honor to report that I found the north side of Lost Mountain

entirely inaccessible. They opened four guns from entrenchments on the top of

the mountain on my skirmishers about 3 p. m., which were silenced by a section

of my battery. Two regiments, Fourth Indiana and First Tennessee, got inside of

the first line of barricades on west side of mountain, but could get no further,

Late in the evening, part of their lines were occupied by their infantry; so

reported by Major Helveti. I will try to get in the rear of their line to-morrow

morning, while General Stoneman demonstrates in their front. Their position is

strong and their force much larger than mine, and I do not feel sanguine of

accomplishing any material result, but think that I can annoy them excessively

and attract their attention to this end of the line.

                                  E. M. MCCOOK,

LIEUT. D. F. How,             Brigadier-General Commanding.

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.



    General Sherman continued to press the enemy at all points, and on the 17th

Johnson abandoned his position at Lost Mountain and fell back to a strong

position behind Mud Creek, which extended along the base of Kennesaw and across

the Western & Atlantic road. In addition to this line of works at the base of

Kennesaw, a still stronger line was built on the top, extending the entire

length. Several forts were also erected on the summit and artillery placed in

them. From the larger Kennesaw, Johnson could, as he did at Pine Mountain,

witness the movements of the Union troops.



    This was a position of great strength and was thoroughly entrenched and made

strong by a liberal use of the pick and shovel. Johnson's line of retreat was

along the Western & Atlantic road, and as Sherman advanced the road was kept

repaired close on the heels of the victorious army. At times the train would be

run almost up to the skirmish line. In the operations around Kennesaw Mountain,

Mc-Cook's division remained on the right wing of the Union army, and on the 18th

moved around the left flank of Hardee's corps and drove his cavalry across Mud

Creek and pursued it along the Dallas and Marietta wagon-road.



    In this venturesome move, McCook's division succeeded in getting within five

miles of Marietta, capturing on the way two hospitals, which contained some

forty or fifty sick and wounded officers and men, together with their attendants

and nurses. Notwithstanding the continuous downpour of rain and the bad

condition of the roads, Sherman kept his army moving, driving the enemy from one

position to another. On the 19th, the Union army advanced and drove the enemy

across Nose's Creek.



    During this time McCook's division went as far south as Powder Springs and

Sweet Water Creek, driving in the enemy's pickets at the former place. These

movements on Johnson's left alarmed him, and he sent Hood's corps from his right

to strengthen this wing of his army.



    On the 22nd, Hood made a furious attack with his corps upon a portion of the

Twentieth and Twenty-third Corps, but was repulsed with considerable loss. This

was known as the battle of Kulp's Farm, and was fought on the right of the Union

line, near Olley's Creek.



    General Sherman's skirmishers had worked their way close up to the foot of

Kennesaw Mountain. This was a position of great strength, and was held by a

veteran army. Sherman decided to make a direct assault on the 27th, and ordered

Generals Thomas and McPherson to make preparations for the attack. At the

signal, the troops designated for this desperate work moved forward with that

dash and courage that everywhere characterizes the American soldier, but no

troops could stand the pelting storm of lead that was falling upon them.



    The assault failed, the columns retired, broken and shattered, and the army

mourned the loss of hundreds of its bravest and best men, Generals Harker and

McCook being among the slain. During this assault in the center, Sherman ordered

his whole line forward and some sharp fighting was done at different places on

the line. Sherman continued his demonstrations on the right to turn the position

he had failed to carry by assault.



    On the 1st day of July, the divisions of McCook and Stoneman moved through

Powder Springs and down toward Campbellton, as far as Sweet Water, skirmishing

almost all the way, but finding no large bodies of the enemy. On the night of

July 2, General Johnson withdrew his troops from Kennesaw Mountain and fell back

to a strong line of works at Ruffs Station, his line extending across the track

of the Western & Atlantic road. This new line of works was laid out by a

competent and skilful engineer and was one of great strength.



    On the 4th, we moved to Marietta. From this place we were ordered to the

left, and bivouacked for the night on Soap Creek, near Chattahoochee River.

Sherman pursued the retreating enemy on to his works at Ruff's Station, and here

the great national holiday, the Fourth of July, was quite extensively as well as

expensively celebrated. The exercises were of a very lively nature, and

thousands took part amid the boom of cannon and bursting of shells. In this

engagement, General E. F. Noyes, of Ohio, lost a leg, and General Sherman says,

"I came very near being shot myself." Thus in this strange and singular manner

was our great Independence Day celebrated by both armies.



    Two months had passed since the opening of the Atlanta campaign, and during

that time Johnson had been forced to give up position after position, had been

driven back from strongholds of his own selection until the spires of the "Gate

City" were almost visible to the boys in blue. Johnson, finding his flanks again

threatened, fell back from Ruff's Station to the Chattahoochee River, where he

entrenched himself in the bend of the river. The recent heavy .rains had so

swollen the Chattahoochee that the few fords were impassable. Johnson ordered

all the ferry-boats to be destroyed for miles up and down the river, to prevent

them from being used by the Union army.



    McCook's division remained near the mouth of Soap Creek for several days,

guarding the ferries on this part of the Union line. During the time, lively and

continued skirmishing was kept up along our whole front, at times resembling a

battle. The pickets would conceal themselves in the bushes along the bank of the

river and fire upon the Confederates, who were in trenches or behind rocks and

trees on the opposite shore.



    It was while McCook's division was holding this part of the Union line that

the First Tennessee, under Colonel Brownlow, performed one of the most daring

and characteristic feats of the war. Colonel Brownlow was ordered to a point on

the river supposed to be fordable, with orders to cross and develop the strength

of the enemy on the opposite side. The place where he was ordered to cross was

at Cochran's Ford, some little distance above the mouth of Soap Creek and near

Powers' Ferry. Whether the order emanated from General Sherman, the corps,

division or brigade commander was a subject that was "cussed and discussed" by

the boys, both during and after the execution of the order, and the conclusion

was reached that the "General" who issued it must have considered the men of the

First Tennessee not only web-footed but thick-skinned fellows, capable of

swimming a river which they or their horses could not ford, and of going into

battle minus clothing or even wearing the proverbial undress uniform of a

Georgia major—"a paper collar and a pair of spurs."



    They arrived at the designated point about 3 o'clock in the morning, while

the rain was falling in torrents, and at daylight discovered a small force of

the enemy on the other side, supposed to number twenty-five or thirty men, who

had the advantage of being on higher ground and protected by trees and rocks. As

most of the regiment was deployed along the river and were busily engaged in

sending their leaden compliments across, a few of the men charged into the

stream without the slightest knowledge of its depth, the condition of its bed or

the course of the ford.



    As they advanced under a brisk fire, the water getting deeper and deeper,

the boulders on the bottom getting bigger, men and horses floundering and

wallowing, the bullets zip, zipping and pattering in the water, it became

evident that it was not a proper place for good cavalrymen to cross, and they

came back out of that river tolerably fast—at least, much faster than they went

in. Though their spirits and ardor as well as their clothing and ammunition were

somewhat dampened in their futile attempt to cross, they had no idea it would be

the last of it, or that they would permit such an insignificant force to hold

them longer in check.



    A consultation of the officers was held, and it was decided to find a native

who knew the ford and to show its course. Meanwhile their carbines were kept

busy, and as the day wore on, Colonel Dorr, commanding the brigade, made his

appearance and seemed as mad as a hornet because the boys were not in possession

of the opposite side. Dissatisfied with explanations made, he gave Brownlow

peremptory orders to move at once on the enemy, and uttering an unnecessary

threat that would be executed in case his order was not promptly obeyed.



    The acting brigade general rode off, leaving Rev. William G. Brownlow's

gallant son in a truly "fighting-mad" frame of mind. These were the facts as

they came to the men in the ranks. Soon thereafter, a few of the boys were

called to the rear—there were just nine men in all—and Colonel Brownlow said,

"Boys, we are going to cross that river. It is plain we can't ford it here, and

as we have no pontoons, and can't very well make a swimming charge, we'll find

another way or break the breeching."



    Then, giving directions for the men at the ford to keep up an incessant fire

so as to divert the attention of the enemy from the move about to be made, the

colonel led his little squad through the brush to a point about a mile up the

river, behind a bend, where, lashing a couple of logs together and placing their

carbines, cartridge-boxes and belts thereon, they stripped to the skin and,

leaving their hats, boots and clothing behind, swam the river, pushing the raft

in front of them.



    The appearance of nine naked men with belts on, as they stood in line, was

somewhat ludicrous, and while Brownlow was giving, in undertones, the directions

and plan of attack, it was difficult to repress the humorous remarks interjected

by the boys, witty expressions, some of them, that would make the gravest

soldier laugh, but would not be appreciated by civilians unfamiliar with

military terms. "I'll be durned if this ain't baring our breasts to the foe, for

a fact," said one. "I reckon the rebs will climb them trees when they find out

we're a lot of East Tennessee bear hunters," put in another. "Talk low, talk

low!" said Brownlow, "for the success of this attack depends upon our quietness

until we close in with the game, and then you may yell like ____." Well, they

started, with trailed carbines, into the cedar thicket, which concealed them

from the enemy's view, leaving one man to guard the raft, and moved as rapidly

as the nature of the ground would permit, but the funny expressions soon gave

place to some that were in violation of the Third Commandment.



    They were all "tenderfoots," and as the sharp stones and dry twigs harrowed

their soles, and their naked bodies were scratched and punctured by the cedar

brush and stung by insects, some vigorous profanity was naturally indulged in.

"Curse low, men," ordered Brownlow as he turned his head, and in doing so he

nearly stumbled to the ground, but as he recovered himself and went limping

along he continued, in a very loud voice, "The occasion is worthy of

considerable profanity, but cuss low, cuss low!" Coming to a road that led to

the ford, about four hundred yards in the rear of the enemy, and reconnoitering

the location and number of the rebel reserves, they formed for the charge, and

moved quietly forward, unseen by the rebs, until they got within forty or fifty

yards of them.



    Then, turning their carbines loose and rushing on them with a yell, in a

very few minutes most of those Confederates were awaiting the orders of the

Tennesseans. Some of them got away, but they bagged twelve. One of the last to

give up was a freckled-faced fellow, half concealed behind a tree. When he was

covered and surrendered, he threw down his gun and said: "I surrender, but

dog-gone my skin, Yanks, 'taint fair to come at us in that way. If we'uns had

been strong enough to take you'uns, the Confederate government 'ud hung you all

for spies, as you hain't got no uniforms on."



    The prisoners were hustled up the river to the raft, where they swam across

in advance of their captors and were received by some of the boys, who had come

up to cover the retreat, if necessary. Thus a simple little order was executed.

The rebels said it was a "Yankee trick." We'll agree that it was. Now, you will

notice, the colonel of the regiment went into that "scrimmage" just as naked as

the other boys. He might have had his clothes carried across the river for him

by one of the privates, or he might have detailed a lieutenant or a captain to

lead the attack, while he, in some safe position, viewed the battle "from afar."

But, like a true volunteer, standing not upon his dignity or rank, he was

willing to bear the same hardships or share the same fate as the privates.



    General McCook makes honorable mention of this daring feat, said to be the

only naked charge made during the war:



                      HEADQUARTERS FIRST CAVALRY DIVISION,

                                  DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND,

                                                  July 9th, 1864.

    GENERAL : I have the honor to report that a detachment under Colonel Dorr

crossed the pontoon this afternoon, and scouted the country in front of General

Schofield. They found the enemy's cavalry there in force.



    Brownlow performed one of his characteristic feats to-day. I had ordered a

detachment to cross at Cochran's Ford. It was deep, and he took them over naked,

nothing but guns, cartridge-boxes and hats. They drove the enemy out of their

rifle-pits, captured a noncommissioned officer and three men, and the two boats

on the other side. They would have got more but the rebels had the advantage in

running through the bushes with clothes on. It was certainly one of the funniest

sights of the war, and a very successful raid for naked men to make.



    Everything is quiet along the line, and citizens on the other side say the

enemy were totally unprepared for a crossing on this flank.



    Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

                           E. M. MCCOOK,

                 Brigadier-General Commanding Division.

GENERAL W. L. ELLIOTT, Chief of Cavalry.



    The morning after this occurrence, notice was given of the changed situation

by a reb, yelling out across the river: "Hello, Yank!"   "What do you want,

Johnny?"   "Can't talk to you'uns any more."   "How is that?"   "Orders to dry

up."   "What for, Johnny?"   "Oh, Jim Brownlow with his d____d Tennessee Yankees

swam over upon the left last night and stormed our rifle-pits naked, captured

sixty of our boys and made 'em swim back with him. We'uns have got to keep

you'uns on your side of the river now." This expedition was quite succcessful,

but it completely broke up the friendly relations that had existed the past two

days between the boys in blue and gray along the banks of the Chattahoochee.



    On the afternoon of the 8th, Bird's Third Brigade, Third Division of the

Twenty-third Corps, laid a pontoon near us at Phillips' Ferry and crossed over

without much opposition, and intrenched. In this brigade there were two

Tennessee regiments that had formerly belonged to Morgan's Seventh Division,

Army of the Ohio, namely, the First and Fifth, the latter being in our old

brigade when we were at Cumberland Gap, in 1862. The most of the crossings for

eight or ten miles along the south side were kept guarded, the enemy being

protected by detached fortifications and rifle-pits.



    On the night of the 9th, Johnson moved his army to the south side of the

Chattahoochee, burned the railroad bridge and fell back to Peachtree Creek,

where he again built a strong line of works along the south bank. The Army of

the Tennessee, under McPherson, was transferred from the right to the left, near

Roswell, above Powers' Ferry, where in a few days it crossed, the remainder of

Sherman's army crossing at Pace's Ferry, below the mouth of Soap Creek.



    McCook's division was ordered to the right, below the Western & Atlantic

road, where it rebuilt an old fort near where a bridge had been burned. Lilly's

battery was placed in the fort, and on the 17th the enemy opened on our battery

with nine guns from the forts on the south side of the river. The fort being

rudely constructed, the enemy's shells almost destroyed the works and compelled

the battery to cease firing for a short time, but in the afternoon the enemy

were discovered leaving, when Lilly's guns were run back and opened a rapid fire

on the retreating columns.



    After crossing the river, we moved forward on the Sandtown road, skirmishing

heavily with the enemy during the afternoon, occupying their position at Mason's

Church during the night. On the 17th day of July, General Joseph E. Johnson was

relieved by the authorities at Richmond and General J. B. Hood placed in

command. The greatest reason assigned for his removal was his failure to check

Sherman and his victorious army, which was fast approaching the objective point.



    The thundering of the artillery and the rattle of musketry had been heard

from Tunnell Hill almost to the very gates of Atlanta, and this city and its

important railway connections were now in danger. One peculiar feature of the

campaign so far was that Johnson had never assaulted the Union lines, but on the

other hand had done the most of his fighting behind positions of his own

selection and works that were almost impregnable. But the patience, skill and

watchfulness which he displayed on this memorable campaign entitled him to more

praise than criticism. In the language of the immortal Lincoln in reference to a

proposed change of commanders, said: "It is a bad plan to swap horses in the

middle of a stream."



    On the 23rd, McCook's division was attacked near Mason's Church, but

repulsed the enemy. After this, orders were given to build a line of works. In

this engagement, Stephen Smith, of Company A, was wounded.



    There was constant skirmishing and heavy cannonading maintained along our

whole front. McCook's division was thrown on Thomas's right, along Proctor's

Creek, covering the Mason and Turner's Ferry roads, and while holding this

position was attacked on the afternoon of the 25th. After a brisk skirmish, the

enemy were driven back, and we continued to hold this part of Thomas' line until

the 27th.



    On the 20th, just three days after Hood assumed the command of the

Confederate army, he left his works and assaulted our lines furiously at

Peachtree Creek, but was repulsed with severe loss. The desperate fighting on

the 22nd, in which the gallant McPherson, commanding the Army of the Tennessee,

was slain, on the Union side, and General Walker, on the Confederate side, and

Ezra Church, the 28th, were all fought by the new Confederate commander, and the

result of each has already passed into history. In these severe engagements,

Hood was the attacking party. He was brave and determined, but rash, and was now

about to lose the reputation that he had made in Virginia, under Longstreet, as

a "stubborn fighter." In these assaults his loss was heavy, and he soon lost all

taste for such recklessness and learned that it was much easier to defend

rifle-pits than to capture them by assault, and subsequent events proved that

his dash and eagerness to "rush" into battle cost him his command, and the

Confederacy an army.





Additional Comments:
Extracted from:



HISTORY OF THE FIRST REGIMENT OF

Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry



IN THE GREAT WAR OF THE REBELLION,

WITH THE ARMIES OF THE OHIO AND CUMBERLAND,

UNDER GENERALS MORGAN, ROSECRANS,

THOMAS, STANLEY AND WILSON.



1862-1865.



BY



W. R. CARTER, COMPANY C.



ILLUSTRATED.



KNOXVILLE, TENN.:



GAUT-OGDEN CO., PRINTERS AND BINDERS.

1902.



Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1896, by

W. R. CARTER,

in the office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington, D. C.





TO THE SURVIVING MEMBERS OF THE FIRST TENNESSEE CAVALRY; TO THE MEMORY OF OUR

DECEASED COMRADES AND THEIR KINDRED; TO THE MARTYRED PATRIOTS OF EAST TENNESSEE

WHO DIED ON THE GALLOWS AND IN PRISON, AND TO THE LOYAL AND PATRIOTIC PEOPLE WHO

SYMPATHIZED WITH THEM, THIS VOLUME IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED, IN FRATERNITY,

CHARITY AND LOYALTY, BY THE AUTHOR.

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/tn/statewide/military/civilwar/other/u1sttncav328nmt.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/tnfiles/

File size: 24.8 Kb