Statewide County TN Archives Military Records.....Chapter XVII 
Civilwar 1st TN Cavalry (Union)
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Chapter XVII
CHAPTER XVII.

BATTLE OF NASHVILLE—A GREAT UNION VICTORY—-THE GREAT CAVALRY BATTLE OF THE

WEST—WILSON'S CAVALRY CAPTURING FORTS-HOOD'S ARMY WRECKED—THE DEEEAT AND

ROUT—CAPTURING PRISONERS AND GUNS—THE PURSUIT.



    During this extreme cold weather the soldiers of both armies were trying to

keep warm around the blazing camp-fires, while the men on the picket-lines stood

shivering like a fellow with the ague. On the 12th there were some signs of a

"thaw-out," consequently General Thomas ordered Wilson to move his cavalry from

Edgefield to the south side of the river and take up a position on the right of

his line. The earth was still covered with ice and it was with the greatest

difficulty that Wilson was able to reach the position assigned him. This move,

of Wilson thoroughly convinced General Thomas that he could not use his cavalry

so long as the ice remained upon the ground; besides, the horses could not draw

the artillery and wagons over the slippery surface. This caused another delay,

and as we were unable to put up our tents on account of the frozen condition of

the ground we passed several very uncomfortable nights on the cold, icy ground,

with the sky for a roof and old Mother Earth for a bed.



    The position of Hood's army around Nashville remained the same, and with the

exception of occasional picket-firing nothing of special importance occurred

from the 1st to the 14th. The weather, which had entirely stopped all offensive

operations, began to moderate, and by the 14th the ground had thawed out

sufficiently to enable men and horses to stand up. General Thomas, believing

that there would be a general "thaw-out," called a meeting of his corps

commanders on the afternoon of the 14th and laid before them his plan of attack,

and after a thorough discussion until all fully understood it, special field

order No. 342 was issued. This order contained his plan of battle.



    The formation of the Union troops from left to right was as follows: General

Steedman, commanding the District of the Etowah, formed the left; General Wood's

Fourth and General Schofield's Twenty-third Corps, the center; General Smith's

Sixteenth Corps and Wilson's cavalry, the right. Brigadier-General Miller,

commanding the garrison of Nashville, and General Donaldson, with the

quartermaster's troops, occupied the interior line.



    General Wilson formed his cavalry in the following order: Hatch's Fifth

Division on the right of the Sixteenth Corps; Croxton's brigade of McCook's

First Division to the right of Hatch. The other two brigades—Second and Third

—and Eighteenth Indiana Battery, were in Kentucky after General Lyon, who had

crossed the Cumberland River near Clarksville and was trying to reach the

Louisville & Nashville Railroad at some point north of Nashville. General

Johnson's Sixth Division was on Croxton's right—the right of his division

extending to the Cumberland River. General Knipe's Seventh Division was formed

on the Harding turnpike, inside of the works, and during the early part of the

morning was held in reserve, to support either Hatch or Smith.



    Hood had placed a battery on the extreme left of his line, near Cumberland

River. This battery was protected by light earthworks and supported by cavalry,

and as Johnson advanced on the morning of the 15th it shelled him vigorously,

but the fun was soon spoiled when Lieutenant-Commander LeRoy Fitch, who

commanded the gunboats, began enfilading this part of Hood's line. The

tremendous discharges of his heavy guns could be heard above the rattling fire

of the carbines and the light 3-inch Rodmans of Wilson's cavalry, and no doubt

contributed largely to the demoralization of this part of Hood's line, which was

held by Chalmer's division, supported by infantry.



    The effective force of General Wilson's corps on the morning of the 15th was

twelve thousand, five hundred men and eighteen guns. It was a fine body of men,

but very deficient in horses, many being wholly unfit for active service.

Reveille was sounded at 4 a. m. on that chilly morning, and by 6 o'clock the men

were in line ready to move. A heavy fog hung over the two armies during the

morning. This and the unevenness of the ground completely concealed the

movements of the Union army. The fog lifted about 9 o'clock, revealing to Hood

and his shivering soldiers a grand and magnificent military display, as the

solid lines of blue moved forward in splendid order, with colors flying and

bands playing. The house-tops in Nashville and the hills were covered with

people, all eager to witness the display and battle, while from Montgomery and

Overton hills Hood's troops could witness all of our movements; and to them no

doubt it was an unexpected revelation. Hood, it seems, was totally unaware of

any intention on the part of Thomas to attack his position and especially his

left flank, for on advancing toward his position during the morning we came upon

unfinished works.



    Steedman, on the left, was the first to move out and begin the attack. This

heavy demonstration on Hood's right was not intended as a real attack, though it

had that effect, and he was led to believe that this part of his line was to be

attacked in force. As soon as Steedman had completed his movement, General

Smith, commanding the Sixteenth Corps, moved out. Then the long, dark lines of

Wilson's cavalry began moving forward on the extreme right and commenced the

grand movement of the day.



    Croxton's brigade had been standing in line of battle during the morning

just outside of the entrenchments near the Nashville & Northwestern Railroad and

on the right of Hatch's division. It was about 10 a. m. when the order came to

move. Croxton threw out a strong line of skirmishers and moved his brigade out

between the Charlotte turnpike and the Nashville & Northwestern Railroad. The

skirmishers moved forward, closely followed by the brigade, and soon the sharp

firing in front warned us that the enemy's advance had been struck. The brigade

continued to advance, and during the forenoon there was some very sharp

skirmishing in Croxton's front.



    Just after crossing Richland Creek, the enemy opened fire on Croxton's

brigade from a battery posted on the Charlotte turnpike. Croxton wheeled the

Second Michigan to the right, and supporting it with the Eighth Iowa, moved

toward the hill on which the enemy were posted, and after a few volleys from the

revolving rifles of the Second Michigan, the enemy fell back. This move turned

the enemy's position in front of Johnson's division on the Charlotte turnpike.

Croxton received an order from Wilson directing him to remain and support

Johnson's division, which was on his right, and who had not yet gotten into

position owing to the roughness of the country and the long distance he had to
move.



    During the time Hatch's division, which was just to our left, was driving

the enemy along the Harding turnpike, and after crossing Richland Creek the

Twelfth Tennessee Cavalry, Colonel Spaulding commanding, made a gallant saber

charge, routing the enemy, capturing forty or fifty prisoners and General

Chalmers' headquarters train, consisting of fourteen wagons, which contained his

records, baggage and safe.



    In perhaps no battle of the war did cavalry and infantry move forward on the

same line and join in the desperate work so eagerly and with so much vigor and

unanimity. Often it was a race to see who would be the first to cross the

"dreaded ditch," and if the ground was too rough to charge mounted, Wilson's

troopers would dismount and with a yell charge the rifle-pits. This part of

Hood's line was held by infantry and cavalry, and during the day some sharp

fighting occurred on this part of the line. Wilson wheeled Hatch's division to

the left and re-established his connection with the infantry. In making this

move his right flank struck the enemy's line on the flank and rear, completely

enveloping it.



    Stewart was in command of Hood's left, and during the morning he found that

Thomas was working toward his left and beyond his works. He therefore set his

troops to work early in the morning building works and extending his line

farther to his left. Finding that his own troops could not man the lines, he

called for reinforcements, and Hood sent him Johnson's division of Lee's corps.

These works were west of the Hillsboro turnpike, and about 1 p. m. Hatch

dismounted his men, assaulted and captured one of these advanced redoubts,

containing four guns and some three hundred men. This was the first fort

captured from Hood, and was accomplished with dismounted cavalry. Immediately

after the capture of this fort, Hatch's division charged a second line and

captured another four-gun battery, with its infantry support. The captured guns

were wheeled around and used upon the retreating enemy. In the capture of this

last fort, McMillan's brigade of McArthur's division, Sixteenth Corps, claimed a

part of the honor, but as the guidons of Hatch's division were the first over

the works, the honor and captured guns were credited to Hatch's brave men by

McMillan's brigade.



    While these successful movements were going on, Wilson's cavalry had not yet

reached Hood's true flank on account of the extension of Stewart's line to his

left. Late in the afternoon Schofield's Twenty-third Corps was moved to the

right of the Sixteenth Corps, so that Wilson could operate more freely upon

Hood's left and rear. Shortly after reaching this position, Cooper's brigade of

Couch's division, Twenty-third Corps, assaulted and captured a line of works

near the Hillsboro turnpike. In this brigade were the Third and Sixth Tennessee

Volunteers, our former companions while in Morgan's Seventh Division, Army of

the Ohio.



    Croxton was ordered to move his brigade from the Charlotte turnpike across

the country to the Hillsboro turnpike. In making this move Croxton's brigade

skirmished most all the way, and shortly after crossing the Harding turnpike

Croxton encountered a portion of Chalmers' division, which had been in Johnson's

front but was now try-ins: to reach Hood's left. The First Tennessee was in the

advance and was marching left in fronts and shortly after dark was fired upon by

the enemy, who, by the flash of their guns, seemed to be either behind a stone

wall or in rifle-pits. General Croxton immediately ordered Lieutenant-Colonel

Dyer to dismount his regiment and dislodge the enemy. The order was promptly

obeyed, and in a few minutes the regiment was over the fence and in line ready

to move. At the command "forward," the men raised the yell and moved forward

under a brisk fire, and in a few minutes reached the stone wall, and springing

over succeeded in capturing a portion of the Fifth Mississippi Cavalry. The

prisoners were sent to the rear, and moving to the opposite side, again the

regiment opened a brisk fire on some troops that were posted in the woods a

short distance in its front. In a short time the enemy's fire slackened and soon

they fell back, and all became quiet again.



    The only casualties in the First Tennessee were two men wounded, as follows:

Thomas Jones, Company G, and Wiley Milligan, Company I.



    Darkness having closed the operations for the day and shut out from view the

contending forces, Croxton's brigade was ordered to bivouac near the Hillsboro

turnpike. This was a hard day on us, as we had been in the saddle since early

morning.



    The operation of Thomas's army on the first day of battle was a grand

success and was rewarded by the capture of seventeen pieces of artillery and

twelve hundred prisoners, besides large quantities of small arms and equipments.

Wilson's cavalry had fought during the day infantry and cavalry, had cleared

their front, covered the extreme right of Thomas's infantry, and not only

enveloped Hood's flank, but had taken it in reverse. Hood's flanks were much

stronger than his center, and during the day Wilson's cavalry had completely

turned his left and swept everything before them, and at night bivouacked near

his line of retreat.



    During the night Hood withdrew his army and took up a new position south of

the one he occupied on the morning of the 15th. This new line was much shorter,

and extended from Overton's Hill on the Nashville & Decatur Railroad^ west

across the Franklin and Granny White turnpikes, thence almost due south along a

range of hills almost parallel with the Granny White turnpike, and reaching

nearly to the Brentwood Hills. Hood kept his weary troops working all night

digging rifle-pits and building forts, so by morning he had constructed a much

stronger line than the one just abandoned.



    The Union army bivouacked on the cold ground, feeling assured of a complete

victory the next day. The early part of the morning of the 16th was spent in

reconnoitering the enemy's position. The ground on Hood's left was very, hilly,

consequently Wilson moved his troops forward dismounted and by noon was east of

the Granny White turnpike and had completely turned Hood's left. During these

early movements there was some sharp fighting, but no ground was lost. Wilson's

cavalry forced back the enemy, completely turning his left flank, and was now in

possession of the hills through which the Granny White turnpike runs, completely

cutting off Hood's line of retreat by this route in case of disaster. Stewart

made several attempts during the forenoon to drive back Wilson's dismounted

cavalry and retake the ground lost, but was unsuccessful and was repulsed

without difficulty.



    Let us now turn to the Union left and see what was going on there. Generals

Steedman and Wood had moved forward early in the morning and discovered the

enemy thoroughly entrenched on Overton's Hill. At 3 p. m. the works were

assaulted by Post's brigade, Beatty's division of Wood's Fourth Corps, supported

by Streight's brigade, of the same corps, and Grosvenor's brigade of white

troops, and Thompson's brigade of colored troops, all of Steedman's command. The

assault was made with great courage, but the fire was so destructive that the

two assaulting columns were repulsed with severe loss, Colonel Post being among

the severely wounded.



    The two assaulting columns were re-formed at the foot of the hill for

another charge. Smith, Schofield and Wilson now assaulted Hood's center and left

with great vigor, sweeping everything before them. The shout of the victorious

troops on the right was caught up by those of Wood and Steedman, and again they

pushed forward upon the enemy on Overton's Hill, this time driving everything

before them and capturing the works. The shout of victory was heard by Thomas's

charging troops, which was taken up and responsive cheers heard from one end of

the Union line to the other. Hood's lines were broken, and there being no

reserves to restore order or save the day, his troops from one end of his line

to the other threw away knapsacks and guns and rushed for the rear, which at

that time was a long way off.



    Hood's troops rushed toward the Franklin turnpike in great confusion, and

soon lost all semblance of organization and retreated in the wildest confusion.

General Wilson's command was delayed in the pursuit, caused by the troops being

so far from the led horses, as the men leading them made slow progress over the

hills and dense forests. Croxton's brigade, which had been in reserve, was now

moved to the right of Hammond's brigade of Knipe's division, and in making this

move captured several prisoners.



    As soon as Wilson's men gained their horses the pursuit was begun, with the

commands of Hatch, Knipe and Croxton on the Granny White turnpike and Johnson on

' the Hillsboro turnpike. Everything indicated a rout, and after moving a short

distance the leading division—Hatch's —encountered Chalmers' division about

dark, well posted behind a rail barricade across the turnpike. Hatch dismounted

his division and charged the enemy, driving him from his position. General

Rucker was wounded and captured, besides several prisoners and a Confederate

flag. In this engagement the Twelfth Tennessee, Union, fought the Twelfth

Tennessee, Confederate, and in the darkness and during the hand-to-hand fighting

the Twelfth Tennessee, Union, succeeded in capturing General Rucker, who was in

command of a Tennessee brigade, also his flag.



    The line of Hood's retreat revealed the fact that his army had retreated in

great haste, as the turnpikes were thickly strewn with guns and accoutrements,

while he made no effort to carry off his wounded or bury the dead. Hood's

veteran army, which had been engaged in all the hard-fought battles in Tennessee

and on the Georgia campaign— "one hundred days under fire"—was wrecked upon the

field of Nashville.



    In perhaps no battle of the war was there such a small loss of life to the

victors. The Union troops repeatedly assaulted the enemy's lines, and but one

assault was unsuccessful, and that was made upon the strongest position held by

Hood, on Overton's Hill on the Union left. And it is doubtful if that would have

been a failure had not the gallant leader of the main column fallen at the

critical moment, when the presence of a brave and determined leader is so

important. The battle moved on vigorously from beginning to end, the cavalry and

infantry vieing with each other in the effort to carry everything in their

front, reflecting the highest type of generalship and the displaying of that

true courage due Thomas and his brave soldiers.



    This was called the great cavalry battle of the west, and it is exceedingly

doubtful if there was a single battle of the war where so much gallant and

meritorious service was rendered by that arm of the service. The first fort

captured at the opening of the battle was accomplished by Wilson's brave troops

fighting as flat-footed infantry, and proving beyond a doubt that if General

Hooker had been present at the battle of Nashville he could have seen the

remains of several dead cavalrymen. This brave old hero was credited with the

remark, "Who ever saw the body of a dead cavalryman?" or that he would pay

twenty-five dollars for the "dead body of a cavalryman."



    The fruits of this battle were four thousand, five hundred prisoners, among

whom were Major-General Ed Johnson and Brigadier-Generals H. R. Jackson, T. B.

Smith and E. W. Rucker; all of the wounded left upon the field, fifty-four

pieces of artillery, together with thousands of small arms and accoutrements and

twenty-five battle-flags. The loss in killed and wounded on each side was light

when the numbers engaged are taken into consideration. General Thomas reported a

loss in killed, wounded and missing of three thousand and sixty-one. The loss in

Wilson's cavalry was three hundred and twenty-nine.



    It is said that Hood issued an order on the morning of the 16th for his army

to retreat, but he could not withdraw under fire, so that afternoon his routed

and disorganized army was seen flying southward from the battlefield. Let us now

turn to the pursuit. After the defeat of Chalmers on the night of the 16th,

Wilson deemed it unwise to continue the pursuit, as the night was very dark and

the men and horses completely exhausted from the hard day's work. The cavalry

bivouacked for the night as follows: Hatch, Croxton and Knipe on the Granny

White turnpike, and Johnson on the Hillsboro turnpike.



    Early the next morning the pursuit was continued by the cavalry, followed by

the infantry. At Brentwood, Crox-ton's brigade was ordered to take the Wilson

turnpike, Johnson's division the Hillsboro turnpike, while Hatch and Knipe moved

their divisions along the Franklin turnpike. Just a short distance beyond

Brentwood, Knipe began skirmishing with Hood's rear guard, which was kept up

until Hollow Tree Gap was reached. Here the rear guard of the routed army made a

stand and offered battle. The position was handsomely carried by Knipe's

division, supported by Hatch. The enemy was routed and fell back rapidly toward

Franklin. In this spirited engagement the enemy lost by capture four hundred and

thirteen officers and enlisted men and two flags.



    Croxton's brigade skirmished with the rear guard the most of the way to

Franklin. Hood made a show of resistance at Franklin, but his flanks being

turned he fell back toward Columbia. Croxton and Hatch moved to the left of

Franklin, swimming Harpeth River at McGavock's Ford, and encamped for the night

near Douglass Church, on the Lewisburg turnpike. In making this move the enemy

was encountered only in small force, but we succeeded in capturing about one

hundred and thirty prisoners. Johnson crossed below and Knipe in front of

Franklin. Hood, finding his flanks turned, abandoned the place, which contained

all of his wounded and a large quantity of rations.



    The little town of Franklin presented a sight that to be seen would never be

forgotten. All public buildings, churches, school-houses, stores and even shops

and private dwellings had been converted into hospitals, into which the wounded

had been crowded after the desperate battle of November 30. A good many of our

own wounded were among the sufferers in the crowded hospitals and no doubt many

of the wounded of both armies died for want of proper attention.



    Wilson continued the pursuit south from Franklin with great energy, moving

on all the roads, and continued to harass the flanks and rear of Hood's army.

Johnson, who was moving on the Carter's Creek turnpike, turned Hood's right

flank and dashed on in the direction of Spring Hill to strike the retreating

army at that point. Croxton was moving on the Lewisburg turnpike, driving the

enemy rapidly along that thoroughfare, while Hatch and Knipe pushed him along

the Columbia turnpike. The flanking columns were ordered to push forward and if

possible to pass around the flanks of Hood's rear guard, while the center column

kept pressing the rear.



    A short distance south of Franklin, General Lee, who at that time was in

command of Hood's rear guard, decided to make a stand in order that his

exhausted troops might enjoy a night's rest. But Hatch and Knipe attacked Hood's

rear with great energy, driving it back in confusion, capturing three guns. In

this running fight General Lee was wounded, and under cover of darkness fled in

disorder to Spring Hill.



    General Lee, in his official report of the Hood campaign, makes the

following mention of the pursuit: "Early on the morning of the 17th our cavalry

was driven in, in confusion, by the enemy, who at once commenced a most vigorous

pursuit, his cavalry charging at every opportunity and in the most daring

manner. It was apparent that they were determined to make the retreat a rout if

possible. * * * I was compelled to withdraw rapidly toward Franklin, as the

enemy was throwing a force in my rear from both the right and left of the pike,

on roads coming into the pike near Franklin and five miles in my rear."



    Early on the morning of the 18th the pursuit was continued, although we were

out of rations, with Croxton and Johnson on the flanks endeavoring to strike the

enemy at or near Spring Hill, with Hatch and Knipe in the center. On reaching

Spring Hill we found the enemy had left early in the morning for Columbia. This

day's march was made through mud and slush and a cold, drizzling rain. This was

a quiet day, and late in the afternoon the command was halted some four miles

south of Spring Hill, where it bivouacked for the night.



    Before leaving camp on the morning of the 19th, rations were issued to the

troops, after which the whole column resumed the pursuit through a storm of rain

and snow. Hood fell back during the night and by morning was on the south side

of Rutherford's Creek. After crossing the stream he destroyed the railroad

bridge, and on reaching Rutherford's Creek we found his rear guard strongly

posted behind works on the south bank, completely covering the crossings.



    On approaching Rutherford's Creek we found this bold and rapid stream very

much swollen by the heavy rains of the past twenty-four hours. This rise made it

impossible for the cavalry to cross, and as we were without a pontoon bridge, a

short halt was made. The deep, swift current of Rutherford's Creek formed almost

as good a rear guard as Hood's discouraged troops. The rains had ruined the

roads; in fact, it was almost impossible for the troops to move except along the

turnpikes, the dirt roads being nothing more than quagmires. During the day

several attempts were made to cross the stream, but all of them failed.



    Wood's Fourth Corps reached us on the afternoon of the 19th. This was a very

dreary and disagreeable day, as a cold and drizzling rain continued to fall

during the day. Late in the afternoon Hatch made a floating bridge from material

obtained from the partially destroyed railroad bridge, and taking his men over

dismounted, succeeded in driving back the enemy from the south bank. During the

night the pontoons arrived and on the morning of the 21st were thrown across

Rutherford's Creek at or near where the Columbia turnpike crosses, Wilson's

cavalry pushed on toward Columbia, but was able to capture but few prisoners, as

Hood had taken advantage of the swollen stream to slip out of the way of his

pursuers. At Rutherford's Creek the divisions of Johnson and Knipe were turned

back and sent to Nashville for the purpose of being remounted.



    On reaching Columbia the advance of Wilson's cavalry had a light skirmish at

the crossing with the rear of Hood's army. There was considerable cannonading

during the day by both armies^ but toward night the firing ceased and all became

quiet. Duck River was very much swollen by the recent rains. For the next two

days the cavalry remained in camp, awaiting the arrival of the pontoons. The

weather, which had been exceedingly gloomy and wet for the past few days, now

changed to bitter cold, greatly retarding the work of laying the bridge in front

of Columbia. The sudden freeze caused the river to fall rapidly, necessitating

frequent alterations and changes of the bridge.



    Hood from the very start managed to keep his wagons well toward his front,

thereby saving them from capture. At this place Hood ran some of his guns into

Duck River to prevent capture. Not quite a month before, Hood's army was headed

north and was full of hope, expecting to brush away the little army that

confronted them, capture Nashville and march on to Louisville. But after the

reception given his army at Franklin and Nashville, he changed his mind,

about-faced and, like the soldier who went to Lee for a furlough, continued the

march. As the story may not be familiar to the reader, I will relate it. One day

a soldier went to General R. E. Lee for a furlough. The general said to him,

"Take the position of a soldier," which he promptly did. Lee then gave the

command, "About-face, forward march!" And as the soldier was not halted he

continued the march to his home.



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.



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