19th Michigan soldiers writes about action at Thompson’s Station

CIVIL WAR DIARIES OF EDWARD SPENCER, 19TH MICHIGAN, CO. A, AUGUST 1862- 71

[The Battle of Thompson's Station took place on March 4th/5th, 1863]

“Our brigade with the 4th Ohio Battery was sent out toward Columbia on a foraging and reconnoitering expedition, when about 6 miles from Franklin found the rebs in force preparing to dispute our progress opened upon us with a ten lb. battery shelling quite smartly for a couple of hours, injuring no one….”

After a quiet night, they ran into the enemy again the next day, with two Indiana regiments moving forward, leaving the 19th Michigan and 22nd Missouri behind.

“In a few moments heavy firing was heard on our right where the Ind. regs. went out. At the same time a section of the enemy’s guns opened upon us from the right dropping shell very close. Our guns replied but without effect. We were then ordered to the right of the road as the enemy were flanking our present position. We were to take a position on top of a hill, the rebs seeing our object advanced toward the top of the hill from the opposite side & the two parties met at the top. We charged and drove them back down the hill and then fell back under the brow of it as protection from their guns which were shelling us lively. In a few moments they charged again and again were driven back. This was repeated four times, the rebs being driven back each time with great slaughter….”

Seeing that they were being outflanked, the brigade fell back to another hill, where they came under an immediate assault. Col. Coburn, commanding the brigade,

“then said our only chance of escape was to charge their lines with bayonets fixed and force our way through. This we were preparing to do when another line of cavalry was discovered, a charge then would be insanity and the col. in order to save the lives of his men concluded to surrender. Accordingly the flag of truce was raised and the Johnnies flocked in upon us from every side. Canteens, haversacks, and clothing were taken from the men and swords and pistols from Officers. Upon the whole it was an indiscriminate robbery of private as well as govt. property….”

Source: Cowan’s auction

Join a FREE tour of Parker’s Crossroads this Saturday?

The FCWRT released the following information about this Saturday’s tour:

Franklin Civil War Round Table members are invited to participate in an on-site tour of the Parkers Crossroads battlefield, Saturday, April 13. This is a special event sponsored by the FCWRT. Our friends with the Tennessee Valley Civil War Round Table (Huntsville) will also be participating.

A caravan will leave from the new Franklin Drury Plaza Hotel (McEwen Drive) parking lot at 10:00 that morning. It is about a two-hour drive to the park or almost 100 miles. This should leave you plenty of time to grab lunch somewhere along the way. The directions are simple. Drive towards Memphis on Interstate 40 and get off exit 108. Turn left (south) and you will see the Visitor’s Center in about a fourth of a mile. We will gather at the Visitor’s Center and the tour begins at 1:00 PM. There are a couple of fast food businesses at exit 108 and prior.

The December 31, 1862 battle resulted in a Confederate victory and was one of General Nathan Bedford Forrest’s biggest successes in West Tennessee. There are several very interesting sites of the battle that are well preserved.

The tour will be led by state Congressman Steve McDaniel, who was instrumental in leading the efforts to save the almost 350 acres of battlefield now interpreted. The tour is expected to last 2-3 hours.

In the event of poor weather, we will send an email notification as early as possible April 13 once a decision has been made to cancel or not.

There is no charge for Franklin Round Table members but we do ask that donations be made. Donations from non-members would be especially appreciated. The Parkers Crossroads Battlefield Association is a non-profit group and any donations may be tax deductible.

Please call if questions: 615.473.3034 or email: fcwrt@yahoo.com

Civil War cannonball unearthed on Eastern Flank at Franklin

The Tennessean recently reported that  a 12-pounder cannonball, likely Federal, was unearthed on the Eastern Flank Battlefield Park site near Carnton. Officials are working on the land to build a road. To read the full story click here.

A State archaeologist will likely be assigned to accompany any future earth moving and digging on the site in the event that other artifacts are discovered. Stay tuned.

 

42nd Illinois soldier enlists in mid October 1864 and sees action at Franklin

Levi Greathouse, Co H, 42nd Illinois Infantry mustered in on October 18, 1864. hardly six weeks later he saw his first action at Franklin, then at Nashville two weeks later. He was apparently severely wounded during this action as he died of his wounds February 12, 1865 in Huntsville.

From Major Atwater’s official report after Franklin:

After dark the Forty-second Illinois was placed on picket and I was detailed as officer
of the day, and before daylight of the 30th, the army all having passed, I
withdrew the pickets an rejoined my brigade, and arrived at Franklin at
noon, where we were soon placed in position on the left of the Columbia
pike, with orders to throw up works and to hold them. Not having many told
we could not built very good works, and consequently could not hold them
long after the enemy came upon us, although we did not leave them until the
right and left both gave away, and we were obliged to fall back over a level
ground a distance of at least 600 yards and the enemy in very strong force
closely following us and continually firing upon us; upon arriving at a main
and strong line of works in our rear I halted and formed the regiment and
fought as well as possible until long after dark, with a loss of 55 killed,
wounded, and missing. During the fight of the 30th one of my recruits shot
down a rebel color-bearer and took his flag from him, but was soon ordered
by a colonel in the Twenty-third Corps to turn it over to him, which he
did and during the night two more of my regiment went out in front of the
works and found three rebel flags, which they brought in with one of
the rebel soldiers, who was on picket, as a prisoner, but as soon as they
came into our lines an officer of the Twenty-third Corps ordered them to
give him the colors, and like good soldiers they obeyed the order.

So far as the conduct of the officers and, men of the regiment is concerned
I have only to speak of it in the highest terms.

About midnight of the 30th we quietly retired from Franklin to Nashville,
where we arrived at 10 a. m., very nearly tired out.

I have the honor to be, sir, your very obedient servant,

F. A. ATWATER,
Maj. Forty-second Illinois, Cmdg. Regt.

7th Ohio Cav letter written Nov 30, 1864 details cavalry action at Franklin

Pvt. Albert Swap, 7th Illinois Cavalry, Nashville, Tenn., Nov. 30, 1864, reading, in part:

“…you said you suppose Chas Dewey would arrive before I received this message of yours, so he did, but I regret to say he is among the missing on our trip to this place. We left Memphis on the 17th and was 9 days on the River there was several men drowned before we arrived at his place and C. L. D. and John R. Chapman of Co. are among the missing. The last I saw of them was about two miles above New Madrid, Mo….It has now been 62 days since the Regt. went out on this scout, they are now about 40 miles from this place at Columbia where they are having some very hard fighting with Hood’s Army. Genl. Thomas is out there with two corps of Infantry but the rebs still drive him back. We could hear very heavy cannonading in that direction for about an hour this morning. There is going to be some very hard fighting about this city in a short time if they keep driving our men back. We are camped about two miles from the city and they are going to move us in towards the city as they think we are exposed to a raid from the Lebanon Pike…There is considerable excitement here today the Rebel General Hood is still driving our men they are now within 20 miles of this place. Some of our men who have come from the front seem to think that Genl. Thomas is falling back to get the rebels where he can gain some advantage over them while others seem to think they are two strong for us, if the latter there will be some hard fighting and then we will either have to fall back or be gobbled but we must always look on the bright side of everything…But alas how many of our Brave soldiers are falling hourly as I am penning you these poor lines, the sullen booming of the cannon that I can hear very plainly speaks of death…to the soldier…”.

From Raynor’s auction