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'TO CARE FOR HIM WHO HAS BORNE THE BATTLE, AND FOR HIS WIDOW AND ORPHANS."
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ESTABLISHED 1S77.
WASHINGTON, D. O., SATURDAY, MAY 27, 1882.
NEW SERIES. VOL-1., N- 41. ','.
TULLAHOMA CAMPAIGN.
OCCUPATION OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE.
WILDER'S BRIGADE AT HOOVER'S GAP.
Plan or the Campaign The Flnnldns Columns.
TVilder's Jlonntcd Infantry Ordered to Trot
Through IToorer's (Jap liX Different
Crowd Has Come Down the
Road" A Good Fight.
In his graphic sketch of the Tullahoma
campaign, published in The National
Tribune of March 11th, General Rosecrans
alludes as follows to the part taken by
Brigadier-General J. T. Wilder's brigade of
mounted infantry in opening the way for
the passage of the Fourteenth Anny Corps,
under command of Major-General George
H. Thomas, through Hoovers Gap:
"The confederate forces had retreated he
hind Elk River. In obedience to the order
of General Johnston they were ordered to
form an intrenched camp in front of Shelby
ville and another in front of Tullahoma,
eighteen miles to the rear of Shelbyville,
on the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad.
The first work when the movement began
was evidently to dislodge the enemy from
his two intrenched camps. The country
between Murfreesboro and the first of these
camps at Shelbyville was traversed by two
turnpikes. The main one, running directly
south, was a splendid macadamized road ; the
other, ten or fifteen miles further west, the
Eaglesville pike, was also an excellent road,
and adapted to the rapid marching of troops,
but the siege at Yicksburg admonished me
that it would be a long, bloody work to
make a direct attack and drive the enemy
from his intrenched position, which was well
laid out and covered by a belt of fallen
timber 600 yards wide, and if driven out
by a direct movement, he would fall back
on his second intrenched camp and entail
upon us another bloody fight and delay. I
therefore determined to turn the position,
and decided to turn it by the east and not
by the west, although the latter was more
open and inviting to army movements, be
cause, if successful, the western line would
remove us too far from the line of the rail
road and place us at a disadvantage.
"For three weeks I had been engaged in
amusing the enemy on the east. I meant
to advance by Hoover's Gap, which lay some
Beven miles east of the enemy's right flank.
For that purpose cavalry had been sent down
to skirmish and retreat every day until they
got used to fighting and whipping us.
Wilder's mounted infantry were ordered to
Hoover's Gap, which was a long canyon, where
the cavalry fights had been going on as I
have described. Wilder's orders- were to
trot the enemy out of the canyon, not dis
mounting or paying any attention to them.
Thomas's Corps (the Fourteenth) was ordered
to follow as close on the heels of the mounted
infantry as possible and to secure the stone
bridge across Garrison Fork of Duck River,
a deep stream with rocky banks and heavy,
rocky bottom. Crittenden's Corps was ordered
to move east to "Woodbury, thence on a south
erly road seven miles further east and ascend
the plateau called the Barrens, which lay
between Duck River and Murfreesboro, about
800 feet above the level of the latter place.
As soon as possible after we had secured the
passage across to Garrison Fork, McCook was
to follow close on the heels of Thomas, and
Granger was to take his place if there should
be any confederate infantry left at the Gap
and take care of them until the enemy re
treated. "Wilder, with his mounted infantry, two
regiments of which had Spencer rifles, obeyed
to the letter his orders not to halt, but push
the enemy from position to xiosition. The
confederate cavalry had barely time to dis
mount and get into new positions when
they would have to remount and retreat
until they got out of the canyon. Wilder
dismounted his Spencer-rifle regiments and
ordered them to take position on a smooth
green hill which lay between the Hoover's
Gap canyon and the river and commanded
the country on the west side of Garrison
Fork. The enemy had Stuart's division of
infantry posted about a mile and a half be
low the bridge, and were having a review
when the news arrived that ' a different
crowd had come down the road arid trotted
the confederates out of the canyon, and there
must be something up.' They sent a brigade
to see what was the matter, and a fierce fight
followed for the position on the crest of the
green hill. Finally the Spencer rifles and
the valor of those two regiments of mounted
infantry won the hill, and before the enemy
had time to bring up his whole division
Thomas was there with Reynolds's division,
and they gave up the fight and commenced
to retreat to Shelbyville."
The heroic conduct of this celebrated brig
ade and of its gallant leader deserves more
than this passing compliment to its valor.
The First brigade, Fourth division, Four
teenth Army Corps, known as Wilder's brig
ade of mounted infantry, consisted of the
One Hundred and Twenty-third Illinois, Col
onel James Munroe; the Seventy-second In
diana, Colonel II. D. Miller; the Ninety-eighth
Illinois, Colonel J. J. Funkhouser, and Colo
nel Wilder's own regiment, the Seventeenth
Indiana, commanded by Lieut.-Colonel If.
Jordan. Its effective strength, in June,
3863, was 115 officers and 3,761 enlisted
men, well armed and mounted. This in
trepid command, under its fearless leader,
won imperishable renown upon many a hard
contested field.
The men fought usually on foot, using
their horses as means of rapid movement
from place to place, and whether holding
their position in the line with desperate
courage on the bloody field of Chickainauga,
or sweeping with the cavalry through Mid
dle Tennessee a few weeks later in pursuit
of Wheeler's mounted troopers, they were
always at the front a solid column against
which the best brigades in the confederate
army dashed themselves to pieces.
In his report of the action of his brigado
at Hoover's Gap, and on the subsequent raid
to the rear of Tullahoma, General Wilder
tells the story with the simplicity that char
acterizes the true soldier :
Headquahteks Fjkst Brigade, Fourtii
Division, Fourteenth Army Corps,
Camp near Duck River Bridge,
Jiffy 11, 18G3.
Major : I have the honor to submit the
following report of the part taken by my
command in the late movements resulting
in driving the rebel forces under General
Bragg south across the Tennessee River.
On the morning of Jnue 24, 1803, at 3
o'clock a. m., my command moved from camp
(six miles north of Murfreesboro), and taking
the advance of the Fourteenth Army Corps
on the Manchester pike moved forward to
Big Spring Branch, seven miles from Mur
freesboro. Here my scouts gave notice of
the proximity of rebel pickets. The com
mand was halted until the infantry closed
up, when wo immediately moved forward,
the Seventy-second Indiana, Colonel Miller,
being in advance, with five companies under
Lieutenant-Colonel Kirkpatrick thrown out
as an advance-guard and a party of twenty
five scouts of the Seventeenth and Seventy
second as an extreme advance-guard. One
mile from the creek we came upon the rebel
pickets, who opened fire on the advance,
which was returned by the men, driving the
rebels to a hill thickly covered with cedars,
where the rebel reserves were drawn up
under cover of the hill, and opened a rapid
fire upon our men, who advanced rapidly to
the foot of the hill, when Colonel Kirk
patrick deployed one company on each side
of the road and without halting drove the
rebels from their position, capturing two
prisoners, without loss on our part. I di
rected the advance to push speedily forward
and take possession of Hoovers Gap, and, if
possible, prevent the enemy from occupying
their fortifications, which I learned were
situated at a narrow point of the Gap six
teen miles from Murfreesboro. The orders
were handsomely executed by Colonel Kirk
patrick, who dashed forward along the pike,
pushing the eneinyso fast that they had not
time to deploy into their Avorks before lie
had possession, the rebels breaking and
scattering through the hills with a loss of
their battle-flag a beautiful stand of em
broidered silk colors presented to the regi
ment (First Kentucky) by the sister of
General Ben Hardin Helm while in Ken
tucky under Morgan last year and several
prisoners.
Learning that a regiment of cavalry (Third
Kentucky) were stationed at the Garrison
Fork of Duck River, one mile further on,
and that a brigade of infantry were en
camped two miles to the right, I determined
to take the entire Gap, and, if possible, hold
it until tho arrival of the infantry column
(now some six miles behind us), believing
that it would cost us at least a thousand
men to retake the ground we now held if
it was reasonably contested by the rebel
force close at hand. My whole command
was rapidly moved forward to tho southern
extremity of the Gap, and while being placed
in position we heard the " long-roll " sounded
in the rebel camp at our right, two miles
down the Garrison Fork Tho advance
pushed on two miles further and captured
seven wagons belonging to the rebels. They
were soon recalled, and were hardly in posi
tion before our pickets were driven in by a
large force of rebel infantry from the direc
tion of Fairfield. MjT dispositions were:
the Seventy-second Indiana, Colonel Miller,
stationed to the right side of the Gap and
thrown forward to a hillock on which there
was a graveyard; two mountain howitzers
at their front on the point of the hillock;
four pieces of 10-pouuder rifled Rodmans of
Captain Lilly's Eighteenth Indiana Battery,
stationed on a secondary hill facing towards
Fairfield on the right side of the Gap, sup
ported by the One Hundred and Twenty
third Illinois, Colonel Munroe; the Seven
teenth Indiana, Lieutenant-Colonel Jordan
and Ninety-eighth Illinois, Colonel Funk
houser, in rear of a high hill in reserve. I
ordered two companies of the Ninety-eighth
Illinois to take position on the hill at tho
left of the Gap and four companies of the
Seventeenth Indiana to take possession of
a high wooded hill about a quarter of a
mile to our right, and to throw skirmishers
forward to some cleared hills to their front,
both for the purpose of observation and to
prevent a sudden attack from that quarter.
The enemy in the meantime advanced rapidly
and opened on our left from two batteries a
rapid cross-lire, which killed two gunners and
the animals of one of the mountain howitzers.
They were promptly replied to by Captain
Lilly, who dismounted one of their pieces
and compelled both of their batteries to
change position several times. In the mean
time I observed a column of the enemy
moving behind some hills toward our right,
and immediately ordered the remainder of
the Seventeenth Indiana to take position on
the wooded hill before spoken of, with orders
to look well to their right and send me word
if any attempt was made to flank thorn.
They had hardly reached the hill when a
heavy and rapid fire was opened from both
sides, the rebels charging boldly up the hill
and cheering loudly.. Not hearing from
Colonel Jordan, but seeing that ho was hard
pressed, I sent Colonel Funkhouser with tho
remainder of the Ninety-eighth Illinois to his
assistance. He reached tho ground just as
the rebels had succeeded in turning Colonel
Jordan's right flank. Colonel Fuukhouaer
immediately deployed his command to tho
right, thus outflanking the rebel left, and
opened a rapid raking fire upon them, caus
ing them to break in disorder down the hill.
The fighting for a few moments had been
desperate, most of it at a distance of not
over twenty yards between the combatants.
In the meantime on tho left two rebel regi
ments attempted to tako our battery. Col.
Munroe by. my direction ordered three com
panies under Lieutenant-Colonel Biggs for
ward to a ravine about seventy-five yards in
front of Captain Lilly's position. They had
hardly got in position before the rebels came
over the hill in their front. They delivered
a cautions and deliberate fire upon them, and
Captain Lilly gave them a few rounds of
double-shotted canister from his guns while
Col. Miller, Seventy-second Indiana, opened
an enfilading fire upon them, which caused
them to first fall to the ground to escape the
tornado of death-dealing missiles which were
being poured into their ranks; but finding
no cessation of the leaden hail they crawled
back as best they could under cover of the
hills and made no further attempt to take
our left. They, however, made another at
tempt with five regiments on our right, but
were easily driven back by Colonels Funk
houser and Jordan, with not over 700 men
(Seventeenth and Ninety-eighth Illinois)
engaged. The rebels now fell back all along
the line and opened a furious cannonading
upon our battery, without doing much harm
or receiving harm in return, they being
under cover of the hills. General Reynolds
now arrived with two brigades of infantry,
and placed one of them in support of and on
a prolongation of our right. About dark
wc were relieved by a brigado of Rousseau's
division, and at 2 o'clock next morning were
again in line, and were held in reserve all
day. Our entire loss in the action of the
24th June is one commissioned officer killed
(J. R. Eddy, chaplain Seventy-second In
diana), one commissioned officer mortally
wonnded (Lieutenant J. Moreland, Seven
teenth Indiana); enlisted men killed, 12;
enlisted men wouuded, -17.
The conduct of both officers and men was
all that the most sanguine could ask. To
speak of individuals when all did their tcliolc
duty would be unfair; each officer seemed
to appreciate the importance of taking and
holding the very strong position of "Hoov
er's Gap," and the men were eager to obey
and sustain their officers. Their conduct
was the same, whether in driving in tho
rebel outposts or defending their position
against fearful odds, or when lying in sup
port of our battery exposed to a terrible
cross-fire of shot and shell, or when advanc
ing against the rebel columns always earn
est, cool, determined, ready, and brave,
seeming best pleased when necessarily in
greatest danger.
On tho morning of the 26th wo again
moved forward, my command on horseback,
debouching into the valley of Garrison Fork,
and filing over the chain of hills between
that stream and McBridc's Creek, flanking
the rebel left, and causing it to hastily fall
back before the infantry column of General
Reynolds, who was advancing on tho line of
tho Manchester pike. Wo then moved up
McBridc's Creek to the table-land, and
marched rapidty around the head of Noah's
Fork, for the purpose of turning tho strong
position of "Mat's Hollow," but on arriving
at the Manchester pike, after it reaches the
table-land, wc found that the infantry col
umn was passing, having met no enemy,
they having retreated in the direction of
Fairfield. We camped that night six miles
from Manchester, and at daylight next morn
ing moved forward, cutting off a rebel picket
post, and was in Manchester before the few
rebels there knew of our approach. We cap
tured about forty prisoners, including ono
captain and three lieutenants. Pickets were
immediately thrown out, and on tho arrival
of General Reynolds I dispatched Major
Jones, with four companies of the Seven
teenth Indiana, and Captain Kilbourne, with
a detachment of pioneers, to destroy the
trestle work on the McMinville Railroad,
four miles from Tullahoma. Their object was
fully accomplished, and they returned to
camp that night.
The next morning wc started to get in the
rear of Tullahoma to destroy the rebel com
munications. Wo moved rapidly to Hills
boro', leaving two companies of the One
Hundred and Twenty-third at that place
until relieved by a brigade of infantry under
General Beatty, and from thence toward
Decherd, but on arriving at Elk River found
that the incessant rains had so swollen that
stream that wo could neither ford nor swim
it, the current being so rapid that our horses
were washed down stream. There was a
bridge at Pclham, six miles further up; wo
turned our course for that place, sending
Colonel Munroe, with eight companies One
Hundred and Twenty-third Illinois, down
Elk River to destroy, if possible, the road
and railroad bridges over Elk River at Estell
Springs, with orders, if successful, to come
down the railroad and join me at Decherd
or below. On his arrival at the railroad ho
found a division of infantry guarding the
bridges and a large wagon train. He imme
diately fell back to Hillsboro, finding it im
possible to accomplish anything further,
being pursued by a force of rebel cavalry
without any loss to himself, although skir
mishing with and holding them in check for
several miles. The next morning he moved
forward and safely joined us on tho top of
Cumberland Mountain.
On leaving the direct road to Decherd and
going in the direction of Pelham, we were
compelled to ford streams that swam our
smallest horses, and compelled us to carry
our howitecr ammunition on the mciis'
shoulders across tho streams. When near
Pelham we learned that a party of rebels
were at tho bridge, with tho intention of.
destroying it on our approach. I immedi
ately ordered tho advance, under Lieut-Col.
Kitchell, Ninety-eighth Illinois, and nlmut
thirty scouts of the different regiments, to
go forward on a run and prevent the destruc
tion of the bridge. They dashed forward,
not only saving the bridge, but taking two
of the party pru oners and capturing a drove
of seventy-eight mules, which were sent
back to Hillsboro in charge of a company.
We soon reached the south fork of Elk River,
and found the water deep enough to swim
our tallest horses. The stream, though
rapid, could, by crossing diagonally, be
swam ; and, by tearing down an old mill,
we made a raft that, by being towed with
our picket ropes, floated our two mountain
howitzers over. The crossing occupied about
three hours. We immediately moved for
ward toward Decherd, half fording, half
swimming another stream on the way. We
reached the railroad at 8 o'clock in the even
ing, and immediately attacked the garrison,
of about eighty men, who, protected by a
stockade and the railroad cut, made a pretty
good resistance. We soon dislodged them,
however, when they took a position in a
deep ravine, with timber in it, completely
protecting them, while our men had to ap
proach over a bare hill to attack them,
exposing themselves to sharp fire at sixty
yards range. I ordered up our howitzers,
and a couple of rounds of canister silenced
them and drove them out. We immediately
commenced destroying the railroad track
and water-works on the Nashville and Chat
tanooga Railroad, and blowing up the trestle
work on the branch road to Winchester.
The railroad depot was well filled with com
missary stores, which wo burned ; wc also
destroyed the telegraph instrnment3.
A large force was by this time approach
ing from the north side, and having destroyed
about 300 yards of track, wo left. After
skirmishing with their advance-guard, and
capturing some four or five prisoners, who,
on being questioned separately, stated that
six regiments of infantry were about to at
tack us, believing I would have but little
chance of success in a fight with them, on
account of the darkness and our total igno
rance of the ground, we moved off in the
direction of Pelham, and after going about
six miles went oil' the road into the woods, at
2 o'clock, and bivouacked withont fires until
daylight, when we started again up the
Cumberland Mountain, on the Brakefield
Point road, determined to break the road if
possible below Cowan. When partly up the
luountain wo could plainly see a consider
able force of infantry and cavalry near
Dechcrfr. We moved forward to the South
ern University, there destroying the Tracy
City Railroad track. From there I sent a
detachment of 450 men, under Colonel Funk
houser. of tho Ninety-eighth Illinois, to
destroy the railroad at Tanlalon, and went
forward myself in the direction of Andersou,
intending to strike the railroad at that place.
Colonel Funkhouser reported to me that
three railroad trains lay at Tau talon loaded
with troops; and my scouts reported two
more trains at Anderson. Both places being
only approachable by a bridle path, I deemed
it impossible to accomplish anything further;
besides, the picket force left at the railroad
near the University Avere driven in by cav
alry, who preceded a railroad train loaded
with infantry. Thoy were now on my track,
and in our rear. I collected my force, and
determined to extricate them. Leaving a
rear-guard to skirmish with and draw them
down tho mountain, I started on the road to
Chattanooga. When about eight miles from
the University, during a tremendous rain,
which obliterated our trail, I moved the
entire command from the road about two
miles eastward into tho woods, leaving the
rear-guard to draw them forward down the
mountain, which they did, and then escaped
through the woods aud joined us, some not
coming up until next morning.
As soon as tho rebel column had passed
us, we strnck through the mountains, Avith
out guides, in the direction of Pelham, and
camo out on the place Ave intended to strike,
and reached the foot of the mountain at
Gilliam's Cave, over a very rocky and steep
road. We bivouacked at 10 o'clock p. m.,
and next morning at daylight started for
Manchester, just getting ahead of Forrest,
who, Avith nine regiments of caA-alry and
two pieces of artillery, aimed to intercept us
at Pelham. We reached Manchester at noon,
ha'ing been in the saddle or fighting about
tAventy hours on t of each twenty-four for elev
en days, and all tho time drenched Avith rain,
our men half starved, and our horses almost
entirely Avithout forage. Yet our officers aud
men seemed Avilling and cheerful, and are
now only anxious for another expedition, if
by such they can accomplish any good. We
did not lose a single man in our expedition
to the rear of Tullahoma. If our course had
not been impeded by tho streams, flooded
beyond all precedent, Ave must have captured
one or two railroad trains, one of them haA--ing
General Buckuer and staff on board. Wo
should have had ample time to have thor
oughly torn xip the railroad in daylight, at
several points, Avhilst, on account of tho dark
ness, wc Avere compelled to follow the main
roade, and the time lost in going via Pelham
enabled the rebels to throAV a largo force in
pursuit of us.
I am, very respectfully,
J. T. Wilder,
Col. 17th Ind., Com'g Brigade.
SHOULD NOT BE FORGOTTEN.
Heads of Departments, superintendents of
public buildings, and commandants of navy
yards, &c., should keep in view tho laAV of
tho fund, ;is laid down in tho Revised Statutes,
SccfLTiji, toAvit:
Kta. 175t. Persons honorably discharged from the
military or naval serviceby reason of disability rcsult
i!l from wounds or sickness incurred in the lint of
duty, shall ba preferred for appointin&iits lo civil ojflcci,
procdtd they arc found lo possess the business ca
pacity necessary for the proper discharge of the duties
of such a.QlcM.
The next section is not mandatory in its
character, but is a good recommendation that
ought to be. kept in view by all good citizens.
Sec. 17o3. In ',-rateful recognition of the services, sac
rifices, and suffcrinys of persons honortdily discfutrged
from the inUiiarji and natal service of the country,
try reason of icaunds. disease, or the expiration of
terms of enlistment, it is respectfully recommended
to banhcrs, merchants, manufacturers, mechanics,
fanners, and persons engaged in industrial pur
suits, to aire them the preference for appoinimcnls lo
remunerative situations and employments,
STANLEY'S CAVALRY.
COLONEL MINTY'S SABRE BRIGADE AT
GUY'S GAP.
Gallant Charge of the Seventh Pennsylvania Cavalry
at Shelbyville. Tennessee, on the 27th of
June, lSfti Terrible Scenes
nt Duck River.
RY ADJUTANT GEORGE F. STEAHLIN,
Formerly of the Seventh Pennsylvania CaA-alry.
The Army of the Cumberland was organ
ized in November, 1862, out of the Army of
the Ohio. After General Don Carlos Buell's
efforts to withstand the confederate General
Braxton Brags at Perryville, Ky., October 8,
1862, Gen. William S. Rosecran3 was placed
in command of the Army of the Cumberland,
which was marched out of Kentucky to
NasliA-ille, Tenn., where General Rosecrans
began tho arduous duty of reorganization.
Tho cavalry was too small in numbers to
cope with the thousands of confederate cav
alry, commanded by the confederate Generals
Forrest, Wheeler, Morgan, and Roddy, who
Avere continually hovering around our flanks,
attacking supply trains, cutting railroad
communication, and capturing isolated out
posts. General Rosecrans decided to increase
the cavalry. His requisitions for cavalry
reinforcements Avere favorably received by
the War Department at Washington. Gen.
David S. Stanley Avas selected commander of
the cavalry troop3, and he at once began to
place the cavalry in the best condition possi
ble. By the time General Rosecrans Avas ready
to move on Murfreesboro the caA-alry was
considerably increased and thoroughly or
ganized. Brigades and divisions Avere formed
aud officered by experienced brigade and di-
A-ision commanders. The caA-alry Avas han
dled by .General Stanley Avith telling effect
through the battle of Stone River, but it
really Avas too weak to cope Avith the enemy's
cavalry, Avho outnumbered us three to one.
Tho brigade of which I shall speak particu
larly was the First brigade, Second division.
The First brigade Avas composed of the Sev
enth Pennsylvania A-oluntecr caA'alry, com
manded by Lieut-Col. Seipes; Fourth United
States cavalry (Regrilara), commanded by
Cap t. Mcln tire ; Fourth Michigan volunteer
cavalry, by Colonel R. IT. G. Minty, and the
battalion of the Third Indiana cavalry, com
manded by Lieutenant-Colonel Kline. The
brigade Avas commanded by Colonel R. H. G.
Minty. On the 5th day of January, 18C3, Ave
returned from pursuing the rear-guard of
confederates and camped east of Murfrees
boro. During the five months the army
remained at Murfreesboro General Stanley
Avas exceedingly active in strengthening,
equipping, and remouuting the corps. The
corps Avas kept reconnoitering and making
raids upon the confederate outposts and
flanks. Numerous skirmishes took place;
some almost amounted to regular battles.
The Seventh PennsylA-ania cavalry made
several sabre charges ; one at Rover, Tenu.,
January 31, 1863, upon the Seventh confed
erate regular cavalry, completely routing
them ; one into the town of Franklin, Tenn. ;
one at Eagleville ; one at Spring Hill, Tenn.,
under an expedition commanded by Brigadier-General
Phil Sheridan; another at
MeMinville, Tenn., and several others.
Gen. Rosecrans named the Seventh Pennsyl
vania caA-alry the " Sabre Regiment of the
Army of the Cumberland."
On the 25th of June one of the best
equipped corps of cavalry in the Union army
moved out of camp at daybreak. General
Rosecrans had decided, contrary to his corps
commanders' opinions, to move on the con
federate strongholds at Tullahoma, Bel
buckel, aud Shelbyville ; two-thirds of our
cavalry moved out on our right on tho Shel
byville pike. The movement Avas unex
pected by General Bragg. The pickets Avere
driven to the main army the first day. His
right Avas very heaA-ily pressed, causing
Bragg to draw from his left at Columbia.
By noon a drizzling rain began to fall and
by night it rained copiously. The following
day (June 26) a severe storm raged, making
military movements tedious; in fact, the
army almost came to a halt. The caA-alry
bivouacked in a woods on the night of the
25th, and remained inactive during tho
26 th.
At 3 o'clock a. m., June 27, the bngle
sounded reveille. A heavy fog surrounded
U3. The caA-alry Avas formed in an open field
in columns of regiments. By 7 o'clock the
fog had disappeared. As tho bright morn
ing sun shone upon the seven thousand
horsemen massed in the field I behold ono
of the finest military displays I saw during
the entire war. The " Forward " Avas sounded
and tho seven thousand men and horses be
gan to move for the pike. After marching
in column several miles avc camo to a halt.
The Seventh Pennsylvania deployed on the
right of tho pike in a small piece of. cedar
woods. A forward movement was made about
a half mile, then wo received orders to take
the adA-ance of tho colnmn. As Ave reached
the top of a hill avo passed a fortified picket
post, AA'hich Colonel Stokes, Avith the First
Tennessee cavalry, had charged successfully.
Before us was the beautiful Guy's Gap,
through which Ave passed on a trot for the
distauce of three miles. The east end of the
Gap Avas protected by a line of trenches run
ning along the summit of a hill, north aud
south, as far as tho oyc could see. Wheeler's
confederate cavalry had moved from Co
lumbia, and Avas posted behind Gny's Gap
trenches. Our column was brought to a
Avalk by four pieces of confederate artillery.
Colonel Seipes turned the Seventh cavalry
into a field on the right of the pike, formed
a line of battle, and dismounted Major C. C.
Davis's third battalion to move on our front
on foot. The Fourth United States civalry
formed on the left of the pike ; the Fourth
Michigan were ordered to move to our right
and find a bridle-path that led to the trenches
about a mile beyond; the Third Indiana
cavalry was held as our reserve. Colonel
Minty ordered Colonel Seipes to move to the
pike with the two battalions of the Seventh
Pennsyh-ania, form in column of fours, and
charge the trenches.
We moved on a walk till we passed over
a small bridge spanning a rivulet. Then
we went up the hill on a trot until we
reached the trenches, through which wo
passed on a gallop. The Fourth 'Michigan
Avere coming in on the right on the confed
erate's left flank. The enemy's line wavered,
the men huddled like sheep, broke and went
at full speed tOAvards Shelbyville. The first
battalion of the Seventh Pennsylvania did
not halt, but charged with impetuosity, cut
ting right and left, causing hundreds to fall.
The second battalion charged through tho
woods on theleftof the pike. A hand-to-hand
fight took place for two miles, when the
confederates turned off the pike into a road
leading to Wartrace. The second battalion,
under Captain B. S. Dartt, coming in on the
left cut them off, and Avith the aid of a cedar
stockade fence brought four hundred and
eighty to a stand; these were taken prison
ers. Colonel Seipes gathered the prisoners
and took them to the rear, having over five
hundred in his possession.
The dead and wounded along the pike
numbered over a hundred. Our loss was
but one man, Private Felix Herb, of Com
pany A. I must relate how he was killed
at the cedar stockade fence. Herb took
two prisoners; they threw up their arms as
a signal of surrender, but changed their
mind. Not seeing immediate support for
Herb they shot him, the bullet passing
through the centre of his forehead. While
this Avas going on Sergeant James A. Wilson,
of Company F, arrived and shot both the
confederates who had shot Herb. I reached
the spot just as Wilson shot the second
man. "Wilson turned tOAvards me, saying :
"Adjutant! the devils shot Felix Herb
after they had surrendered, so I made short
work of them."
As Colonel Seipes passed to the rear with
the prisoners he gave me orders to gather up
the men who bad become separated from the
regiment during the charge. In the mean
time the confederate artillery posted on the
square in Shelbyville was throwing shell
along the pike. I collected eighty men of
our regiment aud formed them into a com
pany, then deployed them on our front and
flanks. In the meantime our third battal
ion arrived; also the other regiments of
the Second division. Davis's third battalion
was in good order with fresh horses. Colonel
Minty gave orders for the Seventh Pennsyl
vania to again charge the artillery. Colonel
Seipes arrived just as I received the order.
I repeated Colonel Minty's order, when
Colonel Seipes replied :
"My regiment is back with the prisoners.
I cannot make anothei charge."
Colonel Minty overheard this remark and
came to Colonel Seipes, saying:
"Tour third battalion is in good order
horses comparatively fresh. All che other
horses of the brigade have been run down."
Colonel Seipes replied :
"If I must make the charge I'll take the
artillery and drive them into Duck River."
I then calied in the men I had deployed
and formed them on the left of Davis'a
third battalion, which now numbered only
two hundred rank and file. This battalion
had been cut up by Forrest at Murfreesboro,
in 1862, which accounted for its Aveakness.
Major Charles C. Davis led tho charge.
The colonel and myself took our proper
place in column. Two pieces of Captain
Newell's Ohio battery Avere placed on the
right and left of the pike. As they belched
forth fire, smoko and shell, our bugler, John
Colo, sounded the charge. Through tho
smoke, down the hill went the little band,
yelling like mad. We were on tho dead run.
Half the distance between the mile post and
the confederate battery Avas passed in safety.
Two shots had screamed over our heads, but
the third shot hit Company G-, killing three
men and a horse, but onward Ave ran. A
raA'ine was re&ched a few hundred feet from,
the artillery. Fortunately Ave Avere below
their point-blank range. As we reached the
slight rise going into ohelbyville we saw the
confederate cavalry Avaver and break. The
artillery limbered up and joined the fleeing
cavalry. The tAVO hundred pushed onward
Avith the yell revoiced. The last piece of
artillery turned the corner of a street as the
two hundred began to sabre the cannoniers.
Then the riders Avere cut off the horses. Ono
piece Avas ours in a tAvinkling. The second
pieco Avas also onrs in two minutes. The
railroad depot was reached and there the
road turns to the right, while on the left
lays an open plateau. At that moment Gen.
Wheeler led his escort in a counter charge.
He delivered one volley and broke, caused
by the Third Indiana coming down on our
left flank. Lieutenants Rhoads and Reed,
fell there and ten men also died. Still wo
hardly stopped to look, cutting right cute,
left cuts, front cuts, and rear cuts, making;
thrusts right, left, and front dealing death
at every blow, until Duck River Avas reached.
We pushed over the bridge, Avhere a dozen
confederates Avero crushed by their two re
maining pieces of artillery.
At the east end of tho bridge stood Ser
geant Edward Schut, of Company A, bare
headed, his long golden hair disheveled and
Avaving in the breeze, sabre drawn and hold
ing the third piece of artillery. But in the
river Avas one of the most heartrending
scenes man ever beheld. Tho river was high
and a strong current flowing, owing to the
rain tho day before. The banks of the river
are A'ery high at least twenty feet high.
Down the precipice leaped the confederato
cavalry, on both sides of the bridge, to escapo
tho sabres of the two hundred. In the
