Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1862-04-25
Tur RATTLE on PITTsBURe.

/
Erdepcadent.
CAur Sm1oH, pIrrsBuRe, TENN.,
March l2, 1862
AS promised inmy letter Of the sth, TO write
he particulars of the Battle of pittsburg; and
,hink the best way to tell you of The part our
Regiment took in the action, will be to copy |
GEN. Buckland 'sreport to Gen. Shernan--leav-
ng out the, to you, winteresttng part-viz.;
COL. BucKLASD's REroRr.
aBetween 6 and o'clock on Sunday morning,
was informed that Our pickets were fired up-
Dn. / Immediately gave orders for forming the
Brigade on the Color line, which was promptly
done. About this time / was informed that
the pickets were being driven ini ordered tho
18th Ohio to advance in support Of the pickets,
which they did, but discovered the enemy had
in force to the creek, about 80 rods in
front. Immediately ordered the Brigade tol
advance in line of battle. We had marched
about 80 rods when we discovered the enemy,
and opened fire along the whole line which
checked his advance and caused him to fall back.
Discovering that he was pushing column up
narrow ravine, / ordered the 72d TO change 'front.'
so ms TO form line parallel to the ravine, extend
ing down to the fiat at the creek, Co. B. form
ing an angle across the head of the ravine. In
this position our line was maintained for more
than two hours under deadly firc--Ofiicers and
men behaving with great bravery and GOODNESS,
keeping up constant stream Of fire on the en-
emy. He several times recoiled and rallied,
but did not advance his line after the action COM
menced, until we were ordered to fall back up
on the Purdy road, which we did in good order
Lieutenant Colonel Garfield, of the I'D was
mortally wounded early in the engagement, and
was carried from the field Maj Crocket had
been taken prisoner the Friday previous, which
left the 72d Regiment without any field officer
No., p.,f A
and b, and quite number of the other Co. Off
GERS, were sick and unable to go into the action;
conseduently / remained on the right of the
Brigade and took command of the 72d Regi-
ment, having full confidence that Coloncls Sui
livan and Cockrell would maintain their part
of the line, which they did gallantly until the
regiments on the left Of my brigade gave way
and we were ordered to fall back.
In this action the 72d had Lieut. Col. Cam
field mortally wounded, Capt. Wegsten killed
and 10 men, non commissioned officers and pri-
Yates, killed; and three officers and sixty five
non commissioned officers and privates wound
cd. RI skip details of killed and wounded OF
other regiments
The enemys loss was very heavy in front OF
the brigade; IS bodies of the enemy were count
ed along, and at the foot of the ravne flank
ed by the I'D Regiment among which was Col.
Mouton, Of the 18th Louisiana Regiment
Large numbers Of dead bodies were found on
the enemys line opposite our front, TO the left of
the S5th in the ravine. l may safely say that my
brigade killed 200. The number of wounded
must have been immense. We formed line
again on the Purdy road. But the fleeing mass
| from the left broke through our lines and many
of the men caught the infection and fed with
the crowd. Col Cockrell became separated
| from Col. Sullivan and myself and was after
wards engaged with part of his command at Nc
Clernard Camp. Col. Sullivan and myself KEEP
together and made every effort to rally our men
but with very poor success. They had become
scattered in all directions. We were borne con.
siderably to the left, but finally succeeded in
forming line, and had short engagement with
the enemy, who soon made his appearance after
our line was formed. The enemy fell back and
we proceeded to the road where you found us.
At this point was joined by Col. Cockrell and
we then formed line of battle, and slept on our
arms Sunday night Col. Sullivan being out
of ammunition marched to the landing for sup
ply, and while there was ordered to support a
battery at that point The next morning he
Joined me, and we rallied all the men we could
and advanced under your directions to McCler-
nands camp. AT that point were again
brought into action at n critical time and under
heavy fire. The manner in which the regi-
ment came into line and fought was observed
by you, and therefore / need not describe it:-
| (twas splendid
one private killed and few privates wounded
| In this action we advanced our line upon tn,
| enemy considerable distance and nv brigad,
kept up their fire until their ammunition wa
exhausted, when we fell back, replenished, an,
again advanced, but were not afterwards engag
ed, the enemy being in full retreat We en-
camped on Monday night in the camp we lei
on Sunday morning. My Brigade with other
marched in pursuit of the enemy on the road t
Corinth some miles, and when portion of Hill
derbrand 'sBrigade engaged the enemy mine wa
ordered into line in gallant style although tn
men were much fatigued by their labors ant
hardships during Sunday and Monday. Tn
men were eager to engage the enemy again, bu
we were not called upon to do so. We return
ed to camp in the evening.
REMARKS UPON THE CONDUCT OF OFFICERS.
As to Colonels Sullivan and Cockrel nee
add nothing more. My report shows that the
were always where duty called, regardless
danger. Az to the conduct of their men, re
fer to their report. Lieut.. Col. Garfield ~
Reg't, was mOrtally wounded on Sunday mon
ing while bravely passing along the line, er
couraging and cheering the men. He was
brave as the bravest. Too much praise cann
be awarded to Lieut.. K. A. Rawson, Adiuta
of the I'D. His horse was shot under him {
Sunday morning, but he continued on foe
bravely performing his duty to the end of Il
battle. After the Lieutenant-C Colonel was take
from the field Rawson was the only officer le
TO aid me in rallying and keeping the men
order and most nobly did he stand by me thr
all the vicssitudes of the battle The follow
ing Company officers were distinguished #
bravery and good conduct throughout:
Company A, lst Lieut.. Henry Clifford, sever,
D ly wounded Sunday; I'd Lieut.. Spencer Rul
sell, company A; Lieut. Henry W. BuclSlan
company b; Lieut.. NJ. I. Williamson, compan
G.; Capt. Andrew Neufer, company d; st Lieu
M. A. Fowler. company d; lst Lieut. O. ]
Dennis, company f; Capt. Leroy Moore con
lpany F; Capt. James Fernald, company G; Car
7 Wegstein, company H, killed on Sunday NOR
9 ling; LIST Lieut.. Anthony Young, company
Capt Jacob Fickes, company l.
2 Capt. Eaton, company A; Capt. Raymou
8 company b; Capt Thompson, company X; Car
Biddle company Gj and Lieut.. Rice, compai
4 +, were sick and unable to go into action.
5 take the liberty to refer 10 the importa
( services of Surgeon JnO b, Rice and the asst
tant surgeons of the 49th, 10th, I'D Regiment
1 They have labored at the landing among Il
: wounded almost necessarily night and day, tai
y ing no sleep for two days and nights Also,
the Chaplain 72d A. b. Poe, who labored wi
the surgeons during the same time, renderi
very important services.
= take pleasure in commencing Lieut.. d.
Hardness, Quartermaster for the energy al
lgood conduct displayed by him in his depal
ment during the battle
ii SO many on-eommissioned officers and o
Yates displayed great courage, that cannot i
dertake TO select individuals as more dist
guished than others.
There, B., have given you Col. BuC
lands report in part, abridging it sometimes
Ito the injury of its erammer-but il will e