Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-12-31
The Fifteenth Wisconsin in the Battle of
Chickamauga-Letter from the Command

DEAR BROTHER: have written you I couple |
of letters before, but by no means such as | |
would like to write, but such as | was Oh |
liged to under the circumstances ! write
this with the hope of getting it through the
lines without its being submitted for the in
specton of the conceited tops who have
command of this prison.
You have undoubtedly read b, tier accounts
of the battle of Chickamauga than can give
you, but shall relate some of my own ex-
pcriences and the movements and doings of
our own regiment, as suppose you have no
one in the regiment from whom you receive
letters.
Of our movements in the mountains of
Alabama and Georgia l shall say nothing, ex-
ccpt that we moved back and forth there for
over half a month, our corps separated from
the rest Of the army to carry out Rosecrans'
plan of compelling Bragg to evacuate Chatta.
nooga. Finally, on the 18th of September,
we descended Lookout Mountain at Steven
sons Gap and Joined the rest OF the army
That same evening we took our position on
the extreme right in Macklemore's lane,
where we stayed till dark on the 18th, when
we were ordered to move, and marched FIVE
or six miles toward Chattanooga and camped
for the night We were ordered to follow
Johnson's division at daylight on the next
morning, but that division did not pass Us until
about o'clock, which consequently gave us
a late start. We had heard occasional can
non shots early in the morning, but as the
day advanced they grew more and more fire.
quent, and it soon became evident that the
l. II l,,J /
could not be long delayed. 1t seemed evil
dent to Us at that time that Bragg was en-
deayoring to get between Chattanooga and
our army, and that ROsecrans was doing his
best to get to Chattanooga, and that he had
fought the battle where he did because he
was compelled so to do. | do not say that
that this supposition was correct. but that
was the belief with US at the time, and from
what little | have been able to learn since.
do not see that it was so very far out Of the
way. We were hurried up very fast on Sat-
urday, going part of the time on double
quick, until we came near the battle gro md,
where we halted for some time awaiting Or
ders, which we soon received, and we started
on the double-quck. After going about
mile we were brought into line of battle, the
Sth Kansas and 10Th Wisconsin in front, and
the 18th and 35th Illinois in the rear and
Immediately pushed forward. We had ad-
vanced perhaps fifty yards when we encoun-
tered the skirmishers of the enemy whom we
rapidly drove in. The timber was very
heavy as was also the underbrush, so we
could but imperfectly see the enemy, but
still we were steadily advancing under a
heavy fire, when the 6th Kansas, on our left.
began to slacken and waver. Still [ pressed
on with the 10Th, until about % or 80 wards
in advance of the 8th Kansas when thew
ceased to advance altogether, and began to
slowly fall back | halted the 10Th and held
the ground waiting for orders, but as the
other regiment was falling back, and the en-
envy advancing on our right flank, which was
| exposed, | ordered retreat, which was we'll
conducted firing as we fell back We con-
tinued to fall back slowly till we arrived
where we had before formed a line of battle,
when assistance reached us, and we checked
the enemy. Our loss so far had been G. II
siderable, especially in wounded Capt
| Johnson was shot dead and left in the hands
| of the enemy. Maj. Wilson and Adi't Nelson
were both slightly wounded, but not enough
to disable them for duty The color-bearer
was also wounded and the colors picked up by
private Hanson Of Co. K.
We were now ordered to support the 10Th
Illinois, which was sent to the 'front.' and took
our position on a little knoll for that purpose,
and laid down while the 25th advanced.
Meanwhile another line was forming in our
rear. The 18th engaged the enemy hotly for
awhile, but finally compelled to fall back,
and as they reiterated over US the commander
of the regiment told me he would form in
the rear and support us. Col. Heg came up
while we were occupying this position, and
compllmented the regiment for the gallant
fight it had made, and passed on. When the
had
Immediately engaged with the enemy, and
the line in our rear, when the 18th passed
over them, probably thinking that they were
the last of our troops in front of them, imme-
dlately opened fire, and we were thus placed
between the fires of friends and foes, suffer-
ing more from the former than from the latter
1t was at this time that Capt. Hanson received
the wound that afterwards terminated his life
Up to this the regiment had been kept well
together and our ground had been bravely
contested but being attacked in the rear by
our own men was more than we had bargain
ed for, and [ told every one to take care of
himself, and acting upon that suggestion each
one got to the rear as best he could. [ start
ed for what [ thought from the firing was the
right of the line in our rear, (the brush was
so thick | could not get through direct) when
[ found myself Immediately in front of half a
the enemy, but by some dextrous leaping and
rapid running got TO the rear unhurt.
When our regiment broke the enemy imme-
diately attacked the line in our rear and
routed it, We were all driven across field
on the other side of which we again formed
and the enemy did not deem it prudent to
follow. Our regiment was now so much scat
tered that | found it impossible to get togeth-
er more than small squad, and with these
few joined Col. Wilder's brigade with which
stayed the rest of the day We advanced
once more over the field, but after some sharp
fighting were compelled to fall back. lit
tie before shutdown | heard that Col. Heg was
wounded, but l had then no idea that the
wound was mortal. About the same time
received notice that our division was collect
ing together about half mile in the rear.
when proceeded thither with my squad and
once more got what little there was left of
the regiment together After the regiment
got scattered each man had to join some other
command and | could find no one who had
shirked, although there were good opportuni-
ties for so doing All stayed in the front I'M
til ordered to the rear. Mai. Wilson was
wounded after we had reiterated across the
field, and went to the hospital Capt Gas
man, commanding Co. D. was wounded dur
ing the afternoon but succeeded in getting
to the rear. Capt. Hauff, a. a. Gen on Col.
Hegs staff, was missing and has not been
heard from since to my knowledge, except a
rumor that a Sergeant of the Sth Kansas had
seen a dead officer whom he thought was
Capt Hauff.
After dark, I,started for the hospital, three
miles off, to see how our wounded were get
ting along. l was glad to find SO many of
them there. In fact, all who had not been
so severely wounded that they could not walk
had GOT AWAY I there found out that Col |