Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1868-08-19

'oiu anu hoply conceived but disastrous q
e tack IN December, Col Hartranft once mo,
/ led his regiment into battle A'O'
% mat there was no child's plav wbero
{ Iought at Fredericksburg, will be testified !
. the Survivors otthat terrible fight Har,
Fahit regiment alone lost twelve killed an
{ seVenty-1ve wounded. Among the formo
captain Bell, of Company B, from Eastor
Pennsylvania, ''''D
lhe regiment left Newport News o, ~,
} 10Th of March, and were convayod b.,
ports TO Baltimore Thence the railroad ,r
'efles OF our gigantic system carried than
u CINCINNATI where they crossed the Obic
apu entered on brief campaign in central
hentueky. In April General Ferraro ,rae
relieved of his command of tb. -.
ana the commander of the division bei,c
absent Colonel Hartranft succeeded to rho
chafge until June, when Ferrero returned
Early IN June the Corps once more SET
out to travel on its muscle u
Inc Corps left Kentucky by railroad to
cairo' and thence passed down the Miss;s.
sippi on steamers to Sherman's Landino
opposite Flcksburg. where they landed on
the l4th OF June. In dav or two ,bo,,
went mp the Yazoo river to Hains's Rlng
anu 'hehce across the cou ntry, operating
principally IN the rear of Vicksburp to cover
"faht selge. The campaign was brief hu,
very severe. The marches were fripbtf,I
Amid these seventies Colonel Hartr.nf,
was Frustrated by sun stroke, AS were nm,
OF the men. But he remained on duty
having Tor about week command of tho |
brigade On the Fourth Of July, after the /
glorious eonsummation o: Grants o,ara
TONS, the surrender of Pemberlon an hi
garrison, the movement AGAINST IJobr..
at 'achson commenced al on the 10th
ShirhlShlng began between the forces H,rr
rant had been riding in an ambulance m
the march, but when the first shots of rho
action were fired, he mounted and tool
command as usual, though really unfit to ba
anywhere but in the hospital. His ma, 70
marked as he exposed himself to the shot
,nd shell that We're flying, that he seemed
determined to lose ''the little life that woe
n him. - '''0 'ha' was
d JacSson was ranfnrnd "f.~----. -
faS at an end (
On the 9th of August the Corps left
icksburg for Cairo and came by railroad q
rom that city to Cincinnati. At that city =
'olonel Hartranft, still very much prostra- 9
ed by his attack in Mississippi, receiveda 1
lex leave aud returned to his home at Nor
istown to recover his shattered energies. {
Having partially recovered, he left again for t
lac field of action in October, and on the
9th of November found his regiment at
Ienoir, in Tennessee, where they were just
bout being attacked by Longstreet. I
The arrival of their beloved Colonel at :
.enoir was hailed with delight by his men, /
or they desired his cool head and undaunt- ,
d heart to lead them in battle. He at once c
n the absence of senior officers, took com r
aand of the DIVISION and led it during the 7
ihnie of the battles constituting the defense
f Knoxville.
Burnside knew the staunch qualities of 8
eeping Longstreec at bay. The skirmish
t Lenoir commenced the campaign. Hart ,
anft was ordered to move forward to Camp
ell station, and hold the roads which cross
here. He marched promptly in the night ;
nth his division and some artillery and cav
Try, and occupied the important strategic
,oint Other troops were hurried up to his
upport, and at nine o clock in the morning
he action commenced continuing for two
iours, at the end of which time the discom- ,
tied rebels retired with terrible loss. Hart
anft, during the engagement, had four ,
gainst terrible odds, for the Union army -,
numbered only six thousand men, while
Iongstreet led at least three times that num-
,er. Hartranft's own Division contained
My tu eve hundred men.
Burnsides only effort was to hold out.
nd save Knoxville, till reinforcements
ould reach him.
At length however, about the 7th of De
ember, Longstreet gave up the siege and
withdrew. Entirely baffied by Burnside,
md fearful of being cut of by Sherman, who =!
vas marching from Chattanooga he retreat
d in haste, abandoning the coveted prize OF
Knoxville, aud the control of its great line
# railroad.
The country never needed men worse than
Id she in the great cam pagns of 1864 and
n the the winter previous the Government,
With admirable judgement and fvrethought,
,egan to make preparations for the contin-
,ency by offering inducements, to the three
ears regiments, whose time would expire
n the summer and fall, to re enlist for anoth-
IT term.
Many regiments did so, and among them
Jol. IIartranft's Fitty-frst p. v, which,
ince the siege of Knoxville, had been sta
ioned in the vicinity, principally at Bain's
ross roads Here, on the 4th of Jan, they
we're mustered and all bus few men agreed
o e-enlist. The veterans" received their |
Usual furlough and the regiment was order
ID home to recruit.
The furlough having expired, Colonel
1artranft s regiment rendezvoused at Har- I
isburg, on the 10th of March, and remain
ID at Camp Curtin, under charge of Lieu /
enant Colonel Schall, till the 10Th, when
hey were sent forward to Annapolis. Here