Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-05-10
"reminiscences Of the Third Tennes
see Cavalry.
BY ADJUTANT WILL. A. M'TEER.
NO. x.
BACK TO TENNEssEE-BATTLE AT
STONE RIVER.

STONE RIVER.
Remaining at GallipOlis until the
1lth of November, there were some in
cidents to break into the usual monot'
ony OF camp life, one of which, IL
might be we'll TO relate. The weather
was now cold and frosty. Camps were
situated on the bank of the river, the
wafer of which was as cold as it could
be to not be frozen. AID. Wilson, who
has of late become somewhat noted in
another way, was u member of our
company, aud always a bold, ventur-
some fellow, counting danger and reck-
Iessly daring, even when there was no
use 10 it. On Que occasion he watched
his opportunity aud slipped the guard,
going down into the city. Having
been gone some time. he returned aud
aimed TO come into camps by slipping
between the sentinels, but in this he
was mistaken The guards caught
him aud would not let him pass.
Lieut.. L. B Gamble, of the Third
Tennessee Infantry was commanding
the guard, and being called for came
to the sentinel in charge of Wilson.
Wilson begged to be let cross. Gamble
told him his instructions were TO let
no man cross the beat. Wilson was
puzzled for time, at length q thought
struck him. Looking at the river, he
asked the Lieutenant how far the beat
extended in that direction. He was
informed that it was as far as the sem
ing at the brink Of the water. Upon
this Wilson walked into the water,
the guard held out his gun, while Will
son waded around the bayonet.
On the 11th of November, the wri-
ter was detailed and ordered to report
for duty to Col. J. A. Cooper, of the
Sixth Tennessee Infantry, aud there
placed on duty in posting up and ar
ranging the Adjutants books and pa
pers, and while thus on duty, that reg
iment was ordered to report, first, at
Cincinnati, then at Louisville, KY,
and then at Nashville, Tennessee, so
That incidents occurring in the Third |
Cavalry from the latter date until De-
Gem Der 25.h, can not be so faithfully
given. To this trip with the Sixth
allow me to refer for a moment: The
journey down the river IN nicely ar
ragged steamboats, was 8 striking
contrast from the march we had ended
only q short time before. Occasionally
men would go into excuses in the lux
uries with which they were then
surrounded. One day an Irishman
belonging to that regiment became
intoxicated. Lieut.. PaTnRm was officer
of the guard, and had the Irishman
arrested. This was not sufficient To |
quell him-he only grew wOIse-so |
Lieut. Parham tied him down aud |
gagged him. This latter was done by |
IIeIDg a bayOnet in his mouth, after |
the style of the bit in a horses mouth. |
The soldier kept quiet for time, the |
Lieutenant leaving him. After a few
moments, the Sergeant of the guard
was passing by, the Irishmau had
worked the bayonet out of his mouth,
aud calling to the Sergeant, said, ser
geanl! wish you would come and
tie this oayonet IN my mouth that
ID Parham ever dues anything
right"
The Third followed few days after
the Sixth Infantry left Gsllipoli-,
stopping, however, At CovingtOn, and
then at Louisville, Kentucky. AT
IL =
Used, aud the division IN ade at Cum
bsFiaDd Gap on the night of the evac-
uAtiUU, BET W eel Colonies PickeLfs and
Edwards, again occurred, this time
permauently. A company aud these
new comp mics remained with Colonel
PIckeGs, and Colonel JnhnsOn:s
Fourth Tennessee Infantry, now being
To- cavalry regiment and
given the name Of the FIRST Cavalry,
ours took the name of the Third,
while EDWARDS part was the Fourth
The regiment remained some time
AT CnvIDglon, and was then ordered 10
at which place they were
mounted. The Fifteenth Prnusylva-
MA Cavalry was also mounted about
this time. Many of our people re
memb,r the fifteenth. 1t was one of
tue finest regiments in the war,
but was raised in the city of
Philadelphia, and the men had
y { TO learn the art of horseback
ridiDg. The Tennessee boys could
Jump on their horses and 60 at gal
Top or run without trouble. Tue Penn
syIvanians occasionally attempted it,
and for a while in turning a corner of
the street or road, there would be q !
separation between man aud horse.
They were apt scholars, however, and |
soon became excellent horsemen and
iue soldiers.
The Third was supplied with Bel
gian muskets and ordered to NASH
vile, to guard a lot of stock for the {
army, arriving at Nashville on the |
night of December "a, 1862. The reg
iment remained at Nashville until the
a Of January, 1868 when part of 1t was
ordered out on the battle field of Stone
River, and participated in that battle,
being the second regiment to enter
MurfreesbOrO'. On the 5th the re-
of the regiment was ordered to 4
MurfreesbOrO', aud arrived just after I
that sanguinsry conflict had ended. !
Dead men and horses were piled in
heaps over the field, while here and I
there could be seen attachments of
men burying the dead. The air was
'oul with the stencil, notwithstanding Z
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