Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-04-27
OUR SOLDIER BOYS.
History Ct The 154th Senior Pe~imeut
aud OF the 18th Tennessee-A
Glorious Record OF
Services Rendered During the War Be-
tween the States from 1861 TO the
Surrender in 1865.

Services Rendered During the War Be-
tween the States from 1861 TO the
Surrender in 1865.
The following histories will be read with
interest by many, especially by those OF the
readers Of the APPEAL who With 1t followed
the fortunes of war Tor the years during which
the Conf deracy lived az the government OF
their choice.
History OF the Thsrtse1th Tennessee
seximeDf OF Volunteers, by j. ID. west
ANA y. ID. wsakIey, Jr.
The Thirteenth Tennessee Regiment waF
organized and mustered into service on the third
day Of June 1861, ct jackson, Tenn, il answer TO
call of Gov. Isham G. Harris for 1900 yoluH-
teers, and was composed OIL
Company.A, iFsyette hihe GraTs, Capt. william
Benton, OF SomerVille. Tenn.
Company B, Macon Grays, Capt. J. L. Cranberry
C5mpanyC, Secession Guards, organized at Ger
m .ntown. Tenn, Capt. J. II. Morgan oil Horn
Company D, Yorkyille Rifles, Capt. J. A. wilkins,
Company Z, Dixie Rifles, composed in part Of
Mis,issippl&ns and in part OF Tennessesns, organ;
izsd at Moscow, Tenn, Capt. A. J. Vaughan, OF
Company F, Wright Boys, Capt. John V. Wright,
C mpsny q, Gains Inyincibles, Capt. W. z.
Winfield, Lagrange. Tenn
Company H, Yancey Rifles, Capt X. W. Pitman,
Company /, Forked Deer Volunteers, Capt. G, L.
r IS, ForEed Deer, Tenn.
Company X, Dyer Grays, Capt. s. Z. Latta, OF
Dye sburg, Tenn.
Upon the day succeeding the organization the
election of field officers resulted in the choice Of
CAPT John V. Wright. Company F, for colonel
Capt: A. ). Vaughn, Company Il, for lieutenant
Gait W. e Winfield. Company G, for major.
Orders were forthwith received for the regiment
then known as the aRiver Brigade" commanded
by Brig Gen. john L. I. sneed, pursuant 70 which
orders Col. VIZ ght Immediately proceeded TO Ran
0olph vj1 Memphis, where the organization was
completed by the appointment Of
Lieut.. W. L. Morgan. Company c. adjutsnt.
Ur. J. A. Forbes, Company E, surgeon.
DR.. B. +. Dickinson, Company 1, assistant sur
". f. Dyer, Company G, assistant commisssry-
L +. Cabler, Compsny A, quartermsster.
z H. Cole Company Ii, seTgesnt-maj3r.
The attention Of the officers was now directed
to disciplining and drilling the newly-leyied
troops. The rapid progress made by these en-
cAmpment at Randolph was truly gratifying "a
al, Rejecting great credit as it did nOt only upon
tae men but also upon tue enc gy intelligence and
| apacity of those command. Shortly aferward
IL Uecoming evident that Gen. Lyon, OF the Fed
cral army, Intended to mass heavy force in FROM
Of Gen Mccullough, VINO was then In Southwest
srn Missouri. IL became necessary TO send troops
i alto Missouri to prevent the desired reinforce
uents from ,saehins him; Aseo.dinsly. on the ,'
New Msdr,d which was promptly d1bs ;cb s boE
| previously been portion Of the state troops, wa
entered into service Of the confsd erate stsies
l and together with the ohe Hundred and Fifty
| fourth Tennessee Regiment, Col Preston Smith
| vas formed iato a brigade, and placed under com
l mand OF Col. ]. p. NeCown, who, pGrsu
| ant TO orders, moved his brigade, on tht
SIh of August for Benton, where re arrived OF
he 18th, AID VS. Joined on the 29th by rhe FouGil
| march beneath the burning rays of nlidsumIne
1 -ln, and over roads which rendered IL painfully
| 1lished. not only thwaTting The eneny's de
.ign, but removing the douot as to the capscit'
/ and willingness OF the troops 10 undergo th'
everest hardships, and bringing TO light that ed
| dress and gallantry of their officers which pro
| luced wholesome confidence o. the part OF Tho
l men that never foIsouk them. While at BeutoI
l he supply train was interrupted by unforeseen
Il circumstances, and be men III consequence wee
eduoed to the necessity of subsistiug Upou roast
/ ing ears and fresh meas without SAL 1Ee ODject
Il II the move being soon sccomp ished the com
| mand returned to New Madrid, at which place
It arrived Septem Der I'd. and on the following d.
| proceeded to Hickman, Ky, where the regiment
| was placed in the brigade of Gen. Cheatham
/ on September 4th the regiment witnessed the
l cry duel between the Federal gunbOats and the
/ COnfederate land batteries, aud though the mel
| sented, as thu gunboats soon retired without IN
dieting or receiving any injury Al this juncturt
/ len Pok. seeing the Hecessity of Investing Co
umbus XIV with force prior tn its occu GA ion
by the enemy, o. deed Gen. Che thRm's brigade t.
/ proceed by raj road TO that point, where 1t at
rWed on the 9th of 5eptem er, being the fl st com
| nand TO occupy that important point Aftel
reaching Co unbus, nothing worthy of special NJ
!eptem Der 10th, when l. was caro.G a big
I sda. e imposed of the Tenth Tennessee, Col. Ru
| seIl ana the Twenty-irSt Tennessee Col. Pickett
| known as the Third Brigade. and commanded b!
Col. Russell, OF the Twelfth Tennessee. Its connec
| zion with the Third Brigade continued tai Octohe
18th. hen it aced in the First Brigade, frs
| Division which were commads respectively b,
| Col j. Knox wa ker and Brig.-Gen, Gideon j. Phi
l faXvd aVg snbGRunant n This "a ma oy.
| the regiment went into the first engagement. Or
| me morning of the 9TH OF November, it being dis
| had disc m barked from his gunboats and move(
| dawn To point near Belmont, on the HissouI
/ score, preparations were Immediately made L
| meet him. Col. Wright, in obedience to orders
formed his regiment rapidly crossed the river anC
goE posiSn ON 'nS Ne1er we're troo1s
l fo- the fray. The enemy, posted in q dense wood
| that concealed them from view soon opened
| calling fire upon tue regiment stationed in al
1 open field and entirely without cover. The fire o
| the euemy was Immediately returned with spirit
| and the position, which was an important one
| firmly held by these gallant men, fighting unde
gr, at difficulty, for tue space OF an hour and one
malt when II Sss St 'nAt tne
| Pillow of This fact through Lieut.. Col. Vaughan
and received orders to fail bafk to the river, which
l lid not follow up their advantage, {" d the regi
l ment having rallied, soon afterward Joined in
| charge, which resulted in killing aud captur
| log numbers of the now vanquished foe and driV
| ing the remainder from the field While the mel
acted molly in this fight, too much cannot be salt
| of the officers. COL Wright having been disable
IN the early part of the engagement by the fall o
| his horse, which was killed, the command of tn
l regiment devolved upon Lieut. Col A J. Vaughan
| who was ever in the thickeSt part of the fight
| cheering and encouraging his men. Lieut.. Col
| Vaughan had two horses killed under HIM, blu
| fortunately escaped without injury While
will be inpossb III the space allotted to this his
tory to refer to all those acts of courage and devo
| ton performed by both the officers and men 0
| the regiment during the war, toe writer canno
| iorbear to mention the name OF Lieut.. Halt Rhea
1 shar
| on the left, was overpowered, and this brave man
| though sur ounded and cut off from his company
| preferred death rather than surrender his grand
fat5ef's sword. AdJt. Morgan was also slishtl
wednded, and the regiment lost in killed anC
| wounded 149 men out OF 400: Col Wright, at tn
| earnest solicitation of his friends resolving I,
| change the field" for the forum ;" on the 18th O
December rendered his reig nat on, which was &C
cepted and Lieut.. Col. A. J. Vaughan was chosel
colonel by q unani GUS vote OF the regiment Adjt
I and lent IL NJ HarweII OF company e. was an
| painted adjutant. Tee winter. which now set IN
| prevented further military operations OF import
| ance and nothing worthy of note was done unit
| necessity 10 eSacuate Columbus aud estab
| ish the Confederate lines further. south
ers e attendant upon such q move, thi
Thirteenth 4 giment was ordered to Union City
Tenn, where it arrived the following day. l
here m de short stay and proceeded. on the 12tt
| of March by iailToad to Humboldt, Tenn. Here
| the Thirteenth Regiment was thrown into brig
| ade with the Twelfth Tennessee Col Russell, aud
/ Twenty-seeond Tenuess e. Col. Freeman, snd
| desiZnated as The First Brigade First Grand Di
| vision of the Army of Mississippi, commanded by
| Col Russell. Of the Twelfth Tenness e. FoII
| days later the brigade was ordered 10 Corinth
Miss. by rail. which point it reached on the lsth
/ of March. and with It's former division was toon
| afterward placed ia the PiR-t Corps of the Army
| OF Mississippi II now being the policy of Gen
| Albert 81 dney Johnston to attack the enemy neal
Pittsburg L, nGing, on the Tennessee river, where
he had oisembaTked in force from his gunboats
| vile. a general movement was ordered
| Accordingly, on the Sd Of April, the First
| Brigade of the First Division of the
| First Corps of the Arny of Mississippi began its
! march TO the point of conflict Owing. however,
to the heavy rains and the imperfect nature of the
roads, they were not formed In battle line prepare
| tori to the attack I'LL the evening OF April b.
although the distance marched did not e1eee1
eighteen miles. The regiment lay in line OF bat lie
ali night preparatory TO attack in the morning
Just the sun was rising IN the east on that
| memorable Sabbath morning, the first cannon was
heal and 1t was evi sent to all that the battl-
had begun. The Thirteenth Regiment marched
| he edge an old field was ordered TO lie down
The Eleventh Louisiana Req foent having been
| repulsed W tn great loss of officers aud men in
charging battery in their front. Gen. Clark, who
| vas commanding the division. asked col Vaug chan
If he could take the battery of four guns. Col
ordered his iegimes t, the Thirteenth, 10 charge
| in Couble-quick time. The regiment charged
| across the field about 500 yards, and By mistake
| of Mai. Winfield, which, however proved for
| tuuate one, The regiment divided, part going 10
the left the other companies TO the tight In Thu
/ was soon take. This charge was made in the facs
j OF perfect shower of grape and canister, which
| literally moved the ranks of the regiment. The
enemy was soOn begten back At all points. and