The National tribune., 1890-07-10
WALKERS FORD,
That Fight as Witnessed by an Indiana Com

EDITOR NATIONAL IRIBUNBs in your ISSUE
of Dec. %, 1886 "a long time ago) Till Dagger
told what he knew of the fight at Walkers
Ford, East Tenn. Then M. Buchanan, Cap
tain, Co. ID, 11Sth Ind tells what he knows Of
the same fight.
About what issue they were contending at
present cannot remember; however, the Cap
tain and / cannot see just alike. Our Colonel
(JaCkson) was in command of the brigade and
Lieutenant Colonel elliott tho regiment
On the morning of Dec. 9, 1863, we left Taze-
well with so rounds of ammunition, going
south on the Knoxville road. After marching
10 miles We halted ut a creek and quonChed
our thirst. ] heard no firing Mt this time and
as 1T was Il custom with me to advance little
ahead of the regiment to see if ] could get n
square meal, travelled for possibly half milo
before seeing n house, My search being re-
warded ! stepped boldly forward and entered
the kitchen. Spying around, | was OverjOyed
to discover dozen fine biscuits lying on the
table. Possibly might have borrowed those
biscuits then and there, Trad not an old lady
appeared on tho scene. / salpted her with a
bow and asked her what she would take for
those nice biscuits. She said it was all she had
10 eat. | told her was exceedingly hungry
and had had nothing TO eat for n long time.
She finally took pity on mo, and said i could
have them placed them i'm my empty haver-
sack aud it sVcllod ont like stuffed toad.
Bidding the lady good-by, started away
eating and feeling happy. had not gone far
before met some cavalry coming toward me
az full galop. Ridingup the leader exclaimed ::
Young man, you had better 90 back; they are
Sighting like blazes at the ford" / made the
remark TO let them fight Going on / was
stopped by another squad, who asked me how
far back the command was. / replied that /
did not know, when on looking around | dis
covered my regiment coming on at double
quick. still heard no firing aud ventured
20,
no farther, as they were fighting in front, but
10 await the regiment. Disregarding him |
venturcd on until camo TO hollow, when for
the first time i heard the rattle of musketry.
Deeming it imprudent TO advance farther, /
concluded TO await my regiment Col Jackson,
upon seeing me- exclaimed: "Shorty, what arc
you doing here2" | told him | was having n
good meal on biscuits.
fell in with my company, and we marched
about one mile to the crossing Of Cinch River
(called Walkers Ford. Here we unsung our
knapsacks aud haversacks and the Captain
detailed several men to guard them. kept
my hayersack, and l think had seven fat bis
cults left.
After resting short time we were ordered
20 ford the stream, which was very cold Capt
Buchanan asserts there was floating ice, but
did not see any. Possibly was so badly scared
/ overlooked it, As ] was very small T-year-
old lad, the water came mp to my neck, and the
Captain was obliged to hold mo up. Success
crowned our efforts and we finally all landed
safely. We marched south about half mile
and were informed that the cavalry was en-
gagged with superior number of the enemy
(Longstreets COmmand), and was falling back
toward the ford, and that they were nearly out
of ammunition. II was then necessary TO hold
the enemy in check until the artillery was
placed in position to keep them from crossing
the river. The 18th and 10th Ind. marched
about half n mile up the canyon. 1t was then
nearly - o'clock, noon.
Our regiment tthc I1sth) was divided, the
right wing going halfway up the hill. Our
right company "a was thrown ont ms Skin
mishers The left wing went up the hill on
our left, with Cos. X aud ii as skirmishers
Capt. Buchanan said Cos Il aud II acted rs
sklrmishers. The cavalry kept falling back,
aud our skirmishers had IL pretty lively for
about four hours. About the time that Co. X,
which was on the extreme left, was ready to
be deployed out, Erastus Crow, Of Co. X, was
shot through the thigh with n spent ball. The
bali struck me aud knocked mo backward.
Crow was taken TO the rear and we woro placed
out rs skiTmislers, with orders not 10 fire gun
on the left. Lieut.. Ira Stecubargcr and my
self lay down behind small log, aud were
there about an hour. While in that posi-
tion the enemy kept up q continual dovil's
tattoo with their bullets, knocking the bark
thinking 10 have some fun, placed our hats on
the log but they were instantly knocked back
with a hole in each.
Growing more bold took peep. and was
surprised TO find the Johnnics only about GO
yards of. As the rebs had been doing MI tho
shooting, and growing more and more impa
tient, determined 10 send shot ut them.
had no sooner fred than Capt. Lett (of the
skirmishline) appeared and angrily ex-
claimed Who fired that shotP The Lieu
tenant having given me permission, natur-
ally expected him to help rue ont, but he did
not Capt Lett then called me to him. " SEQ
here. young man. he said, will punish you
for disobedience TO your officers"
While we were passing down the hill he asked
me what made me fire that shot. ! answered
him by presenting my hat and calling his at
tention 10 the two big holes in it. lie then
cautioned me TO be moro careful in the future,
aud finally ordered me back to my place, add
ing that he would find use for me after a while.
During this time the rebels occupied ridge
about quarter Of a mile of, thereby exposing
us 10 two fires. They were using their artillery
pretty lively, the shells flying thick and fast
aud missing US by only few feet. Go. G, in
the center, being in full view of the enemy,
was the Grst to fall back, followed shortly by
the cavalry, which left ns warmly engaged A
new danger now presented itself, for on looking
up the hill we saw rebel line bearing down on
our rlght Hank, AFTER nasty 90 rs. you please
retreat for a few hundred yards, we formed in
line Of battle i'm rear of the 10th III. The
confusion was so great that we were unable TO
hear the commands Of the officers. We re-
manned in line for few minutes only and
then beat "a hasty retreat back across the river.
Again we crossed the river, but this time on
an old 1atboat. When nearing the other side
IL became stranded on the sand, and we could
not get 1t of. The Captain ordered us to get
| out, but We refused TO obey unless he would
| follow Our brave Captain stepped Off and the
boat was safely landed. OF course the Captain
was both mad and wet.
We advanced up the road for about half n
mile, and were assigned cur post. The enemy
! had disappeared at daybreak, and had, / think,
! gone in the direction OF Knoxville, Tenn. Our
I regiment camped just north Of tho ford and in
! front Of a battery where they lay In their wet
clothes, exposed 10 the cold and cutting wind
| without fire or shelter until about o'clock
a. 10, when they went behind hill, built fires,
and warmed up. AS daylight approached we
were formed into line Of battle, ready TO renew
the fight, but the enemy had departed for parts
unknown.
Our regiment Gl8th), must say, came out
Of this action very fortunate, there being only
! five killed and 10 wounded. The total loss on
our side was ~ killed and 20 wounded. The
rebels reported their loss two days lator as rs
| killed; wounded unknown.
the satidost scene that / witnessed and en-
| gagged In was the burial Of three brothers who
j think, belonged to some regiment Of Ohio
cavalry. They were killed after being taken
prisoners, aud were sad-iooking sight The
| litfie uuUnra on thair faft haudu xuara nUf "a.