The National tribune., 1900-08-23

appearance, and they were rs badly used
up by the balance of the brigade as IN
front of the 123d Ill.
When Col Hall saw that Morgan had
us about surrounded he had sent courier
to Murfreesboro, about IA miles distant
for rciuforcements, and about IL CLOCK
| that night division of cavalry arrived,
and were much surprised to lind us hold
| ing forth and Morgan gone, we knew not
where. His dead left on the field amount
ed to at least So, for / know that many
were buried by citizens next day. On the
morning of the 21st l, with several others,
went to Milton, about a mile from where
we camped, and in the school-house where
the rebel hospital WAS there were ~
wounded. The Surgeon of the Soth Ill.
was in attendance. 1t was stated by some
that Morgan had so killed and IS wound
| ed. We never knew what his real loss
was. He left his wounded and dead until
| dark, when we could hear them taking
them off the field. We took about % prls-
oners, and they said they were positive
| that they lost at least 80 killed and wound
ed Our battery had dismounted three OF
| their best pieces and wounded the Cap
tain, besides taking two pieces of artillery
that we captured and took to camp with
US. One of the prisoners that our cavalry
| captured the morning after the battle SAID
| that after they had fallen back Morgan
|
when our men threw a shell at the group.
| 1t burst in the midst of them, knocked
Morgan from his horse, killed a staff otli-
cer and wounded three others. l remem-
ber when the shell was thrown. Monroe
looked through his glass, and seeing them,
told Lieut.. StackhouSe TO throw a she'll
at the group over on that hill.
| Our casualties were light: Capt Van
Buskirk, Co. Ii. 123d ILL.,, was killed;
Lieut.. J. II. Hardin. Co. Il, wounded. DIR.
Allen, the Regmental Surgeon, had sew
eral holes shot through his blouse while
waiting on the wounded
We returned to camp March p, 1863,
and stayed there until May q, when we
were organized into Il new brigade under
| Col j. II. Wilder. The brigade was COM
posed of the 123d ILL.,, 9Sth ILL.,, I'D and
18th Ind, with one 12-pound mounted
howitzer to each regiment, and two pieces
of the 18th Ind. Battery. We were mount
ed and armed with Seven-shOoting Spencer
rifles and assigned as Wilder'S Brigade to
REYNOLDS Division of the Fourteenth
Corps. We were given scouting and patrol
duty around within % miles of Murfrees-
boro. We took in all the horses and mules
we could find, and by the time the Spring
rough-riding brigade, one of the best
armed and mounted in the Cumberland
army.
On June "a Rosecrans's army started
on its campaign, Wilders Brigade taking
place in advance of the army, the I'D
Ind. and the 123d Ill. the two advance
regiments. We struck tents by O'Clock
in the morning in a terrible rain, and by
daylight were on the road. We encoun-
tered some of the enemy by o'clock and
drove them, and the farther we went the
faster we went and the larger the rebel
forces got, until We arrived at Hoovers
Gap.
This is by natural formation splenddly
fortified. Our two advance regiments
rushed so suddenly into the gap that we
gave the rebels no time to form to ad-
vantage and before the howitzers got po-
sition and began pouring grape and cams
ter into them, while the others dIsmount-
ed opened an inceSsant fire. The rebels
} were now strongly reinforced by Bragg S
army, to which they belonged, and several
charges were made by them and repulsed.
We held them, however, until Wilder came
up with the other two regiments and the
rest of the guns. We found we had to
contend against 10 times our number until
the infantry should come.
About 3 o'clock in the evening the IN.
fantry began to arrive, toiling in the mud
and under a drenchinS rain. The artl-
+. lery was still several miles in the rear,
: with horses almost dead and soldiers pull
/ ing at ropes to the guns. About 6 o'clock
part of the artillery came up, four pieces
) of the 10Th Ind. Battery, commanded by
) Capt Lilley. The guns soon got in posi-
t ton to our right. The enemy was about
to give US flank attack, but Capt. Lilley
opened upon them, while two brisades had
: got in position on our right and made a
. charge, and with the assistance of Lilley's
four guns gave them a warm reception
and the enemy made hasty retreat.
Night came on and darkness stopped
our fighting. During the night the rebels
e pulled up and left. We fell back to have
r rest, but little rest we found, for il
rained all night and there was no place
to lay our weary heads but in the mud
r We had no tents and few blankets. We
t stood around all night, like flock OF
1 geese, with our heads up, without either
! dinner or supper. Our loss in this days
enga cement / did not learn.-JERoME b
t QUINN, Co. Z, 123d Ill. (Mounted lnfan
try, Casey, Ill.