The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1901-10-24
SERVICES OF THE 18th IND.
Story of Fighting Regiment of the West.
ern Army,

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: The 74th
Ill. was organized at Rockford, Winnie
bago Co., ILL.,, in the Fall of 1892
We started for the front about Sept.
% or 30, 1862. We Joined the army at
Louisville, KY, under Buell., and started
after Bragg Oct. l.; followed him up to
Perryvlle, where he made q stand; fought
the battle of Perryville Oct. 8, 1862;
marched to Nashville, Tenn; left Nash
vile for the battlefield of Stone River,
which was fought the last of December,
1862, and first of January, 1888; remained
at MurfreesbOro until the following
September. We participated in the battle
| of Chickamauga, which was partial de-
feat for the Union, although we held Chat
tanooga. The Confederates held Lookout
Mountain. on our right, which extended
from the Tennessee River south, and Mis-
siOnary Ridge, on our left, which also ex-
| tended from the Tennessee south. Our
supplies were cut off and we were re-
duced to three small hardtacks a day.
In November we were reinforced by the
Twentieth Corps, under Hooker, and Sher-
mans troops from the Mississippi. Fight
| ing joe threw his pontoons across the
Tennessee at the head of Lookout Noun
tain. Before daylight on the morning Of
Nov. % or -, Shermans troops per-
formed the same feat mt the head if Mis-
siOnary Ridge. The long roll sounded and
the Army of the Cumberland was hustled
behind the works. We could see Hooker
driving the enemy around the point of
Lookout Mountain, and could hear the vol
leyS of muSketry from Sherman'S troops
at the head Of Missionary Ridge.
In short time we were marched out
and took oar position for the charge on
Missionary Ridge. We remained i'll line
L.,
day, when the line was sufficiently
Strengthened up. The sun was about one
hour high. when two pieces of artillery
were fired from Fort Wood. We knew
our opportunity had come. The Colonel OF
each regiment gave the command: AT
tention-takc arms" Two more pieces
were fired. Command, forward-march."
We marched through a strip of t mher
in our front. When we reached the open
field beyond, two cannon were fired. and
we made the charge on Missionary Ridge,
with little Phil Sheridan, as we called him,
at the head of our division; took the works
at the foot of the Ridge, went over the
works and up and under the guns, and
got pretty near the top. We made a
grand rush, climbed over the works, and
the Ridge was ours.
The day after the charge, we marched
for Knoxville, Tenn, to the relief of Burn,
side, who was hemmcd in by Longstreet.
LongStreet tried to carry Burnside's posi-
ton the night before we got there, but
was rcpulsed. leaving his dead and wound
ed The 18th was left at Knoxville.
The following Winter the balance of the
army went into Winter quarters on the
Tennessee River. and in the Spring joined
our brigade and started on the Atlanta
campaign and fought the enemy at Buzz
card Ioost, Resaca and Dallas. We
charged Kenesaw Mountain; were in ac-
ton 20 minutes; could not make a success;
fell back inside of our own works. About
90 Of our regiment lay dead and wounded
between the lines. Among the missing
were six Captains and orr Colonel.
flank movement caused the rebels to
evacuate their position. They were forced
to the Chattahooche River.
After crossing the river the battle of
Peach Tree Creek was fought, July -,
1864, where we lost, the gallant Gen. Nc
Phcrson We felt we had met with
great loss. The gallant Logan and others,
at the head of their commands, with the
determination of winning, forced the
enemy to retire inside Of their own works
in Atlanta, and we, settled down to the
siege of Atlanta, where we remained
sometime. throwing shells into Atlanta to
make it interesting. The rebels were also
quite liberal in their donation of the same
to us.
| am ut a loss in regard to the date that
we received orders to be ready TO march
mt a moments notice, but j think it was
the latter part Of August or the first of
September. The order came, II o'clock
at night with instructions to move as
quietly as possible. We fell back to the
there about daylight the next morning.
Fighting Jocs' Corps, the Twentieth,
fell back across the river. The balance Of
the army went around to the right of At
anta. striking the railroad at Jonesboro,
30 miles south Of Atlanta. Our division
was deplOyed along the track and broke
il apart ut each end of the division, tip
ped it over, knocked the ties loose, made
piles Of ties the distance apart the length
of the rails, piled the rails on, building
fires under the center. When sufficiently
hot, man ut the end of each rail bent
il around Il tree.
This movement cut off Johnson's base
of supplies, causing him to come out OF
Atlanta and the battle of Jonesboro was
fought. Johnson was outgencraled and
whipped. The Confcderates took the back
track for Nashville. Gen. Sherman
divided his army and sent Gen. Thomas
with the Fourth Corps. ours, and part,
or the whole, of the Twenty-third Corps
after the enemy. Gen. Sherman went
through to Savannah with the balance of
the army.
Gen. Thomas found the enemy between
Columbia and Spring Hill, south Of Nash
Vile At Spring Hill we had the inside
track. Our brigade. commanded by Col
OpdycRe, of the 125th Ohio was rear
guard for the army between Spring Hill
and Franklin. We held the enemy in
check at Franklin until our men made a
temporary brcastwork. then were placed in
reserve. In short time we could hear
the old familiar rebel yell and the line
gave way.
In our immediate front two or three new
regiments, that had never been in action,
occupied the works. Col. Opdycke gave
the command. "AttentiOu; take arms
forward The men, obeying the COM
mand, met the enemy as they were coming
over the works Our hardest fight at
close quarters took place there. The
rebels not killed or disabled were forced
to retire. The day was saved. They made
several unsuccessful assaults that after
noon. They had the same men that had
been fighting them for nearly three years
to contend with.
After dark we marched all night for
Nashville, getting there the next morning.
The COnfederates came up to us. A good
many will remember how impatient the
authorities at Washington We're because
Thomas did not fight at Nashville. Gen.
Logan was sent to relieve Gen. Thomas;
Gen. Logan did not want to do it. He
was a long while getting to Nashville; be
fore he arrived Gen. Thomas fought the
last battle of Nashville, routing the enemy
Our cavalry came in good play, following
them to the Tennessee River. We went
to Huntsville, Ala, where we remained I'M
til the Spring of 1868, when we were or