CHAPTER
LXVIII
The balls from the enemies rifles began to strike
amongst us. The Command was given “147th,
Forward, double quick.” With a cheer the
gallant old regiment charged the open field, and upon arriving at a rail-fence,
the boys jumped over it, and then the fatal advance up the ridge was commenced.
The enemy were moving down on the top of the ridge,
threatening our left flank. Their
movements could plainly be seen by us.
At this critical moment, a ball struck our gallant Captain, and he was
carried from the field mortally wounded.
The command was given, by the left flank, “forward.” As the regiment flanked, Lt. B. T. Parks, who
upon the wounding of the Captain had taken charge of the Company, was struck in
the back of the neck with a bullet, and was knocked insensible. Ed. Fisher and W. E. Fausnacht took charge of
him, and he was taken to the rear. The
command of the Company now devolved upon Orderly Sergeant F. H. Stuck, who
moved to his position on the left of the Company. By this time we had reached a friendly bridge
of Rocks, behind which we were protected from the “Minnies” of the enemy, and
had a plain view of the fighting which was being carried on to our right by the
balance of the Division.
The enemy continued to move down on our left, and as
our right was being gradually driven back, we were ordered to fall back. This was a critical command and one which
tries the nerves of men, viz: to fall back in good order in the face of an
enemy.
The command was given “147th about face,”
“forward, center dress.” No sooner had
we left our place of concealment, than the enemy opened on us, with redoubled
fury. The balls struck around us in
every direction, and we believe that we never saw them strike with as much
force before, as they did now, holes were torn into the earth large enough to
admit of the muzzle of our rifles.
After retreating, half-way down the ridge, we were
ordered to halt, this we did, and naturally facing the enemy, when several of
our men were struck, among them Corporal Brown, and Isaac J. Napp of our
Company, when we were ordered again to “About-face” and move down the ridge,
this we did in good order, a number of boys fell down, among them we remember
Jeremiah Moyer, who when he fell, one of the boys says: ”there goes poor Jerry,
thinking of course he was shot, Jerry jumped up and replied, “I guess not.”
This time we moved back to the fence, which we
crossed, and upon being halted we formed a new line, and awaited further developments. Here one of Company G Boys, returned Lt.
Parks sword, having picked it up, as the Lieutenant dropped it upon being struck. Quite a number of wounded men were moved back
past us, while we were laying at the fence.
At about 11 o’clock , we
were cheered by the arrival of several pieces of Knap’s Battery ,
which were at once placed in position, and in a few seconds they commenced to
throw shells into the Rebel ranks, scattering them in confusion. Our line advanced, and the ridge was carried.
The loss to our Brigade and Division was a fearful
one. Our little Brigade had taken seven
hundred into the fight of which number over four hundred were either killed or
wounded. The seventh Ohio
lost their Colonel, the brave Creighton, and their brave and gallant Lt.
Colonel Crane, whilst every line officer, except one captain in their regiment,
was either killed or wounded. Whilst the
loss in Greene’s and Kaine’s Brigades was almost as heavy. After the ridge was carried and the rebels
had made good their retreat, leaving several regiments of Ousterhaus’ Division,
on it, to hold it, we were moved to town, when the regiment went into Camp.
When General Geary learned of the fearful loss his
gallant White Star Division had sustained he shed tears like a child, and well
he might, for the sacrifices made of hundreds of noble men, was altogether
un-called for, as the rebels would in a few hours at most have evacuated the
position, but owing to the shraness of General Ousterhaus, it became a matter
of necessity to take our Division into the fight to save the former from being
annihilated.
Soon after the battle a detail was made to assist in
removing the wounded from the field back to Chattanooga
hospitals. D. W. Gross and the writer
were detailed from our company to assist in the painful duty. We at once proceeded to the hospital and
selected a sufficient number of stretchers and returned to the field,
accompanied by a number of ambulances.
The sight which greeted us on the battle-field was a
sad one indeed A large number of our
comrades lay stretched out in the cold embrace of death, with eyes staring
heavenward, and their hands convulsively clutching their clothing, or anything
they could hold to. A large number of
seriously wounded were also laying around promiscuously. The saddest case we noticed was Corporal
Brown, who had been struck in the head by a Minnie ball, which entered the
forehead and made its egress on the top of the head having passed through his
brain, and at each breath, as he drew it, the brain came out of both
places. He was unconscious, but lived
for several days.
We loaded the wounded, such as could be removed, into
cars, and then by means of ropes pulled them with their loaded freight of
suffering humanity towards Chattanooga.
After we had proceeded about eight miles on our journey and just as
night came on we came up to where the railroad crossed the Chicamagua River
here we made the discovery that the rebels had burned the bridge down, and we
were compelled to unload the unfortunate men, and place them for the night, in
homes along the road. During the night
eleven of the wounded died, and we buried them in one grave, side-by-side, in a
quiet spot, near where they had died.
Word was sent back to Division headquarters and
ambulances were sent to us and the wounded were loaded on them, and in due time
they reached Chattanooga , where they received
all the care and attention that was possible to bestow upon them.
During this time, the Company was doing picket duty
near, or beyond the battlefield, on the following day after the battle or about
10 o’clock , a. m., our gallant Captain died from
the effect of the wound received whilst gallantly leading the Company in the
charge upon the enemy’s position.
In his death our company sustained a severe loss,
always kind and courteous, he had won the respect and esteem of his men, as
well as the confidence of his fellow officers, and had he not been called from
his command he would have been speedily promoted. It was always his aim to have his men well
taken care of, never hesitating to obey the call of duty, and when the dread
message came for him he was found at his post of duty, with his sword drawn,
and ready to strike a blow in defense of his native land. At the time of his death, he was surrounded
by kind and sympathizing comrades, whose warm tears fell upon his manly form,
and when it was announced that the vital spark had fled, but few dry eyes were
to be seen in Company G.
On the morning of the 30th of November
having accomplished all that was intended should be, the command was moved back
to the old camp in Wauhatchie
Valley
The following lines, fully expressed the sentiments of
our gallant Captain’s latter ended and in compliance with the request, he was
embalmed and his remains sent home and was interred, in the New Lutheran
cemetery in plain view of his once happy home, and where his remains repose
beneath a splendid monument erected by a sisters generosity.
“The Hills round Chattanooga
Were sinking into night,
The failing camp-fires glimmered
With a weird, fitful light.
Within the crowded hospital,
Our wounded Captain lay
He spoke in painful whispers,
His thoughts were far away!
I am dying comrades dying
The sweat is on my brow.
My limbs are cold and pulseless,
Come listen to me now.
Come nearer Comrades, nearer
My voice is very weak
Don’t loose a single sentence,
Or word of what I speak.
Far off in Pennsylvania
Loved ones each ever bow,
To pray for my protection
They art thinking of me now.
To one of that loving number,
A loving faithful one,
To her send the sad message
To tell her I am gone.
Tell her I fondly cherished
The hope to meet again,
But God, the loving father,
Did other wise ordain.
That of’t in dreams I wandered
To where we used to roam,
Amidst the fragrant flowers,
With the loving ones at home.
Tell her I died most calmly,
A noble Soldiers death,
With thoughts of home and Country
Upon my latest breath.
That I had kindly comrades,
To watch my dying breath,
That oft I felt in fancy
Her soft hands upon my head.
Near by our lovely cottage
That she may often weep,
Her warm tears on my bosom,
Tell her I wish to sleep.
There is a spot most charming
Where oft at close of day,
We passed the happy moments,
There too my children play.
‘Tis here she’ll want to lay me,
‘Tis here I’ll want to lie.
That when my children come here
They’ll feel that I am by.
When winter’s frosts are ended
And the trees with foliage wave
My loved ones then will gather
Each eve around my grave.
Upon each balmy Zepher,
I’ll come and kiss each brow.
Oh! how I’ll guard and love them
The fancy cheers me now.
Our noble Captain ended,
A payer up-heaved his breast
He lisped a name so softly
Then passed away to rest.”
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