Chapter 75 (Another frog in the coffee....)

CHAPTER LXXV

On the following day at about half-past 8 o’clock, a. m., we broke camp and marching across the old Tennessee River, we faced southward, and moved in the direction of Shell-mound, passing a number of block houses, all of which were surrounded by heavy log stockades, made by felling trees, cutting them eighteen or twenty feet in length, squaring the trunks and digging a trench from eight to ten feet deep and then placing the timbers into the trench, side by side, thus forming a tolerable strong work, whilst from behind these enclosures the garrison were enabled to offer a stout resistance to a body of men four or five times as numerous as themselves.

We reached Shell-mound, about six miles from Bridgeport, at a little after 2 o’clock, p. m.  Here we made a halt for the day, and we soon made ourselves very comfortable, and passed a very pleasant time around the cheerful camp fires, listening to the patriotic airs, and discussing the probabilities which the approaching campaign had in store for us, knowing full well that many of the brave men who were now gathered around the camp fires, full of life and spirit, were starting out on their last campaign, and that in a few days at the farthest, we would be called upon to meet the foe, and there was no telling, how many of us would be swept from time into eternity, or at least be maimed for life, such were the facts which looked us in the face, and each individual could but hope that he might escape the fiery ordeal unscathed.

Wednesday morning, 4^th, we were routed up early and moved forward briskly, indicating that the campaign was about to begin in earnest.  In the afternoon we came in sight of old Lookout Mountain, and as we moved into Wauhatchie Valley, and came in sight of what had been our old camping ground our memory carried us back with painful precision to the never-to-be-forgotten events which were secreted in memory’s sacred tabernacle, the presence of which recalled those painful scenes connected with the fall campaign.

We moved over the old corduroy road at the base of the mountain and we soon found ourselves in the valley of Chatta­nooga, and a little before the sun hid his face behind the western horizon, we went into camp, having footed it 18 long weary miles.  This was a very hard march, considering the fact that we had laid in winter quarters for a long period without having had much exercise.

On the following day we broke our camp early in the morn­ing.  At about ten o’clock, a. m., we passed the famous Anderson troop.  This body of men had been organized as body guard for Don Carlos Buel, and when the General was relieved from his command by General Rosencrans, the commanding General assigned them to another command, whereupon they refused to serve.  The officers and men were placed under guard and sent back to Nashville.  A court-martial was convened and a large number of the leaders were imprisoned for some time.  They were afterwards sent to the front and as this was the first time that we had the opportunity to see these men, we gratified our curiosity by giving them a good inspection.  The members of the original troop were all wealthy men and had purchased a splendid out-fit at their own cost.

During the day we marched about 14 miles, halting a short distance beyond Ringgold, having left it a short distance to our left.  In the evening we were joined by Colonel Pardee and the remainder of the detail from our regiment, which had just returned from the expedition down the Tennessee River where they had successfully completed the job entrusted to their care, viz:  The tearing up and bringing back of the pontoon boats and bridging which had been in use during the past winter.

We were glad to see the Colonel and the men join us, and when they moved into the field they were received with three hearty cheers by their comrades of the old 147^th.  We think that all felt greatly relieved, since now we had our Colonel with us, and if we were compelled to go into a fight we knew that we could rely upon his coolness and bravery.

On Friday, May 6^th, we broke up camp at about 8 o’clock, a. m., and after moving about 5 miles in the direction of Chest­nut Flat, we came to a delightful spot, with shade and water in abundance, we were ordered to halt and rest for the day.  We took advantage of the situation to wash ourselves and to search our clothing for “gray-backs,” and which we found to be already largely on the increase.

On the following day we broke camp at about noon and took up our line of march across Taylor’s ridge, at, or at least near, Gordon’s Medicinal Spring via Chestnut Flats.

At about 3 o’clock, p. m., we came up with Gen. Kilpatrick’s Cavalry command: This had the appearance of a little “scrimmage.”  We found that the General had taken up his head-quarters in a house.  In the center of the yard he had planted his Division Flag, which had been the gift of the General’s wife, to her husband’s command.  She had since died, and the name “Alice,” surrounded by a heavy black boarder, floated graceful­ly from two small streamers below the spear head.  The flag contained several Latin inscriptions and the words “Kilpatrick’s Cavalry.”  We marched about 8 miles, going into camp about sun down.  This evening considerable care was taken with the formation of our line, which gave us to understand that the enemy were in close proximity to us.

We were placed on picket and during the night the rebels charged down the road to our left, where Company B was on duty.  One of the rebs was captured whilst the others made good their escape.  During the night an old blind horse came up towards our line and considerable excitement was created in the company by one of the boys on vidette duty halting the old horse.

The following day, being Sunday we move in the direction of Rocky Face Ridge, also known as St. John’s Mountain, leaving camp at about 10 o’clock, a. m.  After marching a distance of about 5 miles our advance came upon the enemy at Dug Gap, a very strong natural position.

As soon as this advance began to engage the enemy, we were moved at a rapid rate to where the engagement was going on.  When we came up to where the other regiments were deployed and moved into the fight, we were moved to the left and ordered to supp­ort Knap’s Battery.

As may well be imagined it was a great relief to us to be allowed to get behind the crest of the hill upon which the battery had been planted, in place of being compelled to climb up that steep and rocky ridge, the summit of which was ably defended by rebel and bayonets.

No sooner had we reached our positions than the battery opened up on the rebels on the top of the ridge with great fury.  Darkness had set in and we could plainly trace the iron hail with its burning fuse from the time it left the gun until it exploded over the rebel position in the rocky fastness.  The cannonading was kept up with great energy, the cannoneers of our noble little battery, fairly excelled themselves, and the noise caused by the discharge of the pieces and the echo of the sound of the exploding missiles, as they went screeching into the caverns and fell in among the enemies, cannot be described.

Suddenly a rocket is set up from a point full two-thirds up the rugged sides of the ridge.  It is the signal agreed upon, the batteries cease firing and we strain our eye to catch the first flash of the deadly rifle which will announce the opening of the deadly encounter.  Not a sound is heard and the silence becomes painful, we are on tip-toe of expectation. Suddenly the glare, followed by the report of a dozen rebel rifles break upon the stillness, that is instantly followed by the belching forth of a long row of fire from the top of the ridge, the whole line is now engaged, on the rebel side.

As yet our troops have not responded to the fire, they are cautiously advancing on the enemy, and do not yet wish to expose their position. At the last, way up on our right, near the top of the ridge, our men have opened up on the enemy and the musketry is becoming terrific, whilst along the line the boys are opening up on the rebels and giving it to them just as good as they received.  The fighting was terrible, the hills and the valleys reverberated with the discharge of fire arms and which sounded like incessant rolls of thunder.  Our men had not advanced since they had opened fire, and now they begin to slack off firing, would they make a charge or fall back?  This was the question with us.  It soon was apparent to us that our troops had not succeeded in carrying the position.  Soon our men ceased firing entirely, this was greeted by one of their characteristic Southron yells.  This was responded to by our battery which for the next half hour sent shot and shell to the top of the mountain, and under the cover of which our men were able to come down the steep mountain unmolested.

Among the amusing incidents connected with the evening battle, was the following:

A German, one of the members Company H, had cooked a cup of coffee and had stood it down near an old stump while he toasted a cracker.  In the meantime a toad jumped into the boiling coffee and as a natural consequence was scalded.  The toad turned on its back, belly up.  As soon as the cracker was done he went to get his coffee, upon seeing something unusual in his coffee, he stooped down and upon seeing what it was, he gave the kettle a kick which sent the toad a sprawling, striking his fists together and giving vent to his feelings in the following expressive words:

“Ver dampt t’ Grutt!”