Grant County, Wisconsin - Chapter 5: Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth Infantry, 1900

Chapter 5: Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth Infantry

The number is too few to justify more than an outline of the services of the regiment. It was organized in September, 1861, and left the State, October 12, for St. Louis. It was known as the Eagle Regiment, as it carried alongside of its colors an eagle called "Old Abe." On the 20th of October it fought in the battle of Gran¬ ville, Missouri. In January, 1862, the regiment went to Cairo, Illinois. The regiment was sent to Tuscumbia, Alabama, in June, 1862, reaching there on the 22d. On the 12th of October it had a severe skirmish with Price's cavalry near Iuka, Miss. It took part in the battles of Iuka and Corinth, and in the abortive expedition from Memphis toward Vicksburg in the winter of 1862 and 1863, the battles of Raymond and Jackson, previous to the siege of Vicksburg, and occupied a prominent place in that siege, being on the extreme right. It was on the disastrous Red River Expedition, being part of the rear guard on the long retreat, displaying great steadiness in holding back the enemy. In June, 1864, most of the regiment reenlisted and took a veteran furlough. It took part in A. J. Smith's expedition through Mississippi in July, 1864, cul¬ minating in the battle of Tupelo. It was in the battle of Nashville, and the siege of Spanish Fort and Blakely. It was mustered out at Deraopolis, Alabama, and reached Madison September 13, 1865,

Ninth Infantry

The regiment left the State January 22, 1862, and went to Fort Leavenworth, a part of the way in cattle cars, with the thermometer ten degrees below zero. On the 26th of February Com¬ panies B and E marched to Kansas City and camped at a place called "Johnny Cake," without blankets on the frozen ground in severe cold, and resumed the march next day. The main body of the regiment started March 2 for Fort Scott, where it was joined by Companies B and E.

On March 27 the regiment marched for Humboldt, Kansas, where it camped. On June 1 it marched by way of Indian Spring to Spring River at the mouth of Shoal Creek, and thence to Baxter Springs, Kansas, where it camped until the 28th, with frequent foraging expeditions. At Cowskin Prairie, Indian Territory, several hundred Rebels were routed and many horses and cattle captured. On the 29th of June the regiment set out on the "Southwestern Expedition," to overawe the Cherokees, who had been induced by Rebel agents to take up arms against the United States. The soldiers suffered much from excessive heat and lack of water. They had several small skirmishes on the way.

It was designed to have this expedition cooperate with the advance of General Curtis westward through Arkansas, to occupy Little Rock; but he went back to the Mississippi. The expedition was miserably fitted out. Its communication with its base of supplies had not been kept open, and it got out of provisions and had to retreat to Fort Scott. During the summer and fall thefegiment was constantly scouting and took part in the battles of Newtonia, Cane Hill, and Prairie Grove (see history of the Twentieth Infantry). The regiment guarded fortifications and military prisons until Sep- tember 12, when it went by water to Helena, Arkansas, and marched to Little Rock. After a reconnoissance to Benton and Rock¬ ford it went into winter quarters at Little Rock. Part of the regiment "veteraned" that winter. It formed a part of Steele's expedition to cooperate with Banks in the spring of 1864. On that expedition the Ninth took a very honorable part in the battle of Jenkins's Ferry. That part of the regiment which did not reenlist was mustered out November 17, 1864, and the remainder was formed into an independent battalion. This took part in an expedition to Sabine River in January, 1865. Then it went to Camden, Arkansas, staying there till August 3, when it went to Little Rock. The battalion was mustered out January 30, 1866, and reached Madison February 12.

This regiment enlisted in September, 1861, and was mustered In at Camp Holton, Milwaukee, October 14. Company F (called "the Grant County Sixth") and Company I ("the Grant County Pat¬ riots") were enlisted mostly in this county. The regiment contained the following Grant County men :

The regiment left the State November 9, 1861, and arrived at Louisville on the 11th, and was employed in guarding the Louis¬ ville & Nashville Railroad, with headquarters at Shepardsville. On the 5th of December it moved to Elizabethtown, continuing to guard the railroad until February 10, when it joined the advance on Bowl¬ ing Green, arriving at the Big Barren River, opposite that place, on the 15th. The Rebels evacuated the town and the Union forces en- tered it on the 16th. On the 22d the Tenth was again in motion, and on the 27th camped four miles south of Nashville, where it remained until March 18, when it moved to Murfreesboro, where it became pro¬ vost guard.

On tl\e 5th of April the regiment left Murfreesboro and arrived at Huntsville, Alabama, on the 11th. The regiment, in detachments, guarded the Memphis & Charleston Railroad. On the 23d of April a detachment of twenty-three men saved the Paint Rock bridge by re¬ pulsing 250 bushwhackers. For the bravery shown on this occasion the commanding general gave the detachment special thanks. The good work of the regiment was recognized by General Mitchell in a special order.

The summer of 1862 was passed in guarding the railroad. In the retreat of the army toward the Ohio River the Tenth acted as rear guard, and was compelled to fight guerrillas every mile. Arriving at Stevenson August 31, the Tenth assisted in the repulse of the enemy, who had attacked the Union troops while evacuating the place. The retreat from this point to Nashville was one of great suffering. With¬ out rations, blankets, medicine, and transportation for the sick, the regiment arrived at Nashville September 5, much exhausted. The next day it moved toward Louisville, where it arrived on the 28th of Sep¬ tember. It immediately joined the expedition against Bragg, march¬ ing on the 1st, and on the 8th going into the bloody battle of Chaplin Hill, in which the Tenth highly distinguished itself.

Toward the right of the line, where the Tenth was stationed, a disadvantageous advance was early necessary, on account of a re¬ verse on the left. At first the Rebels were repulsed, the Tenth being conspicuous in the fight ; but later the tide of battle was reversed. A second line of the enemy attacked and flanked the Union line, which was inferior in numbers to the enemy. One line was nearly broken, but it recovered and withstood the furious assault of the Rebels.

The Tenth was under fire from eleven in the forenoon until night. It exhausted its ammunition, replenished its stock with cartridges taken from the dead and wounded, and stubbornly held its position against overwhelming numbers. In his report General Rousseau highly praised the Tenth. Forty-one bullets pierced its flag and two its flag¬ staff. Five color-bearers were shot down in succession. Of the 376 men engaged 36 were killed, 110 wounded, and one missing.

After this battle the Tenth moved to Edgefield Junction, ten miles north of Nashville, and performed guard duty till the beginning of De¬ cember, when it moved to camp four miles south of Nashville, and re¬ mained there until the movement toward Murfreesboro, the 26th of December.

In the battle of Stone River the Tenth became engaged early on the 31st of December, the Rebels retreating. It made a further ad¬ vance under a severe skirmish fire, until it was attacked by a strong force in front, but maintained its position until it received a flank fire and was ordered to retire. On the morning of the first of January it advanced again nearly to its former position, and there remained until the close of the battle without another general engagement. The reg¬ iment went into battle with 11 officers and 250 men and lost 3 killed, 16 wounded, and 6 missing.

David McKee, Lieutenant-Colonel of the Fifteenth Wisconsin, was killed in this battle. He was well known in Grant County, especially in Potosi and Lancaster, as a lawyer and in the forties as editor of the Potosi. Republican. He went out as Captain of Company C, Second Wisconsin.

In the bloody battle of Chickamauga, on the 19th and 20th of September, the Tenth bore, a part. It joined in the attack and pursuit of the Rebels on the morning of the 19th, and soon went to the front line, where it became hotly engaged and held its position some time, but at last, its right being turned, gave way before overwhelming numbers. In the afternoon it was again placed in front, and retired at evening. On the 20th, the regiment, at daylight, was posted as support to the rest of the brigade. It held that position until ten o'clock, when the Rebels charged fiercely upon the brigade, and the Tenth was instantly ordered up. It repulsed the attack, but held the position only a short time, for the enemy had turned the left of the division, and was already advancing through the woods in that direction. The Tenth was now ordered to the left, and there engaged the Rebels and drove them back. During all the afternoon the firing was heavy on that part of the line. The Tenth kept its place until night, when the troops on its right and rear gave way and left it exposed to a terrible fire from three different directions, and it was compelled to withdraw. Being on the left, and not being aware of the presence of the enemy in that direction, the regiment, in falling back, came directly into the Rebel lines, and thus had most of its remaining men captured. The few that were left were rescued by the rest of the brigade. In this battle the Tenth lost eighteen killed, fifty-six wounded, and 132 missing, most of the latter being captured. There were left of the regiment only three officers and twenty-six men.

In this battle First Lieutenant Remy and Thomas Jewell, of Co. F were killed, and Solomon Harcleroad, A. S. Turcott, Edward McDon¬ nell, James E. Strong, Isaac J. Ctossley, and Byron P. Taft, of Co. F were wounded

The Tenth participated in the battle of Peach Tree Creek, near Atlanta, on the 20th of July, 1864. The enemy made a furious attack on the Federal lines, driving back an Illinois regiment which was in advance of the main line. The Twenty-first Wisconsin on the right and the Tenth on the left now in turn charged the Rebels and drove them in confusion. The Tenth charged up a little ridge, and just as it was passing over the crest the Rebels poured in a volley, but it was aimed too high. The Tenth then poured a deadly volley into the Rebels and immediately charged and retook the lost Federal works and restored the broken line.

Shortly after the arrival of the army before Atlanta, the Tenth was placed on guard at Marietta, Georgia. It remained there until October 3, when it occupied the old rifle-pits near Kenesaw Mountain, guarding the railroad against Hood's army. On the 16th of October the recruits and reenlisted veterans of the Tenth were transferred to the Twenty-first Wisconsin, while the rest left for Wisconsin, reach¬ ing Milwaukee October 25, 1864, where they were mustered out of service.