War in the Bluegrass State - Part 2

Part 1 - The Battle of Richmond

Braxton Bragg's  concentration of the Army of Mississippi at Chattanooga was delayed by the limitations of the Confederate rail system and he could not follow Kirby Smith immediately. While he waited Chattanooga, he took the opportunity to restructure his army.  He formed the army into two wings each of two infantry divisions and a cavalry brigade.

The Right Wing was assigned to Major General Leonidas Polk, a West Point graduate who had almost immediately left the army and had spent the next thirty-five years as an Episcopal bishop in Louisiana. He held his command more from his close connection to Jefferson Davis than any military ability but he was the senior wing commander in the army. Polk's Wing consisted of the divisions of 48 year old Alabamian and West Pointer Jones Withers, who left the army early, returning briefly to serve in the Mexican War, and Tennessean Benjamin F. Cheatham, who has served in the Mexican War and in the militia prior to 1861. The cavalry brigade was under a 33 year old Texan planter Colonel John Warton.

The Left Wing was led by the highly rated Major General William Hardee of Georgia. Hardee, another West Pointer of considerable experience, had  authored a manual of light infantry tactics used by both the Union and Confederate armies. His two divisions were led by Major General Samuel Jones of Virginia and 39 year old Kentuckian Major General Simon Bolivar Buckner, another West Pointer and Mexican War veteran. When Jones fell ill shortly before the campaign opened Floridian Brigadier General J. Patton Anderson, a lawyer and politician who served in the Mexican War and friend of Jefferson Davis, took his place. The cavalry brigade was led by 24 year old Colonel Joseph Wheeler, another West Pointer who had some limited pre-war cavalry experience.

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After crossing the Tennessee River Bragg took his army into the lonely but ruggedly beautiful terrain of the Cumberland Plateau and across the Carney Fork of the Cumberland River. After eight days of hard marching in which it covered more than 80 miles the army paused at Sparta, Tennessee.

It was here that Bragg issued General Order Number 128, announcing Robert E. Lee's great victory at the Second Battle of Bull Run. Discussion around the campfires was all about what their destination was for Bragg gave no indication. Some said they would turn west and make for Nashville, while others thought they would head north to Kentucky. Still others thought the army would march east, through the Cumberland Gap, join with Lee and march into Washington then onto New York.

Their confusion wasn't eased when the army took to the road again on 8 September. Half the army the marched west to Carthage, 40 miles from Nashville, but the half army marched north to Gainesboro. The army then crossed the Cumberland River and crossed the Kentucky state line near Thompkinsville and halted  to Glasgow on 12 September where the army rested again.

The cavalry was pushed out to the west to locate the enemy. Scott's Brigade from Kirby Smith's Army of Kentucky operated to the northwest and was the first contact between the two Confederate armies. At the same time infantry form Maney's Brigade was pushed forward to Proctor's Station and Donelson's Brigade to Cave City, cutting the Louisville and Nashville Railroad and all direct communications between those two cities.

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Forty-Four year old Major General Don Carlos Buell commanded the Union Army of the Ohio. This Ohio born general was a West Pointer, graduating in 1841 and served in the Seminole War, but saw no combat. When in garrison  duty in Illinois he was court-marshaled when he battered an enlisted man over the head with the flat of his sword during an argument. He was cleared of all charges but the incident left a stain on his record. He served in the Mexican War with distinction and after that war spent thirteen years in the adjutant general's office. When the Civil War erupted he was on post in California and was commissioned brigadier general and in September of 1861 was assisting McClellan build the Army of the Potomac. Transferred West shortly afterward he took command in Kentucky and was focused on the capture of Nashville while Grant took Forts Henry and Donelson. He arrived at Shiloh late on the first day to save the battle for the Union. He was involved in the crawling advance on Corinth, Mississippi. Then in June he was released and made an equally show advance on Chattanooga and in early September he was within twelve miles of the place when news of Kirby Smith's and fearing an aggressive action by Bragg, he began a concentration of this scattered forces are Dechard, Tennessee.

The Army of the Ohio consisted of two corps. The first was under Major General Alexander McCook, one of the seventeen "Fighting McCooks" of Ohio who served the Union. A West Point graduate he saw action at the First Bull Run before transferring west to Kentucky where he was involved in the capture of Nashville and went on at fight at Shiloh. His corps consisted of two divisions, one under Brigadier General Lovel Rousseau, a Kentucky lawyer and politician with some Mexican War experience, and Brigadier general James Jackson, another Kentucky lawyer who has enlisted for the Mexican War but never saw action.

The Second Corps was assigned to Major General Thomas L. Crittenden, another Kentucky lawyer whose brother fought for the Confederacy. This corps comprised three divisions under Brigadier general William Smith, a West Pointer from Ohio who had left the army in the 1850s to run railroads, Brigadier General Horatio Van Cleve, another West Pointer from Minnesota who had left the army in the 1830s to pursue farming, and Kentuckian Brigadier General Thomas Wood, yet another West Pointer who had seen service in the Mexican War and on the frontier. A cavalry brigade under Colonel Edward McCook was attached to the corps.

Buell was slow to react to the Confederate movement north and at first sought to fight a battle near Sparta, but changed his mind and ordered his army back to Nashville. By September 6, much of the Army of the Ohio was in or around the city or nearby. While in Nashville Buell received reinforcements from Grant’s army bringing his strength to around 55,000 men. At Nashville Buell waited to see what the Confederate's next move would be.

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After the Battle of Richmond, on 30 August, Scott's brigade was operating on the north bank of the Green River. When Scott approached the town of Munfordville they found the place garrisoned by a small Yankee force in light field works. Scott demanded their surrender, but the Yankee commander replied that he had no intention of surrendering to cavalry, indicating that a surrender to infantry was not out of the question. Scott at once sent a messenger to the nearest infantry at Cave City.

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Colonel John T. Wilder was 32 years old in 1862. A native of New York as a penniless 19 year old he moved first to Ohio then to Indiana where he learned the craft of founding, built a successful foundry business, invented several hydraulic machines and established himself as a nationally renowned expert in hydraulics. On the outbreak of the war he raised an artillery company, casting the guns in his own foundry, but the battery was never mustered into Federal service. Instead he served with the 17th Indiana, first as a captain, but soon after as its colonel. He lead the regiment in the Corinth campaign where he earned the reputation of a competent, if not gifted, commander. When Bragg and Kirby Smith entered Kentucky Wilder was at Munfordville in command of a garrison of 2,100 men and four guns in Fort Craig, a small complex of two redoubts and connecting trenches where the Louisville and Nashville Railroad crossed the Green River.

On the evening of 13 September a force of Confederate cavalry and a battery of what looked like mountain howitzers appeared on  the northern bank of the river. Shortly afterwards a lone rider approached Wilder's position under a flag of truce. Wilder rode forward to meet him.

"The complements of Colonel Scott commanding this brigade sir," the scruffy officer said. "The Colonel demands your immediate unconditional surrender."

"Does he now, " Wilder replied. "Well you can tell your colonel that I have not intention of surrendering this position. I have a good force here and I think I can defend myself against a brigade of cavalry."

The officer, looking somewhat deflated turned his horse around and rode back to the Rebel position. Wilder watched him go then made an inspection of his lines. It was going to be an uneasy night.

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Scott's courier rode into Dan Donelson's camp at Cave City a little after 9:00 PM. Donelson received the note and read it carefully.

"General, I arrived at Munfordville this evening just before 8:00 PM. There is an enemy force here of 1,200 to 1,800 men, all raw recruits and home guards, in works that are no more than rifle pits, and probably unfinished. All railroad and telegraph lines to their rear have been destroyed and the command is completely isolated with no chance of reinforcement. While I intend to attack the place in the morning, a bold dash with an infantry force could easily taken the place. 

John Scott, Colonel Commanding the Cavalry Brigade, Army of Kentucky.

Donelson saw opportunity here.  Munfordville provided the most direct route from Glasgow to Louisville. Its occupation would provide an easy crossing of the Green River and allowed the Confederates to move freely against the Yankee communications. The added bonus was that success here would certainly enhance his reputation. Donelson decided to join Scott's attack and ordered the brigade to be ready to march at 10:00PM.

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It weas a clear night and the moon, six days past full, illuminated the landscape as the Confederate column stepped off. The brigade was made up entirely of Tennessee units the 8th, 15th, 16th, 38th and 51st Regiments and Captain Carnes' Steuben Artillery battery of four 6-pound guns. Leading the march was the 15th Tennessee. 

Formed in June the previous year in Jackson Tennessee from men largely from Madison and other West Tennessee counties, the 15th had counted 744 men in the ranks when mustered in, but now, just over a year later, they counted fewer than 200. Its colonel was Robert Charles Tyler.

Tyler had a colourful past. Born Ruben Tyler in Massachusetts in 1832 he had travelled west to California in 1852 and took up farming at which he was unsuccessful and three years later was sued for his debts. Changing his name to Robert, some say to evade his creditors, he joined William Walker's filibustering expedition to Nicaragua throughout 1856-57.  After the failure of Walker's campaign Tyler went east and spent time in Baltimore as a clerk before going west to Memphis in 1859. Two years later, when secession came to Tennessee, he joined the 15th as a private. Promotion came rapidly for him and he was made captain and served as quartermaster on the staffs of Generals Cheatham and Pillow. Soon after he rejoined his regiment as major and then stepped up to lieutenant colonel when  his predecessor resigned. In November 1861, with the colonel absent, he led the regiment at Belmont. He led it again the following April at Shiloh and on the second day had three horses shot from under him, was wounded and carried from the field. He spent most of the summer in Corinth recuperating, returning to his regiment as colonel in August.

Company G of the 15th Tennessee, which counted only 15 men in the ranks, was the odd man out in this Tennessee unit. Originally called the Illinois Company and was largely composed of men from outside Tennessee including residents of Missouri, Kentucky, Illinois, Minnesota and Pennsylvania. This night Company G, along with another 25 men from Company C, were deployed forward as skirmishers, some 100 yards ahead of the column to locate any Yankee pickets and prevent surprises.

The march to Munfordville was around twelve miles and a little before 4:30 AM the men of Company G approached the place. The sky was beginning to lighten and within the hour the sun would rise. They were able to make out the Yankee positions about a mile distant. Pushing further on they were fired on by the pickets, but they quickly skedaddled back to their own lines when Company C threatened their flank

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Donelson observed the enemy positions carefully. On the extreme left was a small stockade that might hold some guns and a company or two of infantry and on the right was a more substantial earthen redoubt that could easily hold a battery and a regiment or two. Between the two positions was a line of trenches. The Yankees appeared to be deployed along the full length of the lines. The position looked stronger than Scott had described. 

While the stockade was probably the weaker position, to approach it the brigade would have to advance over relatively open ground and if he threw all of his force against that point the Yankees could simply fall back on the other works. Instead Donelson chose to place the 15th Tennessee and Carnes' battery to demonstrate and hold in place the enemy on the left. The main effort would be made on the right against the main works. If he could carry that it would cut the Yankees off from the only crossing point of the Green River, a pontoon bridge about half a mile further to the right. Better still a march to the right would be concealed behind the ridges and woods and allow him to concentrate his force out of sight.

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Carnes opened the action from a position on a broad ridge, but his fire failed to have any effect. Two Union guns in the stockade opened in reply, causing some loss to the 15th Tennessee.

Donelson, moved the rest of the  brigade at the double to the right and was soon crossing a shallow stream.

The 15th Tennessee moved into the woods on their left to get out of the line of fire of the Yankee battery.

The artillery of each side opposite the stockade exchanged an ineffective fire.

Although his column was in view of the Union works as it crossed the stream, the Union troops failed to observe it and Donelson was able to deploy his first troops behind the woods, the 8th Tennessee in front on the left with the 16th to its right. The 38th Tennessee formed to then left rear while the 51st was still coming up.

On the Confederate left Colonel Tyler brought the 15th Tennessee to the front of the woods and then led them forward towards the stockade, but a heavy fire causing further damage drove them back to the woods. The Confederate artillery in the meantime, began to get range on the stockade and caused some harm to the gunners.

Donelson hustled his regiments forward to try to take the redoubt as quickly as possible. The first line was formed, left to right, 8th, 16th and 51st Tennessee with the 38th Tennessee behind the 8th. The Union battery opened on the 8th, but had little effect.

The brigade wheeled left and went straight for the redoubt.

The Rebel line opened fire but did only minimal damage in the defenders behind their earthworks.

Fearing that the Confederates might overwhelm his left, Wilder pulled the 78th Indiana to the right of the redoubt out of the trenches and ordered it to secure the extreme left. at the same time he pulled the 74th Indiana from the trenches near the stockade and brought it across the stream to replace the 78th.

The 8th Tennessee was hit by artillery fire, causing some loss, but it didn't slow it down and the 8th and 16th moved to assault the redoubt while the 51st wheeled to flank the place.

The Confederate attack was repulsed and the Rebels fell back. As they did so the 38th Tennessee, on the left of the 8th charged the 89th Indiana in the trenches.

Neither side gave way and the fight continued. Meanwhile Donelson rallied the 8th and 16th ready for another attempt on the redoubt. 

At the other end of the line Carnes was getting the upper hand in his duel with the Union battery and Tyler was encouraged enough to press forward again. When Carnes scored a direct hit on them the Union gunners took cover and their guns fell silent. Tyler sent his regiment foreword to storm the place and, despite stiff resistance from the 17th Indiana, the stockade was carried and the 17th fell back towards the redoubt.

As the 51st Tennessee continued its fight with the 89th Indiana, Donelson ordered the 8th, 16th an 38th to assault the redoubt. The 51st quickly won its fight with the 89th Indiana, driving it back out of the trenches in disorder, but the story with the attack in the redoubt was quite different. The Union fire as they came in was utterly ineffective, but the attack was repulsed again by the brave defenders.

Try as he might Donelson could not hold his three retreating regiments and they fell further back, but the 51st succeeded in scattering the 89th Indiana.

Tyler's 15th Tennessee pushed out of the stockade and routed the 17th Indiana.

Wilder's position was looking precarious, but with three of Donelson's regiments stepping away he was able to bring the two 74th and 78th Indiana into the fight and caught the 51st Tennessee in their captured trench in a crossfire. The Rebel infantry suffered badly and were soon driven from the trench in rout.

Wilder's men quickly reoccupied their trenches, although the 15th Tennessee threatened their flank.

Donelson's other regiments were in a poor state and when fresh Yankee infantry were seen approaching from the right, Donelson called halt. Under a flag of  truce he called on Wilder to surrender, but when the Union commander refused he asked for a truce to enable him to gather his killed and wounded, which Wilder granted.

That evening Donelson fell back on Cave City. The whole affair had cost him several hundred casualties for no benefit. He began to worry that his unsanctioned move might cause him some problems.

TO BE CONTINUED