"Pork & Beans" Writes of Stones River and the Regular Brigade
A
correspondent known as “Pork & Beans” wrote a series of 18 letters that
were published in the Toledo Commercial from January 1863 through April
1864. As best as can be determined, P&B was a sergeant serving in Battery H
of the 5th U.S. Light Artillery, and although we never learn his
name, his letters provide an intimate portrait of life in a regular artillery
battery in the western theater.
Today’s
post features portions from three letters that P&B wrote before and
following the Stones River campaign. Battery H was assigned to the Fourth
Brigade (The Regular Brigade) of Lovell Rousseau’s First Division of the Center
Corps and took part in the severe fighting at the cedars and along the
Nashville Pike on December 31, 1862. P&B writes about the organization and
condition of the army before the battle, provides some insights into the
fighting on December 31st, a fine account of Wheeler’s raid on the
Nashville Pike on January 1, 1863, and finally some commentary on the impact of
Stones River on the Regular Brigade. A second Stones River account from this battery by John Carroll of Cleveland was previously featured on this blog in July 2018 and can be viewed here.
Camp
Andy Johnson, Nashville Tennessee
December
23, 1862[1]
Once more in our camping ground from
last spring. The neighboring country has the same desolate and forlorn
appearance, if anything more desolate; few fences are left standing and an
elegant mansion in the process of erection remains the same as it was in March.
The hand of the artisan has been silenced, and given place to the destroyer of
peace and happiness- rebellion. What a theme for pondering over can be gathered
from the destruction everywhere visible in and around the city of Nashville.
Once the pride of every Tennessean, now the bone of contention between two
determined and powerful adversaries. What a season of bloodshed has passed
since we last pitched our tents in this beautiful spot. What have we
accomplished? Is the rebellion more nearly closed? Let wiser heads answer. And
now let us look forward to a more vigorous and effective prosecution of the war
on our part.
 |
| Unidentified soldier of Co. A, 3rd Battalion, 16th U.S. Infantry |
General
Rosecrans has by recent order constituted a new brigade of regulars to form
part of the Third Division under General Rousseau. The troops composing the
brigade are the battalions of the 15th, 16th, 18th,
and 19th Infantry along with Captain Guenther’s (formerly Terrill’s)
Battery H of the 5th Artillery. What has caused this change I am
unable to say and can see no immediate benefit to be derived from it. Time will
no doubt reveal the object and I will let you know. Battery H is now filled up
and ready to do any kind of fighting. The majority of the new men came from the
51st Ohio Volunteers. They seem to relish the change and we
appreciate them as a great acquisition to the battery.
Camp
of Regular Division, Nashville Tennessee
January
10, 1863[2]
A calm now hovers over the scenes of
the late bloody conflict. The dead have been laid to rest where the fell so
gloriously in supporting the supremacy of the stars and stripes over the
traitorous rag of Rebeldom. The wounded, the worst victims of the fray, are
being cared for as well as medical skill and friendly hands can do away from
the many luxuries necessary for the comfort of wounded men.
The
regular routine of a soldiers’ duty goes on as if nothing had happened; bands
play at guard mountings and parades, officers and soldiers can be seen in
groups gossiping over the many incidents of the battle. A laugh arises, as
something funny comes up (even amid the din and roar of battle incidents occur
to excite the risibilities) but more frequently, when talking of some brave
comrade gone, something like a tear may be seen to glisten in the eye of him
who on the field laughed at danger and in the excitement of battle mat have
passed by his own brother laying a mangled corpse. So many others must ere this
have given you accounts of the fight that I scarce think it worth my while to
write on the subject, yet as a few of my own personal observations may amuse if
not instruct, you are welcome to them.
The
battle may be said to have begun on Wednesday morning about 7 o’clock when the
Rebels made an attack on our right wing and surprised the Second Division
commanded by General Richard Johnson (the same who surrendered his cavalry
force some time ago). The slaughter was dreadful, two batteries were taken
(Edgarton’s and Cotter’s), the majority of horses had gone to water, and few if
any of them hitched to their pieces. Four of Cotter’s pieces were subsequently
regained. The infantry had not their arms loaded and those who did not escape
by flight were either killed or captured; General Willich was captured and
General Sill killed.
A
large body of cavalry, Texas Rangers and the 2nd Georgia, made a
rush past the right wing to attack the ammunition train which was on the
Nashville Pike in the rear of our center, but were gloriously repulsed by the 4th
U.S. Cavalry and detachments of the 3rd Ohio and 2nd
Indiana I think. The 4th rushed on them as they have many times done
on the Kiowa and Comanche Indians, and made many of the Southern braves bite
the dust and captured a large number of prisoners. One sergeant brought in 13
men to my own knowledge.
The
fighting was very severe in the center by 10 o’clock. The first dash made by
the Regular Brigade into a thicket was a deadly one. Major [Stephen] Carpenter
of the 19th was killed and Major [John] King of the 15th
was wounded. Terrill’s old battery came nigh being captured before it fired a
gun and the loss of the 15th, 16th, 18th, and
19th Regulars was severe. By 11 o’clock the cannonading was
deafening; the right had been strengthened, a large cavalry force on the
flanks, and to nightfall there was little or no cessation and even after
nightfall the Chicago Board of Trade battery poured in several tremendous
rounds into a copse of small cedars where the Rebels were trying to sneak in.
The
center rested for the night on the very ground on which it occupied during the
day. The right, McCook’s wing, had regained its foothold while the left had advanced.
The battle was renewed with increased vigor on New Year’s morning from the left
to right. Fears were entertained about noon that we would have to fall back,
the baggage train and the battery wagons and forges had been ordered to
Nashville but ere night by the heroism and bravery of our officers and men, the
scale was changed.
I
was amongst those ordered to Nashville. When about two miles beyond a small
town called LaVergne, the train was fired upon by two pieces of artillery and a
simultaneous attack was made by a large force of Rebel cavalry. Such
skedaddling you never heard of. I had two horses shot in my forge and the jam
in the stock was broken. Captain [Elisha] Culver of Co. K of the 3rd
Ohio Cavalry rallied some men and made a splendid dash on the Rebels, driving
them off in every direction, killing and wounding several. He is a brave man
and led some brave spirits.
The
Rebels burned up several baggage wagons in our rear but those in front got
through safely to Nashville, unless I except the several wagons which were
abandoned by the drivers. A battery which was sent along for our protection was
nearly all abandoned by its members. Yet Captain Culver was not the man to
leave it on the road. He rigged up the pieces and one was driven to Nashville
by a little Negro about 12 years old with only two horses. When we got one of
the pieces in position, we found that the ammunition chests were empty, but
after a long search in the caissons we found five rounds but not a friction
tube or lanyard to fire them off. What think you of such protection for a
train? [This battery contained two guns belonging to the 8th
Wisconsin Battery, a 6-pdr smoothbore and a 10-pdr Parrott. Lieutenant Henry
Stiles reported that these guns were sent to the rear by order of Colonel
William Woodruff and that one man was taken prisoner and three horses killed
when the guns were taken by Wheeler’s cavalry.]
Terrill’s
old battery, commanded by the brave Captain Guenther, took on the field the
flag of the 2nd Arkansas regiment [more likely the 30th
Arkansas flag actually carried off the field by the 2nd Ohio
Infantry. See blog post here.] and will retain it as a drop in the cup of
revenge for the death of the brave General Terrill at Chaplin Heights. During
this fight the battery fired over 600 rounds and the greater part of this was
canister, showing what close quarters there were in. The battery did not lose a
man and only five slightly wounded. The
Rebels have named it the “wild cat battery” and they may depend on it that that
Terrill’s much-loved Napoleons will yet bring sorrow to many rebellious
firesides.
Camp
of Center, First Division, 14th Army Corps, Murfreesboro, Tennessee
January
23, 1863[3]
“New brooms sweep clean” so it has
been said, but I am inclined to the belief in the old woman’s remark “old ones
know where the dirt is.” This preface has been caused by the change of
commander for this division. We are now under the command of Brigadier General
Robert S. Granger, a West Pointer having his first appointment from Ohio. His
present commission as brigadier dates October 20, 1862 and he ranks as Major of
the 5th Infantry September 9, 1861 in the regular army. I have no
other acquaintance with his history than the foregoing which I take from the
Army Register. His first order brought his first appearance through several
camps. This morning shortly after reveille he rode around and saw all of his
men under arms before clear day. Now this is all very good, very military, very
West Pointish. We have all see such beginnings, we have also seen them wear out
by degrees, until the sight of our commanding generals, even in daylight, was something
to be remembered. Let us trust that such will not be the case with our new
commander. Even an occasional visit from our superior officers is something,
and if it does no good it certainly does no harm.
 |
| General Lovell H. Rousseau |
We have lost General Rousseau, he
having taken command in Kentucky, I believe. This is indeed a loss for the
army, but rest assured he will soon put a topper on the Morganites, the Wheelerites,
and others of that ilk who have for so long a time made Kentucky their field of
operations in destroying railroads, burning bridges, robbing, stealing, and
even worse. Rousseau carries with him an enviable reputation for bravery and
military ardor, and above all, he has the prayers of every man who ever knew or
saw him on the field of battle. Brave to a fault, he feared not danger and his
presence urged men to do the most daring deeds.
I
honestly and firmly believe that there are men on this army who would not know
their division commanders were they to see them. You may ask, do they know
Rosecrans? I will answer, if being through every camp over and over again and
on the late battlefield seemingly everywhere, then indeed they know and more
than that, they love and honor him. “Old Rosey,” as he is ever familiarly spoken
of around the camp fires, is assuredly the idol of this great western army.
 |
| General William S. Rosecrans CDV dating from early 1863 with 20th Army Corps photographer backmark Author's Collection |
We
earnestly pray that no demonstrations may enter into the heads of the “powers
that be” in Washington to deprive us of “our General.” Enough harm has already
been done to our cause by the ever-changing tactics as practiced in the army. Officers have been
condemned for the most trivial mishaps without a hearing, and noodles and
nobodies put in their places. Politicians of doubtful military qualifications
received appointments as colonels, lieutenant colonels, and majors in the new
regiments raised for the regular army, and have never yet seen the field; some
in face have scarcely left their farms and firesides. Where for instance is the
colonel of the 18th Infantry? [Henry Carrington] Here are two
battalions of his regiment that have been in the field for over twelve months
while he (I am credibly informed) has been making politics not war; nor the perfection
of his regiment his aim, but instead has been gallivanting all over the state
with some 400-500 men of the Third Battalion when he has two battalions in the
field not numbering more than 500-600 men for duty. The 15th
Infantry since Major King got wounded at Stones River has been commanded by a
captain [Captain Jesse Fulmer] who does not know how to maneuver a company, let
alone a battalion, and only by the prompting of the adjutant can he get along
at all. The 16th and 18th are in no better fix. From the
foregoing data you can form an idea of what the Regular Brigade is, numbering
scarcely more men than one good regiment. Their commissary and quartermaster
departments are conducted in the most slovenly manner by inexperienced soldiers
and the men know it, they feel it.
I
see frequent allusions made to matters concerning the regular army officers in
the eastern papers as to their being elected to places of trust. I cordially
agree with the comments in the main, although I have the misfortune to be a “regular.”
I am not blind enough to imagine that my officers are the “ne plus ultra” and
so far above their brothers of the volunteers in honesty, sobriety, and
business tact to entitle them only to the fat offices. On the contrary,
experience has taught me that officers of the old army who were quartermasters
and commissaries were not at all times “the right men in the right place.” True,
they understand making our papers- red tapism is fully satisfied- the vouchers
are there, no matter how they may be trumped up. Now gentlemen, I find that by
far the best adapted for the positions I have alluded to are the officers of
the volunteer force who from their mercantile education and business tact push
things through, and not at all times tormenting those they do business with,
with papers, endorsed and approved, until it would take a Philadelphia lawyer
to find out what they were. Foraging as we are now in an enemy’s country and
giving vouchers, of course, would it not be well for responsible men to at
least oversee this matter?
[1] “From Rousseau’s
Division Before the Battle,” Pork & Beans, Toledo Daily Commercial,
January 9, 1863, pg. 2
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