They paid dearly for their whistle today: Rebel Views of Kennesaw Mountain

 The Chattanooga Daily Rebel was one of the few newspapers in the Confederacy to publish throughout the Civil War. Rousted out of its hometown of Chattanooga in September 1863 by the arrival of General William S. Rosecrans’ army, the newspaper set up shop in Griffin, Georgia and continued to publish until Sherman’s army took Atlanta. It later moved to Selma, Alabama and kept publishing its two-sided single sheet paper until April 1865.

          During the Atlanta campaign, the Rebel published daily letters from its correspondents at the front. Today’s post features two letters both giving a Confederate point of view of the assault on Kennesaw Mountain. As both men reported, Rebel casualties in this bloody engagement were negligible compared to what their Yankee opponents suffered. “In my rambles this morning, I went upon the battlefield of the 27th. The scene was horrible. The Yankee dead lay thick upon our front as leaves in Vallambrosa. Some of them were within ten feet of our entrenchments. The fetid state of the atmosphere rendered it a most disagreeable place,” one reporter commented.

 

A pair of well-dressed and well-armed Tennesseans. 

Near Marietta, Georgia

June 27, 1864, 3:30 p.m.

          Today at about 11:30 this morning, the skirmish lines were driven in along Cheatham’s and Cleburne’s front. The enemy moved three lines of battle upon our works. Brigadier General Vaughn’s brigade occupied the works on the right of Cheatham’s Division; Maney’s, Wright’s, and Strahl’s formed on the left of Vaughan in the order in which they are named. The enemy moved his heaviest force on the junction of Vaughn’s left and Maney’s right, bring protected by high ground until he came within 60 paces of our works. But the gallant heroes of the 1st, 11th, 27th, and 154th Tennessee regiments did not allow them to remain in that position. Volley after volley was poured into them, but they continued to advance and succeeded in planting their colors within 20 paces of our works.

 

“Among the trophies captured was several stands of colors. One color bearer mounted the works in front of the 24th Tennessee and was dispatched and his colors taken by Private Wolf of that regiment. This gallant youth was allowed to take his beautiful prize to General Hardee in person. Hardee complimented him and as a reward for his gallantry, made him a present of the colors.” ~ Marshall, reporter for the Chattanooga Daily Rebel

 

Two Yankee color bearers were shot down and the stars and stripes were again raised. By this time, one continual roar of small arms could be heard. The enemy was mowed down in heaps and a few of those nearest the works, including the color bearer of the 27th Illinois, surrendered, whilst those who were left alive ingloriously fled. Such a shower of lead as was poured into them was enough to demoralize any Yankee line of battle upon earth, and I am not in the least surprised at their utter confusion and handsome repulse.

 

“Yesterday a well-planned but poorly-executed assault was made upon Cheatham. The result was that the enemy was forced to retire, leaving his dead and wounded on the field.  I was much surprised that men, not more distinguished for reckless daring than the Yankee, would rush into the slaughter pen such as Cheatham’s works present without considering the impossibility of taking them. Never did noble Tennesseans stand better to their work or deal death with more fearful accuracy than on this occasion.” ~ Marshall, reporter to Chattanooga Daily Rebel

 

Numbers of their dead are lying within a few feet of the works along Vaughn’s and Maney’s front. They lie in heaps. After the repulse, they fell back behind the brow of the hill and have formed a lodgment within 65 yards of our fortifications. But our works are splendid, and we have sufficient force to meet them if they should attempt another such charge. The troops engaged acted with distinguished gallantry and unprecedented coolness. The gallant Vaughan and Maney were along their lines cheering their men, but they state that men never acted as coolly as during that charge.

 

I heard General Cleburne remark a few minutes ago that the enemy’s dead were piled up in heaps and were equally as numerous along a portion of his line as they were in Granbury’s front at New Hope Church. Our loss during the whole engagement in Cheatham’s and Cleburne’s division will not exceed 50 killed and wounded. We probably did not lose more than 25 captured and those who were captured were on picket duty and were charged upon by the enemy’s line of battle too suddenly to make their escape. They “paid dearly for their whistle” today.

 Alexis

 

Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, Georgia

This second letter was written by an unnamed “distinguished gentleman at the front” who wrote this letter on June 29, 1864 from Marietta, Georgia.

 

          In my rambles this morning, I went upon the battlefield of the 27th. The scene was horrible. The Yankee dead lay thick upon our front as leaves in Vallambrosa. Some of them were within ten feet of our entrenchments. The fetid state of the atmosphere rendered it a most disagreeable place. You know the odor of a defunct Yankee differs from cologne in several essential particulars. Fortunately for the olfactories of our gallant boys they were about to bury the dead under a flag of truce.

 

“By flag of truce the enemy was permitted to bury their dead and removed their wounded from Hardee’s front on the 28th. As many of the dead were stolen away during the previous night, no estimate of his loss can be accurately made. During the truce the Feds and Rebs mingled freely and chatted gaily with each other. Tobacco and coffee changed hands rapidly, coffee going at a heavy discount while a sorry article of plug tobacco brought a high premium.” ~ Marshall, reporter to Chattanooga Daily Rebel

 

          I must relate one incident of the battle of the 27th as it illustrates alike the chivalry of a Tennessean and the perfidy of the Yankees. After the terrible repulse of the lines of battle and while the surviving Federals of the assaulting party were crouching under cover of the hill which slopes down from that part of Cheatham’s front, the ground was strewn with Federal dead and wounded. One who was badly mutilated cried out to our boys in great agony ‘For God’s sake boys, bring me a drink of water. I would go to you if I could, but I am disabled. In God’s name, bring me a drink of water.’

 

          A noble youth of our state, pitying the miserable wretch, mounted the breastworks and shouted to the Federals who were in full hearing ‘I am going to take one of your wounded men a drink of water. Don’t shoot at me!’ Whereupon he took the dying Federal the canteen, allowed him to drink, and in retiring was fired at by a dozen Yankees and instantly killed. Our boys witnessed the act and without orders fired at the squad before they could conceal themselves and it is said killed every one of them.

 

Sources:

Letter from Alexis, Chattanooga Daily Rebel (Tennessee), July 1, 1864, pg. 2

Letter from unnamed, Chattanooga Daily Rebel (Tennessee), July 2, 1864, pg. 2

Letter from Marshall, reporter to Chattanooga Daily Rebel, July 4, 1864, pg. 1

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