Among the Provost Guards at Peach Tree Creek

     Under normal circumstances, the duties of the provost guards hovered around the rear areas of the army, gathering up stragglers and escorting prisoners, safely distant from the firing line. But the fighting at Peach Tree Creek was so fierce that Sergeant Joseph Newbury of the 79th Ohio reported that men were being shot down around him as he tried to escort a group of Confederate prisoners to the rear.

          “As my men and the prisoners were very anxious to get out of range, I told them they might go on the run to the top of the ridge across the creek, but I did not feel like running,” he later wrote. “A soldier ran past me a little to my left with his gun, knapsack, and all his equipment and just before he reached the log he pitched forward on his face. A bullet had struck him in the back of the neck and came out through his chin, killing him instantly.”

The 79th Ohio was part of the First Brigade, Third Division, of the 20th Army Corps. Sergeant Newbury’s account of Peach Tree Creek was originally published in the July 18, 1901, edition of the National Tribune.

 

The corps badge of the 20th Army Corps was the five-pointed star as is depicted in this badge that belonged to a soldier in the 28th Pennsylvania. While the 20th Corps was heavily populated with troops from the old 11th and 12th Army Corps who had served with the Army of the Potomac, the corps Third Division contained several regiments that were western in origin such as the 79th Ohio which prior to its assignment to the 20th Corps had served primarily in rear area assignments. 

          On July 19th, the Third Division was in camp in the woods some six or eight miles from Peach Tree Creek and on the morning of the 20th was moved forward for that point. I was ordered by Captain Thompson, provost of the division, to take a corporal and 20 men of Co. I of the 79th Ohio and march in the rear to gather up stragglers. I was to follow in the rear of the three batteries of the division which, with the ammunition train, were in the rear of the marching column. The line of march was for three or four miles in woods, when a point was reached where the ammunition train and batteries could follow the line of march of the division no farther and had to strike off to the left for the purpose of reaching a regular road.

          As my orders were to bring forward all the men who might fall out by the way and I could not do so by leaving the route by which the division had marched, I followed that line and saw no more of the batteries or ammunition wagons that day. The day was hot, and we picked up many men as we advanced. It was after 1 p.m. when we came in sight of the valley of Peach Tree Creek and looking across to the hills on the opposite side, I saw some troops and a battery in position. I crossed over nearly to where they were before I learned that it was the right flank of the Fourth Corps. There was a cornfield along the creek that impeded the view in that direction and as we were all tired and hungry, we rested in the shade of trees and made coffee.

Corporal Frank Harford
Co. E, 79th O.V.I.

          I walked up on an adjoining hill and saw our division headquarters flag about half a mile down the valley and we immediately advanced to that point and the 50 men that we had brought forward were sent to their companies. At that time, about 3 p.m., there was quite a rapid skirmish fire in our front and the division was standing in line of battle at the base of a ridge. I was ordered to take some 20 prisoners back over the creek out of range of bullets. A large tree had fallen across the creek a short distance in our rear, and we moved toward it. As my men and the prisoners were very anxious to get out of range, I told them they might go on the run to the top of the ridge across the creek, but I did not feel like running. A soldier ran past me a little to my left with his gun, knapsack, and all his equipment and just before he reached the log he pitched forward on his face. A bullet had struck him in the back of the neck and came out through his chin, killing him instantly.

          About that time the line of battle advanced up the hill to meet the Johnnies and the fight was on in earnest. On reaching the hill, I sent my men with the corporal and prisoners into a ravine in the edge of the woods where the bullets could not reach them and stood on the brow of the hill viewing the contest on the opposite ridge. While standing there, a young soldier of Co. C of the 79th Ohio ran up the hill stripped of all his equipment, even his blouse. He stopped two or three steps to my right and turned to look at the fight when a bullet struck him. Two of my men assisted me in carrying him to an ambulance and he died six days later [might be Private Wyatt C. King who died August 17th of wounds sustained at Peach Tree Creek.]

          As I stood watching the fight, I noticed our division ordnance officer riding rapidly up the creek to the lines of the Fourth Corps and a few minutes later he returned with two six-mule teams on the jump drawing ammunition wagons. When the battle ended, I had charge of nearly 50 prisoners; in fact, I had a captain and about all the survivors of one company of Mississippians. At sundown, I received orders to take them down in the valley and quarter and guard them for the night. Among the prisoners were four captains and three lieutenants. I found a place near the creek where the ground was covered with clean, dry sand from an overflow and after separating the officers from the men, detailed the guards for the night. While spreading my gum blanket down, a bullet struck the heel of my shoe.

 

Source:

“Peach Tree Creek: Fierce Fighting Described by a 79th Ohio Veteran,” Sergeant Joseph B. Newbury, Co. I, 79th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, National Tribune, July 18, 1901, pg. 3

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