Thirty-Three Holes in the Colors: The 24th Ohio at Stones River

Few regiments at Stones River suffered such high losses in their field commanders as the 24th Ohio. Colonel Frederick C. Jones and Major Henry Terry both were killed on December 31st and better than a quarter of the regiment went down killed or wounded. Two days later, acting colonel Enoch Weller was killed, which gave the command to Captain Armistead T.M. Cockerill, the fourth man to lead the regiment at the battle. This same devastating fire shredded the regiment's national colors, a deep source of regimental pride as the colors had been presented to them by their brigade mates the 6th Ohio Infantry in recognition of the 24th Ohio's marked gallantry at Shiloh eight months prior.

    "Our color sergeant being wounded, the colors were taken by a corporal of the color guard who was shot dead; then they were seized by another of the color guard who hardly had them in his hands until he was wounded," remembered Sergeant William Ehranan of Co. B. "The next man that took them carried them safely through. Our regiment flag, the one presented to us by the 6th Ohio at Shiloh, has 33 holes through it and the spear shot off the top of the staff with a piece shot off at the side below the flag, the same ball taking with it the flag bearer’s thumb." 

    Sergeant Ehranan suffered a severe wound in his right leg that same afternoon and was the last of eight men in his company to be struck down during the battle. His account of the Stones River campaign, written to his father ten days after the close while Ehranan awaited transportation to Nashville, originally saw publication in the January 27, 1863 edition of the Zanesville Daily Courier. 


These few strips of cloth are all that remain of the set of national colors presented to the 24th Ohio in the aftermath of Shiloh by the old Guthrie Grays of the 6th Ohio. The presentation took place in front of Corinth, Mississippi on May 25, 1862 in the presence of the entirety of General William "Bull" Nelson's division. "It is a beautiful flag made by Messrs. John Shillito & Co. of Cincinnati and bearing this inscription 'The 6th to the 24th Ohio- Shiloh April 7, 1862." Corporal Ebenezer Hannaford of the 6th Ohio recalled that the division formed into a hollow square with the 6th and 24th Ohio regiments in the center. "At the sound of the bugle, General Buell and staff, Pope and staff, Crittenden and staff, Granger and staff, and Nelson and staff rode in from one of the salient points of the square while the troops recognized their presence by coming to a present arms. Ten thousand bayonets glistened in the sun, 10,000 men stood in serried ranks motionless as statues, not a word was whispered until softly borne along the air came the stirring strains of the Star-Spangled Banner." General Nelson alluded to the close ties of friendship existing between the two regiments which "he said had been indissolubly sealed upon the field of Shiloh where the two commands had battled side by side." The regiments would serve side by side for the rest of the war, but the colors were nearly destroyed at Stones River. 

Field hospital, near Murfreesboro, Tennessee

January 13, 1863

 

Dear Father,

          I promised you a full account of the battle of Murfreesboro in my last. On Friday morning December 26, 1862 at 9 o’clock, the division of General Palmer with knapsacks on their backs and three days’ rations in haversacks and five in the wagons took up their line of march on the main Murfreesboro Pike. By 5 o’clock p.m. after considerable skirmishing, we occupied the vicinity of LaVergne. Having made 12 miles and driven the enemy before us, our general here formed his line of battle , threw out videttes, and bivouacked for the night. Thanks to a kind and beneficent Providence, it did not rain any during the night and the weather being warm, we slept well all night.

          The next morning, General Woods’ division took the advance with no other annoyance than a brisk fight at LaVergne in which the 26th and 97th Ohio participated. Driving the enemy out of the place  at the point of the bayonet, we advanced to the first creek nine miles from Murfreesboro. Then our line of battle was again formed, videttes thrown out, and the army bivouacked. The rain fell heavily all day but at dark the clouds began to break away. We rested easy and undisturbed throughout the entire night.

          By a general order from the President of the United States, all Sunday attacks were strictly prohibited, consequently we did not make any movement that day. At 3 p.m., the videttes were relieved and our company moved out to relieve a company of the 6th Ohio. There was considerable skirmishing between the pickets on the left of us which was kept up until after dark. In front of us, the enemy’s pickets were not in sight and the night passed off quietly which impressed us with the belief that the enemy would not dispute our advance in the morning.

Colonel Frederick C. Jones, 24th O.V.I.
Killed in action December 31, 1862 at Stones River

          On Monday morning after a sharp artillery duel of two hours, the enemy was forced to retire and at 9 a.m. the infantry began to advance in line of battle. We were formed in three lines, one behind the other, our regiment being in the second line. The second line of battle draw up on the bank of the creek and stood in readiness for any maneuvers of the enemy while the first line crossed. The first line having crossed and formed, the next two lines crossed under their cover and got over. We were allowed a few moments to dry our socks and pour the water out of our boots and shoes for the water was over our knees. Having got everything in readiness, we began advancing and advanced very rapidly for four miles when we came to another creek. [Overall Creek] Here, too, the enemy checked our advance a little while. They were compelled to skedaddle, however, and a crossing was affected in the same manner as at the first creek. After crossing, we advanced very quickly until we came upon the enemy rifle pits 3-1/2 miles from Murfreesboro. Here we stacked our arms and began to get supper. It was dark and our suppers were nearly ready when we were ordered to fall in. General Rosecrans, thinking the enemy was evacuating, determined to rush into Murfreesboro and take them by surprise. A short reconnaissance in front convinced him that the enemy was not leaving and that to advance in the night would result in a serious disaster. The general having satisfied himself on this point ordered the troops to rest for the night.

          On Tuesday morning, our lines were carefully formed and this day our regiment was in the advance as Companies B and G were ordered forward to act as skirmishers for the day. We were deployed behind a board fence 200 yards from the enemy’s rifle pits. Here we were to remain until the right should advance in line with us and although the right fought hard all day, they did not get on line with us. We amused ourselves during the day by exchanging shots with the Rebel sharpshooters. Our company commander Captain Jerry Haley was here severely wounded. At dark, we were relieved and by 9 o’clock were allowed to rest for the night. While out during the day, I fired nine shots at the Rebels; some of the Rebels were wounded and we saw them carried off.

24th Ohio regimental colors

          On Wednesday morning, our lines were again carefully formed and at an early hour began the advance. We were formed in a half dozen lines, one behind the other, our regiment being in the last line. The battle opened in a few minutes and much to our surprise we learned that the enemy had changed his base, at the same time cutting us off from McCook and completely flanking us. This masterly movement of the Rebels was the cause of our disaster on that day which proved so nearly fatal to us.

          By a rapid forward movement, the Rebels gained our flank and rear before we could change front and at 9 a.m. had our line in a complete circle, leaving a small force to protect Murfreesboro and another to watch the movements of McCook while they threw the remainder of their troops out on Thomas’s and Crittenden’s corps. We fought against fearful odds all day, sometimes driving the Rebels, and in turn being driven by them. They continued in this state until noon when I was wounded and taken behind an old barn. Our line was soon compelled to fall back to this barn and there I lay for two hours between the raking fire of our men and the Rebels. In the meantime, General Rosecrans arrived on the field and made a few charges which resulted in the better success of our forces. At night, our boys occupied the same ground they held in the morning before the battle commenced. I was the last one of our company wounded on that day, seven having been wounded before me. An hour or so before I was wounded, our boys captured a stand of Rebel colors.

Private Leander Stacy
Co. A, 24th O.V.I.

Our color sergeant being wounded, the colors were taken by a corporal of the color guard who was shot dead; then they were seized by another of the color guard who hardly had them in his hands until he was wounded. The next man that took them carried them safely through. Our regiment flag, the one presented to us by the 6th Ohio at Shiloh, has 33 holes through it and the spear shot off the top of the staff with a piece shot off at the side below the flag, the same ball taking with it the flag bearer’s thumb.

          On Wednesday night by occupying the same ground they had possessed in the morning our boys formed a junction with McCook and the enemy was watched during the night lest he should attempt another movement that would prove equally disastrous as that of the day just passed. The enemy evidently got enough of us on Wednesday and returned to their works as a last retreat. On Thursday our forces advanced on them, and the battle raged fiercely all day and by night our boys had gained very little. They were driven from their rifle pits but their entrenchments they would not leave. Our company did not lose any during this day. Colonel Frederick Jones and Major Terry having been killed on Wednesday the regiment was now commander by Captain Enoch Weller.

          On Friday our forces were favored with a little better success, gaining their entrenchments on this side of Rock Creek and affecting a crossing. The 10th Brigade of Palmer’s division to which our regiment belongs charged across the creek and took the celebrated Washington Battery. It was here to Captain Enoch Weller was killed and here Kelley and George Sharps of our company were mortally wounded. The command of the regiment now fell to Captain Cockerill of Co. D who led the boys through the remainder of the battle and now commands what is left of the regiment. On Friday night a storm blew up and Rosecrans, fearing the Rebels would take advantage of it, gave orders for the men to rest on their arms without fires. His fears were not groundless for the enemy did attack our boys that very night and were badly beaten, too, as they did not attempt such a thing afterwards.
          On Saturday, our boys were attended with better success than any previous day. Although the Rebels stubbornly disputed their advance, by night our boys had succeeded in taking several lines of their earthworks. Whiskey-powder bravery could not cope with the undaunted courage of cool, determined sober soldier for here, like Shiloh, the Rebels were maddened with whiskey and gunpowder. On Saturday night, the entire Rebel force skedaddled leaving our forces in full possession of Murfreesboro. Our boys rested on the battlefield. Some forces coming up on Sunday who did not participate in the battle were sent after the Rebels early on Monday morning, leaving those who were engaged to follow after a short respite of two or three days.

          I am getting along finely. My wound gives me but little pain and with good care I shall be able to resume my duties in eight weeks. The most of our wounded have been sent to Nashville and the remainder of us will be sent in a few days. I received the appointment of sergeant on the battlefield Wednesday, the day I was wounded.        

         

Source:

Letter from Sergeant William H. Ehranan, Co. B, 24th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Zanesville Daily Courier (Ohio), January 27, 1863, pg. 2


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