Perryville All Knocked in the Shade: At Chickamauga with the 1st Wisconsin Infantry

 Badgers Forward! Wisconsin at Chickamauga Series

The storied 1st Wisconsin Infantry was no stranger to tight places. During the Battle of Perryville in October 1862, the regiment held a critical position on the Federal left fighting Maney's Tennesseans in some of the bloodiest fighting of the entire engagement. The Badgers stood their ground against some of the hardest-hitting troops in the Confederate army and walked off the field with a captured set of colors, a well-earned fighting reputation, and a lengthy casualty list. Less than a year later at Chickamauga, the 1st Wisconsin would again find themselves holding a critical portion of the Federal left against repeated heavy assaults. 

    Sergeant William J. Payne of Co. I remembered that on September 20th "we formed a small breastwork of logs and about 10 o’clock the enemy came on to us five regiments deep, twice running and were repulsed both times with heavy loss. But nothing daunted, they kept at it all day long, massing their forces first in one place, then another all along the lines and a bloody battle was being fought all day." 

    As part of General John C. Starkweather's Second Brigade of General Absalom Baird's First Division of the 14th Army Corps, the 1st Wisconsin saw significant action on both days of the engagement. To help explain their experience, accounts from two soldiers of the regiment are reproduced below from the Quiner Scrapbooks. 


Five soldiers from Co. C of the 1st Wisconsin pose for a group picture dating from around late 1863. All five had been captured at Chickamauga but managed to escape. All five men are identified: standing at left is Joseph Leach, standing at right is Lemuel McDonald; sitting left to right are Chauncey S. Chapman, Thomas Anderson, and John R. Schofield. The men sport a variety of headgear ranging from Anderson's kepi at center to a variety of civilian purchase porkpie hats, slouch hats, while Leach appears to have a Hardee-style hat. As part of Colonel John C. Starkweather's brigade, the 1st Wisconsin went through the wringer at Perryville in October 1862 where the regiment captured the colors of a Tennessee regiment but suffered heavy casualties in the bargain: 58 killed, 124 wounded, 34 missing, and 6 captured. Sergeant William Payne of Co. I said that the regiment's losses at Chickamauga left "Perryville all knocked in the shade."


First Lieutenant John C. McMullen, Co. H, 1st Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry

 

Chattanooga, Tennessee

September 24, 1863

Friend Ross,

          With feelings of sorrow I improve the few moments of cessation of hostilities to tell our friends at home the sad record of my company- of the sufferings, hardships, death, yet glorious victory; the accomplishment of the object of the campaign, viz. the occupation of Chattanooga.

          Since the first of September, the Army of the Cumberland has been making forced marches across the Tennessee River and over two ranges of rocky mountains, being a continuation of the Cumberland Mountains. On the 11th, our brigade in connection with General Negley’s division skirmished with the enemy. Our loss was small, but it was very disheartening to the boys to fall back five miles which we were compelled to do, our main force not having arrived.

          On Friday the 18th we broke camp at dark. Marching all night, we formed line of battle at daybreak on the morning of the 19th, fatigued, covered with dust, and hungry. About 6 a.m., the enemy advanced in force. The first brigade of our division was attacked by the Rebels and after a desperate engagement was compelled to fall back. Our brigade was ordered forward to its support, marching about one half mile through a thick undergrowth of timber. Then for some unaccountable reason, the enemy opened upon us from six columns deep before we were in position or before our battery could possibly render us any assistance.

The consequence was the fire from the enemy was more than human nature could endure and we fell back somewhat in disorder, losing 75 men in six minutes. My company lost here in wounded five men: Sergeant William Lyman, mortally in the shoulder; Corporal William Richardson, in foot; Corporal Edwim Rounsville; William Wilder, in thigh; Charles Pierce; and two missing. The battle continued till long after dark with varying fortunes. In our division we lost every piece of artillery; we retook them all. The ground upon which we slept at night was lost and gained three different times and the Union and Rebel dead alike were our bedfellows.

After sunset Saturday night September 19th, the exhausted soldiers of the 1st Wisconsin slept upon their gum blankets surrounded by the dead of both armies. The rubber gum blanket proved to be a particularly prized and useful bit of field kit. Soldiers could spread the gum blanket (black side down) upon the ground, serving as a moisture barrier while they curled up dry and cozy in a woolen blanket. Rubber ponchos were also issued to the troops as were painted blankets, all similar in appearance to the rubber blanket. 


But the enemy reserved all their desperation and hatred till the Sabbath. The sun never rose upon a more beautiful morning. The air was calm and genial and all nature seemed to praise God while man, made in His image, were mustering their squadrons for the most desperate battle of the war. The discipline and bravery of the Army of the Cumberland was to be tested. Officers and men alike were determined to make traitors and tyranny tremble in their dreams of power and preparations were made accordingly. Our lines in the form of a horseshoe were formed at daylight. Temporary breastworks were thrown up, skirmishers were thrown to the front, and our boys awaited the onset with the courage and coolness of freemen.

Our enemies during the night had been busy. Their reinforcements had arrived. General Bragg made a speech to his men, telling them that the independence of the Confederacy would be lost or gained on the morrow, that he had our communications cut off, outnumbered us three to one, and that this would be the last battle fought in Kentucky or Tennessee. But obey orders and he would drive the Yankees across the Ohio.

The Rebels advanced on our brigade about 8 a.m. The 1st Wisconsin was in the first line. Our skirmishers were quickly driven in, but we reserved our fire till the ragged rascals approached within 20 yards of our lines; then we poured in such a terrific fire that hundreds of them bit the dust every minute. But with the yells of madmen and the shrieks of demons, they rushed forward determined upon death or victory. But after the ground was strewn with their dead and wounded, they fell back in disorder. However, many of them threw away their arms and rushed into our lines asking for mercy.

In this way, the Rebels felt our line regardless of death, They hurled their infantry upon us in six columns deep. They would first try our line, then another. To break the center was their principal object in order to cut our army in two. At one time our left gave way and the Rebels had our brigade completely surrounded, but a charge led by General Rosecrans drove them back with great slaughter. Deacon Joseph Breed was killed about 10 a.m. while in the attitude of loading his gun. The ball passed through his left arm and through his lungs, cutting off two fingers of his right hand. He died instantly without a groan or a quiver. His last act of mercy was to make coffee for the whole company under a terrific fire from the enemy and distribute it among the boys, but he has gone to his reward having been in all things faithful. He died like a soldier fighting for his country. [Corporal Joseph H. Breed, Co. H, 1st Wisconsin] 

"Deacon Breed was killed about 10 a.m. while in the attitude of loading his gun," Lieutenant McMullen recalled. "He died instantly without a groan or a quiver. His last act of mercy was to make coffee for the whole company under a terrific fire from the enemy and distribute it among the boys." 

About sundown we were ordered to fall back over a cornfield containing about 50 acres under the most destructive fire known in warfare. The field was swept from all sides with grape and canister. In doing this we suffered more than at any other time during the day. The boys all did well. I cannot remember the many acts of bravery performed in those two memorable days. William Wilder was quite unwell when the fight commenced but positively refused to go to the rear, cheering for the old flag after he was wounded and in the very face of the enemy. Corporal Eddy Edwards, after the color sergeant was shot down, seized the colors and bore them everywhere in the thickest of the fight with the coolness and bravery of a grenadier. Amherst Humphrey cut his way through the Rebel ranks three different times. Lewis Trowbridge, after being disabled, remained assisting the boys to load their muskets; in fact, the whole company fought with a valor worthy of the cause and of freemen, and Sheboygan County may well be proud of the record they made in this struggle for the overthrow of treason.

In addition to the names mentioned above, Sergeant Wood, M. DuMaster, Reuben Farver, H. Hartman, H. Wedepohl, Sergeant Trowbridge, and Corporal Kemmes were wounded. Lieutenant J.S. Richard, Sergeant Mann, John Kemmes, Theodore Ott, Albert Paine, George Reed, Charles Trowbridge, John Vick, and William Woodward are missing. This is the most accurate information I can get at present. While I write, a heavy engagement is going on in our front and all the troops are in line of battle.

Very respectfully,

J.C. McMullen, Lieut., commanding Co. H

 

The 1st Wisconsin monument at Chickamauga was a focal point for much discussion during this year's Seminar in the Woods. The Badgers held an important salient on General George H. Thomas' Kelly Field line, holding their position against several staunch Confederate attacks on September 20th. The regiment suffered its heaviest losses during the retreat late that afternoon when they became exposed to Confederate fire while falling back across Kelly Field. "About sundown, we were ordered to fall back over a cornfield under the most destructive fire known in warfare," Lieutenant John C. McMullen. "The field was swept from all sides with grape and canister and in doing this we suffered more than at any other time during the day." The 1st Wisconsin suffered 64% casualties during Chickamauga: 27 killed, 84 wounded, and 77 missing, or 188 out of 291 engaged. 


Sergeant William J. Payne, Co. I, 1st Wisconsin Infantry

On the battlefield of Chattanooga, Tennessee

September 23, 1863

Dear parents, brothers, and sisters,

          Sad is the tale I have to tell.  Short time ago I wrote you a letter notifying you of a small skirmish we had with the enemy just this side of the mountains in which we were obliged to fall back about five miles. Since then we have been concentrating our force but on the 19th we were forced into a general engagement by the enemy. We were engaged twice that day and obliged to retire both times, the enemy being our superior in numbers. We lost our captain and two men killed on the field and several wounded.

The next morning we were again sent to the front, our regiment to the very front. We formed a small breastwork of logs and about 10 o’clock the enemy came on to us five regiments deep, twice running and were repulsed both times with heavy loss. But nothing daunted, they kept at it all day long, massing their forces first in one place, then another all along the lines and a bloody battle was being fought all day. Just at night they made a heavy attack and drove in both our right and left and then massed their force on the center where we were; but we held them back until our artillery was out of ammunition and most every man had fired his last cartridge having 60 rounds apiece when we went into the fight. When we were ordered to retire, the whole army fell back four or five miles to a better position where we remained the next day.

Captain Abner C. Heald
Co. I, 1st Wisconsin
Killed in action
September 20, 1863

Skirmishing kept up quite lively during the day, cannonading occasionally at night. It was ascertained that the enemy was trying to flank us which caused us to fall back here on Chattanooga during the night. We got here yesterday morning and commenced fortifications and have continued them since. The enemy occasionally feel of us but have not attacked in force since we have been here. Bragg has received reinforcements from Virginia and has about double the force we have, and prisoners that we have taken say that they are going to whip us here or lose the last man.

          The loss of our company is as follows, Perryville being all knocked in the shade. Killed on the field: Captain Abner C. Heald, Henry Mentink, and Oran Littlefield. Wounded, Stephen V. Preston, mortally, A. Hentz, W. Row, Horace Tibbits, Charles Peek, W.M. Rogers, C. Arnold, W. Brown, and Sergeant A. Tibbets (I think mortally). Missing, Lieutenant G.W. Buffum, F. Putnam, Dr. Russell and J. Batchelder, making out of 28 men that we went into the fight with a loss of 17 men, leaving only 11 men now in the company. Lieutenant Buffum, it is supposed, was taken prisoner with the other boys that are missing for when we were ordered to retreat, he said it was sure death for a fellow to run so he would lay and be taken. Lieutenant Colwell was struck with a piece of shell on the leg and just took his hide off a little, but not to disable him. How I came to escape is a mystery to me, but I am yet alive and well. Hoping to remain so, I close by subscribing myself your affectionate son,

W.J. Payne


To learn more about the 1st Wisconsin's experiences in the Civil War, please check out these related posts:

With the 1st Wisconsin at Chaplin Hills

When the Lightning Flashed: The 1st Wisconsin at Stones River


Sources:

Letter from First Lieutenant John C. McMullen, Co. H, 1st Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, Quiner Scrapbooks, Volume 7, Wisconsin Historical Society

 Letter from Sergeant William J. Payne, Co. I, 1st Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, Quiner Scrapbooks, Volume 7, Wisconsin Historical Society


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