All the Glory of Whipping Rosy

Lieutenant James H. Fraser’s 50th Alabama stepped out on the morning of Sunday, September 20, 1863, at Chickamauga eager to get into the fight with the Yankees and determined to not let Longstreet and his Virginia veterans “get all the glory of whipping Rosy.”

          “Early in the morning of Sunday the 20th, we were called to attention, the roll was called, and every man answered “here” loud and lively,” Fraser wrote to his father a week later. “But how many brave soldiers who were then full of life and hope lie cold and stiff in a soldier’s grave with nothing around them but a soldier’s blanket. We made a new graveyard, Pa, and then filled it with our own brave dead.”

          Lieutenant Fraser’s detailed account of the fighting on September 20th first saw publication in the October 8, 1905, edition of the Montgomery Advertiser, being shared with the newspaper by the Joseph E. Johnston chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy in Athens, Alabama, Fraser’s hometown.

 

Captain James H. Fraser, Co. H, 50th Alabama (1840-1919)
Alabama Confederate Images Collection

Tyner’s Station, Tennessee

September 26, 1863

Dear Pa,

          I have a tolerable good opportunity of writing this morning and have determined to write you a letter though I think it very doubtful whether you ever receive it or not. You have heard by this time of the great battle which was fought on the 19th and 20th instant, and I expect you have seen better and more accurate accounts of it than I can give you. But as everyone has his own story to tell, I will tell mine to you.

          Late in the afternoon of the 19th instant, we left Lafayette, Georgia and took up the line of march. We traveled the main road leading from Lafayette to Chattanooga and marched nearly all night, but our progress was slow, the road being full of troops ahead of us. At about 3 o’clock in the morning, we halted and rested until 8 or 9 o’clock when we again moved forward.

          We had not gone far when we came in sight of Lee and Gordon’s Mills on Chickamauga Creek. As soon as we saw the hill and came in full view, the enemy opened on us from the other side of the creek and near the mill with a battery of three or four guns, 12-pounders, I think. The brigade immediately formed a line of battle in a thick wood and our section of Robertson’s battery, two pieces, took position in an open field in front of a large white house with our regiment, the immortal 50th Alabama for a support and returned the enemy’s compliments.

          The shelling continued for some time, shells bursting above and all around us every minute. One man in Co. K had his musket shattered in his hands. Some of the shells fell very near me and one came very near falling on my foot. I picked up one of the fragments and carried it in my pocket for several days intending to send it home but it was so heavy I got tired of it. Towards night, the shelling ceased and we took up our position in line of battle with the brigade which had moved up and formed with the rest of the division. About sundown, Liddell and Walthall had a brisk little fight on the right, but as dark came on, everything grew quiet and we lay down to rest.

Colonel John C. Coltart of Huntsville led the 50th Alabama (originally called the 26th Alabama) for most of the war. Coltart, a superb combat officer, bumped up to brigade command several times during the war and suffered a severe wound at the July 28, 1864, battle of Ezra Church that knocked him out of action for a few months. Coltart returned to lead the brigade in Hood's Tennessee campaign and stayed until the bitter end in North Carolina where he led a division of only roughly 500 men. Coltart's life after the war was brief and rather tragic. He returned to Huntsville and was elected county sheriff but didn't hold the post long before the Reconstruction in 1867 removed him from office. Coltart checked himself into the state insane asylum in early 1868 and by April 16th, he was dead at age 42. 
Stan Hutson Collection

          On the 19th, we woke up at daylight and lay listening nearly all day long to the terrible thunder of artillery and the rattle of musketry, the mighty shock of battle which raged so furiously on our right. Cheer after cheer and shout after shout came to our listening ears; the roar of cannon grew fainter and the mighty clash of small arms less distinct. We knew that we were whipping them. Longstreet and Hood were upon them and driving them before them like chaff in the wind.

          About 4 o’clock in the evening, we had orders to move around to the right and relieve the troops that had been fighting so hard all day. The boys moved with a quick and active step. We had a long way to go, down to a ford of the creek and then back up the creek. We had to ford the creek which to many of us was over knee deep. Awhile after sundown we reached the battlefield. The ground in many places was actually covered with the Yankee dead but they still held a strong position and we knew they would make fight again on the morrow.

          We would have gone into action immediately but General Manigault, commanding the third brigade of our division (Hindman’s) failed to get his men into position until after dark. It was afterwards concluded that as we were all wet and cold, it would be better to retire 400-500 yards, make fires, and rest the best we could. When we made our fires and went out to gather wood, it was hard to keep from stumbling over the dead men. Again, the night was quiet as if there was no enemy in ten miles.

          Our fires were bright and blazed high and though the dead men lay thick under the stacks, yet the men were gay and confident of victory as ever. We all knew that we would fight in the morning and we felt that we would whip the enemy. We could not be sad. We had longed and wished for an opportunity to meet the foe again; now it was granted us. We had twice been in line of battle the week before; both times the enemy had taken advantage of the night and retired before us. General Bragg had just issued an address to the army telling us that we had “twice thwarted the attempt of the enemy to flank us,” and that we had been largely reinforced and that “now we must force the issue.” We had everything to cheer us and nothing to discourage us. And more than all, Longstreet had driven them more than two miles that day and we could not bear for him to come from Virginia and get all the glory of whipping Rosy.

          Early in the morning of Sunday the 20th, we were called to attention, the roll was called, and every man answered “here” loud and lively. But how many brave soldiers who were then full of life and hope lie cold and stiff in a soldier’s grave with nothing around them but a soldier’s blanket. We made a new graveyard, Pa, and then filled it with our own brave dead. But I am getting too fast.

          At sunrise, we advanced in line of battle but soon halted on the ground that our troops had occupied last on the evening before and there we remained until nearly 11 o’clock. The battle had opened on our right about sunrise. General Deas said he was ordered to take it up as soon as it came down the line. There was but little or no skirmishing in our immediate front but up on the right of the brigade they were cracking away at each other frequently.

General James Longstreet

          Presently Generals Longstreet and Buckner rode down the line. Longstreet is the boldest and bravest looking man I ever saw. I don’t think he would dodge if a shell were to burst under his chin. General Deas said, “General Longstreet, I presume?” General Longstreet said, “yes, sir.” General Deas then told him his own and said he was ready to advance with his brigade. General Longstreet told him where to go and when he thought he would meet the enemy. General Deas called the brigade to attention and commanded, “forward.” I think it could have been heard at least three miles.

          We moved along, just at slow time, then quick, then double quick, and as we came in sight, the boys all took the run and everyone shouted and shot as fast as he could. Their first line gave way like nothing, so did their second and third. Our charge was irresistible. We actually cut the Yankee line in two halves. One went one way and the other went another. They were scattered to the four winds. A great many of them were so cowardly that they did not shoot as we advanced on them but stuck their heads behind logs and waited for us to pass them. It was the quickest and prettiest little fight I ever saw. It is reported that General Longstreet has said that he never saw anything more beautifully done. And General Hindman complimented the brigade highly and well he may for we captured 14 pieces of artillery and a private of our regiment captured the colors of the 6th Ohio Battery.

          Dixon Allen and Corporal Harvey were killed in the charge while Captain Richardson and Lieutenant Blair were wounded. Two bullets passed through my clothes, both through the same old wounded leg, one through my boot leg just above the ankle. I had my boots outside my pants and the bullet went through my boots, pants, and cut clear through the sock, carrying a part of it out with it, but did not hurt me and I did not mind it. The other passed through my pants above the knee but like the other it did not hurt me.

          We pursued the flying enemy for more than a mile and a half when at last we were ordered to halt by our generals. We were tired, scattered, and exhausted. A few minutes were allowed us to rest ourselves and to reform. The enemy was so much discouraged that they did not get into action again until nearly 4 o’clock in the afternoon, but we were not resting all the time.  It was ascertained that he had massed all his forces between two high hills that could not be flanked and to be carried had to be stormed. We were ordered to charge one of these hills.

General Zachariah C. Deas led an all-Alabama brigade at Chickamauga composed of the 17th Battalion of Sharpshooters, and the 19th, 22nd, 25th, 39th, and 50th regiments. A wealthy cotton broker, early in the war, Deas had raised the 22nd Alabama and armed it at his own expense. 


          Everyone felt it was almost certain death to go up, but it was ordered and we obeyed the order advancing steadily and stoutly. The ground was so steep that we could not go with a rush until we reached the top of the hill where we were met with a terrible volley of grape, canister, and Minie bullets not more than 80 yards distant. The men could go no further as death reigned on every side as the grape and canister swept the earth. The brigade gave way but rallied and came back. Again we were driven back and again we came to the charge. Now came Anderson and Johnson to our relief and again the shout of victory rose high. The enemy was beaten and took advantage of the night to hide himself.

          In the three charges on the hill, we lost more men than in all before. Corporal Nelson of Captain Richardson’s company was killed as were many others of the regiment. The battle was a hard one but the victory complete and glorious. The regiment had 105 killed, wounded in missing; in my company, we had 14, only 5 of whom were wounded and three missing. The enemy is now cooped up in Chattanooga and our army is all around him. Our brigade is on picket at Tyner’s to prevent any cavalry raid. We are still in fine spirits. I am perfectly well.

          Tell Ma that I will not need any coat but that I need socks and boots and if she can make me a strong pair of boots, I will be very proud of them, but if not, I will get a pair like those furnished to the men. Mick Malone says please let Otho make him a pair of boots. Pa will furnish the leather. I’ve received letters from Sis Beck and the last I received was dated the 14th of September. Tom is well and sends “howdy” to all white and black. Love to all for me. Remember me to Uncle Ira and Cousin Gun’s folks. Tell Ma to send the gloves cousin Annie knit for me. I received the money you sent by Crity and many thanks.

          If you hear anything of my conduct on the field, let me know as I am always anxious to know what people think of my actions. I tried to do my duty and I am satisfied. I am nearly barefooted and would be glad to have boots as soon as possible. I have a splendid Yankee hat but they were so poor they had no boots or clothing worth having. All say, “they were the poorest Yankees ever seen.” Write soon and love to you all.

 

Yours,

J.H. Fraser

         

Source:

Letter from Lieutenant James Hubbard Fraser, Co. H, 50th Alabama, Montgomery Advertiser (Alabama), October 8, 1905, pg. 17

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