It Was Deucedly Hot Here: A Buckeye on Missionary Ridge

In the general reorganization of the Army of the Cumberland after Chickamauga, the 69th Ohio found themselves assigned to a new brigade under the command of Colonel Marshall F. Moore along with their old brigade mates the 19th Illinois, and 11th Michigan, and with the survivors of the army's Regular Brigade which had been decimated at Chickamauga. The men had their opportunity to avenge Chickamauga on the afternoon of November 25, 1863 outside of Chattanooga. The Confederate line lay ahead of them atop Missionary Ridge. Captain Alexander Mahood of the 69th Ohio described the charge thus: 

    "We crossed the open space without a casualty occurring and piled into the deserted rifle pits as the Rebs fled pell-mell," he wrote. "After gaining breath one or two minutes we raised and went at the second line with a cheer, which the Rebs vacated for us, or threw down their arms and cuddled snugly down at the bottom. It was deucedly hot here and the way up and at the hill which, as it became steeper, sheltered us somewhat from the grape and canister now filling the air. It was here that our men began to fall like autumn leaves. The advance was now steadier and taking advantage of every cover, the men moved up, halting only to discharge their guns, till out of breath when they would take cover and rest." 

    Captain Mahood's account of Missionary Ridge first saw publication in the December 23, 1863 edition of the Cadiz Democratic Sentinel.

 

The 69th Ohio spent its first several months of service guarding Confederate prisoners of war at Camp Chase in Columbus, Ohio before being dispatched to Nashville, Tennessee in the spring of 1862 where its fortunes became tied with the Army of the Cumberland. The Buckeyes fought in the cedars at Stones River and with Colonel Daniel McCook's command at Chickamauga, then went on the Atlanta campaign with Sherman and marched with him to the sea. 

Camp 69th Regt., O.V.I., Chattanooga, Tennessee

December 5, 1863

    It may be interesting to some of your readers to know the part taken by the 69th O.V.I. in the important movements against Chattanooga toward the close of November which had resulted in the expulsion of Bragg’s force from Tennessee and opening communication by rail and river to Bridgeport. Our brigade went on outpost duty on the morning of the 22nd with the expectation of a general engagement on the next morning, but owing to a rise in the river, Sherman did not get in position and a reconnaissance on the center was the only movements made on the 23rd. Our corps’ front, which we picketed, extended from the river near the base of Lookout Mountain along Chattanooga Creek and east to the south front of Fort Negley almost, and along the creek the pickets of the two armies were in many places only the width of the little creek apart.

    On the 24th about 9 o’clock, Hooker opened the ball some two miles to our right by an assault on the mountain. It was about 1 p.m. ere the forces reached the eastern slope where they could be seen by us; when they came in line of battle and were greeted with cheers from the forces in Chattanooga Valley. A line of rifle pits running nearly west and well up to the peak, from our position, offered the first impediment to their advance after they came in view, which they charged and drove the enemy from without halting. The Rebels rallied in a second line and after a few minutes sharp fighting repulsed our men momentarily, who soon rallied, when a long and stubborn fight ensued, neither party advancing or retreating. The mist that had all day obscured the summit and prevented the batteries on top from participating, now settled low down and enveloping the combatants, we could only hear the sounds of the strife which, however, did not slacken. And the cheers as one or the other charged, rose above the din of musketry.

    Our batteries now opened on the trains passing to and from the summit, some distance in the rear of the Rebs, and it was apparent that the tenacity with which they contested this point was to cover their trains. Old Lookout batteries threw a few shots blind, but soon tired and it was left to the deadly rifle to decide the contest. The fight was kept up till 11:30 p.m. when it gradually ceased and the stars made their appearance and the weather cleared and became quite cold. In the morning a solitary Yankee came out on the point of rocks and signaling with his old hat announced the evacuation of Lookout by the Rebels. A reconnaissance in front of our pickets disclosed the fact that their pickets had with the dawn silently withdrawn and their camps vacated.

The above print depicting the key moment of Missionary Ridge as Federals captured the second line of the Confederates was published by the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company out of Chicago copying from the panoramic painting then on display in that city. "It was deucedly hot here," Captain Mahood reported. "At the last bench, the men hung some few minutes but giving a cheer went at the breastworks with vigor. Some of the Rebs sprang over towards us while the remainder precipitately fled, leaving part of their artillery and losing some baggage, our boys disabling their teams in their flight." 

    We were relieved and ordered to report at post 5, to which point we marched about 11 a.m. on the 25th where two days’ rations were brought to us, and we prepared and ate dinner and lay down, eagerly watching the movements of the enemy on Missionary Ridge and the heavy cannonading on our left. About half past one, we were ordered to fall in and marching to our left and toward the ridge, advanced about half a mile where we formed line of battle, our left on Sheridan’s right, and a little to the left of Bragg’s headquarters on the ridge. Co. I was thrown forward as skirmishers and the order forward was immediately given, and we advanced through a piece of woods which fringed the open space at the foot of the ridge and again halted for two or three minutes. The forts in our rear and field batteries at this point opened furiously, the former on the top of, and the latter on the rifle pits at the foot and on the side of the ridge. We now moved out into the open ground and were at once greeted with a tremendous burst of shell from their batteries hitherto silent.

    The order to double quick was responded to with a cheer, which soon degenerated into a run, and we sprung to it with a will as the shells were buzzing decidedly close overhead. We crossed the open space without a casualty occurring and piled into the deserted rifle pits as the Rebs fled pell-mell. After gaining breath one or two minutes we raised and went at the second line with a cheer, which the Rebs vacated for us, or threw down their arms and cuddled snugly down at the bottom. It was deucedly hot here and the way up and at the hill which, as it became steeper, sheltered us somewhat from the grape and canister now filling the air. It was here that our men began to fall like autumn leaves. The advance was now steadier and taking advantage of every cover, the men moved up, halting only to discharge their guns, till out of breath when they would take cover and rest.

    About halfway up, Lewis and Heffling fell, the former shot through the back part of the head from a crossfire, the latter in the throat, passing down through his lungs and out his right side. Sergeant Jones and McMillen were here wounded. The right of the regiment oblique to the right to facilitate the progress up a draught or ravine and drew upon themselves a heavy crossfire from a projecting point on the opposite side of the ravine, and our color bearer was shot down within 75 yards of the summit. The color sergeants of the 19th Illinois and 11th Michigan were also killed about this point and close together. At the last bench, the men hung some few minutes but giving a cheer went at the breastworks with vigor, when some of the Rebs sprang over towards us, while the remainder precipitately fled, leaving part of their artillery and losing some baggage, our boys disabling their teams in their flight. Co. K lost four killed- Isaac Miller and John Vankirk between the lines of breastworks, both shot through the head, and Davis Garvin wounded at the first line, in the right hand, in addition to the four above stated.

    Major Hanna, commanding the regiment, led the way on horseback across the open space and afforded a fine mark but escaped. Leaving his horse at the hill he was among the foremost going up and among the first of our brigade that crossed the breastworks. He has won the confidence of the men and the commendation of his superiors for his coolness in action and the courage he has displayed under trying circumstances.  We were subsequently in the pursuit to Ringgold (capturing a part of a South Carolina battery and the flag) with Hooker’s corps, where we lay two days, and returned to camp November 29th at 6:30 p.m. after eight days constant duty. 

To learn more about Missionary Ridge, check out these posts:

 Source:

Letter from Captain Alexander Mahood, Co. K, 69th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Cadiz Democratic Sentinel (Ohio), December 23, 1863, pg. 2

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