The Bugler Checked the Rout: William J. Carson at Chickamauga

The Union left at Chickamauga appeared to be going up the spout on the morning of September 20, 1863. As Colonel John Beatty’s brigade was shattered by Breckinridge’s flanking attack, the storm of battle pushed south and struck the balance of the line held by the First Division of the 14th Army Corps. Beatty’s retreat precipitated a similar retreat by the left of General John King’s Regulars. But an intrepid 23-year-old bugler in the 15th U.S. was determined to rally the line.

          William J. Carson, a Pennsylvania native who was living near Bellefontaine, Ohio when he joined the 15th U.S. in September 1861, had grabbed a gun and was firing away when he saw the rout spreading down the line. “Try as they would, the officers were powerless to check the rout,” Carson recalled. “I threw down my gun, rushed out some 30 yards to the color bearer of the 18th U.S. and said, “Let us rally these men or the whole left is gone.” The brave fellow stopped and waved his flag while I sounded ‘to the colors.’ The men cheered and rushed back into line. Still sounding the rally, I passed back and forth in front of the forming line and what a few minutes before seemed like a hopeless and disastrous rout now turned out to be a complete victory. The retreat had been checked and the enemy driven back with awful slaughter.”

          The young bugler’s actions would eventually be awarded with a Medal of Honor in 1894. His description of rallying the Union left at Chickamauga first saw publication in Beyer and Keydel’s Deeds of Valor in 1901.

 


          On September 19, 1863, our brigade, consisting of the First Battalion of the 15th and 16th U.S. Infantry, three battalions of the 18th U.S. Infantry, two battalions of the 19th U.S. Infantry, and Battery H of the 5th U.S. Light Artillery, was ordered to advance to a position one mile east of Kelly’s Field at Chickamauga. Just as our battery was getting into position, a battery and two brigades of the enemy opened fire on us. The short, but sharp, engagement resulted in the death of First Lieutenant Howard M. Burnham and 12 men, the capture of 13 men and the entire battery. In addition, two lieutenants and 16 men were wounded while nearly every horse was either killed outright or fatally injured.

          Our infantry made a grand and noble effort to recapture the battery but were driven back by the greatly superior force of the enemy. As bugler, I did all in my power to rally and lead the men to the charge, going to the flags and sounding ‘to the colors.’ The brave fellows rallied and, with the assistance of the 9th and 17th Ohio regiments, the battery was retaken.

          On the following morning, our brigade was engaged with Breckinridge’s corps in a most desperate and deadly conflict. Our battalion of 262 men were lying down 100 yards in the rear as reserves. I had picked up a gun as was always my custom and was giving the enemy every shot I could when I saw one of the officers of the 18th U.S. skulking back from tree to tree. I went through the rows of our men and sent him back at the point of the bayonet.

Musician William J. Carson
Co. E, 1st Bttln., 15th U.S.

          The conflict began when Beatty’s brigade gave way and was driven back by an overwhelming force of the enemy. The left of our brigade became exposed and likewise gave way. Finally, the whole line was coming back in disorder. Try as they would, the officers were powerless to check the rout. I threw down my gun, rushed out some 30 yards to the color bearer of the 18th U.S. and said, “Let us rally these men or the whole left is gone.”

          The brave fellow stopped and waved his flag while I sounded ‘to the colors.’ The men cheered and rushed back into line. Still sounding the rally, I passed back and forth in front of the forming line and what a few minutes before seemed like a hopeless and disastrous rout now turned out to be a complete victory. The retreat had been checked and the enemy driven back with awful slaughter. So severe was their repulse that within a few minutes we were firing towards our rear into the enemy who were pressing Beatty’s troops back.

          I noticed a color bearer of the 2nd Ohio running with his men out of the woods on the north side of Kelly’s Field. I headed him off and exhorted him to stop, which he promptly did. Then I once more sounded ‘to the colors’ and many a brave soldier halted but as the enemy appeared at the edge of the timber and poured a deadly volley into us, all broke and ran like good fellows. We sought shelter at the east of the timber and fired into the enemy from a temporary defense of logs and rails.

          After two hours of hard fighting and receiving reinforcements, our lines were once more formed and straightened out. I took an inventory of myself and found 10 bullet holes in his clothes; three bullets had pierced my hat and one had both struck and slightly wounded my left arm. We held our position until the last cartridge was gone and at about 6:30 that night we were taken prisoners.

  Carson would spend the next six months in Confederate prisoner of war camps before being exchanged; it was reported that he weighed only 64 lbs. upon his release. Carson would be discharged and return to his home near Bellefontaine, Ohio.

          Captain William G. Galloway of the 15th U.S. (who would also be captured at Chickamauga) attested to the impact Carson’s heroism had on the outcome of the battle in this sector of the field. “His acts of heroism on the 20th of September 1863, that came under my personal observation, I believe are without a parallel of individual bravery of that memorable battle,” Galloway said. “He with his bugle made it possible for us to check a most disastrous retreat. We were able through the assistance of Carson to rally over 2,500 of our division and retake the position we had lost, which was then held by us until night. He was as brave a man as ever wore the blue.”

          Carson  would receive the Medal of Honor for his actions on January 27, 1894, when he was living in Indiana. The Medal of Honor citation reads: “he President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Musician William J. Carson, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on 19 September 1863, while serving with Company E, 15th U.S. Infantry, in action at Chickamauga, Georgia. At a critical stage in the battle when the 14th Corps lines were wavering and in disorder, Musician Carson, on his own initiative bugled "to the colors" amid the 18th U.S. Infantry who formed by him and held the enemy. Within a few minutes he repeated his action amid the wavering 2nd Ohio Infantry. This bugling deceived the enemy who believed reinforcements had arrived. Thus, they delayed their attack.”

To learn more about the Regular Brigade at Chickamauga, please check out these posts:

Overrun at Chickamauga: Pork & Beans of the Regular Artillery 

Prelude to an Awful Finale: A Buckeye Sergeant at Chickamauga

Source:

“This Bugler Checked a Rout,” Musician William J. Carson, Co. E, 1st Battalion, 15th U.S. Infantry, from Walter F. Beyer and Oscar F. Keydel, editors. Deeds of Valor: How America’s Heroes Won the Medal of Honor. Detroit: The Perrien-Keydel Co., 1901, pgs. 263-265

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