The 37th Indiana and the Muddy March to Tullahoma

Rain. Impassable Roads. Endless Mud. Victory. 

    Private William F. Stegamiller of Co. C wrote the following letter to the editors of the Aurora Journal in July 1863 giving a fine account of the Tullahoma campaign. Like most regiments in the Army of the Cumberland, the 37th Indiana’s part was largely confined to marching and surviving in the endless rain and mud as the army moved south. 

          Private Stegamiller’s letter first appeared in the July 30, 1863, edition of the Aurora Journal. Unfortunately, he would not survive the war, being killed in action the following May at the Battle of Pickett’s Mill in northern Georgia. 

Regimental colors of the 37th Indiana Volunteer Infantry 

Decherd Station, Tennessee

July 17, 1863

          Permit a soldier of the 37th Indiana of the Army of the Cumberland to make a few statements as to what has occurred since we left Murfreesboro. Although it has been some time, some of your many readers will be glad to hear from this regiment.

          We left Murfreesboro on the 24th of June at about noon. As it had been raining, the roads were getting somewhat muddy and the wagons were all heavily loaded with provisions, corn, hay, and camp equipment, it was necessary to keep the train up with the marching columns to prevent attacks of Rebel cavalry who are always waiting for such opportunities. We marched only about 8 miles and camped for the night and a dreary night it was: raining all the time until about 9 ‘clock the next morning when it somewhat abated. We started and marched until 1 when we halted and camped until the next morning as our advance was engaging the Rebels at Hoover’s Gap. We could also at intervals hear the rattle of musketry on our right in the direction of the Shelbyville Pike which gave indications that General McCook’s corps was also engaging the enemy.

          On the 26th, the Gap was cleared. Our regiment, being back with the trains, made it late when we arrived beyond the Gap with all the train. We bivouacked that night at a place called Beech Grove which a few days previous had been the abode of the Rebels. The next morning, part of our division took a road to the right of the main road and at 3 o’clock we again came on the Manchester Pike after a circuitous route of several miles in which we encountered no foe. The citizens told us that they had withdrawn early that morning.

          Late in the evening of the 27th we reached Manchester, distant 31 miles from Murfreesboro. Colonel Wilder’s mounted infantrymen were the first in town, there being only a small detachment of an Alabama regiment who made but feeble resistance. This is a small town on the McMinnville railroad which is a branch of the Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad. We remained here until the 29th when we again took up our line of march as the rain poured down in torrents. It having rained the two days previous the roads were almost impassable.


My ancestor: Private James Parker Brown, Co. D, 37th Indiana Infantry

Accordingly, we left our train at Manchester and started with rations for three days’ excursion. Not having any trains to delay our advance, we marched very rapidly, part of the time on the railroad and marched until late we came up with General [Lovell] Rousseau’s division and remained for the night, about 5 miles from Tullahoma. We expected the next morning to open the ball as it was supposed that Bragg would make a stand there. The next morning, the sun rose clear and beautiful but this was only transient as it rained the same evening. After the sun had fairly risen above the tree tops, we plainly heard the rattle of musketry and artillery at intervals in the direction of Tullahoma and about 8 o’clock two regiments of our brigade were ordered to make a reconnaissance on a road running in an oblique direction towards Tullahoma.

Accordingly, the 37th Indiana and 21st Ohio were dispatched to the front. We were ordered to go four miles but we encountered no difficulty taking one prisoner, then we returned to camp and remained all night and it was that night that General Bragg evacuated his stronghold, leaving some of his commissary stores behind, nearly all of his tents, and several pieces of artillery including 3 siege guns. His flight was so precipitate that he had no time to destroy these guns. The cavalry pursued him closely to the Cumberland Mountains. A large number of his men dropped out and gave themselves up so that his flight was as disastrous to his army as though he had been completely whipped. 

“When we left Murfreesboro, we had no idea that such a brag as General Bragg would ever evacuate his stronghold, fortified as he was and commence a precipitate retreat. Yet this he did, leaving all this fine portion of Tennessee for our occupation. He even left the wheat crop and nicely put up in the fields; of course, it is our bound duty to gather it in that it is not wasted. Truly, we are subject to disappointment in this life; we expected blood and carnage and were all nerved for the contest.” ~ Private Henry B. Wiggins, Co. K, 37th Indiana


As I have heard various reports as to the number of prisoners, I will not attempt to state the number as it would be nothing but guesswork. I will leave it to those who know. Our loss in killed and wounded has been very small in comparison to that of the enemy. The Tennesseans in Bragg’s army would give themselves up whenever the opportunity offered.



We are at present encamped near the Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad at a place called Decherd Station about 6 miles from the foot of the Cumberland Mountains which we can just see looming up in the distance. The cars do not run through this station yet owing to a bridge over the Elk River which the Rebels destroyed in their retreat. As soon as bridge is repaired, the cars will run through to this place.

As there has been a great change in our officers, I will mention the names of the field officers: Colonel James S. Hull, Lieutenant Colonel William A. Ward (formerly captain of Co. A), and Major Kimball who originally was captain of Co. B. The present commander of Co. C is Captain Robert C. Pate who was promoted to captain after the Battle of Stones River and which he indeed highly deserved. He was the only commissioned officer this company had for a long time while we were under the command of General [Ormsby] Mitchel. Our lieutenants are J.S. Henry and Socrates Carver, both of whom have been promoted since the fight at Murfreesboro. Mr. Henry was then first sergeant and Mr. Carver color sergeant, which duty he performed during the five days’ fight with honor to himself and credit to the regiment.

To learn more about the 37th Indiana, please check out these posts:

Deposing the Tyrant of Bacon Creek

Sacking Athens and the Battle of Hewey’s Bridge

A Captured Sword and Lost Story of the Battle of Stones River

 Where Wounds and Death Held High Carnival

Sources:

Letter from Private William F. Stegamiller, Co. C, 37th Indiana Volunteer Infantry, Aurora Journal (Indiana), July 30, 1863, pg. 2

Letter from Private Henry B. Wiggins, Co. K, 37th Indiana Volunteer Infantry, Aurora Journal (Indiana), July 23, 1863, pg. 2

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