There was great mismanagement in the battle: A Wisconsin Colonel Describes Chickamauga

Looking back on the Battle of Chickamauga, Lieutenant Colonel Ole Johnson of the 15th Wisconsin lamented to his brother that "there was great mismanagement somewhere during this battle is evident to everyone but to point where the blame rests may not be quite so easy. On Saturday, our brigade was hurried into the fight entirely unsupported on either flank and the result was that after desperate fighting and heavy losses we were driven back and then another brigade would be sent in in the same manner, and thus we were defeated in detail."

    Continuing his story of what happened to his regiment on September 19th, he wrote, "When the 25th Illinois had passed to the rear, we became immediately engaged with the enemy and the line in our rear (after the 25th Illinois passed over them and probably thinking that they were the last of the our troops in front of them) immediately opened fire and we were thus placed between the fires of friends and foes, suffering more from the former than the latter. Up to this [time] the regiment had been kept well together and our ground had been bravely contested; but being attacked in the rear by our own men was more than we had bargained for and I told everyone to take care of himself and acting upon that suggestion, each one got to the rear as best he could."

          Colonel Johnson wrote the following letter to his brother J.A. Johnson of Waupun, Wisconsin; he shared it with the editors of the Waupun Times who printed it in their December 31, 1863, edition.

 

Lieutenant Colonel Ole C. Johnson of the 15th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. In later years, Colonel Johnson adopted the last name of Shipnes and had one son, Wilford Chickamauga Shipnes, who he named after the battle in which he was captured. 

Libby Prison, Richmond, Virginia

November 3, 1863

Dear brother,

          I have written you a couple of letters before but by no means such as I would like to write but such as I was obliged to under the circumstances. I write this with the hope of getting it through the lines without its being submitted for the inspection of the conceited fops who have command of this prison.

          You have undoubtedly read better accounts of the battle of Chickamauga than I can give you but I shall relate some of my own experiences and the movements and doings of our own regiment as I suppose you have no one in the regiment from whom you receive letters.

          Of our movements in the mountains of Alabama and Georgia I shall say nothing except that we moved back and forth there for over half a month, our corps [20th] separated from the rest of the army as we carried out Rosecrans’ plan of compelling Bragg to evacuate Chattanooga. Finally, on the 17th of September, we descended Lookout Mountain at Stevenson’s Gap and joined the rest of the army. That same evening, we took our position on the extreme right in McLemore’s lane where we stayed till dark on the 18th. Then we were ordered to move and marched five or six miles towards Chattanooga and camped for the night.

          We were ordered to follow [Richard W.] Johnson’s division at daylight on the next morning [September 19, 1863] but that division did not pass us until about 8 o’clock which consequently gave us a late start. We had heard occasional cannon shots early in the morning but as the day advanced they grew more and more frequent and it soon became evident that the great battle which had been so long expected could not be long delayed. It seemed evident to us that Bragg was endeavoring to get between Chattanooga and our army and that Rosecrans was doing his best to get to Chattanooga and that he had fought the battle where he did because he was compelled to do so. I do not say that this supposition was correct but that was the belief with us at the time and from what little I have been able to learn since, I do not see that it was so very far out of the way.

The 15th Wisconsin was part of Colonel Hans Heg's brigade along with the 25th Illinois, 35th Illinois, and 8th Kansas, the only Kansas regiment with the army at Chickamauga. Heg's brigade was part of General Jefferson C. Davis's First Division of McCook's 20th Army Corps. Davis, pictured above, had led the division since the previous fall when Rosecrans restored him to command following Davis's murder of fellow Federal general William Nelson. 

          We were hurried up very fast on Saturday, going part of the time on the double quick until we came near the battle ground where we halted for some time awaiting orders; these we soon received and we started on the double quick. After going about a mile, we were brought into line of battle with the 8th Kansas and 15th Wisconsin in front, the 25th and 35th Illinois in the rear, and we immediately pushed forward. We had advanced perhaps 50 yards when we encountered the skirmishers of the enemy whom we rapidly drove in.

The timber was very heavy as was the underbrush so we could but imperfectly see the enemy, but still we were steadily advancing under a heavy fire when the 8th Kansas on our left began to slacken and waver. Still I pressed on with the 15th until about 25-30 yards in advance of the 8th Kansas when they ceased to advance altogether and began to slowly fall back. I halted the 15th and held the ground waiting for orders but as the other regiment was falling back and the enemy advancing on our right flank (which was exposed), I ordered a retreat which was well conducted, firing as we fell back. We continued to fall back slowly till we arrived where we had before formed a line of battle; here assistance reached us and we checked the enemy.

Our loss so far had been considerable, especially in wounded. Captain Johnson was shot dead and left in the hands of the enemy. Major Wilson and Adjutant Nelson were both slightly wounded but not enough to disable them from duty. The color bearer was also wounded and the colors picked up by Private Hanson of Co. K.

15th Wisconsin monument at Chickamauga

We were now ordered to support the 25th Illinois, which was sent to the front and took our position on a little knoll for that purpose and laid down while the 25th Illinois advanced. Meanwhile another line was forming in our rear. The 25th engaged the enemy hotly for awhile but were finally compelled to fall back and as they retreated over us the commander of the regiment told me he would form in the rear and support us. Colonel [Hans C.] Heg came up while we were occupying this position and complimented the regiment for the gallant fight it had made and passed on.

When the 25th Illinois had passed to the rear, we became immediately engaged with the enemy and the line in our rear (after the 25th Illinois passed over them and probably thinking that they were the last of the our troops in front of them) immediately opened fire and we were thus placed between the fires of friends and foes, suffering more from the former than the latter. It was at this time that Captain Hanson received the wound that afterwards terminated his life.

Up to this [time] the regiment had been kept well together and our ground had been bravely contested; but being attacked in the rear by our own men was more than we had bargained for and I told everyone to take care of himself and acting upon that suggestion, each one got to the rear as best he could. I started for what I thought from the firing was the right of the line in our rear; the brush was so thick that I could not get through direct. Then I found myself immediately in front of half a dozen yawning cannons playing lively upon the enemy but by some dexterous leaping and rapid running I got to the rear unhurt.

When our regiment broke, the enemy immediately attacked the line in our rear and routed it. We were all driven across a field on the other side of which we again formed and the enemy did not deem it prudent to follow. Our regiment was now so scattered that I found it impossible to get together more than a small squad and with these few I joined Colonel [John] Wilder’s brigade with which I stayed the rest of the day. We advanced once more over the field but after some sharp fighting were compelled to fall back.

          A little before sundown I heard that Colonel Heg was wounded but I had then no idea that the wound was mortal. About the same time, I received notice that our division was collecting together about half a mile in the rear when I proceeded thither with my squad and once more got what little there was left of the regiment together. After the regiment got scattered, each man had to join some other command and I could find no one who had shirked, although there were good opportunities for so doing. All stayed in the front until ordered to the rear.

          Major Wilson was wounded after we retreated across the field and went to the hospital. Captain Gasman, commanding Co. D, was wounded during the afternoon but succeeded in getting to the rear. Captain Hauff, A.A. Gen. on Colonel Heg’s staff, was missing and has not been heard from since to my knowledge, except a rumor that a sergeant of the 8th Kansas had seen a dead officer whom he thought was Captain Hauff.

Colonel Hans C. Heg died September 20, 1863 of the wound he received at Chickamauga

          After dark, I started for the hospital three miles off to see how our wounded were getting along. I was glad to find so many of them there. In fact, all who had not been so severely wounded that they could not walk had got away. I found out there that Colonel Heg could not live. He was very weak and I talked but little with him. He was contented and satisfied to die. About 10 or 11 o’clock I wended my way back to the regiment with a sad heart. I reflected hoe great had been our loss. Colonel Heg, by his uniform kindness as well as his gallant conduct in all positions of danger, had become the idol of us all and his memory will ever be fondly cherished by every member of the regiment. (See "Our Hearts are Filled with Sorrow: The Death of Colonel Hans C. Heg.") 

          About 12 o’clock I reached the regiment and laid down for a few hours’ rest. Sunday morning at 3 o’clock we were aroused and marched to the west of the Chattanooga road where we took up our position on a commanding eminence and were the ordered to cook coffee and get breakfast. We now constituted the reserve and indulged the hope that perhaps our services might not be needed that day, but no sooner did the fight open at the front than we were ordered forward.

          When we arrived near the front we were halted for some time. But as the men in front of us were moved to other parts of the field, we moved up and occupied the front line about 12 o’clock, taking our position behind some rude breastworks that had been put up for protection. We had been there but a short time when the enemy came up and endeavored to carry the position by storm, but we had a splendid range. The ground in front of us was open and we drove them back with great slaughter. They soon rallied, however, and came upon us again, but were driven back as before.



          After the second repulse I looked toward the left and saw that the regiment on our left (the 8th Kansas) was already some distance to the rear and the Rebels getting over the breastworks. I beheld with surprise and chagrin that the Rebels had met with no opposition here at all in their second charge, but knowing there was a line in our rear I still held on with the hope that the Rebels would be checked by them. On looking towards the right, I saw that the regiment to the right of us had also given away and that we were almost completely surrounded. By this time, a part of our regiment had also broken and was a few paces in the rear. The next moment I was without much ceremony requested to march to the Rebel rear. One officer besides myself and 25 enlisted men were captured at the same time, the rest escaped.

          That there was great mismanagement somewhere during this battle is evident to everyone but to point where the blame rests may not be quite so easy. On Saturday, our brigade was hurried into the fight entirely unsupported on either flank and the result was that after desperate fighting and heavy losses we were driven back and then another brigade would be sent in in the same manner, and thus we were defeated in detail. The verist tyro in military knowledge must see that such fighting can result in nothing but disaster and defeat.

          On Sunday, there was a space between the right of our division and the division on our right of about 600 yards; in fact, the right regiment of our division did not know that there were any troops to the right of them at all. It was the same on our left. The 8th Kansas formed the left of our division and their left flank was entirely unprotected; consequently, when the Rebels made their first charge they met with no opposition at these places. The right and left regiments of the division were attacked on the flanks and of course compelled to fall back. Had our line been closed up as it should have been, the Rebels could never have driven us from our position.

          It was with sorrow that we heard of the removal of General Rosecrans. The Army of the Cumberland will never have another commander whom it will so trust, love, and respect. I do not at present see much prospect of getting out of this detested place but I hope our government will soon do something to release us, at least as soon as the fall campaign is over if it does not feel disposed to do so now. It cannot be that they intend to let us stay here all winter…

 To learn more about the Chickamauga campaign, click here to visit the Battle of Chickamauga page which features links to more than 100 blog posts about this pivotal western theater battle.

Here are a few more stories about the 15th Wisconsin:

Anxious for the Engagement: The 15th Wisconsin is Jilted at Perryville

Capturing the Gun at Knob Gap with the 15th Wisconsin 

McKee's Last Missive: The 15th Wisconsin and Knob Gap 

Hiding from the Rebels in the Attic: Captain Grinager at Murfreesboro

Our Hearts are Filled with Sorrow: The Death of Colonel Hans C. Heg 

Source:

Letter from Lieutenant Colonel Ole C. Johnson, 15th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, Waupun Times (Wisconsin), December 31, 1863, pg. 2

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