Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 11.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[688] skirmishers immediately hurried, on a sort of old dam, and pursued the routed enemy, who were flying in the wildest confusion from General Upton, who charged opportunely on our left. They succeeded in capturing quite a number of prisoners, and in conjunction with the cavalry ran the enemy away before the main line could effect a crossing of the slough. Our horses coming up we mounted and moved to Plantersville station, and went into camp for the night. We sustained no loss. Our skirmishers brought in eight prisoners.

We moved on the morning of the second day of April at nine o'clock for Selma, Alabama. Marched twenty-one miles, and at a quarter-past three o'clock, the advance of our division arrived before the formidable works of Selma, when the enemy defiantly sallied out and made demonstrations as if about to attack us. The One Hundred and Twenty-third Illinois volunteers was ordered up in line in front of the works on the north-west side of the city, dismounted, and formed on the left of the line joining the Seventeenth Indiana on the right. After driving the enemy inside their works we lay for a short time skirmishing to good effect, until arrangements being perfected for a permanent formation of the line preparatory to the assault we were moved by the right flank past Colonel Minty's brigade, which had been formed on our right, and formed on the right of his brigade, just behind a slight ridge a half mile from the rebel works, my regiment occupying the left of our brigade, the Ninety-eighth Illinois the centre, and Seventeenth Indiana the right. Throwing forward two men from a company out of this their lines for skirmishers, at General Long's “forward” the entire line started up with a bound, yelling, shouting, and all pushing forward under a most terrific cannonade, and through a perfect storm of bullets, losing officers and men at every step, until we cleared the high picket fence, crossed the ditch and scaled the high earthworks, and planted our regimental standard first of any in the command on the works of Selma. The most of our men who were hurt fell killed or wounded almost at the rebel works, where we struck and scaled the works; and the rebels, who had fought us so desperately as to club their guns on some of our men broke and fled, we following them on through the thick swampy woods, while we could only hear the roar of the conflict, and the shouts of our comrades on the right and left, but could see nothing. At the edge of the woods Lieutenant-Colonel Biggs, commanding regiment, was severely wounded while leading the regiment rapidly and resistlessly forward, Captain Adams the next ranking officer having been wounded before we reached the works. I assumed command of the regiment about the time Colonel Vail took command of the brigade (Colonel Miller having been wounded). We captured prisoners by the score, fort after fort, with their guns, until we had reached and planted our flag on the three inner forts, and were nearing the city itself, when General Upon came dashing through the outer works, and mistaking us for the enemy fired on us until we signalled him who we were. He then charged (his men mounted) right into town and after the retreating enemy. Our forces being almost tired down, we were halted by Colonel Minty near the place where our brigade encamped on the night of the second instant, on the field in the suburbs of Selma.

My regiment went into action with fourteen commissioned officers and two hundred and forty-nine enlisted men. Our loss was one officer killed, Lieutenant Otho J. McManus, who fell just before reaching the works while gallantly leading his men, and six officers wounded, seven men killed, and forty-two wounded. It is unnecessary to make particular mention of either officers or men. All did their duty and deserve the highest praise. Sergeant John Morgan, Company “I,” is deserving the highest credit for his gallantry in being the first to plant a flag upon the rebel works, and for being in the extreme advance until all the rebel forts were captured, planting our colors on each of them successively. The officers wounded are Lieutenant-Colonel Jonathan Biggs, Captain William E. Adams, and Lieutenant Alexander P. McNutt severely, and Captain Owen Wiley, Adjutant Levi B. Bane, and Lieutenant J. R. Harding slightly.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

sir:--I have the honor to report that my regiment was not actively engaged on the first instant, near Plantersville. My regiment dismounted and formed on the left of the Seventy-second Indiana, and moved forward (without encountering the enemy) until we reached the creek, where I moved by the left flank to our horses.

On the morning of the second instant, the Ninety-eighth Illinois held the advance of the brigade, and upon arriving within one mile of the enemy's works in front of Selma, on the Summerfield road, was quickly dismounted, and formed in line under the cover of the hill in front of the enemy's works, on the left of the Second brigade, and supporting the battery on the hill. Skirmishers were immediately thrown forward. Remained in this position from about two P. M. until near four and a half P. M., when I was ordered to change position, and move to the right of the Second brigade, forming on the left of the Seventeenth Indiana, under cover of a ridge, the One Hundred and Twenty-third Illinois forming on my left.

Previous to change of position I was ordered to furnish a detail of four companies to proceed