Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 6.
Frank Moore, Ed.

dear sir: Herewith I send you my report for the time included between August first and December first, 1862. The history of our regiment for these four months, is probably more varied by stirring events, severe toil, great endurance, unflinching devotion to duty, and general health and vigor of nerve, than it ever has been, or ever will be, for the same length of time, while we are in the service.

This period commences with that melancholy event, the cowardly murder by guerrillas, upon the sixth day of August, of our much-beloved Brig.-General Robert L. McCook. As a military officer, he was universally and deservedly respected and beloved by his brigade; and by none more so than by the Second Minnesota His murder cast a deep gloom over this regiment; and his death, even to this day, is referred to among us only with deep emotions of sorrow. We shall ever cherish his memory with chastened [216] and hallowed delight, and hand his name down to posterity as a true patriot and a brave commander.

After spending twelve days near Dechard, Tennessee, at the great springs, we left that place, August twentieth, for Pelham, twelve miles east. Here we bivouacked upon a dreary, rocky bluff-side for six days, challenging in every honorable way the rebel Bragg to fight us, who was, with a powerful army exceeding ours in number, passing north within a few miles east of us. But all to no purpose. He would not accept the challenge.

September fourth and fifth found us at Murfreesboro, where our train, after a hazardous trip from Dechard, rejoined us, and we were again in tents, after having been without them for ten days.

From September seventh to the fourteenth, we were in Nashville, engaged in guarding the city, and in fatigue duties upon the extensive fortifications then being erected.

On Sabbath afternoon, September fourteenth, by the approbation of Gen. Stedman, I secured one of the principal churches in Nashville, for the special use of our brigade, where we could have preaching every Sabbath, in a place dedicated to the worship of God, instead of being exposed to all the inconveniences of field-preaching. While thus dreaming, in common with the whole regiment, that we should spend many months in Nashville, the order came at three o'clock P. M. on that day, that we must march for Louisville, Ky., in one hour, with five days rations in our haversacks, leaving our tents all standing.

This order came like a thunderbolt upon us. But such a folding of blankets, filling knapsacks and haversacks, saddling horses and harnessing mules, leaping of men from tent to tent, and rushing of teams to and fro, I am sure are seldom seen. But when that hour had passed, all were in line for that long and never-to-be-forgotten march, which we had in no sense anticipated at the beginning of that hour.

The weather was warm, the roads excessively dusty, the springs were low, many of the streams were entirely dried up, and for days constantly marching in a thick cloud of dust, nothing but stagnant water in sink-holes could be obtained to slake our thirst. At the same time we had nothing but hard bread and pork, and very light rations of these, without coffee or sugar. At Bowling Green we drew flour, but had no means of baking it but by throwing it into hot ashes. But all this was endured with that patriotic, soldierly bearing which is the pride of our American army.

September 27th.--In thirteen days we arrived at Louisville. When actually marching — for we made a few halts for a part or all of a day — we varied from twenty to thirty miles per day in making the two hundred miles from one city to the other.

After spending three days in Louisville, in receiving rations, clothing, and a payment, we left that city as we came, with thousands of others in pursuit of the enemy. We cannot forbear mentioning two or three incidents, which occurred in that pursuit, that are especially associated with this regiment, here of a similar character might have occurred, had it not been for our reserved position. Our division was the reserve of our corps, and our brigade was the reserve of our division.

Monday, October 6th.--Not anticipating an attack, we left our camp at sunrise. That day our regiment will not soon forget. Our brigade led the division, and our regiment the brigade. Thus we were thrown on that day in front of all our forces, upon that route. At Springfield we were unceremoniously met by a spirited and rapid cannonading in our front, while round shot and shell were dealt out to us more bountifully than was for our convenience. At five different times during that day, upon our march, we were in like manner fiercely attacked, and at each time, though the enemy had a chance to choose their own positions, by the skilful and masterly movement of our able colonel, and the spirited and undaunted energy of our men in skirmishing, flanking and charging, the rebels were driven back each time by our regiment alone. In one of these skirmishes we left eight of the enemy upon the field. How many of them fell in the other four we have no means of knowing, as we were making a rapid march and clearing the track for the thousands of forces coming in our rear. In all these running fights not one of our men received a wound, though some of us had narrow escapes, especially from the bursting shells.

In the bloody battle of Perryville, October ninth, on account of our reserved position, we were not ordered up until late in the afternoon. A part of McCook's corps, after a fierce resistance, were falling back before the enemy. Our whole brigade were brought up to arrest their progress, and that, too, under a terrific fire from their artillery. Our battery — Loder's--one of the most powerful in the service, replied with such skill and energy that soon disabled and silenced the strongest battery in Bragg's army. But while this murderous duel of batteries was raging, our brigade was exposed to their cross fire, and the bursting of the shells from each. A hotter and more dangerous place in this world no man has a right to anticipate as a test of his valor. The going in of our brigade at that critical moment saved that portion of our army there engaged from a perfect rout.

By a kind Providence, not a man of us was in the least degree injured. God's hand seemed in a wonderful manner to protect each and all.

The darkness of night soon put an end to this murderous fray, and our whole brigade, like herds of tigers crouching for a last murderous pounce upon their prey, laid down upon their arms in line of battle, to await, as they supposed, an appalling strife at the dawn of the morning. But when that morning came the enemy had fled, and we had nothing to do but to take our breakfast [217] of hard bread, pork, and coffee, in quiet possession of the field.

In a few days after, stung with disappointed hope that the enemy, who should have been ours, had escaped from our grasp, we found ourselves retracing our weary steps to Tennessee, where we now are watching the movements of our subtle, traitorous foe.

In the four months embraced in this report we have been without tents sixty-six days, during which has occurred the severest snow storm this regiment has seen the past year.

In all we have now in the regiment,	709
Total present for duty,	556
Total upon the sick list,	66
Absent in different hospitals,	54
Sick in camp,	12
Amount of hospital funds on hand,	$69
Total number of miles marched from August first to December first,	642
Total number of miles travelled by this regiment since we left Fort Snelling, Oct. fourteenth, 1861,	3166
Total number of deaths in the same time,	69

In all we have now in the regiment,	709
Total present for duty,	556
Total upon the sick list,	66
Absent in different hospitals,	54
Sick in camp,	12
Amount of hospital funds on hand,	$69
Total number of miles marched from August first to December first,	642
Total number of miles travelled by this regiment since we left Fort Snelling, Oct. fourteenth, 1861,	3166
Total number of deaths in the same time,	69

The number of deaths during the last four months has been unusually small. Companies A, B, C, G, H, and K have lost none.

In company D, there have died, Leonard Town, Charles T. Watkins, and Charles W. Bartlett.

In company E, three have died: Edward Pasco, Benjamin Roundville, and Warren Spaulding.

In company F, there have been two deaths: Oliver N. Keyes and Marquis D. Mitchell.

In company I, one has died: De Loss Eustice.

The health of our regiment amidst such severe exposures and toil calls for special gratitude to God.

As we have literally here no continuing city or abiding-place, and much of the time have been in hourly expectation of skirmishes and battle with the enemy, while this service has been so active, full of toil, fatigue, and anxiety, and when a few hours have been spent in camp, there has been such a demand for rest, that few and far between have been the opportunities for public worship. Still we have had religious services occasionally during the last four months.

We have such a vast number in our hospitals who can be reached by religious instruction under highly favorable circumstances, while the services of the field are so active, leaving no time upon the Sabbath as upon other days, for any thing but strictly military duties, it is a serious question whether most of our chaplains should not confine much or all of their time to the afflicted in hospitals instead of remaining in the field, where their opportunities for doing good are by necessity, exceedingly small, whatever may be their devotion to their work.

With sentiments of high regard, I remain, dear Colonel, your humble servant,