Today in History:

484 Series I Volume XLV-II Serial 94 - Franklin - Nashville Part II

Page 484 KY., SW.VA., TENN., MISS., ALA., AND N.GA. Chapter LVII.

ADDENDA.


HEADQUARTERS SECOND BRIGADE, SECOND DIVISION,
DETACHMENT ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE,

In the Field, Tenn., December 28, 1864.

Statement of William May, private Company H, Thirty-second Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry, to James I. Gilbert, colonel Twenty-seventh Iowa, commanding Second Brigade, in relation to trophies captured in the battle near Nashville, Tenn.:

On the 16th of December, when the Second Brigade, Second Division, Detachment Army of the Tennessee, was ordered to charge the enemy's works, as my regiment, Thirty-second Iowa Volunteer Infantry, which was on the right of the brigade, approached the earth-works, I saw this rebel battery flag with the guns, and ran ahead of the regiment, over the works, and took it out of a rebel's hands. In a valise close by I found some brass buttons, manufactured at Montgomery, Ala., with letter B, German text; also a captain's artillery shoulderstrap, and some papers, invoices of ordnance stores, &c., showing the battery to have been A. Bouanchaud's. The flag is about four feet square, of crimson bunting, with yellow fringe, with a diagonal cross, blue, upon which are thirteen silken white stars.

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

JAMES I. GILBERT,

Colonel Twenty-seventh Iowa, Commanding Brigade.


No. 164. Report of Major Robert W. Healy, Fifty-eighth Illinois Infantry, of operations December 15-16, 1864.


HEADQUARTERS FIFTY-EIGHTH ILLINOIS INFANTRY,
Near Spring Hill, Tenn., December 21, 1864.

LIEUTENANT: I have the honor to submit the following report in relation to the part taken by my regiment in the late battle before Nashville, viz:

At 7 o'clock on the morning of the 15th instant, every preparation being made for battle, I moved the regiment out of our works, in pursuance of an order of the colonel commanding brigade, and formed line of battle with our brigade immediately in front of Fort Gilbert, facing the enemy, the Thirty-second Iowa being on my right and the Twenty-seventh Iowa on my left. Our line thus formed laid still in its position till about 11 a.m., when we moved forward, guided by the line on our right, and kept advancing very slowly, being near the pivot around which all the line to our right wheeled, toward the left till about 2 p.m., when, the First Division becoming heavily engaged, we halted immediately in front of and about 300 yards distant from the enemy's first line of works. In this position we laid during the artillery duel which ensued, till about 4 p.m., when the whole line simultaneously advanced, capturing the enemy's first line of fortifications. Darkness ensuing, we camped on the ground lately held by the enemy.

In this day's operations the regiment suffered no casualties, though occasionally exposed to the enemy's shell.

On the following morning, December 16, about 8 a.m., we again pushed forward in line of battle, five companies of my regiment being deployed as skirmishers to cover our brigade, and, after marching probably a mile and a half, approached within 400 yards of the enemy's


Page 484 KY., SW.VA., TENN., MISS., ALA., AND N.GA. Chapter LVII.