Today in History:

454 Series I Volume XLIX-I Serial 103 - Mobile Bay Campaign Part I

Page 454 KY., S. W. VA., TENN., N. & C. GA., MISS., ALA., & W. FLA.

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 opportunately 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 affect 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 2nd day of April at 9 o'clock for Selman, Ala. Marched twenty-one miles, and at 3.15 o'clock the advance of our division arrived before the formidable works of Selma, where 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 northwest 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 half a mile from the rebel works, my regiment occupying the left of our brigade, the Ninety-eighth Illinois the center and Seventeenth Indiana the right. Throwing forward two men from a company out of this thin line for skirmishers, at General Long's "forward" the entire line started up with a bound, yelling, shooting, 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 earth-works, 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. When we struck and scaled the works the rebels, who had fought us so desperately as to club their guns on some of our woods, while we could only hear the roar of the conflict and the shouts of our comrades on the right and left, but see nothing. At the edge of the woods Lieutenant-Colonel Biggs, commanding regiment was severely wounded while leading the regiment rapidly and resist less lay 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 Upton came dashing through the outer works, and mistaking us for the enemy, fired on us until we signaled him who we were. He then charged (his men mounted) right into town and after the penetrating enemy. Our forces being almost tired down, w were halted by Colonel Minty near the place where our brigade encamped on the night of the 2nd instant, on the field in the suburbs of Selma. My regiment went into action with 14 commissioned officers and 249 enlisted men. Our loss was 1 officer killed, Lieutenant Otho J. McManus, who fell just before reaching the works while gallantly leading his men, and 6 officers wounded; 7 men killed and 42 wounded. It is unnecessary to make particular mention of either officers or men. All did their duty, and deserve the highest praise. Sergt. John Morgan, Company I, is deserving the highest credit for his gallantry in being the first to plant


Page 454 KY., S. W. VA., TENN., N. & C. GA., MISS., ALA., & W. FLA.