September 1863
International: For a long time, the U.S. had been protesting the fact that British shipbuilders were helping the Confederate cause, with the C.S.S. Alabama as the most striking example; on September 5, 1863, the British finally responded and siezed two newly built ironclads that had been ordered by the Confederacy, thus effectively ending the growth of the rebel navy and solving a growing international dispute between England and the United States.
Washington: On September 21, 1863, President Lincoln mourned the death of his brother-in-law, Confederate General Ben Hardin Helm, who was killed at Chickamauga. On the 23rd, Lincoln's cabinet held an emergency meeting to discuss the Chatanooga crisis; they decided to send Hooker's two corps from the Army of the Potomac by rail to Alabama in support of General Rosecrans; they arrived with amazing speed.
Eastern theater: The last major engagement before September of 1863 was the Battle of Gettysburg, which was fought July 1, 2, and 3, 1863.
On September 13, 1863, General Lee, whose army had been weakened by Lt. General Longstreet's transfer to Tennessee, was forced to fall back across the Rapidan river, and General Meade moved forward in response, occupying Culpeper Court House.
The next major engagement was the Battle of the Wilderness in May of 1864.
Western theater: The last major engagement ended with the surrender of Vicksburg on July 4, 1863.
Other than Chickamauga: On September 1, Union guns continued to level Fort Sumter, but its occupants held their ground. On September 4 in New Orleans, General Grant's horse fell on him, leaving him partly lame for weeks. Two days later in Charleston, Southern General Beauregard decided it would be too costly to further defend Batteries Wagner and Gregg, so they were evacuated. On the 7th, Union forces finally took the vacated Batteries.
Chickamauga area: Union General Rosecrans began a four day process of crossing the Tennessee River, while Confederate General Bragg left him largely unopposed; but Bragg was reinforced with two badly needed divisions. The next day, General Burnside occupied Knoxville, Tennessee, from where his force could support operations near Chatanooga. By the 5th, Rosecrans concluded that Bragg was retreating; in response, Rosecrans divided his army into three parts, so they could more quickly move through three separate mountain passes in the Georgia mountains south of Chatanooga. The next day, Bragg evacuated Chatanooga, rather than face another Vicksburg. September 8 saw Bragg's now 65,000 strong force march out of Chatanooga toward Lafayette, Georgia. In Lafayette, a trap was laid for Rosecrans, who was by then spread out over 40 miles and racing after the rebels who the Union leader thought were in full retreat. On the 10th, Bragg's trap was sprung too soon and ineptly, and Union Generals Crittenden and Thomas, each leading one of the three parts of Roscrans's army, were able to fall back and regroup. On September 12, Rosecrans finally realized the peril of his position and ordered his forces consolidated; General McCook, leading the third part of the army, began a 57 mile march that ended when he joined Thomas on the 17th. On that day, the opposing forces prepared for battle near Chickamauga Creek, which fittingly means "River of Death" in ancient Cherokee. On the 18th, Bragg planned a major attack, but he could not get his forces in position on time; extensive cavalry skirmishing took place instead, as Longstreet's forces began to arrive from Virginia. The battle began in earnest on the 19th, when one of Thomas's divisions, sent forward to reconnoiter, found the dismounted forces of Nathan Bedford Forrest; fighting developed along a 6 mile front. The bloodiest battle of the west followed, with neither side gaining any real advantage that day. Fighting in heavily forrested areas was very confusing, with the advantage switching back and forth as each side was able to bring new forces into the fray. That night, Bragg reorganized his army into two corps, which was very confusing to those involved in a "battle in progress." Longstreet had just arrived from the eastern battlefields. Bragg planned to attack the next morning, and Rosecrans decided on a defensive strategy; his forces began digging breastworks. Fighting on the 20th again was indecisive, at first. Then Rosecrans made a mistake; he ordered T.J. Wood to "close up on and support J.J. Reynolds," not realizing there was another division between these two. Wood pulled back to comply with the second part of this contradictory order, leaving a gap in the line. Longstreet attacked and filled the gap, splitting the Union line in two. The breakthrough took place at the Brotherton house, which as been restored:
The Federal right collapsed, with Rosecrans, Crittendon, and McCook all retreating toward Chatanooga. Rosecrans thought his army was in full retreat, but Thomas on the left had held. Fighting was fierce, but Thomas was reinforced by General Granger, who had stayed near only by violating his orders! Under cover of night, Thomas was able to withdraw in an orderly fashion, having saved the Union army and earning himself the title "Rock of Chickamauga." The two armies lost about 28% of the respective strengths in this bloody battle. On the 21st, Longstreet and Forrest urged Bragg to move quickly against the ragged and demoralized Union army, but Bragg delayed. By the next day, the Federals had dug in below Missionary ridge in Chatanooga sufficiently to discourage further attack. Bragg occupied the commanding heights of Missionary Ridge and Lookout Mountain, and the Federal army was under siege. The month ended with Rosecrans, Crittendon, and McCook all blaming each other for the failures at Chickamauga.
The next major engagement was the Battle of Chatanooga on November 23 and 24, 1863.
Source: The Civil War Day By Day, edited by John S. Bowman, 1989.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Official Record of the Month
HEADQUARTERS 125TH OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY,
Chattanooga, Tenn., September 26, 1863.
SIR: I have the honor to submit a report of the operations of my regiment since crossing the Tennessee River. At 3 p.m., 5th instant, we marched with the brigade from Shellmound, Tenn., toward Chattanooga on the River road. The next day, p.m., we bivouacked 7 miles distant from Chattanooga. At 10 p.m., same day, we retired 2 miles to a strong position. On the 7th, we formed a part of the force under Colonel Harker, who made a reconnaissance till we developed and drew the fire of the enemy's batteries, which were in position to dispute our entrance to the city.
The skirmishers of my Company D, led by Lieut. E. P. Evans, made a gallant charge and cleared a house of a very troublesome fire of the enemy. This reconnaissance was deemed hazardous, and the colonel commanding directed me to be prepared to fight to the last man, and if surrounded to cut our way out, but nothing serious occurred and we returned without molestation.
At 1 p.m. on the
9th, we entered Chattanooga and bivouacked in its suburbs.
On the 10th, at 8 a.m., we moved toward Ringgold, Ga., bivouacked again at dusk. We countermarched, on the 11th, to the La Fayette road, and made a reconnaissance upon it. The One hundred and twenty-fifth, two companies of the Sixty-fourth Ohio Volunteers, and four guns of the brigade battery were placed under my command as reserve near Rossville. The colonel commanding ordered me to be prepared to cover a retreat, should one become necessary. Suitable dispositions were made but not needed, as at 6 p.m. I received Colonel Harker s report from Gordon's Mills, with orders to send a copy of it to General Wood, and the original to department headquarters at Chattanooga. This was done with the utmost dispatch.
At 9 p.m. I received orders from Colonel Harker to join him with my command without delay. This was accomplished by 1 a.m. of the 12th instant. The same day we were on a reconnaissance across the West Chickamauga River.
On the 13th, the colonel commanding made a reconnaissance with my regiment to the vicinity of Crawfish Spring, where we were left on detached picket duty till the a.m. of the 14th. In the p.m. of the same day we were out again on the La Fayette road.
The 15th and 16th were partially spent in making barricades along the north bank of the West Chicamauga.
At night we were ordered to be ready to march at daylight with 60 rounds of ammunition to each man.
At daylight on the 19th, my regiment was ready for action with the following organization: Emerson Opdycke, colonel commanding; Capt. E. P. Bates, acting major; Lieut. E.G. Whitesides, adjutant; H. McHenry, surgeon; J. E. Darby, assistant surgeon; J. G. Buchanan, assistant surgeon; Freeman Collins, acting sergeant major; H. N. Steadman, commissary sergeant.
Command. Commissionedofficers. Enlistedmen. Aggregate.
Company A, Capt. Joseph Bruff 2 46 48
Company B, Capt. A. Yeomans 1 43 44
Company C, Lieut. M. V. B. King 1 39 40
Company D, Capt. R. B. Stewart 2 31 33
Company E, Lieut. A. Barnes 1 39 40
Company F, Lieut. D. Humphreys; 1 42 43
Company H, Lieut. Charles T. Clark 1 36 37
Company G, Lieut. William W. Cushing. 1 20 21
Field and staff 6 2 8
Total 16 298 314
At 11 a.m. heavy firing of all arms was heard 2 or 3 miles to our left, and at 1 p.m. we were rapidly moved to the scene of conflict. Our attack was made with the Third Kentucky on our left and the Sixty-fourth Ohio on our right. The enemy seemed surprised at our appearance, and after a sharp encounter, in which I lost the first sergeant of Company A, killed, and 11 men seriously wounded, he disappeared from view, leaving 9 prisoners, one an officer, in our hands. The growth of small timber was so dense we could see but a few rods in any direction. I then received orders from Colonel Harker by an aide to assume command of the Sixty-fourth Ohio, and with it and my own regiment to disperse any enemy we might find. We were then on the right of the road upon which we came out from Gordon's Mills. Firing upon us soon commenced from our front, right, and rear. I immediately ordered scouts and skirmishers out to develop our surroundings. Their deployment had only commenced when I received orders from the colonel commanding, by an aide, to bring the two regiments out and join him, which was done without serious interruption. We were then joined to the balance of the division, and in line lay upon our arms, without fires, until 2 a.m. of the 20th. We then moved about 1½ miles, and at an early hour were placed in position for the impending battle. Colonel Barnes' brigade, of Van Cleve's division, was on our left, the Sixty-fourth Ohio in front, and the Sixty-fifth Ohio on our right. This and my own regiment formed the second line, and Colonel Harker directed me to have general charge of it, and have its movements conform to those of the first line. I then directed Major Brown, commanding the Sixty-fifth, to mantain his relative position to the One hundred and Twenty-fifth and to the Third Kentucky, which was in his front, as far as possible.
A sharp skirmish and artillery firing occurred to our front, when we were marched on the double-quick by the left flank, to re-enforce Reynolds, where a heavy roar of all arms had been heard a short time. We had only come under the outskirts of the enemy's fire in our new position, when we were vigorously attacked on our right flank and rear by superior numbers. A change of front to rear on our left, which was executed under a severe fire, placed us (the Sixty-fourth on our left, Third Kentucky on our right, the Sixty-fifth still farther to the right, the whole nearly perpendicular to Reynolds' line) facing to the south and to the enemy. The line stretched nearly across a long open field. One hundred yards to our rear was a ridge running parallel to the line, which ascended into quite a timbered hill 200 yards to my right. The enemy's line, which was 200 yards distant, reached beyond our flanks, and was advancing upon us. A severe encounter with small arms raged for a short time, when General Wood in person ordered us to move forward. My regiment fixed bayonets and charged on the double-quick.
The enemy fled in confusion, and disappeared for a time. We pursued 400 yards and lay down behind a prostrate fence, which was upon another less tenable, but parallel ridge to the first one. This ridge also rose into a wooded hill 150 yards to our right. The other regiments of the brigade soon prolonged my line to the right and left. Another line of the enemy, more formidable than the first, appeared in the distance, moving upon us. The terrible splendor of this advance is beyond the reach of my pen. The whole line seemed perfect and as if moved by a single mind. The musketry soon became severe and my losses heavy; the color-sergeant severely wounded, the standard shot in two the second time, and the colors riddled with balls. The regiment to my left gave way, and then that upon my right. My Company A, thinking this meant for all to retire, arose and faced to the rear, but almost instantly resumed their' position. The enemy came on and themselves prolonged my line to the right, occupied the wooded hill there, and enfiladed my line with a destructive fire. Lieutenant King, commanding Company C, fell dead, when Sergt. Alson C. Dilley assumed command of his company. Lieutenant Barnes, commanding Company E, went down with a broken thigh, and Lieut. E. P. Evans was placed in command. Captain Yeomans carried off a ball in his upper leg, but he remained with his company during the battle under severe pain. Numbers fell dead and more were seriously wounded, but the line was firmly maintained. Lieutenant Clark coolly remarked, "They can kill us, but whip us never." Seeing no relief, I retired the regiment to the ridge in rear. In doing so, some troops passed obliquely through my right wing, which caused a little confusion there, but the ranks were closed immediately, and the crest occupied where ordered by General Wood. This position was repeatedly assaulted during the day in the most terrific manner by heavy forces of Longstreet's corps, but it was triumphantly maintained until the battle was ended and till after dark, when we were ordered to retire, which we did without molestation. Late in the afternoon two pieces of the Eighteenth Ohio Battery were placed at my command. They aided much to repulse the enemy. The Forty-first Ohio and Ninth Indiana, of General Hazen's brigade, Palmer's division, filed 2 rods to my rear, and added their veteran fire in repulsing the last assault.
On the 21st, we were in position near Rossville and on the 22d, we occupied our assigned position in the lines around Chattanooga.
Capt. E. P. Bates acted coolly and efficiently as acting major. My adjutant, Lieut. E. G. Whitesides, was almost indispensable to me; his gallant daring was conspicuous, and his horse was shot under him. Sergts. Alson C. Dilley, Company C; Rollin D. Barnes, Company B; H. N. Steadman, of the non-commissioned staff, and Charles C. Chapman, of Company G, distinguished themselves for cool courage and capacity to command under the severest texts. I have recommended them to the distinguished consideration of the Governor of Ohio.
My casualties were:
C Commissioned officers. A Aggregate.
E Enlisted men.
-----Wounded.-----
Killed. Seriously. Slightly. Missing.
Company. C E C E C E C E A
A .... 2 .... 8 .... 1 .... .... 11
B .... 2 1 11 .... .... .... 1 15
C .... 1 .... 7 .... 4 .... 1 13
D .... 1 .... 5 .... 1 .... .... 7
E .... 1 1 12 .... .... .... 3 17
F .... 3 .... 9 .... 2 .... .... 14
G 1 2 .... 3 .... 1 .... .... 7
H .... 4 .... 16 .... 1 .... .... 21
Total 1 16 2 71 .... 10 .... 5 105
Justice demands
that the facts in favor of 4 of the missing be officially noted. Two of
them had just joined from hospital ; 1 had no shoes, and on crossing a
burning turf on the 19th, his feet became so burned that he and the
other two, not being able to keep up, were ordered back by their
officer. The fourth one was left to take care of Lieutenant Barnes,
which leaves the fifth the only case without excuse in the regiment.
Very respectfully, your most obedient servant,
EMERSON OPDYCKE,
Colonel, Commanding 125th Ohio
Volunteers.
O.R.-- SERIES I--VOLUME XXX/1 [S#
50]
AUGUST 16-SEPTEMBER 22,
1863.--The Chickamauga Campaign. No. 149. Report of Col. Emerson
Opdycke, One hundred and twenty-fifth Ohio Infantry.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
If you have and comments or suggestions for this section of this Home Page (such as specific events you feel should be mentioned in months to come, or about which you think there will be an Official Record, or if you have comments about this Home Page in general, you may mail them to P.O. Box 81686, Lincoln, NE 68501, or you may E-Mail them to sguenzel@civilwarneb.net. Thank you for any contribution.