| Spring Hill & Franklin , TN |
| 4th Corps, 2nd Division, 2nd Brigade Commander Colonel John Q. Lane's Official Report Source: Official Record Vol XLV, I, 93 |
| HDQRS. SECOND BRIG., SECOND DIV., FOURTH ARMY CORPS, Nashville, Tenn., December 7, 1864. SIR: In obedience to orders from the headquarters Second Division, Fourth Army Corps, I have the honor to very respectfully submit for the information of the general commanding the following report of the operations of this brigade from and including the 29th day of November to and including the 1st day of December, 1864: I assumed command of the brigade on the morning of the 29th ultimo while the troops were in line of battle on the north side of Duck River, near the Franklin pike. The brigade consisted of the Twenty-sixth Ohio Veteran Volunteers, Captain Clark commanding; Ninety-seventh Ohio Volunteers, Lieutenant-Colonel Barnes commanding; Twenty-eighth Kentucky Veteran Volunteers, Lieutenant-Colonel Boone commanding; Fortieth Indiana Veteran Volunteers, Lieutenant-Colonel Learning commanding; Fifty-seventh Indiana Veteran Volunteers, Major McGraw commanding, and One hundredth Illinois Volunteers, Lieutenant-Colonel Hammond commanding, making in all 80 commissioned officers and 1,586 enlisted men. At 8 a.m., by order of General Wagner, I moved my command in the direction of Spring Hill. I was notified that a division of rebel cavalry was on our flank, and made the usual dispositions to guard against surprise by putting out flankers, &c. On nearing Spring Hill it became apparent that the enemy was trying to get possession of that place. Leaving the Twenty-sixth Ohio one mile and a half south of town for the purpose of protecting our trains I moved my command at double-quick to the east side of town, formed line of battle, deployed the Twenty-eighth Kentucky Veteran Volunteers as skirmishers, and by order of General Wagner moved at once on the enemy, who was in heavy force on an eminence half a mile east of the town, with his skirmishers within 400 yards of our trains. The troops moved forward in splendid style; the enemy stubbornly resisted for thirty minutes, when he yielded the eminence to Colonel Boone's Twenty-eighth Kentucky Veteran Volunteers, and moved to my right in the direction of the Third Brigade. I ordered Colonel Hammond, with his regiment (One hundredth Illinois Volunteers), to support Colonel Boone, Twenty eighth Kentucky, whom I had instructed to hold his position, when, by order of General Wagner, I withdrew my line of battle to a position near the town, where we immediately constructed a line of rifle-pits. I had but just made this disposition of my command when the Third Brigade became engaged with greatly superior numbers, which, after a gallant resistance, commenced falling back in the direction of the town. By order of General Wagner I changed my front forward on the First Battalion, let the Third Brigade pass me and form in my rear, and prepared to dispute the enemy's farther advance with a line of skirmishers well out. I moved the One hundredth Illinois and Company F, Fortieth Indiana, to my left so as to hit the enemy in flank, which caused him to stop and reform his lines. Before he could again advance the darkness of the night made our position secure. The troops rested on their arms until 4 o'clock on the morning of the 30th, when by order of General Wagner I resumed the march in the direction of Franklin; moving to the right of and parallel with the Columbia pike, with flankers well out, watching the enemy, who was maneuvering for our trains. This march was most arduous to the troops, who had already been twenty-four hours on constant duty without sleeping or eating. At 11 o'clock we arrived at Stevens' Hill, two miles south of Franklin, and formed line of battle, my right resting on the hill, where we remained until 1 p.m., when, by order of General Wagner, I moved my command to the west side of the Columbia pike, in front of Stone Hill (see accompanying sketch), posted a strong line of skirmishers covering my front and flanks, and saw the balance of the army retire to a position in the rear. From the top of Stone Hill in the rear of my brigade I saw the enemy come through a gap in Stevens' Hill, in two columns, one formed on the right, the other on the left of the pike. At 2 o'clock I sent word to General Wagner that the enemy was advancing in force and was about to envelop my flanks. With my skirmish line and a section of artillery posted on Stone Hill I retarded the advancing column until I received orders, and withdrew my command to a position one-third of a mile in advance of the main line of works on the right of the Third Brigade. I here received orders to give battle to the enemy, and, if able, drive him off; if overpowered, to check him as long as possible, and then retire to the main line of works. At about 3 p.m. the enemy drove in my skirmishers; advanced in heavy columns, striking the Third Brigade, and pressing down' on the Fortieth Indiana Veteran Volunteers on the left of my line. This regiment steadily held its position, driving back the enemy at every attempt to force our lines until the Third Brigade, on my left, fell back, when I gave the order to retire to the main line of works. We had much difficulty in getting into the works, owing to a heavy line of abatis of locust boughs placed there for some purpose, through which my line had to pass. This caused some delay which enabled the enemy to get within fifty feet of us; fortunately five of my regiments had held their fire, when, forming quickly behind the works, they poured into the advancing column a volley so deadly that the enemy fell back in dismay, only, however, to renew the attack, which now became a hand-to-hand fight over the parapet, lasting until 10 o'clock at night. Fresh troops were constantly hurled against our lines, until the enemy had made eleven distinct assaults upon our works with a determination only surpassed by the undaunted courage of our troops. Regiments would charge over the parapets into our lines only to be beaten down with clubbed muskets or taken prisoners. Private James S. O'Riley, Company I, Fortieth Indiana Veteran Volunteers, bayoneted the color-bearer of the Fifteenth Alabama Regiment, and carried away the flag. In front of the Ninety-seventh Ohio Volunteers a rebel regiment planted their colors on our works. First Sergt. Alfred Ransbottom, Company K, of that regiment, captured the flag and took the color-bearer prisoner. We captured from the enemy 284 prisoners, 45 of whom were officers. My loss in this engagement, although fighting behind a good line of works, was 16 commissioned officers and 402 enlisted men. I could here instance many acts of great personal courage, but where all did so well I deem it improper if not invidious to make distinctions. My staff consisted of Capt. Henry C. Tinney, assistant adjutant-general; Lieut. Louis L. Cox, aide-de-camp; Capt. John W. Aughe, acting assistant inspector-general; Capt. Orpheus C. Harvey, provost-marshal, and Capt. George A. Lemert, topographical engineer. These officers were of invaluable service to me, promptly carrying my orders and everywhere stimulating the troops to greater exertions. Capt. William A. Munger, acting commissary of subsistence, and Lieut. Caleb B. Gill, acting assistant quartermaster, were on duty with the trains. Dr. Hosea Tillson, chief surgeon of the brigade, rendered every possible assistance to the wounded. At 11 p.m. I withdrew my command from the line of works and resumed the march to Nashville, Tenn., at which place I arrived at 11 o'clock on the morning of the 1st day of December, 1864. I have the honor to submit herewith a sketch showing the position occupied by my brigade. I have the honor to be, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant, JOHN Q. LANE, Colonel Ninety-seventh Ohio Volunteers, Commanding Brigade. Capt. E.G. WHITESIDES, Actg. Asst. Adjt. Gen., Second Division, Fourth Army Corps. ----- HDQRS. SECOND BRIG., SECOND DIV., FOURTH ARMY CORPS, Near Huntsville, Ala., January 6, 1865. SIR: I have the honor to report the following as the operations of this brigade in the battle before Nashville, Tenn., on the 15th and 16th of December last: My brigade was encamped near the outer line of works, the left resting on the Hillsborough turnpike. On the evening of the 14th I received orders from General Elliott in person to have my command in readiness to move at 6 a.m. of the 15th, with three days' rations in haversacks and sixty rounds of ammunition per man. My command consisted of the Twenty-sixth Ohio Infantry, Captain Clark; Ninety-sev-enth Ohio Infantry, Lieutenant Colonel Barnes; One hundredth Illinois Infantry, Lieutenant-Colonel Hammond; Fortieth Indiana Infantry, Lieutenant-Colonel Learning; Fifty-seventh Indiana Infantry, Lieuten-ant-Colonel Blanch; Twenty-eighth Kentucky Infantry, Lieutenant-Colonel Boone, amounting in all to 73 commissioned officers, 1,242 enlisted men. At 7 o'clock on the morning of the 15th, having deployed one regiment, Twenty-sixth Ohio Infantry, before the solid works, I moved my brigade half a mile to the right, and formed order of battle, my right connecting with Colonel Opdycke's (First) brigade. My skirmishers consisted of details from the different regiments, and were commanded by Maj. J. S. McGraw, Fifty-seventh Indiana Infantry. At about 10 o'clock I moved my command forward to an eminence within musket-range of the enemy's battery, the skirmishers having driven his pickets within the main line of works. My men being much exposed to the artillery fire of the enemy, I protected them as best I could by the nature of the ground, and remained in this position several hours, a battery having in the meanwhile been placed within my lines, to which I acted as support while it shelled the enemy's works in our front. At about 3 p.m. I again advanced, preserving an alignment on General Grose's brigade, of the First Division of this corps. In our front the enemy occupied a commanding eminence, with a strong line of works, protected from infantry by several lines of excellent abatis. I marched from the ridge which I had occupied for some time across the ravine in front, and halted at the foot of the bill occupied by the enemy. I here readjusted my lines, and charged up the hill simultaneously with the skirmish line and the commands on my right and left. The men comprehended the task before them, and bounded forward with a yell and determined vigor that the enemy could not withstand, and before the line became fairly engaged he gave way, leaving his works in our possession. My skirmish line charged over the parapet in advance of the line of battle, capturing four guns, but pressing on without leaving a guard with them they fell into other hands. The skirmishers continued to drive the enemy for some distance beyond his works, and captured another (Napoleon) gun, which was brought back into my lines. I next moved on a line parallel with the enemy's works, following the interval between Colonel Opdycke's brigade and the Sixteenth Army Corps, about a mile, and bivouacked for the night on the east side of the Granny White pike, on a line between the First and Third Brigades of this division. On the morning of the 16th, at about 7.30 o'clock, I advanced in two lines between the other two brigades in a direction nearly due east until nearing the Franklin pike, when my skirmish line encountered the enemy and drove him into his works. The line was then swung to the right and advanced on a line with the pike, double quicking to within 150 yards of the enemy's main works, where I found him in force, and in obedience to orders halted and constructed a line of rifle-pits. I here remained, occasionally demonstrating against the enemy and keeping up a constant fire, to keep down the sharpsbooters, until about 4 p.m., when, the enemy's line having been broken on the right, a general charge was ordered and the main works carried at the point of the bayonet without serious loss, capturing 83 prisoners. I pursued the enemy for some distance after crossing his works, and then reformed my command and advanced about a mile, going into camp at dark in order of battle. During the two days' engagement I lost 8 officers wounded, 4 men killed 47 wounded, 3 missing; among the former Lieutenant-Colonel Barnes, commanding Ninety-seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and Lieutenant-Colonel Blanch, commanding Fifty-seventh Indiana Veteran Volunteer Infantry. I will not make special mention of any one where all did their whole duty, executing all my orders and moving against the enemy with a willingness I have never seen excelled. I am, major, very respectfully, your obedient servant, J. Q. LANE, Colonel Ninety-seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Commanding. Maj. J. B. SAMPLE, Assistant Adjutant-General. ----- HDQRS. SECOND BRIG., SECOND DIV., FOURTH ARMY CORPS, Near Huntsville, Ala., January 5, 1865. MAJOR: I have the honor to report the following captures of trophies by my command. The articles cannot now be obtained, as they are with the regimental baggage, but will be forwarded as soon as possible, together with a statement of the circumstances attending each capture: One battle-flag, captured by Sergt. Alfred Ransbottom, Company K, Ninety-seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry, at Franklin, Tenn., November 30, 1864. Commissioned officer's sword, captured at Nashville, Tenn., December 16, 1864, by First Lieut. S. B. Moody, Company D, One hundredth Illinois Volunteers. Battle-flag, captured by Private James S. O'Riley, Company I, Fortieth Indiana Volunteers, at Franklin, Tenn., November 30, 1864. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, J. Q. LANE, Colonel, Commanding. |