CHAPTER XVIII.

GEN. BUELL'S CAMPAIGN-CAPTURE OF THE UNION GARRISON at MunFORDSVILLE—THE BATTLE OF BOLIVAR, TENN-Splendid Charge oF THE SECOND ILLINOIS CAVALRY— DEATH OF THE GALLANT HERO, LIEUT.-COL. HOGG-THE LAST Words of a BravE MAN-"FOR GOD'S SAKE, DON'T ORDER ME BACK"-THE BATTLE OF PERRYVILLE— HOW ILLINOIS WAS REPRESENTED-MAGNIFICENT CHARGE OF COL. CARLIN'S BRIGADE-THE HEROES OF PEA RIDGE IN THEIR GLORY-THE ILLINOIS REGIMENTS ENGAGED-CLOSING SCENES OF THE CAMPAIGN-BUELL Superseded.

WE

E have stated in a previous chapter that General Buell left Corinth with the main body of his army about the 10th of June 1862, for the purpose of counteracting the movement of General Bragg upon Chattanooga. Bragg's army was composed of three corps under Maj.-Gens. Hardee, Polk and E. Kirby Smith. The division of Gen. Smith was at Knoxville, where it remained while Chattanooga was occupied by Hardee and Polk. Smith, moving from Knoxville, effected the design of getting into the rear of the Union General G. W. Morgan, at Cumberland Gap, and thence advanced into Kentucky. On the 21st of August, Bragg crossed the Tennessee, and turning General Buell's left, reached Dunlap on the 27th. Thence he moved up the Sequatchie Valley and reached Pikeville on the 30th. On the same day he threw a large force forward to McMinnville, seventy-five miles southeast of Nashville. This force, consisting of cavalry, was driven out however after a severe contest and joined the main army again, which, on the 5th of September, entered Kentucky and moved on towards Bowling Green. On the 13th of September an advance of this force appeared before Munfordsville and captured the place and garrison, composed of five Indiana regiments, a company of cavalry, a part of the 4th Ohio infantry, and a section of an Indiana battery, the whole under

Col. Dunham, who relieved Col. Wilder on the second day, after an obstinate defence of two days.

General Buell deduced from the movements of Bragg that he was aiming at Louisville. While the latter was slowly making his way towards the Cumberland River, the former was on his left flank at Lebanon, protecting Nashville. During all the march, Gen. Buell was harassing his rear, shelled him out of Woodsonville, drove him out of Munfordsville, and followed him closely along the road from Nashville to Louisville. Finally, forced by the need of supplies, Gen. Buell moved directly to the city, around which he encamped.

While these operations were going on, some isolated events of interest occurred in other parts of the field. On the 31st of August Brig.-Gen. Ross, commanding at Jackson, Tenn., received a dispatch from Col. Crocker, commanding at Bolivar, that that post was threatened by a large force advancing from the south, and that Col. Leggett had been sent out to attack the enemy's advance. Colonel Leggett's force consisted of a section of the 9th Indiana battery, two companies of the 11th Illinois cavalry, under Major Puterbaugh, four companies of the 2d Illinois cavalry under the gallant Lieut.Col. Hogg, and the 20th and 78th Ohio infantry regiments. Col. Leggett engaged the enemy and spendidly held them in check until reinforcements arrived from General Ross. Two companies of the 20th Ohio were deployed to relieve the cavalry, and the artillery was sent a mile to the rear to await reinforcements. About noon, the enemy, in overwhelming numbers, made a desperate attempt to flank on the right and get to our rear. Col. Leggett took the two companies of the 11th Illinois and the mounted infantry and passed over the Middleburgh road, where he found the enemy advancing in strong force. The infantry dismounted and attacked them, and after a struggle of an hour drove them back. Just at the close of the struggle, four companies of the 78th and 20th Ohio came up and engaged the enemy's skirmishers. Leaving a sufficient force to guard his left, Col. Leggett massed the remainder of his force on the Middleburgh road, where it was evident the enemy was attempting to break through the line and gain our rear. At this time Lieut.-Col. Hogg came up with his four companies of the invincible

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2d Illinois cavalry. He was asked if he could hold a position on the left against a charge of the rebel cavalry. The gallant hero promptly replied that he could, and asked the honor of taking the position, which was at once assigned him. He had hardly got intc position before the rebels charged down the road in overwhelming numbers, but under the deadly infantry fire were compelled to retreat. They twice repeated the charge, but were each time repulsed. They then entered the field upon the left and opened fire upon Lieut.-Col. Hogg's cavalry and the two supporting companies of the 20th Ohio. The infantry and cavalry returned the fire briskly. Col. Leggett then discovered that a full regiment of the enemy's cavalry was forming with a view of charging upon the gallant little band. He sent word to Col. Hogg that if he had any doubts about his ability to hold his position, he had better fall back. Then shone out the splendid bravery of this more than Spartan hero. He sent word back: "FOR GOD'S SAKE, COL. LEGGETT, DON'T ORDER ME BACK." Immortal words, O, dead, gallant hero! Fit epitaph for so brave, so pure, so fearless a spirit. Col. Leggett replied: "Meet them with a charge, Colonel, and may Heaven bless you." He immediately ordered his men to draw their sabers, and placing himself at their head, shouted: "Forward! give them cold steel, boys," and put spurs to his horse. Away they flew like the wind, but their Colonel was flying like the whirlwind far in advance of his men, and a prominent mark for the rebel sharpshooters. Nine balls. pierced his body and he fell, and the next minute the line came together with a fearful clash of arms. The enemy wavered and partially gave way, but Col. Hogg had fallen, and there was no other to assume command, and the cavalry became partially disorganized and commenced falling back, when Capt. M. H. Musser, of Co. F took command and restored the line. Thus perished in the defence of liberty one of the bravest of the brave, without fear and without reproach. A more gallant hero never drew sword. Chivalrous, brave and manly, his name is one of the brightest in the annals of Illinois' history. Col. Leggett, in his official report, says: "The 2d Illinois cavalry was on the field so short a time I can only particularize their commander, the lamented Lieut.-Col. Hogg. A braver, truer man never lifted his sword in defence of his country.

He

was brave to a fault, and fell while leading one of the most gallant cavalry charges of the war."

But in the mean time, infantry reinforcements had come up and formed in line to support the artillery. The enemy came within range, when the battery opened upon them with shell, which caused them to disperse and gave our gallant forces possession of the field. The victory was won, but at a fearful price, for Lieut.-Col. Hogg was no more to lead and inspire his men.

Immediately after the repulse, large bodies of the rebel cavalry attacked the various detachments scattered along the line of the Mississippi Central Railroad. At Medon Station, a barricade of cotton bales had been constructed by Adjutant Frohock, of the 45th Illinois. On the 31st of August this barricade was attacked by a force of rebels numbering 1,500 men, who were gallantly held at bay by one hundred and fifty men of the 45th, until reinforcements from the 7th Missouri arrived and drove the rebels from the town. Immediately after the demonstration on Bolivar, the force at Estaualga, under command of Col. Dennis, of the 30th Illinois, was ordered to Jackson, Tenn. Col. Dennis' command comprised the 30th Illinois, commanded by Major Warren Shedd, and the 20th Illinois, commanded by Capt. Frisbie, and a section of two pieces of artillery and two companies of cavalry. On the 1st of September his advance guard encountered seven regiments of rebel cavalry numbering 5,000 men, while Col. Dennis' force numbered only eight hundred. Col. Dennis posted his little band in advantageous posi tions, but the overwhelming force of the enemy enabled them to surround our troops temporarily, and capture the trains. The battle was of four hours' duration, and resulted in leaving Colonel Dennis master of the field, having suffered a loss of only five men, while the total loss of the enemy in killed and wounded was over four hundred. Colonel Dennis, Capt. Frisbie, of the 20th, Major Shedd and Adjutant Peyton, of the 30th, displayed undaunted courage and coolness, the latter, although severely wounded, refusing to leave the field.

But we return to the main operations of General Buell. From Munfordsville, the rebels moved towards the central portion of the State, conscripting as they went and gathering supplies. On the 1st

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of October, General Buell moved from Louisville, and on the 6th, after slow progress owing to difficulties of the route and skirmishes with the rebel rear guard, arrived at Springfield, sixty-two miles from Louisville. On the 7th, it was reported to General Buell that a large Confederate force was at Perryville, forty-two miles south of Frankfort. General Buell immediately ordered an advance, and the battle of Chaplin's Hills, more generally known as the battle of Perryville, ensued. On the 7th a severe skirmish took place which for the time assumed the dimensions of a battle. On the 8th, the position was as follows: General Sheridan's division had the advance in General Gilbert's corps, Rousseau's and Jackson's divisions having previously advanced by way of Taylorsville and formed a line of battle, Jackson to the rear of Rousseau and forming the extreme left. McCook's brigade was on the right of Lytle's which formed the right wing of Rousseau's division. McCook had moved forward early in the morning with his brigade, accompanied by Barnett's 2d Illinois' battery and occupied his position. The 85th Illinois, Colonel Moore, was deployed upon the right and the 52d Ohio on the left. The 125th Illinois, Colonel Harmon, was placed as a reserve, and the 86th Illinois of this brigade were on picket duty. The rebel pickets opened a sharp fire on the 85th Illinois, and although this was the first fight in which they had ever en gaged, they advanced like old veterans up a steep hill side and drove the rebels from the crest, inflicting a severe loss upon them. Irritated at the loss of their position, the rebels massed upon the right and left, and commenced a furious fire of shrapnel upon the brigade. For an hour the firing continued, but the brigade resolutely held its ground. As soon as the position of the rebel battery was discovered, Barnett's battery of two ten-pounder parrotts came into position and silenced it. The rebels rallied to their guns three times, but in vain, and soon the fire of their battery ceased entirely. In the meantime, the right wing of the 125th Illinois was ordered up to support the battery, and did their work splendidly, and the rebels retired leaving the brigade in possession of the ground they had won. A cavalry force advanced in the direction the enemy were retreating and were soon furiously attacked. The situation became critical. The rebels pressed heavily upon our cavalry, but the 2d