The Advanced Guard -
TAG
After Action Report
for Co. D - 13th Ohio
Friday - Oct. 17th, 1862:
The rain cleared out and the battalion formed up mid-day and marched off
towards Murfreesboro, TN. We reached the fork of the Murfreesboro Rd. and
Nashville Pikes and we were ordered to camp on a wooded hill overlooking the
roads. Guards were posted and rations were issued. Just as the men had begun to
eat their dinner, the guard cries out and the battalion is ordered to quickly
fall in. We marched out into a nearby field to engage some Confederate
skirmishers. Upon entering the field, we could see gun fire coming from the top
of a wooded hill across the field. Cpt. Caldwell's company was ordered to clear
the hill as skimishers. It appeared his company fell back from the hill, but we
were too far from the action to tell. Finally, our company was ordered to
asault the hill as skirmishers in support of Cpt. Caldwell's company. We
deployed on the Rebel left and swept up the hill as skirmishers. It was over in
minutes as the Rebel harassers withdrew. Our company suffered one killed and
one wounded in the action.
Returning to our dinner, we had to send half our company to take Guard Mount.
One half served Guard Mount from 6 pm to midnight and the other half served
from midnight to 7 am. The reserve was posted at the bottom of the hill. There
were some local civilians who were camped near the reserve and the men helped
keep a fire stoked for them. The Confederate advanced guard probed our outposts
several times in the evening. When not conducting Grand Rounds, I was able to
enjoy a bit of singing with some of the good, Ohio boys. Otherwise, the night
was fairly uneventful except for Cpl. Ungaro being sent to the surgeon having
choked on a piece of salted beef. He returned to duty in the morning. What some
people will do to get out of guard duty!
Saturday Oct. 18th, 1862:
The fog of the morning was met by me soliciting the adjutant to get our company
relieved of their extended Guard Mount duties. The commissary issued the
officers some farina and coffee. The "General" call was given and the
men began to pack up their gear to move. Farina being issued to the men for
breakfast. Again, as the men began to eat their farina, a call from Post #2
sings out "Corporal of the Guard, Post #2!". The cry was repeated and
frantic. The reserve rushed up and gun fire erupted. The staff begins screaming
for the battalion to fall in. Just before the reserve was driven in our
companies formed up at the bottom of the hill. Cpt. Gerow's company takes for
the fog covered field to drive off the attackers. Cpt. Kinzer then moves
forward to support him. Cpt. Caldwell's company moves to the left as well. Then
we are ordered down a creek bed and to a field to support the left of Cpt.
Caldwell. The fog and terrain making visibility very limited. Our company was
now along one side of creek bed and we could see the Confederates in the fog
covered field. A stalemate begins as we both hunkered down and no one willing
to push forward (especially into a creek bed). I detached a squad to move to
our left and enfilade the Confederate right. We laid down gunfire to screen the
squad's movement in fog and smoke. Our ruse worked as the Rebs saw men moving
in the woods along their flank and they withdrew into the fog. Cpt. Caldwell's
company was dispatched forward as skirmishers to clear the field. Our company
suffered one killed and one wounded in the action.
The men returned to their now cold farina and then prepared to move out. Col.
Dal Bello ordered the battalion down the Nashville Pike along a ridgeline to
avoid the dangers of the valley. Our march ended at a homestead along a
creekbed. The creekbed gave us some security, but hills surrounded the
homestead making it an untenable position. Our company was ordered as
skirmishers along the creekbed. The Rebs exchanged some gun fire from the hills
with our skirmish line as the Rebs moved about looking for a vulnerable spot to
attack. We could see the Rebel staff on a nearby hill watching our position
carefully. The staff ordered me to have a squad search the homestead. Taking an
accounting of the people and goods at the homestead we learned that the family
had sons in the Confederate army. This made it clear where their loyalties lie
and we were cautious of this fact. Another cabin across a pond was not searched
at it held the body of a young boy who had died of the small pox. I was never
sure if this was ruse or not, but not willing to take any risks, I ordered the
men to stear clear of it. The men left all the civilian's good in tact except
for a ham that they appropriated as forage for our companies dinner. Upon them
filing a grievance with Major Green, I issued them a receipt for the ham.
At this juncture, Sgt Mjr ordered me to report to Col. Dal Bello. We discussed
a probe of the Confederate left to test and discover their positions on the
wooded hill to our front. My orders were clear to probe and not commit to a
general engagement. Our company moved down a road towards the Rebel flank. We
were screened by our cavalry and the commissary wagon. It probably appeared to
the Johnnies that we were guarding the wagon and taking it to a new position.
After a short distance, we peeled off towards the hill where the Rebs were
encamped. We cleared a deep creek bed, moved thru a small clearing on the other
side and into a another set of woods. On the other side of the woods, we moved
into another clearing heading towards the woods at the crest of the hill. Some
Confederate skirmishers spotted us and I withdrew our reserve back. With that,
the skirmishers must have believed we retreated as they withdrew and it became
silent. We then moved into the woods at the top of the hill, deployed as
skirmishers and began our movement into the Confederate left flank. Oddly, we
met no resistance until we came to their encampment which was only guarded by a
handful of camp guards who discharged their weapons and fled. It seemed surreal
that we so easily had taken their camp. But, reality hit me as we suddenly
heard the exchange of volley fire down in the valley. It was now clear that the
Rebs had a made a full attack on the rest of our battalion at the homestead.
Having little choice, I double quicked the skirmish line forward to help our
men. We were fully committed now and risked being cut off at any time. We moved
down the hill thru the woods until we reached a road along the creek bed across
from the homestead. We had a great position behind the road cut and in the
woods. We could see a Confederate company in column formation, facing away from
us only 30 yards away. We open fired on their vulnerable, massed formation.
Oddly, we all must have shot high as we didn't hit a single one of them! They
wheeled about and charged our position. We fired again and we still missed and
only at 20 yards! Another Reb platoon was now moving as skirmishers to our left
flank. We were forced to retreat on the run. Our line fell apart quickly and it
became every man for himself. Our success mattered little as the rest of the battalion
had been routed and captured at the homestead. Our company rallied upon a
hillside overlooking our captured camp. On the hill we met up with our cavalry
and the commissary. The commissary under the direction of the Quartermaster
Sgt. were sniping at the Confederates below. Our company suffered two killed,
two wounded (including myself...a minor flesh wound on my arm) and six
captured.
Upon our battalion being paroled, we rejoined them in our new nearby
encampment. It is worth noting that the Rebs liberated our newly acquired ham
and returned it to the civilians.
It was a great feeling as the staff congratulated company D on its successful
flanking movement despite the overall consequences. Our company was rewarded
with a whisky ration for it's valiant actions.
As we were not on Guard Mount this evening, the men were able to relax, eat
their rations and enjoy some comraderie around the camp fire. Many took the
opportunity to visit our first rate, regimental sutlery to exchange some of
their scrip for goods and food. Our comraderie was short lived as the Sgt Mjr
ordered us to keep quiet so the Outposts could hear any approaching enemy. Cpl.
Rich made a top shelf peach cobbler from hardtack and canned peaches. We turned
in and the night turned cold and crisp.
Sunday Oct 19th, 1862:
Sunday morning was cool and quiet. The men being able to enjoy their breakfast
and coffee without interruption from the Johnnies. After roll call, we
conducted an arms inspection. Within an hour we were ordered to unsling packs and
move out to meet the Confederate advance guard who were rumored nearby en
force. Moving down the valley, we then crossed the same deep creek bed that our
company had crossed on Saturday. Reaching another field and valley on the other
side we moved up the valley parallel to the Confederate's old position. I felt
very vulnerable in this position. Moving down the valley, a Confederate company
appeared atop the hillside and opened on our battalion. We hunkered down, but
began taking losses from the enemies fire. Forced to withdraw we recrossed the
creek bed at a bridge and we were ordered as skirmishers along the creek bed
and bridge. Soon after, the rest of the battalion and our cavalry marched back
down the valley out of sight. Thus, we were the bait to draw the Confederates
across the creek bed. One Rebel company appeared to our front on the other side
of the creek bed. Another company began to flank our position on our left. The
company to our front began to charge our position. We fired into their massed
formation and again we fired high as we didn't hit any of them! We were forced
to retreat again at a run to the safety of a wooded hill that overlooked the
valley. A couple of our men were captured as the Confederate cavalry stormed
across the bridge and drove in those skirmishers. The rest of our battalion and
cavalry now advanced back down the valley to engage the Johnnies. We had a good
position on the hill to support the rest of the battalion as we were in
skirmish order, had cover and elevation. But, Major Green ordered us off the
hill and support the battalion's left. We moved forward only 10 yards when the
Johnnies on the front and right fired into us. That was the end of Company D.
We suffered 8 killed, 10 wounded and 2 captured.
Signed,
Cpt. Jim Butler
Co. D - 13th Ohio
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TAG was a wonderful event in many ways with few complaints. Here are some
points both Pro and Con.
PRO:
- Great weather, beautiful site, great time of year.
- Guard Mount fully detailed all evening. Lines probed in the evening by the
enemy kept us on
alert.
- First rate Regimental Sutler and Commissary.
- AoP ration issues are always fantastic.
- Company D, NCOs (Pharr, McDonald, Nurse, Rich, Haugh and Ungaro) did a fine
job!
- I was honored to be with such grand men who made up company D. You have a lot
to be
proud of and we all know why!
- Good organization, logistics and inspections. Yes, a handful of bad
impressions did get by, but
for the most part better than other
c/p/h events.
- Enjoyable comraderie with some fine gentlemen on staff and in the ranks with
good attitudes.
Thanks to the AoP!
- Raising money for the Franklin Battlefield Preservation Trust.
- Civilians did a fine job and their outhouse was great.
CON:
- Lack of hits. Some folks state that the event is not about the hits. I
agree...but then you must
agree the event was not about any
tactical victory or losses (so enough of the backslapping).
I suggest referees at any future event
of this type. This did not detract from the quality of the
event overall.
- A few safety violations.
- A few bad impressions slipped by the inspector. But, as stated, it was still
better than most
other c/p/h events I have been to. As
Joe Smotherman stated, it is really our OWN
responsibility to police ourselves.
- First Person came and went all through the weekend. It was maintained fairly
well when we
were formed up and waned more when
were in camp.
Overall, I really enjoyed myself at this event. I would love to do this type of
event again and with some fine tuning it could approach perfection. Many thanks
to Joe Smotherman and the organizers for doing a great job planning and
implementing this event. I didn't hear any organizational complaints at all
regarding the event.
Regards,
Jim Butler
The Salt River Rifles