Note: I realize most diaries are kept on a daily basis, but given the time frame of the Outpost Event, I kept this one on an hourly (when possible) basis and the times given are approximate. I have made asides from time to time to give the reader more information that they could not know or that Sgt. Andrews would not be aware of—these are denoted by [ ].

1^st Sgt. Martin Andrews

Co. C, 7^th Ohio Volunteer Infantry

November 11, 1863

6:30 a.m. We were roused early this morning from our camp near Chattanooga and Companies C, F, G, and K were formed under Captain Krieger of Company K to man the forward picket line along Lookout Creek. Company C is under the command of Lt. Isaac Jones. Our strength is one officer, four non-commissioned officers and twenty privates. The company was formed by 5 a.m. and Corporals Kellog and Thurling dispatched with a detail of three men to headquarters to draw rations. They returned a short while later and each man drew nine pieces of hardtack, two carrots, and two potatoes, with a small handful of green unroasted coffee beans. In due course, Captain McClellan arrived from headquarters and guided us forward to our portion of the lines. Our company is responsible for manning six rifle pits along Lookout Creek. The arranged from Post Number 1 on the left to Post Number 6 on the far right. The lieutenant and myself have established company headquarters at Post Number 4 near the center of our lines. Posts 1 and 2 are located in light woods. Posts 3 and 4 are situated right next to each other on a low grassy ridge about fifty yards from the creek. Posts 5 and 6 are further to the right along this same rise. Behind us is an open grassy ridge rising to a wooded hilltop. The rebel lines are on a steep ridge wooded ridge directly across the creek. From my position, I can see six or seven secesh improving a rifle pit about seventy-five yards up the ridge. There appears to be a line of sentries halfway between the pit and the creek.

6:45 a.m. Private Winzenried in Post Number 1 has a bad case of the shakes. Sgt. Frye has bundled him in an overcoat and blanket and placed him by the fire. The men are digging Pit Four deeper. The rebels are still digging across the way. Two or three rebel horsemen were observed across the creek to our left.

7:00 a.m. A Sergeant from a reserve company came down to retrieve some digging implements loaned to our company. As per orders, he was challenged and did not know the countersign nor did he know his company commander’s name when questioned so he was detained and sent to the rear with Corporal Thurling. It appears he was one of our men who was either dull or ignorant of the seriousness of the situation.

7:30 a.m. Morning report completed and sent to the adjutant.

8:15 a.m. Rebels continue to dig across the creek. Can now see two rifle pits and six or eight pickets. A squad of 8 rebel cavalry rode down their lines about fifteen minutes ago.

8:45 a.m. Seeing as we needed information regarding fords to our front, I left our position—unarmed—and walked down to the creek bank. I made sure to leave my hands in plain view. Two rebel pickets immediately took notice and began to shadow me as I walked down the creek bank. I looked further up the ridge and saw two or three others in the rifle pits with their rifles trained upon me. Behind me, all six men in Pits 3 and 4 had their rifles trained on the rebs. It was a bit tense to say the least. My reconnaissance revealed five rifle pits and at least 8 to 10 pickets along their side of the creek. We estimate at least 30 rebels man the lines opposite our position. There are two fords that can be crossed on foot and one that appears passable to horses.

9:15 a.m. Rebel guard change appears to take place every hour or so.

9:30 a.m. Squads of rebels moving from right to left on the far side of the creek. They appear to be extending further to our left. Lt. Jones and I inspected our right and found a ravine separating our Post Number 6 from Post Number 7 held by Lt. Nesper’s Company. There is a ford where the ravine runs into the creek. The Lieutenant directed our men at Post 6 to render the ravine impassable with abattis which they did.

10:00 a.m. Rebels continue to move to our left.

10:30 a.m. Quite a scare. A platoon of secesh massed opposite the ravine near Post 6 along with 8 or so rebel cavalrymen. I ordered Corporal Kellog to reinforce Post 6 with three men from Posts 3 and 4. These rebs were apparently in the process of moving down the creek to our left. Something is going on to our left.

10:40 a.m. Private Noble went forth from Post 3 and tied a noose from a tree branch in front of Posts 3 and 4 down near the creek. The rebels were not amused and they have been studying it through a looking glass for some time. Rebels do not seem to eager to trade. Their officers are apparently very strict in regards to them consorting with our men across the lines.

11:00 a.m. Things are quiet. Men in Posts 3 and 4 sleeping except for the two on watch.

11:30 a.m. Captain McClellan arrived from Headquarters with Lt. Spencer’s Company to relieve us. We were moved onto the hill behind our previous position on the creek. A fire was started so that cooking could be done as necessary.

12:30 p.m. Rebels observed opposite our position on the other side of the creek. We are on top of a very high hill and it cannot be easily assaulted so we have only deployed two pickets to watch the ford at the base of the hill. Four men under Corporal Thurling have been dispatched to headquarters as guards.

1:50 p.m. Another Johnny jumped the creek and came over to our lines. Apparently this one was conscripted for not owning the required 20 negroes needed to avoid service. He was most indignant at being conscripted and talked freely. He is from Mississippi and says Walthall’s Brigade holds the line opposite us. He had some corndodgers on him which we took and then sent him to the rear with Cpl. Kellog and a guard of four men to relieve Cpl. Thurling and his men at headquarters.

3:oo p.m. Another reb wandered into our lines. This one apparently by accident as he had his weapon. Claimed he was part of the 7^th Tennessee Cavalry and had been dismounted. He was apparently trying to make it back to friendly lines when we took him.

3:30 p.m. Mail call. Heavy news. My father is dead. News came from my sister. The sickness in his lungs overtook him.

4:00 p.m. Was able to sleep for a time. Lt. Jones and Privates Buxton and Osborne had a spirited discussion on the emancipation of the Negroes that was spurred on by an article in one of the New York papers we just received. Lt. Jones seems sympathetic to the Negro plight…Pvt. Osborne does not.

5:00 p.m. Wandered down to the creek to try and trade with a Johnny. He did not want to trade and seemed most incensed that I was anywhere near the creek. Another tense moment.

5:30 p.m. Firing from the rifle pits along the creek that we occupied this morning. Chill in the air.

5:45 p.m. Corporal Thurling is missing. Noticed this when forming the company to go back to the lines. His rifle and coat are where he left them. No one has seen him. Most disturbing.

6:00 p.m. Company formed and marched to headquarters. Enroute, we diverted back to our position along the hill and deployed as skirmishers along the creek to the left of Post Number 1. The Johnnies were most upset and it appeared a general engagement might commence. We then withdrew back up the hill and returned to headquarters.

[No sooner had we arrived at headquarters than the event had to take a time out due to an injury to one of the cavalrymen who fell off his horse. At the time it appeared to be quite serious. Our company fell out near the headquarters fire and waited. I thought the ambulance appeared quite promptly and eventually the injured man was air-lifted out by helicopter and approximately 8:30 pm. Our shift in the rifle pits was supposed to be from 6 pm till midnight. Because of this, our shift was moved from 9 pm till 3 am—which would change the dynamics for all involved.]

9 p.m. Captain McClellan marched our company forward to the rifle pits on the right of our line. It was most disturbing to find that the company preceeding ours had abandoned the pits completely and left only their fires behind. Our section of the line now runs along the river road and a rocky ridge to the rear. We are responsible for Posts 7 thru 13. Posts 7, 8, and 9 are posted almost immediately on the road behind a split rail barricade with the creek no more than ten yards to the front. Post 10 covers the ford where the lower river road crossed the creek and Post 11 is just to its right. Posts 12 and 13 are the worst posts I have yet to see. They sit atop the ridge above the road to our extreme right and have no immediate or accessible line of retreat…and our men know that fact which does not sit with them well. We are missing six men from our ranks due to capture or various details so we can only put two men to a rifle pit. It is turning quite cold and mist is starting to rise off the creek. Rebel fires can be seen on the other side. Lt. Jones, and myself are in Post 9. Sgt. Frye is at Post 7 and Cpl. Kellog is at Post 10. It will be hard to react to any sort of rebel move on Posts 12 or 13.

9:30 Firing heard over on the left in Lt. Nesper’s positions…the ones we held this morning.

10:00 p.m. Shots fired from Post 12 and 13. I ran all the way there challenged by every post along the way. It wore on me greatly to run that far and then have to climb the ridge to get to them. Apparently the sentry in Post 13 saw four rebels move onto the creek bank below him. He challenged them and they gave him an old countersign no longer in use so he fired and the took off running. I have ordered Post 13 to witdraw to Post 12 and I have refused that end of the line with pickets to the rear of Post 12. The men are very nervous. One can hardly blame them.

10:30 p.m. Commotion from Post 12.

11:00 p.m. Upon reaching Post 12, I found three men under guard. It was determined that these three were our own—one being Private Noble of our company who claimed to have been captured at the sinks that afternoon and were trying to get back in our lines. They apparently were the ones that were fired on earlier. They claimed to have escaped from the rebel lines. I recognized Noble and another so I sent them to headquarters to report.

11:15 p.m. Cpl. Thurling has been returned to us. The mystery is solved. Apparently he went to the sinks while in reserve today and was snatched up by rebel cavalry unknown and out of sight of our pickets. He was exchanged back to us only this night. He has rejoined Lt. Jones and I at Post 9.

12:00 midnight Shots fired from Post 7. Upon investigating, I find that it was the same Private Noble and his two compatriots that came in to our lines through Post 12. They reported to headquarters, received the new countersign, and now have promptly deserted to the enemy. They are to be shot on sight should they approach our lines again. They ran right through the creek at Post 7. Traitorous bastards! Now the rebs have our countersign. Headquarters does not seem interested and has not changed the countersign. I have warned all posts and now no man trusts anything outside his post. I was almost shot by Private Buxton at Post 11 because he did not trust my countersign and they cannot see my chevrons in the dark.

1:00 a.m. Johnny across from Posts 6 and 7 quite talkative. He has been insulting us for some time and shooting at me should I try and warm myself by the fire at Post 7.

1:30 a.m. Bitterly cold. Trying to sleep at Post 9. Hard to keep fire going at all. Not much heat. No overcoat so I am suffering horribly. Cannot feel my feet. Praying for daylight.

2:00 am. Cannot sleep. Walked back down to Post 7.

2:30 a.m. Trying to sleep. Too cold.

3:00 a.m. Relieved by Lt. Spencer’s Company. We have been moved to a reserve position on a rocky ledge just above the river road. We can see Lt. Spencer’s men in the pits along the road just below us. His men cannot fill all the posts either. Posts 12 and 13 are now empty. We are behind a log breastwork atop the ledge. The men are gathering what wood they can find and are trying to sleep. The cold is quite taxing on the body. Private Buxton seems to have the early stages of the grippe.

5:00 a.m. Managed to sleep by the fire for a time. Somewhat refreshed.

6:00 a.m. The sun is rising slowly. Warmth is on the way. Private Osborne has become very thoughtful and feels action is imminent. Some firing to our left.

7:00 a.m. Much trepidation among the men. Large bodies of rebel infantry and cavalry observed across from the ford at Post 10 below us. Captain Krieger was notified and is now at our position. The Johnnies are moving to our left. Firing from Post 6 and 7.

7:30 a.m. We are to attack the Johnnies. Captain Braden’s Company will demonstrate on the left of our line. Lt. Spencer’s men below us will force the ford at Post 10 and we will support him. The men have gotten very quiet. We are to drop blanket rolls and only carry canteens and cartridge boxes. Bayonets have been fixed.

[ The diary ends at this point, but not the story of Sgt. Andrews. Our company (C Company) was deployed along the top of the ridge behind the rifle pits along the river. Around 8 a.m. (an estimate) there was heavy firing up the stream. Lt. Spencer’s company mistakenly thought this was Captain Braden’s demonstration and they charged across the creek driving the rebels out of the nearest rifle pit. Our company was deployed as skirmishers and we ran down the hill to the creek in single file with myself in the lead. I am proud to say I was the first of my company to enter and cross the creek, which was very cold. We charged up the bank and into an open field where we formed a skirmish line perpendicular to the creek facing towards the Rebel left. Lt. Spencer’s men were on line closest to the creek with Lt. Jones’s company to his right. We were in a heavy skirmish line. We drove the rebels before us until charged by ten or so rebel cavalry who turned our right flank nearest where I was. At Lt. Spencer’s direction, I formed a squad to refuse our right flank and firing, we drove off the mounted attack. We then returned to the front and and advanced down a line of trees to the right of the fighting. It was at this point we ran head on into a farmstead complete with a cabin and privy. It was obvious that there were women and children hiding in the cabin. We drove the rebel cavalry away from the farmstead and then they drove us back. We regrouped and I led a squad to seize the farm once again. We drove the dismounted rebels back yet again when suddenly we were counterattacked by infantry. At this point, I took a hit and fell between the farmhouse and they wood line. My men were driven away and the fighting moved back to the creek. I simulated a wound to the thigh and tied a tourniquet using a scarf and my bayonet. A very kindly young lady emerged from the farm house and attempted to render first aid amidst the fighting. Alas, her efforts were not successful an I died there, with her holding my hand after having given her my wife and children’s names so that she could write. She and two other ladies propped my head and then moved on to help other wounded. From this point on, I lay there dead and only listened. Apparently at one point, I must have fallen asleep for I awoke to the ladies giggling—I was snoring. Meanwhile, a large number of Federal prisoners were brought into the farmstead and held under guard with a number of wounded. They ladies were not happy about this situation and the matron of the home loudly complained to a Confederate officer in charge. The prisoners were eventually exchanged except for four that hid out in the privy and eventually made an escape attempt. Three were successful, but one was accosted by a male civilian and wrestled to the ground by three other ladies—quite roughly and completely where they tied his hands and feet and turned him over to a rebel cavalryman. About this time, the scenario ended and I arose to recross the creek and rejoin my comrades.