The 14th Indiana is sent to the desolate summit of Cheat Mountain to guard the Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike and prevent the Confederates from cutting the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. They face hostile opposition from locals, get surrounded by Lee's troops in the Battle of Cheat Mountain, and survive to fight a skirmish at Greenbrier Bridge.
Related
- 02 Fearful retribution awaits them: Cheat Summit
- Surrounded on Cheat Summit
- Prettiest fighting ever: Battle of Greenbrier Bridge
- The severest campaign
July 12, 1861
Today finds us at Beverly where the Clarksburgh road came into the one that passes Laurel Hill. It was almost deserted of inhabitants. Of all the mountainous regions, this is one of them. There was hardly a level field between Buchanan and Beverly.
July 13, 1861
We left Beverly and traveled for Cheat Mountain. We were in sight of a few of the rebels once through the day.
We waded the Mongohala [Monongahela] river for the scamps had burnt the bridge a few days before. There was one man that lived at a farmhouse before we reached the river and he said if we had just come along yesterday morning we could have caught them like the D—l.
We encamped at the foot of the mountain where we now are. At night we were aroused and ordered to cook provisions to last 24 hours.
July 14, 1861
We started in the direction the rebels had taken. After marching 8 miles we were about-faced and marched back to the valley. We were informed that the rebels were one day and a half's march ahead of us and were making rapid strides for Richmond!
General Morris routed them at Laurel Hill and was in pursuit of them. It was in this pursuit that General Garnette was killed.
July 16, 1861
After laying in camp one day in the Valley we marched to the top of Cheat Mountain. Only five of our Companies were sent up here while the other five was left at that bridge that I spoke of as being burned. We are guarding the gap on Cheat Mountain which is one mile west of Cheat River.
July 17, 1861
Some of the Cavalry was reconnoitering around and several were shot by the mountaineers who are concealed in the woods and pick a man off whenever they catch him by himself.
July 22, 1861
Lieut. Williard with about 50 men went out on a scout and surprised a body of about 50 rebels. They retreated and our men fired as they ran after them. Our men fired at them as they ran and followed them for five miles killing as might as could be ascertained about 7 or 8 and taking seven prisoners. They were brought into camp while our band played Yankee Doodle. Between this and the middle of August, there was nothing much going on but a few more skirmishes in which we always come out conqueror and with some prisoners at times.
August 10, 1861
We have been throwing up breastworks for some length of time and today our boys are engaged in cutting off the timber around the encampment.
A party of our boys killed two and wounded one at Greenbrier Bridge where so many of our Cavalry have been picked off. A few days after this some of our scouts drove the rebel pickets of the enemy in and heard the alarm given to Arms! After killing six or seven they retreated back to our camp. They suppose there was about 1500 of them. They have come there within the last two weeks for I have been beyond where they are camped at this time.
August 18, 1861
About 40 of our company was sent in advance on a hill as an advanced guard. You can distinctly see the hill from here. In the morning they were fired upon by about 200 rebels and were compelled to retire. The rebels pursued a few yards but likewise they also retreated. None of our men were hurt. Rebel loss not known. In the fracas there was three of our boys in fifteen feet hid by the roadside. The rebels passed them and when they were coming back two of them ran down into the hollow. After they passed back down the road the other one made his escape to our boys. The other two got lost and were out five days with nothing to eat but a few blackberries. They however made their way safe into camp.
As times began to be scary the 24th & 25th Ohio were sent up to reinforce us.
September 11, 1861
About the night of the 20th the 18th Indiana regiment came up but went back the next day. Four more cannons were also sent up which made six in all. Between this and 11th of Sept. we continued to finish the forts and other fortifications around camp.
September 12, 1861
Battle of Cheat Mountain
Also see: Surrounded on Cheat Summit
On the morning, the telegraph was found to be out of order. The rebels had gotten in behind us without our knowledge and captured several wagoners and several pickets of ours who were stationed out about one mile in the rear of the camp. They had got between our pickets and camp. Lieut. Green of Co. B was dispatched down there also two Ohio Companies. They encountered a body of about 300 rebels and after firing several volleys the enemy retreat in utter confusion. Three of our boys escaped that they had taken. We lost one man who they took prisoner and two were wounded. The enemy lost about 80 in killed and wounded and we took 12 prisoners one of whom was a Sergeant Major. The enemy the prisoners stated were about 3000 strong in our rear with an immense number in front. They occupied that hill at the same time in front driving Company E in and killing two of their men. One was Lieutenant June.
Before Company E were driven in off the hill the rebels had ambushed on this side of them between the hill and camp and it was as they were coming in that their two men were killed. After they were fired into they took to the woods and came in by twos and threes for two days. It is almost a miracle that so many escaped unhurt. It is owing to the divine interference of providence and nothing else.
I forgot to state that the night of the 12th, from some unknown cause the rebels in our rear took a fright and fled in utter confusion leaving a promiscuous number of blankets, overcoats, canteens, cups, revolvers, pistols, scaterlophiscated all over the road, hills, etc.
September 14th, 1861
Our Company and Company G went out into the woods northwest of camp to see if we could spy the enemy but could see nothing of them. We passed the place where our wagons had been captured the 12th and found the boy they had taken prisoner with a bayonet wound in his head! This shows the wickedness of their cause. It throws a foul stain upon the character of the rebels and how they intend carrying on this war. A fearful retribution awaits them and the Nation is getting ready for a fearful contest; such a crash the world never heard of since Adam!
September 13th, 1861
The 13th Ind. regiment and 2nd Virginia came up and they passed over the place where the rebels had camped a few nights before. The 6th Ohio also came up. They can be distinctly seen on the hill with bristling bayonets.
September 15, 1861
There was a volley heard down at the bridge. Our Company was double-quicked down there and we lay behind breastworks for some time and then put out as pickets above the bridge. This made three nights hard running for me and I was somewhat dozzy.
Still on the hill maneuvering around. It is rumored that they are making movements to the right in order to capture the bridge. This is what they are after. However they have not been able to take that from us as yet.
September 16, 1861
Still in the hill and can see their canteens and bayonets glisten in the light of a noonday sun.
September 18, 1861
They can not be seen and it is rumored that they have absconded.
September 19, 1861
Invisible on the hill but a dense smoke arising in the direction of Greenbriar plainly shows the presence of the enemy though at a respectable distance.
October 1, 1861
From the movements of the officers I should think that we intend an attack.
Last week the 32nd Ohio came up with their tents which makes four regiments here. The 9th and 15th Indiana have also come and we are ordered to cook two days' provisions to start at 12 O'clock tonight We thought now that we could get a chance to try our pluck. However it began to rain before night and the order to advance was countermanded. The reason why I do not know but we would have had a blessed time of it for it commenced raining before night and rained for about two days and a half as hard as I almost ever saw it. The creeks and rivers were terrible swollen and one of our sutlers was drowned in the attempt to cross one and that on horseback.
During the first night eight horses died so disagreeable was the rain and cold.
October 2, 1861.
This is a beautiful morning. We have been in the service about four months and have not received but one suit of clothes with the exception of a pair of shoes and an overcoat which does us much service these cold mornings. We have neither received our pay yet which shows that there is a "n---" in the woodpile somewhere.
There was an uncommon heavy frost the other morning. There was on also on the 14th of August last. Quite cold I think!
October 3, 1861
Battle of Greenbrier Bridge
Also see: Prettiest fighting ever: Battle of Greenbrier Bridge
We were ordered to cook two days rations this evening and be ready to start at 12 o'clock at night. We started at the appointed time and drove the pickets of the enemy about six O'clock. At 8 O'clock we encountered a strong force of the enemy and sharp musketry began to break upon our ears and we were fairly in the fight. The 9th and 14th Ind. and 24th Ohio soon drove the enemy into their entrenchments and no time during the fight did they attempt to come out in the open field. We opened our cannon on the enemy and bombarded them for the space of five hours and the enemy's cannon were fired at us continually. The musketry ceased when the cannonading commenced.
At 1 O'clock the enemy received heave reinforcements and we retired in good order from the field. Our loss was 8 killed and 15 wounded five of whom have since died. The enemy's loss is not definitely known but it is positively asserted by those who were watching with spy glasses to have been at the least calculation 500. We also took 13 prisoners
The 7th, 9th, 13th, 14th, 15th, and 17th Ind. also the 24th, 25th, 32nd Ohio were the forces engaged on our side. Our effective force did not amount to more than 7000, and 13 pieces of artillery with one Company of Cavalry. The enemy had about 12 regiments at their camp and the reinforcements they received at 10 O'clock augmented their force to near 20,000 men. Our General was very well satisfied and said he had done all that he was ordered to do which was making an armed reconnaissance to ascertain the strength and position of the rebels. He says we done the prettiest fighting he ever witnessed.
We came off the field in good order and the enemy did not attempt to come out into the open field which is just what we wanted them to attempt.
Our Col. was as good a commander as there was on the field without it was the General himself. Most of us came into camp before night and were very tired having started at 12 in the night & traveled 15 miles and back the same day.
October 6, 1861
It has been very nice weather since the brush which occurred on the 3rd. We shall make a forward movement into Eastern Virginia soon for we shall know the next time just how to attack them owing to the valuable information we gained on the 3rd.
