Report of Actions

Report of Actions, Nov. 13-15

Molena , Ga.

After arriving on site around 1:00 on Friday afternoon, I took my time in getting ready and eventually checked in at registration. There were several sutlers on site for men to spend their greenbacks while waiting for evening. The weather was gorgeous; highs in the low 70s and lows in the low 50s. Buffum, Harkleroad and I, being the first from our 116^th IL foraging party to arrive, we found some shade and waited for guys to begin arriving. Sgt. Sadowski and Barna were the next to arrive. As it was getting dark, I located where the rest of the guys were gathering and joined them there. Altogether, our party had 17 men, all anxious to get on the road and begin foraging.

At 7:30 , an officers’ meeting was held to go over the rules of engagement. Following the meeting, a small ration of slab bacon was issued to everyone and a little later, we marched to the road where all of the parties were staging and we were assigned our order of march within 2^nd Division. A little after 9:00 , all foraging parties began our march, 1^st and 2^nd Division traveling the same route with 3^rd Division going a different route. We marched perhaps a mile or so with a few torches lit to provide some light. However, the torches must have caught the eye of some Georgia militia who opened a sporadic fire on our column from a wooded hill that sloped up from the left side of the road.

We quickly extinguished the torches and were ordered against the side of the hill for cover. A few men returned fire at the flashes, but they were ordered to cease firing in order to not waste ammunition. After a few minutes we were ordered up the hill in our unit front. The going was difficult from darkness as well low limbs and rocks scattered about the ground. About half way up the hill, I found our party had been squeezed out of line between the 99^th IN and 54^th OH and took up a reserve position behind the 99^th. Eventually, our division was halted and took position on the far right of 2^nd Division.

The men quickly made cooking fires for their rations and bedded down for the night. A schedule was made for picket duty for the night. Our party was assigned from 4-6AM ; I would go with first watch and Sgt. Sadowski would go with second watch. The night became a little chilly around 3 AM , causing some shivering, but everyone passed the night just fine. At 6:00 on Saturday morning, Sgt. Sadowski rustled me awake and informed me that no one had awakened him for picket duty, but some of our guys were out on the line. Surprised by this myself, since no one had awakened me for first shift, I quickly counted who was out. Corporal Hamel’s mess, including himself, Perlotto, Payne, Elwell, and Czerepuszko were out on picket and had been for both hours. They were relieved at 6:00 by the 48^th IL and were thanked for covering for the rest of our party.

The men were all awake shortly after and set to cooking the rest of their bacon. Everyone packed up in anticipation of an early marching time; however, we did not begin until around 9:00 . Our route of march was along a river to the right of the road just of short distance and a large hill to the left. Resulting from heavy rains earlier in the week, the river was much higher and faster moving than normal which soon caused problems for our line of march. The road was flooded for most of our route causing us to march on what seemed more like a billygoat path a little higher up the side of the hill.

The march of very tedious with much starting and stopping along the way. The path being so narrow and over such rough terrain, all were required to march in single file. The distance we covered was likely only a few miles, but seemed several times longer from the slow pace. Eventually, we began going up the hill, a fairly significant ascend which greatly fatigued many of the men and caused our division to stop several times. To add to the growing frustrations was the problem of men beginning to run out of water. The number of stragglers from our division began to increase as well and by the time we reached the top of the hill, the number was significant. And, to top everything, the scant water source at the top of the hill was quickly used up by parties ahead of us. Frustrations and concerns were quickly growing amongst the men.

After a short break, we continued on and eventually started down a hill, but the parties ahead of us were stopped at the bottom. Our parties decided not to proceed until we were sure to be on the right road. Lt. Cross, Lt. Minton, and I met with Capt. Schneider and our guide, Joe to discuss the situation. Further evidencing our overall lack of leadership from higher up, Capt. Schneider didn’t have a map nor did he know where we might find food and water. Joe said he knew, but we’d have to backtrack and go a different route. Eager to do anything, our men followed Joe. By this point, our party had lost six guys to stragglers, most had attached to the 15^th Michigan party.

By around 1:30 , we arrived at a clearing with two cabins and we were excited to finally have a chance to forage for some food. However, several foraging parties had arrived just before we did and things were already being pretty well picked over. Pickings were pretty slim until Pvt. Harkleroad put his prior foraging skills to use and found a full ham and a sack of apples hidden in a cabin that had already been searched by others. Our men quickly divided the find and grabbed a few ears of corn from a nearby crate. While we were doing this, Lt. Hays of the 99^th IN sent word requesting our party for support on his picket line. As soon as our party had gotten enough food to last us through the night, we filled our canteens and headed to support the 99^th beyond another small clearing.

Upon reaching the 99^th, Lt. Hays informed me that foragers had been getting bagged in that area all morning and he wanted to probe ahead to find the strength of the militia on a hill opposite the one we held. My party deployed as skirmishers on the right of the road and moved forward into the saddle between the hills, the 99^th followed behind us in support. As we reached the bottom, we spotted several militiamen on the hill ahead, but we continued forward in hopes they hadn’t spotted us. However, an over-eager private in 99^th fired a shot which alerted the militia of our presence. The militia opened fired and soon we heard the distinct report of an artillery piece, probably a mountain howitzer. Lt. Hays and I both agreed it not worth the risk in tangling with a stronger force and withdrew to our side of the clearing which we had passed through earlier. There, I established a picket line to guard that field, about 200 yards from the rest of our division.

Shortly after 4:00 PM, two militia deserters approached our line to surrender. We bagged them up, took their cartridges and caps, and searched through their haversacks and knapsacks. They had a small amount of food, so I let them keep what they had. Finding nothing suspicious on them, Pvt. Harkleroad escorted them to the rear where several officers ignored his request to turn them over until Lt. Cross finally took them. Harkleroad returned and I was informed that Capt. Schneider was missing and that Lt. Cross was now in charge of the 2^nd Division foragers at are our location.

Fearing that the militia might be near and our small party might get bagged by a surprise, I began moving my men closer to our main camp where reinforcements would be closer. However, we encountered Capt. Corbin from 1^st Division who ordered us back to our position at the field. I objected saying that we were too far away with too few men to hold if we would be attacked. He insisted and I followed orders under his agreement to send additional troops to support us. A little bit later, about 6-8 men from the 30^th OH supported our right flank. Around 4:45, several militiamen appeared in the woods across the small field and everyone was alerted, but nothing more was expected.

Within a couple minutes a large body of militia appeared to our front and we commenced firing. However, the militia marched toward us in formation with much swiftness. I urged the men to keep up a hot fire while I yelled for reinforcements. The militia, perhaps as many as 60-70 men strong were upon our line and I ordered it to the rear to establish a new line. A few individuals from other parties came to help, but my helplessness grew from the failure of any larger forces to support us. I encountered Capt. Corbin on the road with his coat off, likely from having his relaxation time disturbed, yelling for us to stop and that it was just a few militia. Eventually, the 99^th IN moved on to our right and a portion of another party further to their right. The 1^st Missouri moved on to our left and engaged in a hot fight with their Henry rifles. The militia’s attack checked, a sharp fight lasted for about ten minutes before the militia finally gave way and withdrew back across the field.

As soon as the militia had gone, everyone returned to their relaxation time, apparently unconcerned that our camp had almost been overrun. With part of another party holding the picket line, I withdrew our party closer to camp and allowed everyone to finally get a real chance to eat and have a little downtime. Around 7:00, Lt. Cross held an officers meeting to establish a picket schedule. The 99^th IN would have the last shift, ending at 6:00 AM, and at that same time our party would conduct another probing action against the militia line. After some lighthearted conversation around our cook fire, we bedded down for the night.

Around 5:00 on Sunday morning, I was quickly shaken awake and expected here an alarm of the enemy. Instead, Pvt. Harkleroad and Sgt. Sadowski were frantically trying to extinguish part of Harkleroad’s gum blanket which had caught fire. At 5:30, I woke up our party and went to find Lt. Hays of the 99^th. I was surprised to find him and his men sleeping around a fire in camp and was informed by him there was a cease fire until 6:00. I found Lt. Cross to inquire about our probing action, but he informed me that it had been cancelled, but we should establish a picket line at the field at that time. I was a bit perturbed about us not being informed of changes to plan, but carried on with our new assignment.

All was quiet on our front until about 7:00 when musket and howitzer fire could be heard from the hill where we had encountered the militia the previous day. We laughed that maybe it was the missing 3^rd Division. About a half-hour later, several men in blue appeared in our front and approached our line. They informed us they were part of the 3^rd Division and had been separated from the division since the previous day. They were a combined party of the 63^rd and 93^rd IL which delighted our party to run into fellow Illinois men. Soon, their commander, Lt. Bevard, came up and said they had been the ones skirmishing with the militia earlier. He expected the militia to pursue his party and was glad to have found us. I sent him to talk to Lt. Cross and in the meantime, the 63^rd/93^rd gave us their extra food for which we were thrilled to receive.

Lt. Bevard returned saying that Lt. Cross had instructed our combined force to act as the rear guard for the division when it pulled out around 8:00. Around that time, a few cavalry appeared across the field from us and they were soon joined by militia who commenced building breastworks. Not wanting give them time to get well entrenched, Lt. Bevard and I agreed to attack them. Our party pressed forward on the left side of the road while Lt. Bevard with the bulk of his force moved forward on the right. We were immediately engaged by the militia and cavalry which now appeared in greater force than expected. Our sortie was checked about half way across the field and could go no farther. Pvt. Casella was wounded in the field and several men attempted to reach him, but the militia kept us pinned behind our cover. After about fifteen minutes, Lt. Bevard, fearing their cavalry might flank us, ordered a retreat and we were forced to leave Casella behind to be captured by the militia.

Our division began moving back to rejoin Uncle Billy’s column and were followed at the rear guard. The party seemed a bit down after our loss, but everyone was grateful to finally have food in his haversack. Our guide, Joe, showed us the way and shared a few songs he had learned while working on a few ships as a slave. Sgt. Sadowski then added with “The Battle Cry of Freedom” which was joined in by many in our party. This lifted the spirits and lightened the step of all and before long, we found the 15^th Michigan party upon our arrival back at our original starting point. With that, our foraging was completed.

Respectfully,

Aaron Hooks, Lt

116^th ILL. Vols.