Chapter Two: First Blood
Chapter Two
It was a bright yellow July morning in Tennesse. July 29, 1861. The Union Army under the command of Major General Winfield Scott had yet to move out of the comforting confines of Washington D.C. despite the wishes of the President and the many other green and eager American commanders. Meanwhile in the west, the Union Army of Kentucky was marching out of the state and moving south into Tennessee. Under the command of Brigadier General Nathaniel P. Banks who was sharing command with the more experienced Brigadier General Don Carlos Buell. Marching south along the road to the small town of Oneida, Confederate forces from Western Virginia Mississippi and Tennesse moved under the leadeship of Confederate Major General Albert Sidney Johnston. Together 22,800 Union soldiers and 17,500 Confederate soldiers were marching to battle at the town of Oneida; of which Bill Smith was one of the soldiers marching towards the first major battle of the American Civil War.
~ "Left, right, left, right..."
The sun was out bright, the many camp fires were building and smoking as breakfast odors began to fill the air. The Southern commanders had taken position along the railway junction in the little town of no more than 500 people. Bill exited his tent to the smell of bacon and a bright yellow sun with few clouds covering a light blue sky. His eyes looked to his comrades cooking breakfast.
"Bill, come here. Breakfast," said one of his comrades. Bill walked over to his friend and sat down on the green grass and began to fill his plate with the food prepared as the only signs in the camp was joy and merryment. Bill's attention was caught when he saw his brigade commander Colonel Henry Rhodes ride through the encampment of tents and soldiers on his tall brown horse wielding his sword in his hand. "A soldier's general," said Thomas Carter, Bill's comrade.
"Indeed," replied the young Bill, still dressed in his white under shirt and grey trousers, musket not in hand. A hawk circled over the Confederate camp and flew off capturing little attention from the soldiers, yet otherwise capturing the eyes of the many supersticious officers and soldiers.
Thunder could be heard from the distance and the soldiers looked to the sky, "Hmmm, a storm must be brewing some where off in the distance," said Carter to Bill. Bill just nodded. His eyes were fixed on a courier on a horse riding out to Colonel Rhodes.
"Colonel, the Yanks are coming. They are beating us back!"
"Where do we need to be?"
"Out there," said the courier pointing towards the woods where the engagement and thunder was coming from. "Quickly Colonel, we must have all support as possible, the whole damned Yankee Army is coming down upon us."
"Where is General Johnston?"
"The rest of his army is coming up the road, you're the lead element of his men are you not?" asked the courier.
"Yes indeed," said Colonel Rhodes, "I'll get General Bragg immediately. Major Chapman!"
"What is it Colonel?"
"Lead the men to battle, I must get General Bragg and allow him to bring up the rest of his division."
"What's the situation Colonel?" asked the major.
The courier answerd, "General Barlow, Polk and Colonel Scott's Brigades are being attacked by the whole damn Union Army."
"Then to battle!" yelled both Colonel Rhodes and Major Chapman. Colonel Rhodes called out to his men, "Men, today we go into battle against the Union scum. Do your duty and preserve the Confederacy!" shouted the colonel as he rode off to find General Bragg. Major Chapman and several other majors and captains took charge of the brigade and formed them withing minutes.
"Get your muskets, shoulder arms. About face! March."
Bill took his line in the column beside Thomas Carter and together the 1200 man brigade started to march along the old dirt road. Passing the road at the town Major Chapman rode out in front to the neighboring hill. Through the smoke and fog he looked down at the ridges and low plains below could see many blue-claded soldiers marching towards the broken Confederate lines.
"Major Hendricks!" called out Chapman.
"That's General's Polk's men." said Captain Nathan O'Reilly to Chapman.
Major Hendricks rode up, "Yes?"
"Ask General Polk how long he can hold."
"Yes sir, I shall ask him how long he can hold."
"God dammit! Where's General Bragg when you need him!" shouted Major Chapman. "Form up on the lower end of this hill. When Bragg comes up the rest of the soldiers will form along our right."
Bill and his companions moved into position and held their ground for another twenty or so minutes while their Southern brothers some distance in front of them were being beaten to a crisp pulp by the Union forces. From here, General Bragg appeared with his men in the edge of the forest. Major Chapman rode up to him, "General," said the Major saluting the Brigadier.
"Major," said General Bragg in acknowledgement.
"My men are formed at the crest of the hill."
"And we shall position ourselves along the flank. How long has Polk held his lines?"
"Since I've been here, at the least a half-hour."
"They are retreating now," said Bragg as his sight became clouded with smoke and many broken Confederate soldiers and officers fleeing up the hill towards Bragg's staff.
Brigadier General Leonidas Polk rode up to Bragg with his sword drawn out and held it out in recognition of his fellow general. "General sir, they are beating us back. I didn't know what else to do other than wait for you, now it may be a little too late."
"It is never too late General, reform your men and place them behind or off to the side of Major Chapman's regiment. We can still have this day."
"Where's General Johnston?"
"He's battling the rest of the Federal Army to the south, this is the pincer move. The main Union lines are here coming at us, if we fall; the rest of the army falls. Now let's win us a battle!"
"Yes sir, ya!" yelled Polk as he strod off to his men in the face of the Union advance. He positioned himself in the thick of his soldiers as a Union artillery piece landed a direct blow on several of his men, "Rally men rally. Look!" said Polk pointing at Bragg, "Bragg has come to our rescue! Let us determine to fight here today and we shall conquer. Rally along side Tennesse!" Polk's Mississippians cried out in joy as they began to rally themselves beside the newly formed troops from Tennesse.
From Union positions along a ridge the Yankee artillery began to pound the retreating and newly forming Confederate troops. "Counter Battery fire! Five hundred yards. Fire!" Union rifled pieces began to open up a steady volley of eight cannons on Bragg's men. Bill looked to his left as an artillery piece landed a close shot to him.
Bill looked at the advancing Union forces in front of him and began to loud his musket. Bragg and his staff stood in front of the main lines as the Union advance was aimed towards Chapman's Regiment; the 7th Tennesssee. Major Chapman, now dismounted in his dark navy blue uniform and cap with a large feather sticking out from it walked in front of his men, "Front rank lay down. Hug the ground. Second rank, kneel!" Bill took a flat belly seat on the grass as the Union lines got closer. The commanding Union officer on horseback was quickly picked off by a Confederate bullet. "Hold your fire men! Hold fire!" commanded Chapman as several other men opened on the Union soldiers. The Union line halted about 50 yards from Bill's position and poured a heavy volley into the Confederate lines. Colonel Rhodes from his horse was struck in the chest and fell to the ground. As the Union lines began to reload Major Chapman ordered his men up.
"Rise up! Rise up! Rise up!" Major Chapman said, Bill rose to his feet and pointed his musket on que, "Aim! Fire!" Bill struck the trigger and the kickback shocked the young soldier who had finally fired a solid bullet at an opponent. "Quickly men, reload!"
Bill placed his musket on the ground and drew his ramming rod out as he had a catridge placed in the mouth of his weapon, a young officer standing beside him and Carter looked to both his left and right, "C'mon boys!" he said. "Quick and we can whip 'em!" the young officer rushed forward along with around 20-30 other soldiers.
Major Chapman tried to gain order of his regiment, "Easy boys, we have no order to advance."
"Get back in the ranks!" called out another voice as more men rushed forward. Other front rank men wanted to charge but were unsure looking at each other and then they broke out.
"Damn it. Charge!" shouted Chapman bring his sword in the air. Bill positioned his rifle in charging form and he and his regiment rushed the Union lines in front of them.
The Union broke and fled, the Union officers attempted to organize the withdraw with soon became and mad dash for their own lives. General Bragg looked at the galant move from his position on top of his horse and hill. "Brave fool," General Bragg said to himself.
Captain O'Reilly replied, "What the hell is Chapman doing?"
The Union soldiers were fleeing for their lives as they passed their artillery pieces, still held by their gunners. "Come on, give them double cannister. Double cannister! Get out of the way! Clear the way!" A Union cannon unloaded a deadly shotgun blast sending five or six Rebel soldiers straight back into the air. Bill was running forward as he passed a Union cannon and a lone gunner, he butted him straight in the fore head sending him down to the ground. The Union lines were broken and the boys in blue were in a tough spot, some stood brave and fought while others were still fleeing.
Brigadier General Nathaniel P. Banks commanding the pincer move rushed forward with his sabor pointing forward, "About face! About face men! Aim! Fire!" The general's anticts caused many of the fleeing soldiers to turn about and send a volley in the Confederate soldiers.
Bill who was reloading saw his friend Tom Carter stroke in the heart, he fell straight to the ground. Bill dropped his musket and picked his comrade up by the head, "Carter?"
"Get me a Yank," said Carter as he faded to death. Bill let his friend down and looked about. The Union lines had reformed and they moved forward again in the smoke and thundering of guns.
"For God's sake forward!"