DIARY OF JACOB ADAMS, PRIVATE IN COM-
PANY F, 21st O. V. V. I.
FOREWORD
This diary presented is from the pen of
Jacob Adams, a pri-
vate in Co. F, 21st O. V. V. I., and
covers the period of his service
in the American Civil War of 1861-1865.
The account was com-
piled in 1924 from letters written home
and from a diary kept
day by day during most of the time of
service. The intention
of the author was to preserve for his
children an account of his
services.
Knowing the value placed on such
accounts by historians and
wishing to preserve the story of the
glorious and honorable record
of my father's regiment as written by
his friend and comrade in
arms, I have caused this copy to be made
and herewith presented.
H. M. POVENMIRE.
Ada, Ohio,
October 18, 1927.
(627)
SOMETHING ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION OF THE
ARMY
A Company when full consisted of one
hundred men, includ-
ing the non-commissioned officers,
Sergeants and Corporals, and
was commanded by three Commissioned
officers: Captain, First
Lieutenant, and Second Lieutenant.
Each Regiment was made up of ten
Companies. Each Com-
pany was designated by a certain letter
of the alphabet, com-
mencing with the letter A to the letter
K, omitting the letter J.
The seniority of the Company took rank with
the letters of the
alphabet by which they were designated.
Thus the Officers of
Company A would outrank all like
Officers of other Companies,
the date of their commissions being
taken into consideration, and
Company B next, and so on.
The Officers of the Regiment were:
Colonel, Lieutenant
Colonel, Major, Surgeon, Adjutant,
Quartermaster and some-
times a Chaplain.
A Brigade was composed of from four to
seven Regiments,
and was usually commanded by a Colonel
or Brevet Brigadier
General.
A Division was made up of three or more
Brigades which
were known as the First, Second, and so
on.
An Army Corps was composed of three or
more Divisions
which were numbered First, Second, etc.,
and the numbers were
designated by the National colors: First
Division, Red; Second
Division, White, and the Third Division,
Blue, on the Corps
Badge which each Army Corps had. For
instance, the Fourteenth
Army Corps had the Acorn, the Fifteenth
Army Corps the Car-
tridge Box, and so on. Our Division
being the First Division,
Fourteenth Army Corps, wore the red
acorn in our hats.
The Division was usually commanded by a
Brigadier Gen-
eral, and the Army Corps by a Major
General.
The Army Corps were grouped together into
Armies, such
as The Army of the Cumberland, The Army
of the Tennessee,
and The Army of the Potomac, etc.
(629)
630 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
The different classes of the service
were designated by dif-
ferent colors. The Cavalry by Orange or
Yellow, the Artillery
by Red, etc.
The Regiments of the Volunteer Army were
numbered ac-
cording to the time of their enlistment
or muster-in. Each state
taking its own numbers except in the
regular army, the numbers
were independent of states and were
designated as the U. S.
Army.
The Twenty-first Ohio Volunteer Infantry
(21st O. V. I.)
was first organized for three months'
service, in April 1861, in
response to Lincoln's first call for
seventy-five thousand volun-
teers.
In September 1861 the regiment was
reorganized and re-
cruited, a large percentage of the
three-month men reenlisting,
and on the 19th of the month the
regiment was mustered into the
Federal service for three years, or for
the duration of the war.
In the latter part of December 1863, and
January 1864, a
large part of the regiment reenlisted as
"Veterans," for three
years from that date, or for during the
war, thus taking on an-
other word to our title. We were
afterwards known as the
"Twenty-first Regiment Ohio Veteran
Volunteer Infantry," (21st
0.V.V.I.)
I will attempt a fuller explanation: As
above stated, in De-
cember, 1863, and January, 1864, a call
was made for all who
were then in the service, and who had
served two years or more
on their three years' enlistment, to
enlist for three years from that
time, or for during the war. With this
call were offered certain
inducements, to wit: The balance of our
time on our enlistment on
which we were then serving would be
cancelled, we were to get
a thirty-day furlough, and were to
receive one hundred dollars
more bounty from the Government than raw
recruits were get-
ting at that time. Yet, I am not sure
but this one hundred dollars
was in lieu of that amount we were
promised and at least were
expecting on our former enlistment.
However, as it may be, a
large per cent of our army, at
least, answered the call. It is esti-
mated that 250,000 reenlisted in the
field as veterans in the whole
army.
Diary of Jacob Adams 631
I, with many others, consider that act
one of the hardest
blows we delivered to the Rebellion
during the war, and consider
that it was instrumental in shortening
the struggle many months,
as well as saving the Government a large
amount of money in
recruiting and fitting men to take our
places. Yet neither our
Government nor Congress ever showed any
act of appreciation of
our veteran service. The state of Ohio,
and perhaps other states,
issued to us a bronze Veteran's badge.
Being a boy that seldom, if ever, got
excited, and one very
slow to enthusiasm, when the late Civil
War broke out in 1861,
the military and patriotic fire did not
burn very brightly in my
being. The same characteristics go all
through my life, as I at-
tempt to rewrite these memoirs of my
experience in the war, at
the age of eighty-two years. I can
remember only one time when
I was most genuinely and thoroughly
(cannot say excited) but
enthused, and which took effect on my
whole system. It was on
a Sunday afternoon, when a boy of about
fifteen years, in our
old time game of ball, called
"Bull-Run"-popular before we
dreamed of "Base-ball." The
game was played somewhat in this
manner: A number that were engaged in
the game would form
in a circle and would choose by lot one
to go in the ring, or "Bull-
pen," and the rest would take their
turn to pelt him with a good
solid yarn ball (the kind we had then)
until he dodged the ball,
and then the one that missed him would
have to take the pen and
the pelting. Though I was no expert ball
player, yet, in this game
I seemed to outdo the best of the
players and could dodge the
ball with ease, hitting the mark to
perfection.
So the summer of '61 went by without my
thinking much
about enlisting. I secured a
boarding-place at John Ried's on the
right bank of the Blanchard River, five
miles below Findlay, Ohio,
and commenced going to school for the
winter term.
I was making good progress in my
studies, when about the
middle of January, 1862, Colonel
Neibling of the 21st 0. V. I. was
home in Findlay on a furlough, when I,
with a number of other
boys (as we called ourselves) enlisted
to go back with him as
recruits to fill in part of the
depleting ranks of his regiment.
632 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
My mother, then Mrs. David Dorsey, of
course felt badly to
see me go, yet she said not a word
against it. We had several
days before taking our leave of home,
which time we put in faith-
fully visiting friends, going to
parties, dances, spelling school,
church, etc., and sometimes perhaps did
not observe strictly the
rules of decorum. As one time at
protracted meeting, as we
called it then, the minister called my
attention to talking too much,
the only time in my life I was in any
way reprimanded for mis-
conduct in church, and especially for
talking too much.
Quite a squad of us left Findlay on
Wednesday, February I2,
1862, to join the 21st O. V. I.
somewhere in Kentucky. We ar-
rived in Cincinnati about dark of the
same day, and on Thursday,
February 13th, about noon, we took the
river steamboat for
Louisville, Kentucky, where we arrived
Friday, the 14th. We
left there at 8 A. M. over the
Louisville and Nashville railroad to
find the 21st Regiment, and got to Green
River about 2 P. M.
where we found the bridge over the river
destroyed, and that the
regiment had left and gone on thirty-six
hours ahead of us. At
2 P. M. our squad of 40, without a gun
or anything to protect us,
started to overtake the troops (some
fifty miles ahead) through
the enemy's territory. We had no guard,
save one regiment of
Union troops located on the way. We took
the Louisville and
Nashville pike and went 12 miles and put
up at a tavern. When
we finally got our supper about 10 P. M.
we certainly did justice
to the meal, as we had had nothing to
eat since the evening before.
The stone road we had traveled over was
rough enough for
any use.
Saturday, 15th. We moved out about 6 A. M. and went
eight miles to where the 2nd Ohio
Regiment was camped and got
our breakfast of a few hardtack and some
coffee, which had to
suffice to travel 23 miles on to where
we overtook the main body
of troops, an hour before dark. They
were encamped at Barren
River, about one mile from Bowling
Green, Kentucky. We put
in the time until we retired faithfully
answering questions put by
the boys, who were as glad to see us as
we were to see them. On
this trip we saw some of the ravages of
war; some fences and
buildings destroyed, dead horses and
mules thrown in pools of
Diary of Jacob Adams 633
water where our men had to get their
drink. There was no mo-
lestation whatever to our squad on this
trip.
Sunday, 16th. Our regiment crossed over Barren River on
planks thrown on the ruins of the
bridge, and carried our tents
and all we had across the stream, and up
two or three steep hills,
which would be difficult to climb with
no load. We went into
camp at Bowling Green, Kentucky, where
we found a great deal
of property destroyed to keep it out of
the hands of the federal
troops. It took us nearly all day to
cross the river, and we went
into camp, where we lay until Tuesday
the 18th.
Tuesday, 18th. We marched about six miles beyond Bowling
Green to Camp Norton. Took our baggage
on freight cars with-
out any power but their own1,
for it was down grade all of the
way and the speed we made was frightful,
scattering a quantity
of our goods along the railroad track.
We lay here in camp until
the 22nd.
Saturday, 22nd. We were aroused at 3 A. M. and by 6 A. M.
we were on the march toward Nashville,
Tennessee, on the old L.
& N. stone pike. We marched 18 miles
with scarcely any rest,
with the rain pouring down all of the
time. About 1 P. M. we
came to a small town, Franklin, and
stayed there in houses until
the 23rd.
Sunday, 23rd. We marched on 13 miles, and pitched tents 33
miles from Nashville.
Monday, 24th. We were on the move by 6 A. M. Though I
had blisters on my feet much larger than
a silver dollar, I kept
up with the company all day. Having
marched 23 miles, we
went into camp in an open field 10 miles
from Nashville, and did
not pitch tents. We lay in the open, and
had nothing for our sup-
per but raw beef, which we roasted by
putting it on sticks and
holding in the fire. When I examined my
feet at night I found
the balls of my feet in solid blisters,
and most of my toes puffed
up to double their size, and looked like
they had been pounded to
a red jelly. This was the result of
wearing new boots I had made
at home to fit my feet, thinking they
would be the thing to march
in. My Captain, Harvey Alban, saw my
feet, and made the re-
1 Gravity.
634 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
mark that I had the "stuff" in
me for a soldier and was surprised
that I marched with such feet. In later
years at one of our regi-
mental reunions, a squad of my comrades
were discussing this
incident in my presence with some
particular friends of mine.
One of the comrades remarked, "Now
that showed some grit." I
was somewhat taken aback when another
comrade remarked, "Yes,
a considerable amount of grit, or small
quantity of Wit."
Tuesday, 25th. Early on the move. Marched six miles, then
had orders to march back. You may
believe my feet hurt loudly
when we had to go back. Marched two
miles, and pitched tents
and stayed there until the 26th.
Wednesday, 26th. At noon we had orders to cross over the
Cumberland River at Nashville,
Tennessee, four miles distant.
As my feet were still very sore, the
Captain wanted me to stay
with others to guard some goods they
could not take along. The
regiment crossed the river at Nashville
in ferry-boats, and went
into camp at Camp Jackson, four miles
nearly east of Nashville.
Friday, 28th. After looking and looking for our teams until
we were tired, we got other teams to
haul our goods to the river,
where we found our regimental teams and
turned the property
over to them. We then joined the
regiment at Camp Jackson.
I was well, and had been all of the
time, and found it no harder
than I had expected. I was the only one
of our squad that got in
Captain Alban's Company F, 21st O. V.
I., in General Mitchel's
command. (Captain Alban was an old
school teacher of mine.)
DETAIL OF A SQUAD TO CAPTURE A
LOCOMOTIVE
MARCH, APRIL AND MAY, 1862
Saturday, 1st. Our company came in from picket duty. A
captain in the 4th O. Cavalry was killed
near where we were
stationed. It was thought he was killed
by citizens, who play
citizen in daytime, and skulk around and
pick off our men at
night. General Mitchel investigated.
Sunday, 2nd. We were at the same place. Here an un-
broken account of our movements ends. I
sent home to my
brother, M. A. Adams, monthly statements
of our doings, but the
Diary of Jacob Adams 635
most of them were lost. We lay at this
camp for some time,
doing camp and patrol duty to keep down
the enemy's cavalry
and scouts. Every night when on picket
duty, could hear their
signals of "cow-bells."
General Mitchel, being of a very active
disposition, was soon
on the forward move for further
victories. His first objective
was Murfreesboro, Tennessee, about 30
miles east of Nashville,
which was reached without any serious
resistance. We were de-
layed there a few days to bring up our
provision lines.
While rebuilding the railroad bridge
across Stone River, the
General was the most active man on the
job, and stood on a timber
over the water giving directions to the
workmen. To our amuse-
ment, the log upon which he was
standing, turned and precipitated
the General into the river. He soon
pulled himself out of the
water and continued to direct the work
as though this was an
every-day occurrence.
His next move was south through
Tullahoma and Shelbyville,
Tennessee, to Huntsville, Alabama.
While at Shelbyville, a detail of
twenty-two soldiers was
made from the 21st, 2nd and 33rd, Ohio
regiments, with their
leader, Andrews, a citizen scout of
Kentucky, to go down into
the enemy's country near Atlanta,
Georgia, capture a train, come
north, burn bridges, destroy the
railroad, and meet General
Mitchel at or near Chattanooga,
Tennessee. The expedition,
"Capturing a Locomotive," as
it was or is called in history, was
successful only in capturing a train.
They were pursued so
closely that they could do but little
damage, and had to abandon
the train near Graysville, Georgia. They
took to the timber, and
were finally all captured.
A UNIQUE EXPEDITION ON A TRAIN OF CARS
General Mitchel did not lie idle and
await results of this
expedition, but pushed forward with
great energy to do his part
in the game. He captured Huntsville,
Alabama, on the enemy's
main railroad, connecting their eastern
and western armies. He
captured the place with but little
resistance, completely surprising
636 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
the enemy, thus capturing a large amount
of supplies and several
trains of cars.
Our brigade immediately went on a novel
expedition. We
had three or four trains of cars with a
regiment on each train,
and went east about 75 miles (by route
of the railroad) to Steven-
son, Alabama, and Bridgeport, where the
railroad crosses the
Tennessee river, all of the way through
the enemy's country.
We had train whistle signals, so that
each part of the expe-
dition knew how the others were
progressing. When we pulled
into a town or station, it was amusing
to see the expressions on
the inhabitants' faces when they saw the
train was loaded with
Yankee soldiers, as well as interesting
to see drilling squads of
enemy soldiers and citizens break up and
take to the hills. We
left a guard at each town and station to
protect the railroad until
our return.
When we stopped at a place, we boys were
on the lookout
for something to eat. At one stop Noah
Fellers, about eighteen
years old, was approached by a man who
posed as the owner,
and who coaxed him into a smokehouse by
telling him he would
give him some meat. When he got him in
he locked the door and
jerked the boy's bayonet from the
scabbard, and commenced
pricking him in the neck. The boy was
rescued by comrades
who heard his cries, and the man taken
prisoner. As we never
heard from him afterwards, we supposed
that he fell off the train
on our return to Huntsville, which was
well along in the night
of the same day. Which adventure was
considered a complete
success.
Saturday, May 17th. Wrote a letter home, giving some ac-
count of our operations after our car
expedition, in which time
we had been very busy there at
Huntsville. In answer to inquiries
I stated that I had been well all of the
time, ready for duty when
called upon, and very well satisfied
with my lot, as well satisfied
as I would have been at anything else.
Also that I had weighed
the matter thoroughly, and had looked on
both the dark and the
bright side of the sheet before
enlisting, and found things no worse
than I had expected.
We had done patrol and picket duty all
of the time when not
Diary of Jacob Adams 637
raiding after the enemy. I was detailed
on picket duty every
other day for weeks. Also was called out
several times to look
after the unruly Confederates, once east
to Stevenson and Bridge-
port, and west to Athens, Alabama, and
other shorter raids. But
our regiment never got a smell of the
enemy's powder. He was
like the Irishman's flea, "when we
got our hands on him, he
was'nt there." Other regiments of
the Division had some severe
skirmishes and took quite a number of
prisoners and lost some
men, though our own loss was light.
A LITTLE ABOUT JOHN MORGAN
John Morgan, the Confederate cavalry
scout, had been very
active here as well as when we were at
Camp Jackson near Nash-
ville, where he was sure to be on the
lookout for our teams when
they went out for wood, and took in a
number of them.
General Mitchel thought that he would
even up with the chap
and reverse the success of the game. So
when he sent the next
train for wood he had armed soldiers
concealed in the covered
wagons. As soon as Morgan's men saw what
was going on they
raised the white flag and feigned that
they were there to negotiate
the exchange of prisoners.
While here at Huntsville a company of
our regiment was
detailed to guard prisoners back to
Nashville, and on their return
trip a number of them were taken
prisoners by Morgan, and duly
paroled. Captain Ewing of Company D was
among them, and
received very cordial treatment from
Captain Morgan. When
about to take his departure from his
genial host, Morgan dis-
covered that Captain Ewing had Captain
Morgan's sword con-
cealed under his coat, and he reminded
Captain Ewing that he
could take care of his own property for
a while longer. Hunts-
ville was a nice town, surrounded by
hills, some of considerable
height, and was considered healthy, with
splendid water. There
was a very large spring here which
discharged sufficient water to
run a large grist-mill if applied. The
town was very strong
"Secesh." A woman (not a lady)
one day spat in the face of a
Union soldier with little or no
provocation. So here we leave
Huntsville.
638 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
IN CAMP AT ATHENS, ALABAMA
About June 3rd. We arrived at Athens, Alabama, where we
lay all summer, guarding the place,
without any molestation on
the part of the enemy, though we were
routed out on false alarms
several times for practice, to train us
for quick action in case we
were surprised at night. We developed
considerable efficiency
in this act.
We had to have a picket guard on each
road approaching the
town, and still leave a strong guard in
the place. So to save trou-
ble the picket guards were not changed
every day. Our picket
post of about six privates, in charge of
Sergeant Philip Willich,
of Company B, were on duty on a main
road leading towards
Nashville, for over four weeks without
being relieved.
An old planter's residence near us was
furnished a guard
from my Company F, David Boharman. He
was enticed to desert
our army and we never saw him
afterwards.
I think it was here that Lenox, of
Tennessee, and Davis
Smith of Alabama joined our regiment,
and proved good loyal
men.
About August 10th. We broke camp here and boarded a
train of cars for Nashville, going
through Columbia and Franklin,
Tennessee.
ON WAY BACK TO NASHVILLE
The train was mostly flat freight cars
with a very weak loco-
motive. When we came to an upgrade we
had to get off and push
with might and main to help our engine
up hill, and then hustle to
board the cars before they started on
their rush down grade. At
one place after dark I grabbed the car
with my hands, but failed
to pull myself up before it started its
mad rush down hill, and
there I hung, dangling in the air it
seemed for ages, before the
train slowed down and I could pull
myself on.
At Nashville we again joined our old
Division, now com-
manded by General Negley, who was
appointed to command the
troops left to guard the place while
Buell, with the main army,
went farther north to look after
Confederate General Bragg.
General Bragg, with a large army, was
moving north with the
Diary of Jacob Adams 639
purpose of gaining Kentucky to the
Confederacy, capturing Lex-
ington, Covington, Louisville and
Cincinnati, and supplying his
army off the rich country of southern
Ohio and Indiana. The
Yanks prevented the success of his
scheme.
While here our duty was to strengthen
the defense of the
place, work on Fort Negley, etc., send
our forces to keep down
bushwhacking and cavalry raids, and to
send out foraging parties
to help supply our provision stores, as
well as to picket and patrol
the place.
In one foraging expedition we ran into a
private deer park
owned by a rebel general. Orders not to
molest any of the animals
were not strictly obeyed when we saw the
deer and buffalo scam-
pering about. A valuable Arabian
stallion, in an inclosure, was
shot by a comrade in self-defense when
it made a lunge for the
soldier.
On another foraging party John Shelly
and I were detailed
to bring in provisions for our mess of
16 men, and when we re-
turned with one-half peck of shelled
corn the other boys some-
what guyed us. So we took it over to the
mill to get it ground.
We went into the room where the grain
was stored, and when the
way was clear we filled our sack from
one of theirs standing
there. We then carried it into another
room and traded it for
corn-meal. So we did not have to go
hungry for a while at least.
At that time I liked milk in my coffee.
When caught milking
cows out on the commons, by the Irish
women, what they said
was a plenty. A nice white cow kept in a
stable near where we
were camped got milked very early in the
morning, until we dis-
covered one morning that the sex of the
animal had changed. This
milking affair is one of the sins I have
had a chance to answer,
in part at least, before the Great
Judgment day. In after years
at a reunion of our regiment, some of my
family overheard a
discussion of my milking affray in the
army, and after that I had
urgent requests to join milking bees on
the farm.
Though the enemy had a large force,
principally cavalry,
surrounding us to harass us, when they
would get too trouble-
some, General Negley would occasionally
send out a strong force
to teach them their place.
640 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
We continued our foraging raids, going
out sometimes as far
as ten miles, and in that way secured
food and provisions to a
considerable quantity.
We were cut off from communication with
home for nearly
eight weeks.
The battle of Perrysville, Kentucky,
having been fought and
won by the Union Army, and General
Bragg, with his forces,
driven back out of Kentucky on November
17th, our troops com-
menced returning and we were relieved
and the siege lifted.
In a few days General Rosecrans
established his headquarters
here and took command of the Army of the
Cumberland.
About November 26th, the L. & N. R. R. was repaired and
communication was opened to the north
and home, and our time
for about a month was occupied in
getting clothing and supplies
for another forward movement, General
Rosecrans having con-
centrated his forces at Nashville.
December 26th. He commenced the forward movement in
the following order: General McCook
commanding right wing of
the Army on the Nolensville Pike;
General Thomas, our com-
mander, commanding center by the
Franklin Pike; General Negley
and our Division in advance, and General
Crittenden, command-
ing the left wing of the army on the
Murfreesboro Pike.
BATTLE OF STONE'S RIVER,* TENNESSEE
December 27th. Negley swung to the left and took position
on General Crittenden's right, on the
Murfreesboro Pike.
December 28th. Being Sunday, no general forward move-
ment of the troops was made.
December 29th. General Negley, in connection with Critten-
den's right, marched eight miles, and
camped three miles out of
Murfreesboro.
December 30th. Some little change of the lines in prepara-
tion of the expected battle to open the
next day, Negley's right to
* Stone's River, named after Uriah
Stone, one of a company of four
who explored it in 1766. The more modern
spelling is Stone River. See
Ramsey's Annals of Tennessee, p.
69.
Diary of Jacob Adams 641
join Sheridan's left, being the left of
McCook's command, and his
left to join Palmer's right, both of
Thomas' Corps.
Wednesday, December 31st. The battle opened at daybreak
on the right of the line, with little
change in our position from
the day before. Our Brigade consisted of
the 21st Ohio, com-
manded by Colonel Neibling; the 74th
Ohio, commanded by Colo-
nel Moody, and two or three other
regiments; the brigade was
commanded by Colonel Miller.2 We
found ourselves engaged
behind a rail fence in a strip of cedar
timber some distance to the
right of the Murfreesboro Pike.
This being the first heavy fire the
regiment was ever under,
the boys stood up under it in fine
shape, and were greatly en-
couraged and enthused when Colonel
"Jim," as we called Colonel
Neibling, went up and down the line
repeating, "Give 'em H-
by the acre, boys"!
We were elated in our success in holding
our line intact
against assault after assault by
enmassed columns, when after
some time we knew by the firing that the
right wing of our army
was giving way, but we held our ground
until all of our support
on the right was withdrawn and the enemy
were pouring in shot
and shell from our right and rear, and
we got orders to retire.
The most of the way for about one-third
of a mile was through
a cedar thicket. My course took me
through a small open space
where the enemy could rake it with a
battery they had posted at
short range, as well as a strong force
of infantry, and it was
some hot place, and our speed if
possible was increased. A
charge of grape and canister, fired from
the battery struck the
ground near enough me that I could feel
the shot move in the
ground under my feet. We reformed a
short distance to the right
of the Murfreesboro and Nashville
turnpike, near where the
"Chicago Board of Trade"
Battery was posted to cover our re-
treat. This they did nobly and bravely,
as their appearance indi-
cated when we first saw them, still
bravely manning their remain-
ing undisabled pieces, stripped to the
hide, with sweat and blood
2The other regiments of our brigade at
this time were the 78th
Pennsylvania and the 37th Indiana.
Vol. XXXVIII-41.
642 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
running down their bodies. Their horses
were all killed and per-
haps half their pieces disabled.
This engagement was a costly one to our
company. The three
Stocker boys, of whom we were proud, on
account of their fine
appearance and good qualities, were
either killed or wounded, with
John Wilkinson and others.
JANUARY, 1863
Thursday, the 1st, found our regiment guarding the supply
train, on the Nashville Pike about four
miles from the battle line,
where we remained until Friday, January
2nd.
The "boys" received the news
of the Emancipation Proclama-
tion philosophically. They had the
utmost faith in President Lin-
coln and felt that whatever he did was
for the right. While we en-
listed to preserve the Union we always
felt that slavery was wrong
and were glad to feel that now we were
fighting against it and were
sure we would do away with it.
On Friday, about 3 P. M. just after we had drawn part of a
ration of flour and had mixed it into a
dough preparatory to
throwing it into the hot ashes to bake,
we got orders to fall in and
double-quick to the front. Here we took
position to the left of
our battle line with our brigade and the
rest of our division on
the west bank of Stone's River, north of
the railroad and pike, on
the bend of the river below the ford. We
lay down and awaited
the recrossing of the river by Van
Cleve's Division, who had oc-
cupied the heights, an important
position on the other side of the
river, and who were heavily pressed by
the enemy and were falling
back. General Negley not being present,
Colonel Miller took
command of the division, and when the
last of Van Cleve's men
had crossed and taken position in our
rear, Colonel Miller or-
dered us to arise, give the enemy a
volley and charge across tht
river, through ice-cold water. It took
me up about the waist, so
I had to hold up my cartridge-box to
keep my ammunition dry.
Our charge took the enemy completely by
surprise, and drove
them back across the river and up the
hill, where we captured a
battery. (Some histories give the 21st
Ohio the credit of captur-
Diary of Jacob Adams 643
ing this battery, the only guns captured
by our troops in this
battle. The 78th Pennsylvania took part
in this operation).
Disobeying two different orders from a
superior officer to
retire his command back across the
river, Colonel Miller pushed
his followers forward, driving the enemy
before him until dark,
when relieved by other troops. This
charge ended the battle for
that night. At midnight Bragg planned a
council of his generals,
and they decided to withdraw. By 11 P. M. of January 3rd,
Bragg's whole army, except his cavalry,
were withdrawing to a
position on Duck River, and our army was
too badly crippled to
follow up the retreat in force. By the
end of the 4th, even the
rebel cavalry was withdrawn from our
immediate front.
When our division was relieved after
dark, we retired across
the river, and our regiment bivouacked
for the night on the west
side near a frame house. Believing we
would not be called out
that night, I went inside the house and
in the darkness crawled in
between some soldiers with my wet
clothes on and they did not
protest in the least. I had a good
night's sleep. When I woke
in the morning I discovered my
bed-fellows were all dead soldiers.
The building had been used as a field
hospital and before our
charge the living had all been removed
and the dead left.
Saturday, 3rd. No great demonstration on part of either
side. (I did not here attempt to give an
account of the battle, but
only what came under my own
observation.)
Sunday, 4th. The day was occupied in burying the dead.
"THE 21st AT STONE RIVER"
(BY KATE BROWNLEE SHERWOOD)
Were you at Stone River? Were you at the
fore
With Negley's Division of Rosecrans'
Corps?
"Old Rosy" who fought the
Stone River campaign
With a splendor that scarcely was
equalled again.
In the center was Thomas, McCook on the
right,
With the thundering batteries massing
their might.
Our Colonel, like mad, riding on at the
head,
"Boys, give 'em H by the half acre," that's what he
said.
644 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
Were you at Stone River, when Miller's
Brigade
That furious charge upon Breckenridge
made?
Where we cut down Bragg's men, like a
field of red clover,
The mowers of death sweep unswervingly
over.
With the war parson Moody, and Neibling
ahead
And half of our men lying over there
dead.
With the terrors of winter, the hunger
and cold
With their fangs at our throats like the
wolves in the fold.
We held the reserve. There we lay since
the night
The new year was born in the throes of
the fight,
By our camp-fires we eagerly baked our
scant cakes,
For the half ration issue keen appetite
makes.
When an order rang out like the horn in
the hunt
"Attention! Fall in! Double quick
to the front!"
In the turmoil and tumult of the sudden
retreat
Van Cleve sought the rear as we sprang
to our feet.
A halt at the river. On Breckenridge
came
Like the shriek of the tempest with
thunder and flame,
The musketry's flash and the battery's
roar
Bore down on our right and beat hard at
the fore.
His front strikes the ford, they are
coming right on,
Will he push up the heights? If we
doubt, we are gone.
"Now up, boys, and at them !"
A thunder bolt we,
As we dash in the river, right up to the
knee,
To the elbow, the armpit, yet splashing
we go,
Our guns firing high and Bragg's guns
firing low.
But our maxim is good when the danger is
high,
"In God keep your trust, but your
powder keep dry."
Our clothes they are ice, but our hearts
they are fire,
And courage grows strong as the carnage
grows dire.
"Charge that battery! Charge!"
Not an instant we stay,
And we take all the guns that are
captured that day.
As the swift-swirling storm when the
flood tide rolls in,
Leaps wild on the rocks with its drift
and its din,
As the ebb-tide flows out and the
undertow wails
And shrouds its pale dead in the shreds
of their sails,
So the foe beats us back, and we beat
back the foe,
And the meanings of grief hushed the
clang of the blow.
Diary of Jacob Adams 645
We were men. We were patriots, four
years and more.
We clung to our colors, we fought at the
fore.
From that daring Kanawha, fixed bayonet
onslaught
Where our smoothbore muskets we found worse than
naught.
To that vast Chickamauga, volcano of
flame
That lapped up two armies as clinching
they came.
In the siege of Atlanta, the March to
the Sea,
Through the twin Carolinas, where
Sherman scourged Lee.
And yet do you know, that for genius to
fight
Cold, hunger and danger, by day and by
night,
That Stone River campaign stands unique
and alone,
And the heroes it hewed are eternal as
stone.
There were Harker and Hazen and Sandy
McCook,
And Thomas and Stanley and Beatty, and
look!
'Tis the hero of Winchester galloping
down,
Phil Sheridan, earning his Five Forks
renown.
Were you at Stone River? I think you
will say
We earned all the laurels we won in that
day.
The right to stand first in the contest
that came,
The prestige of prowess, the paeans of
fame.
In the pales of the prison, the dales of
the dead,
Our hosts have gone down, but our cause
is ahead.
Were you at Stone River? Do you ever
recall
The mad havoc of war? That old flag's
worth it all.
IN CAMP AT MURFREESBORO
Monday, January 5th. General Thomas went into camp at
Murfreesboro with his whole army. Here
we lay until the latter
part of June, equipping and preparing
the army for another for-
ward movement. Our duty was pretty heavy
most of the time,
putting our frames and muscles in
condition for more strenuous
work. We drilled five or six hours a day
when the weather was
fit, and frequently came on picket duty
and were out on scouting
expeditions as well, to take observation
of the enemy's move-
ments, always starting out in the night
in order to awake the
Johnnies at an early hour for their
breakfast. On one occasion
early in the night we were on roads, the
mud nearly knee-deep.
Some obstacle ahead prevented our
marching right along, and
646 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
the mud kept us from lying down. We
would go a few steps for-
ward and then stand in ranks an
uncertain time, and then move
forward again a short distance. This
repeated for hours got to be
quite monotonous and tiresome, so that
when standing in line I
would drop asleep and would not always
awake when we moved
forward. Tired and grouchy were we when
we returned to camp
in the morning. A comrade and I gave an
exhibition in "bayonet
exercise" with our bayonets in
their scabbards. A tall comrade
from the front of the company dropped
behind me and was some-
what annoyed by my gun on my shoulder
being carried too low
to suit him, and gave the gun a severe
little jerk. At that I let my
weapon drop on his head with no
uncertainty of its meaning,
which prompted several thrusts and
knocks delivered by each of
us with our bare gun-barrels as we
marched along, each one ward-
ing off the blow of the other fellow.
There was no blood shed nor
bones broken. In the fracas I reminded
him that if he staid at
the head of the company where he
belonged my gun would not
molest him.
Writing home June 5th I stated my health
was excellent, and
that of the regiment good, all in fine
spirits and anxious to give
Bragg another trouncing. I would like to
see the war end, but
would be willing to serve our time out
and longer in order to settle
the controversy right and save the best
Government in the world
intact. Had great confidence in our
officers. Colonel Neibling
was all right, as well as our brigade
and division commanders.
General Thomas, our Corps commander, and
General Rosecrans,
Commander of the Army, both had the
implicit confidence of
their men.
The views of this army with regard to
the way things were
carried on at home by the dissenters:
"I will just say our blood
boils for those damnable cowardly
traitors at home. We consider
them our enemies as well as those
bearing arms against us, and
think the former deserve hanging as well
as the latter deserve
being shot."
THE TULLAHOMA CAMPAIGN
Wednesday, June 24th. Rosecrans' whole army struck tents
and commenced the forward movement to
route Bragg out of his
Diary of Jacob Adams 647
strong position at Shelbyville and
Tullahoma. McCook was on the
right, Thomas in the center, and
Crittenden on the left.
At noon our division, Negley's, pulled
out in a south-eastern
direction on the Manchester road. Our
regiment got to Man-
chester, a distance of 31 miles from
Murfreesboro, at 10 P. M.
Saturday, 27th. We had very moderate and easy marching
until this day which was rather tough
going for 13 miles. In the
morning our brigade took a course to the
right of the pike to as-
certain if there were any lurking foe in
the mountains between
the pikes. We marched over hills too
numerous to mention and
waded creeks two to three feet deep, I
would be safe in saying
twenty times. After tramping some 13
miles, we struck the pike
about one-half mile from where we left
it. On this trip, we were
not in any of the small engagements
taking place around us, our
division being held in reserve to this
place.
Sunday, June 28th. Lay at Manchester.
Monday, June 29th. Left said place on the Winchester pike.
Marching from four to 10 miles a day, we
kept this pike until
Saturday.
Saturday, July 4th. Left the pike and in the evening camped
in a mud-hole four miles north-east of
Dechard's Station. Dur-
ing the week we passed through as fine a
country as I ever saw.
We lay in that mud-hole until July 8th.
IN CAMP AT DECHARD'S
Wednesday, July 8th. Our division went into camp at Dech-
ard's Station to await the repairing of
the railroad and getting
supplies ahead for our onward march to
Chattanooga.
The Tullahoma campaign was a complete
success to the
Union Army, completely routing Bragg out
of his strong position
with but slight loss to our army, and
ridding middle Tennessee of
the rebel horde. Our part in the
movement was not a hard one.
Each day's march was a short one and we
had plenty to eat. Sent
our tents and knapsacks back to
Murfreesboro when at Manches-
ter and had neither seen nor heard from
them up to this time.
Thursday, July 16th. We
were pleasantly located; the
weather was fine for this time of the
year, and our duty was light.
648 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
We heard from home that the Union men
were considerably wor-
ried over the way things were shaping
there. Vallandigham's
nomination for Governor of Ohio on the
Democratic ticket was
creating quite a stir. In reply, I
wrote: "You can rest assured
that the Ohio soldiers here will do all
in their power to keep the
notorious Vallandigham out of that
office."
We still heard of traitors in the north
trying to resist the
draft and so on. I could not see why
there could not be some
measure taken to keep those men in their
place. I would like to
have had them send our regiment back
with their little five-shoot-
ers to quell some riots. I think that we
would have made quite a
rattling and scattering amongst the
Butternuts and would have left
many on the ground.
THE CHICKAMAUGA CAMPAIGN
By August 20th, our whole army was on the move, with our
division, Negley's of the 14th Army
Corps, in the lead of that
Corps, taking an easterly course through
Tantelon, and halted on
Crow Creek between Anderson and
Stevenson. The movement
of the army across the Tennessee river
commenced August 29th,
and was completed September 4th.
Tuesday, September 1st. Morning
found us still lying at
Cave Spring on packed haversacks and
knapsacks awaiting the
bugle-call for a forward march. The day
wore away and at dusk
the long-looked-for "fall in"
call sounded, and in a few minutes
our Brigade was on the move. Near
midnight we crossed the
Tennessee river on pontoon bridge at
Caperton's Ferry, three
miles southeast of Stevenson, and about
15 miles below Bridge-
port. Keeping up the Tennessee River
valley about two miles, we
lay down in an open field to rest for
the remainder of the night.
Wednesday, September 2nd. The sun was an hour high and
we had our coffee drank and were on the
move, keeping up the
Tennessee River. About sundown we
stopped for the night on a
little ridge near Bridgeport, after a
march of 14 miles through the
scorching sun and dust indescribable.
Thursday, September 3rd. Taking an eastward course about
one-half mile, at 8 A. M. we were
climbing Sand Mountain, a
Diary of Jacob Adams 649
very steep and rough mountain, about two
miles to the top, which
we attained with little difficulty, and
some effort. We then went
some five miles south on the crest of
the mountain. We halted
for the night near a grist-mill on a
small stream. This day our
company was detailed to act as pioneers.
We worked hard all
day and built a bridge about 100 feet
long, after the regiment
halted.
Friday, September 4th. We were on the move at an early
hour, keeping the same direction we had
the day before. Crossed
over the Georgia and Alabama line into
Georgia about 10 A. M.
We then went down the mountain and
stopped for a day or two at
the foot of it in Lookout Valley, by a
large spring, two miles from
Trenton, Georgia. We marched about seven
miles this day.
Saturday, September 5th. At 7 A. M. our regiment and the
78th Pennsylvania, started out on a
scout, keeping up the Lookout
Valley. After two miles we came to the
Iron works, where we
captured some salt, with other
provisions and some C. S. army
clothes. Kept up the valley a mile
farther to a grist-mill where
we got a lot of wheat and flour. We left
the 78th Pennsylvania
there to operate the mill and our
regiment went about two miles
farther up and camped for the night.
Sunday, September 6th. Early in the morning we went back
to camp, slung our knapsacks, and at
noon we were moving up
the valley with the rest of the
division. Went about eight miles,
and bivouacked for the night on Lookout
Creek.
Monday, September 7th. We moved about two miles to the
east to the foot of Lookout Mountain,
and took up quarters for
the night on the brow of a little hill.
Tuesday, September 8th. This morning we were started out
before we had time to make our coffee,
and before sunup we were
climbing Lookout Mountain. Our regiment
was scattered along
the sides of the road by companies to
assist the wagons in getting
up the mountain. We worked hard all day
and lay on the top of
the mountain over night. Lookout
Mountain, where we crossed,
was higher than Sand Mountain, but not
so steep. To-day the
first and second brigades of our
division had some skirmishing to
do in our front.
650 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
Wednesday, September 9th. At sunup we were on the move
and at 3 P. M. we were at the foot of
the mountain in Pigeon
Valley, where we remained over night
after marching about five
miles. Some skirmishing in front, but no
casualties on our side.
Thursday, September 10th. Morning came and at 6 A. M.
we were moving in a southeastern
direction through Pigeon Gap
towards La Fayette, Bragg's
headquarters, and where the larger
part of his army were. To-day our
brigade was in advance, and
our regiment in advance of the brigade.
As usual our company was on the skirmish
line where it re-
mained all day. Before we had gone 40
rods we had plenty of
Rebs. to shoot at, and plenty of the
enemy to reply. So we ad-
vanced slowly, but surely, for four
miles. The skirmish line
driving the enemy before us every inch
of the way, and sometimes
meeting pretty stubborn resistance.
After going that distance we halted in
the mouth of Dug Gap,
which was heavily blockaded with timber,
being about three miles
from LaFayette, Bragg's headquarters. At
sundown our company
was relieved and we retired about 15
rods to the top of a little hill,
where we lay on arms until morning.
Luckily for our company,
there was not a man in it hurt, and only
one man in the regiment
slightly wounded.
Friday, September 11th. This morning our regiment was
awakened at 2 A. M. and quietly fell
back about five rods under
cover of darkness to the edge of a strip
of wood, where, with the
rest of the brigade we formed in line of
battle, fronting towards
La Fayette, and lay there quietly
awaiting the break of day ex-
pecting something to do at that time.
The sun arose and all was
quiet along the line with the exception
of now and then a shot by
our skirmishers and an occasional reply.
At about 8 A. M. there
was quite a sharp firing in front on the
skirmish line, when we
changed front facing north towards
Chattanooga to protect our
left flank. Here we lay about an hour
when our regiment was
ordered back one-half mile to protect
the wagon train. Took posi-
tion facing south, where we built
breastworks of rails and lay
there undisturbed until 3 P. M. when our
force had all retired but
our regiment and another regiment. We
got orders to fall back
Diary of Jacob Adams 651
one-half mile, which we did in good
order. We took position in
support of a battery on a ridge in the
edge of a woods fronting to
the northeast, with an open field in
front. We had hardly taken
position when the Rebs. rushed in on our
skirmishers with a
heavy force of cavalry, supported by.
infantry. Four or five of
the guns of our battery opened on them,
which made them get
back in a hurry. The enemy gave us a few
shots with artillery,
but did not do much damage. Here we
checked the enemy so that
we fell back one and one-half miles
through a strip of woods,
without any further trouble. We halted
on a little hill and slept
in line of battle over night. Though the
enemy had largely su-
perior force to ours, the retreat was
conducted with energy and
skill by our leader, General Negley,
supported by his officers and
men, and done in good order with very
slight loss. Our com-
pany had no loss, and in the regiment
only two or three were
wounded. Our division took a strong
position in front of
Stevenson Gap.
Saturday, September 12th. This morning everything was
quiet. By all appearances the Rebs. had
"scud." Our forces were
coming down the mountain rapidly, and by
sundown nearly all
our corps were on this side. All quiet
in front. About dark our
company started out on picket.
Sunday, September 13th. All quiet along the picket line last
night and this morning. About noon we
were relieved from picket
duty and went back to the regiment which
was still lying where
we had left it.
Monday, September 14th. About 10 A. M. we slung knap-
sacks and moved up the valley about
one-half mile to a strip of
woods, where we pitched our pup-tents
and put in the time gath-
ering roasting ears and eating them. We
expected to stop there
a day of two.
Friday, September 18th. On this day we were moving to the
left towards Chattanooga to participate
in the impending battle
where both armies were assembling on
Chickamauga Creek, 10 to
12 miles south of Chattanooga.
Saturday, September 19th. Found our brigade in the vicinity
of "Crawfish Springs," and
about sundown we took position on
652 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
the battle line on the Brotherton field
near the site of the monu-
ment of the 78th Pennsylvania. After
some little firing, we went
to sleep on our arms, lying on the
battle line for the night.
Sunday, September 20th. Our brigade changed position a
time or two, and about 11 A. M. our
regiment with its five-shoot-
ing Colt's revolving rifle was detached
from our brigade and di-
vision, and given an important point on
Snodgrass Hill, a short
distance to the right of where the
observation tower was after-
ward placed, and not far from General
Thomas' headquarters at
the Snodgrass House. Here it lay with
some little shifting of its
position to conform with the battle
line, repulsing charge after
charge of massed troops of the enemy,
until the support of our
right was withdrawn, the enemy having
wheeled a division around
our right flank, almost enclosing us.
After dusk, under cover of
battle smoke and approaching darkness,
the majority of the regi-
ment left took their chance to slip out
from the corral made by
the enemy, through a 90-foot gap. Those
that did not take that
chance were made prisoners.
In the early part of this engagement
after we had fired one
round, we lay down and reloaded our
guns, and were on our feet
to give them the second charge of our
guns. I was wounded in
the left elbow thus: I was standing
behind a little oak-tree making
myself as small as possible, with my gun
in position to fire, when
a ball grazed the edge of the tree and
struck my elbow, which
was out a little too far, completely
disabling me in the use of that
member for this engagement, at least.
When we came into
line here, before we had time to fire,
comrade David Huffman
dropped down and stretched out his limbs
with a quiver, and
as we remarked, "It is all over
with Dave now," he sprang to
his feet, grabbed his gun, and went at
it again. A ball went
through his hat and grazed his head and
stunned him so that he
fell as stated. In this engagement Crist
Bare of our company
had 23 holes shot in his clothing,
without receiving a scratch on
his body. Knowing that I was disabled
for work in the front, I
took my loaded five-shooter in my right
hand and steered to the
rear to get my wound treated, thinking I
would give the Rebs.
a dose of five health-giving pills
before I would be captured.
Diary of Jacob Adams 653
Keeping in the woods between the two
roads, and guiding my
steps as far as I could from the sound
of the battle on either
side of me, I came out at Rossville Gap
where our troops, the
right wing of the army, were reforming
after being beaten back.
Here I saw Rosecrans, and other high
officers, including Negley,
with the balance of our division. I
thought they should be for-
ward with Thomas to help him repel the
onslaughts of the
enemy. After resting a while, I with
many other wounded,
went on to Chattanooga, and put up for
the night.
Our regiment went into action Sunday
morning 500 strong,
having nearly a full quota of officers.
The next morning they
stacked arms with 106 guns, with a Lieutenant
in command of
the regiment.
NOTES ON BATTLE OF CHICKAMAUGA
(The following I wrote from a careful
study of this posi-
tion from the Monuments and Tablets on
this part of Chicka-
mauga Park, and it may be in part a
repetition of what I have
written concerning this battle.)
The enemy instrumental in capturing the
21st O. V. I. were
Kelley's Brigade, composed of Kentucky,
Georgia, Virginia and
North Carolina troops; Trig's Brigade,
composed of Florida and
Virginia troops; all of Preston's Division;
Buckner's Corps.
The Monument of the 21st O. V. I. near the south end of Snod-
grass Ridge marks the place where the
regiment was captured.
This line extended north and south along
the crest of the ridge,
facing the enemy on the east, with
Whittaker's Brigade, Steed-
man's Division on the right, forming the
extreme right of the
Union line at that time. Without any
notice to the 21st, Whit-
taker withdrew, leaving the regiment
without any support on its
right. Hence, an explanation of how the
21st O. V .I. was cap-
tured at Chickamauga battle, September
20th, 1863.
In the assault the enemy advanced from
the foot of the
ridge on the east, with Kelley's Brigade
facing the 21St O. V. I.
and Trig's Brigade facing the position
formerly occupied by
Whittaker. In the advance Trig's
Brigade, finding no opposi-
tion, swung to the right through a
ravine, and took position in
654 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
the rear of the 21st, its left
overlapping the regiment to the
north, and within about 35 yards of
Kelley's right, with the center
of the two brigades about 67 yards
apart. Thus forming a com-
plete chain around the boys, except a
little gap of some 35 yards
on the north, encompassing the command
on less than an acre
of ground, with opportunity of firing
into our ranks with no
danger of hitting their own men on the
opposite side of the ridge
on account of our troops being on higher
ground than the enemy.
From this position the two brigades
closed in, and captured
a part of the 21st Ohio, and portions of
the 89th Ohio and 22nd
Michigan. Yet through approaching night,
and a thick cloud
of battle smoke, a large per cent of our
men slipped out through
this little gap, and thus escaped
capture and the horrors of
Andersonville prison.
Did the regiment submit to capture
without any resistance?
Let us see. At the foot of the ridge
where Preston's Division
formed to make the charge is a tablet
giving a history of the
engagement.
The division went in with 4078 men.
Loss, 1336 men.
Per cent of loss, 32.71 in 11/2 hours.
This was a victory dearly bought, and
this after the regi-
ment had been engaged for six hours in a
most deadly conflict,
repulsing assault after assault by the
very best troops the Con-
federacy could muster, and with
ammunition taken from fallen
comrades.
ON WAY TO HOSPITAL AND HOME
Monday, September 21st. As I am not writing a history of
the regiment, but only as I see its
movements, I will here leave
it for a time. I lay in Chattanooga all
day awaiting my turn to
have my wound dressed, giving way
willingly to worse cases than
mine, treating my wound with liberal
applications of cold water.
Tuesday, September 22nd. Got my wound dressed the first
time, and with a large number of wounded
who were thought
able to stand the trip, and a large
train of wagons going back for
supplies for the army, we crossed the
Tennessee river at Chatta-
Diary of Jacob Adams 655
nooga, over Walden's Ridge, through
Sequatchie Valley on to
Stevenson, Alabama, with but little
molestation by the enemy,
and as soon as we could get
transportation we moved on to Nash-
ville, where I arrived about Wednesday.
Here I was assigned
to the Cumberland Hospital for
treatment, where I remained
until about October 30th.
October 30th. I got an invalid's furlough for 30 days, and
transportation home to Findlay, Ohio,
and had a pleasant trip.
Here I have lost the records for some
time.
November 2nd. Arrived at Findlay, Ohio, about 11 P. M.
and walked out eight miles to where my
mother and step-father
lived, where I arrived about 1 A. M. of
the next day, and
knocked on the door. In answer to the
question "Who is there"?
I said "A soldier wanting
lodging." After some hesitation I
remarked "You may have a soldier
kin or friend you may be glad
to have favored."3 The
door opened and then-
Of course I had a good time and among
other things I gave
the Copperheads some of my opinion. One
of our near neigh-
bors tried to persuade me not to go back
to the army, or in plain
English, to desert. I do not remember
what I said in reply, but
I assure you it was a plenty. He told my
brother he never be-
fore got such a raking down as I gave
him. Well, my 30 days'
leave went by soon enough, and failing
to get transportation back
to the front, I left home on November
26th.
November 26th. At 7 A. M. boarded the train at Findlay,
Ohio, for Carey. The conductor comes
around and asks, "Have
you transportation?"
"No," says I. "You came from the coun-
try, did you?" "Yes, from Wood
County," I say. "All right."
So I passed on to Carey, and at 9 A. M.
boarded the train for
Dayton, Ohio. The conductor comes and
asks for my ticket.
"Have none." "It's so
much to Dayton." "What do you do if
I have no money?" "Couldn't
you get transportation?" "No,"
says I. "Yes, you could."
"Well, I know I couldn't." The train
3 The
reader may criticize when the soldier acts like a hobo or tramp,
or tried to "dead beat" his
way through, but I am trying to give a true
picture of army ways, bad with good, and
we thought that as much as we
had done for our country, we were
entitled to some favors.
656 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
stopped. "You must get off."
"Hold on, maybe I can get some
money," and turned to some soldiers
in the car. The conductor,
as well as I, interpreted their sly
wink, and the train moved on.
I changed cars at Dayton at 2 P. M. and
arrived at Cincin-
nati at 7 P. M. and put up for the night
at the Soldiers' Home.
November 27th. At noon got on the steamboat, Major An-
derson, for Louisville, Kentucky. When asked about transpor-
tation, I answered in the negative, and
scraped up 50 cents on the
$1.00 fare, and was told to keep it.
Went on free, and landed at
Louisville about midnight.
Saturday, November 28th. At daybreak at the depot trying
to get on the cars for Nashville, but
failed, as the cars were so
crowded. Put up at the Soldiers' Home
and spent the day look-
ing over the city.
Sunday, November 29th. At 7 A. M. was crowded in the
cars and moving toward Nashville, where
we arrived at 9:30 P.
M., and went to the Zollicoffer Barracks
for supper and the
night's lodging. Up to this place
transportation was a second
consideration, as they were anxious to
get all the soldiers to the
front.
Monday, November 30th. Got up and breakfasted at 2 A.
M. Went down to the depot and there
waited in the cold until
4 P. M. for the train to pull out for
Stevenson.
Tuesday, December 1st. Daylight found me on top of a box
car, tied with a rope to the brake post
to catch me if I jolted off,
shivering with cold and still bumping on
toward Stevenson,
Alabama, where we arrived at 5 P. M. and
put up for the night
at the Convalescent camp.
Wednesday, December 2nd. This morning's sun found me
in the Convalescent camp drawing five
days' rations with a
squad of over 1000 men, to go to
Chattanooga. At 2 P. M. we
marched up to town and made an attempt
to board the cars for
Bridgeport, Alabama, 10 miles east, but
failed on account of the
cars being so crowded, so returned to
camp and stayed over night.
Thursday, December 3rd. Got to Bridgeport, crossed the
Tennessee river, and camped for the
night.
Friday, December 4th. At sunup started for Chattanooga,
Diary of Jacob Adams 657
30 miles away, and marched 17 miles to
Whiteside Station,
where we lay in an open field for the
night.
Saturday, December 5th. Took an early start and by 4 P. M.
I was with my company at Chattanooga. I
found the boys in
good spirits, although pretty well
starved by reason of the long
siege. Even after I got there it was
some time before we were
caught up with the provision supplies so
that we were on near
full rations. I had a little experience
in raking up corn that the
mules had shelled off and tramped in the
mud and manure, which
we washed off some, dried and
parched it, and ate it for food.
We also went where they were butchering
the half-starved beeves,
and gathered up the paunches, the heads,
the shanks and every
part of the cast-offs we could make use
of to help keep us from
starving.
IN CAMP AT CHATTANOOGA
Sunday, December 6th. Lay in camp answering questions
of the boys from home.
Monday, December 7th. To-day found me, shovel in hand,
working on the fort west of the town.
Tuesday, December 8th. Rained all day and I stayed in
camp.
Wednesday, December 9th. Did fatigue work in camp, po-
licing the parade grounds.
Thursday, December 10th. The company was nearly all
detailed to work on the fort and I was
left for camp guard.
Sunday, December 13th. It
again rained all day and I
stayed in my tent.
Tuesday, December 15th. To-day found me gun in hand,
doing camp guard.
Wednesday, December 16th. The company all went on
picket. I got clear and stayed in camp.
Friday, December 18th. Stayed near the fire to keep warm
until in the afternoon I was detailed to
haul a load of wood.
Saturday, December 19th. All I did this day was to carry
up a load of wood to keep from freezing.
Sunday, December 20th. Did nothing but have inspection
Vol. XXXVIII--42.
658 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
and hug the fire to keep warm, until 4
P. M. when we went on
brigade dress parade, and I came in
about dark, and lay down on
my plank bed for the night.
Tuesday, December 22nd. Went on picket duty with the
company.
Wednesday, December 23rd. Got in off picket about 10 A.
M. and lay in camp the rest of the day.
Thursday, December 24th. On this day I was detailed to go
and work on a fort in the east edge of
town.
Tuesday, December 29th. A call for reenlistment as vet-
erans came to the regiment. Some took to
it readily as a good
thing to do, and others kicked like
mules. But with little effort
the enlistment went beyond the quota.
Jack Yates cussed the
Government, and everything else, himself
included, as he was
on his way up to sign his name for three
years more service. It
cannot be denied that this reenlistment
of the tried and true men
while in the service, was a
death-dealing blow to the Lost Cause,
and tended largely toward hastening the
close of the war.
Wednesday, December 30th. Had brigade inspedtion.
Thursday, December 31st. The quota for enlistment as
veterans was filled and I put my name
down to serve three years
from that time if needed, or until the
close of the war.
JANUARY, 1864
Friday, January 1st. A very cold day here as Well as all
over the United States. It set harder on
us on account of us
being short of provisions. I saw whole
teams of mules here
dead, standing frozen stiff in their
tracks. There was nothing
to do but hug the fire to keep from
freezing.
Saturday, January 2nd. I was detailed to work on the
fort, but was excused on account of cold
weather.
Tuesday, January 5th. Those reenlisting in the regiment
were mustered into the United States
service for three years, or
during the war.
Thursday, January 14th. To-day the regiment was paid off
and the road opened so the cars ran up
to Chattanooga for the
Diary of Jacob Adams 659
first time since our occupation of the
place on September 9, 1863.
Great rejoicing.
Friday, January 15th to Monday,
January 18th. All the
hurry was and had been for weeks to get
started for home on
veteran furlough, and to see friends
back north.
ON OUR WAY HOME
Tuesday, January 19th. At 5 A. M. our regiment was
crowded into the cars and ready to move
out of Chattanooga,
Tennessee, to a better land. About 8 A.
M. as we were on the
high trestle work at Whiteside Station,
the second car from the
engine of our train left the rails,
bumping along on the ties for
a short distance, when the train stopped
just as it was hanging
on the stringer. Had it gone down, it
doubtless would have
dragged the whole train with it. We
could easily imagine the
result if we had fallen from a height of
125 feet
to a solid
rock below. We were badly frightened,
but soon emptied the
cars and walked on the ground to the
other end of the bridge.
After some delay we moved along without
further trouble and
got to Stevenson, Alabama, at noon. At 4
P. M. we pulled out
for Nashville, Tennessee, 112 miles
northwest.
Wednesday, January 20th. Daylight found us on the train
moving slowly, and we arrived at
Nashville at 8 A. M. We
went to an old brick house where we put
up for the balance of
the day and the next night.
Thursday, January 21st. At 8:30 A. M. we were on the
train moving towards Louisville,
Kentucky, where we arrived
at 1 A. M. of the 22nd.
Friday, January 22nd. Went to the Barracks and at noon
we crossed the Ohio river on ferry-boat,
Jefferson, Indiana.
Got our dinner and at 2 P. M. the cars
moved off for Cincin-
nati, Ohio, where we arrived at 2 A. M. of the
23rd.
Saturday, January 23rd. .At 7 A. M. we moved out for
Columbus, Ohio, where we arrived at 2 P.
M. We went to the
Tod Barracks where the guard were under
strict orders to let
no one out without a pass. We thought we
had seen too much
660 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
service to be cowed or bossed around by
tenderfeet who never
had seen a Johnny. So a small squad met
at the gate and were
refused to go out without a pass. Seeing
the determined look
in our eyes, the guard called the
"Corporal of the Guard" in,
and he thought best to call the
"Officer of the Guard." By that
time our whole regiment was at the gate,
some with their mus-
kets, awaiting the order, "forward
march," which some one
gave, and the whole regiment passed out.
We were then free to
go where we wished during the rest of
our stay there. That
evening a couple of the comrades left
their pocketbooks in my
care, though I said I expected to be in
town myself.
Sunday, January 24th. Turned over arms and accoutre-
ment, drew clothing and dressed
ourselves up, got our fur-
lough and were ready to move for
Findlay, Ohio, which we did
on Monday.
Monday, January 25th. At 7 A. M. we moved, and at 6
P. M. I was again at old Findlay, and
put up for the night at
Male Wilkinson's.
Tuesday, January 26th. Rode out to M. A. Adams' and
stayed over night in the old log cabin
where I was born and
raised.
Wednesday, January 27th. Went home to Mother Dor-
sey's, two miles west of Van Buren,
Ohio.
Friday, January 29th. Went to Van Buren to the supper
and dance at Dave Leiter's.
Sunday, January 31st. From home to John Draper's.
Monday, February 1st. Still at Draper's.
Tuesday, February 2nd. From Draper's I went to Wm.
Dorsey's and thence to C. G.
Wilkinson's.
Wednesday, February 3rd. From Wilkinson's I went to
M. A. Adams', and then to Allen
Dorsey's, and thence home.
There found Miss Camarine, the Kemper
girls and Poe young-
sters and had a jovial time.
Sunday, February 7th. Went to the Baptist church at Van
Buren, and back home, and then on to
Uncle Sam Hunting-
ton's.
Diary of Jacob Adams 661
Monday, February 8th. To Carr's, where I stayed over
night.
Tuesday, February 9th. To Anthony Huntington's, and
thence to Van Buren where I stayed for
spelling school, and
after that to a dance at P. Burnam's,
and from there to S. Hunt-
ington's.
Wednesday, February 10th. To White Forest to spelling
school, and from there to A.
Huntington's.
Thursday, February 11th. From A. Huntington's to George
Trout's to a dance and thence to S.
Huntington's for the night.
Friday, February 12th. Went to the Wilkinson schoolhouse
to school. Frem there to Wm. Dorsey's
for supper. Back for
spelling-school, and then to Uncle
Dorsey's for the night.
Saturday, February 13th. Walked to Findlay and out to
M. A. Adams for the night.
Sunday, February 14th. To Van Buren to church in day
and in the evening to services at the
Dulin church, and home
for the night.
Monday, February 15th. Went visiting to Abe Kemper's
in evening.
Tuesday, February 16th. I went via Van Buren to a dance
at Wallace Dorsey's in evening, and to
M. A. Adams' for the
night.
Wednesday, February 17th. To John Draper's, thence to
Wm. Dorsey's, and then to Sam Wagoner's
to a "shindig" in the
evening. Back to William Dorsey's for
the night.
Thursday, February 18th. Went to White Forest school.
From there to Van Buren, and thence back
to E. Markle's to a
dance in the evening, and then to Allen
Dorsey's to spend the
night.
Friday, February 19th. Went home via Van Buren and in
evening to spelling school at the
Thicket schoolhouse.
Saturday, February 20th. Went to visit the school at the
White Forest schoolhouse, thence to
Findlay and back again to
White Forest to spelling school and then
walked home.
Sunday, February 21st. At home all day.
662 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
Monday, February 22nd. At the soldiers' dinner in Find-
lay in daytime, and at night attended a
dance at Jim Ferril's.
Tuesday, February 23rd. Visited at Chaffin's in Van Buren,
and from there to Wm. Dorsey's for the
night. Had a fine time,
but was ready and willing to go back to
the front.
ON WAY BACK TO ACTIVE SERVICE
Wednesday, February 24th. The morning found me on the
cars at Findlay with the rest of my
company and a number of
veteran recruits, as we called them.
Among them were my
brother William Adams and my
step-brother, James Dorsey,
headed for Columbus, Ohio, where we
arrived at sundown.
After getting our suppers at the
barracks we marched out to
Camp Chase and put up for the night.
Thursday, February 25th. Went to Uncle James Dorsey's
and stayed over night.
Friday, February 26th. Back in camp.
Saturday, February 27th. In the city running around.
Sunday, February 28th. Back to Uncle Dorsey's. Stayed
until morning of the 29th.
Monday, February 29th. I went down to city. Was mus-
tered into the United States military
service, drawing local bounty
and put up for the night at The American
House.
Tuesday, March 1st. Was running over the city until 3 P.
M. Was paid off in the State House and
in a few minutes was
at the depot with the rest of my
regiment, all joyfully awaiting
the train to carry us down toward the
front. About dark we
moved for Cincinnati, where we arrived
at 3 A. M. of March
2nd.
Wednesday, March 2nd. We lay in the barracks until noon,
when we got aboard a river steamboat and
moved down the
Ohio river to Louisville where we landed
at 1 A. M. of March
3rd.
Thursday, March 3rd. Went to the barracks for breakfast,
and at 2 P. M. were aboard the train
moving toward Nashville.
Arrived there at 3 A. M.
Diary of Jacob Adams 663
Friday, March 4th. Put up at the Zollicoffer House. I
went to the theatre at night.
Saturday, March 5th. At 1 P. M. we gladly took leave of
the old barracks. Got on hog-cars and
moved for Chattanooga,
Tennessee.
Sunday, March 6th. Near
midnight, well pleased, we
reached our destination, Chattanooga. We
lay down on the
ground and slept soundly until morning.
Monday, March 7th. We moved over in an old camp, put
up a sort of shelter, and were
contented, awaiting further orders.
Monday, March 14th. We got orders to pack up and by
11:30 A. M. were aboard the train and moved to Tyner Station,
Tennessee, nine miles away. We arrived
at 1 P. M., pitched our
tents and put up for the time being.
Thursday, March 17th. To-day the regiment was on picket
and I was along.
Friday, March 18th. Came in off picket, got our breakfast
and cleaned up for regimental
inspection, which occurred at 1
P. M.
Saturday, March 19th. This morning found us packing up,
and at I A. M. we moved out, keeping a
southerly course. After
about six miles we came to Graysville,
Georgia, at 3 P. M. and
went into camp.
Sunday, March 20th. To-day I went on picket duty with
the whole regiment on Station No. 2.
Monday, March 21st. About 9 A. M. we came in off picket
and soon after Simon Presler was shot by
the carelessness of
one of Company C boys.
Tuesday, March 22nd. Big snow-storm here and at other
southern points.
Wednesday, March 23rd. I was on picket with the 1st Wis-
consin, on Station No. 6.
Thursday, March 24th. The regiment had gone to Parker's
Gap when I came in.
Tuesday, March 29th. I was on picket with the rest of the
regiment, at Station No. 2.
664 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications
Wednesday, March 30th. Celebrating my birthday, 22nd
anniversary, by laying around in camp
after coming in off picket.
IN CAMP AT GRAYSVILLE, GEORGIA
Friday, April 1st. This morning found me with my regi-
ment at Graysville, Georgia. Went on
picket on Station No. 2.
Saturday, April 2nd. Came in off picket and at 2 P. M. had
battalion drill.
Sunday, April 3rd. Nothing but company inspection.
Monday, April 4th. On picket with company at Station
No. 2.
Tuesday, April 5th. Came in off picket duty and cleaned
up for review and inspection, which
occurred on Wednesday the
6th, by Major General Thomas.
Thursday, April 7th. Drilled a couple of times.
Friday, April 8th. On fatigue duty in camp.
Monday, April 11th. I was on camp guard.
Friday, April 15th. Had regimental inspection by Brigade
Inspector.
Tuesday, April 19th. On picket at Station No. 5.
Monday, April 25th. Our regiment went on picket at Sta-
tion No. 4.
Saturday, April 30th. At 2 P. M. had regimental inspection
and were mustered for pay.
The regiment was in good health and
ready and anxious to
move forward. The veteran recruits were
in good spirits and
took to army life in fine shape. Put in
much of their time drill-
ing and making appearance of fine
soldiers.
ON THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN
Sunday, May 1st. Still were at Graysville. The regiment
went on picket duty at Station No. 6.
Monday, May 2nd. Came in off picket, and in the evening
got orders to prepare for a march.
Tuesday, May 3rd. This morning's sun found our regiment
packing up and about 9 A. M. we moved
out with the rest of the
Diary of Jacob Adams 665
rest of the division, keeping a
southward direction. After march-
ing about six miles we went into camp at
Ringgold, Georgia, com-
mencing our part in the Atlanta
campaign.
Wednesday, May 4th. Was on fatigue duty.
Friday, May 6th. Got orders to prepare for forward move-
ment.
Saturday, May 7th. At daybreak our regiment struck tents,
and at 7 A. M. we moved out with the
rest of the division. Keep-
line of battle and lay for the night
some little distance from Tun-
ing southward, after marching some eight
miles, we halted in
nel Hill, and to the right of it, not
far from Sugar Loaf hill.
Sunday, May 8th. Our division moved around a couple of
miles and halted for the night in line
of battle close to and south
of Sugar Loaf hill.
Monday, May 9th. About 2 P. M. our brigade moved one-
half mile and took position on a little
hill at foot of Buzzard's
Roost mountain, where we lay exposed to
a heavy fire from the
enemy's artillery and sharp-shooters
posted on the peak of Buz-
zard's Roost. Firing ceased at dark and
we lay on our arms
awaiting the morrow.
Tuesday, May 10th. Lay on the side of the hill all day
dodging the balls of the rebel
sharpshooters, but we could not
reach them with our Enfield rifles.
Wednesday, May 11th. Our regiment was on the skirmish-
line and advanced from the crest of the
little hill somewhat on
the slope of the mountain where we were
engaged in a duel with
the rebel sharpshooters. We were heavily
engaged all day.
About 5 P. M. the enemy tried to shell
us with a battery, but
did not do us much hurt on account of
their elevation. Here
the veteran recruits got their first
taste of real warfare and they
stood up to their task like soldiers
tried and true. One of them,
John Rey, a German of our company, was
noticed firing in the
rear of our line. Captain Keller called
to him to come to the
front and not fire back there lest he
shoot our own men. His
answer was, "No, no! I hits no one,
I shoots schraight up."
About II P. M. we were relieved
and moved back to the rear,
lay down and slept soundly.
666 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
Thursday, May 12th. At 7 A. M. our regiment with the
rest of our division took up the march,
keeping to the right of
Buzzard's Roost, marching nearly south
some 15 miles. We
stopped at 9 P. M. at the mouth of the
gap, nearly west of Re-
saca, very much fatigued. I threw myself
down on my pup
tent to rest until morning.
AT RESACA
Friday, May 13th. About noon our brigade moved out,
marching in line of battle, occupying
the third line. Keeping a
northwesterly course we advanced some
four miles, halting for
the night in a strip of woods in front
of the enemy two, or three
miles north of Resaca. Some pretty sharp
skirmishing towards
evening. Our regiment was not engaged.
Saturday, May 14th. We advanced one-half mile. Our regi-
ment took position on the crest of a
little hill, where we lay listen-
ing to the music of the musketry and
artillery in our front, ex-
pecting every minute to be rushed
forward into the hottest of
the conflict. After dark our brigade
took position in front line
facing the enemy's line of battle in
their intrenchments, where
we lay down on arms and rested
undisturbed for the night.
Sunday, May 15th. Our regiment lay all day on the second
line listening to our artillery playing
on the rebel works in our
front. Now and then there came a stray
ball over from the
enemy's sharpshooters, but our artillery
and skirmishers kept the
rebels' artillery from playing on us all
day, and we lay down for
the night. About i P. M. the
enemy made a charge on our
lines and we were called out on double
quick. Did not get in
action.
Monday, May 16th. Finding the enemy had evacuated their
works the night before, our division
moved to the right in a
roundabout way five miles, and at 3 P.
M. halted at Resaca.
Tuesday, May 17th. Pulled up and left Resaca at 9 A. M.
and crossed the river. Keeping south six
miles we came to Cal-
houn, Georgia. Stopped a few minutes to
rest, then moved on
slowly in the same direction, marching
some eight miles. We
halted for the night at the side of the
road at 11 P. M.
Diary of Jacob Adams 667
Wednesday, May 18th. Marching 14 miles, keeping on the
railroad most of the way and passing
through Adairsville, we
stopped in an open field three and
one-half miles north of Kings-
ton, Georgia, at 11 P. M.
Thursday, May 19th. About noon we moved out, passing
through Kingston and marching on at
nearly double-quick time
about five miles, where our brigade
halted, threw up breast-
works of logs to catch Wheeler's
cavalry. I went on the skirmish
line. No Wheeler came.
Friday, May 20th. Our brigade moved four miles to the
left near the railroad some five miles
southeast of Kingston,
where we threw up protection and
expected to stay a day or two.
Saturday, May 21st, and Sunday, May
22nd. Lay on a
rest. Did nothing but clean up a little.
Monday, May 23rd. At 9 A. M. our brigade moved nearly
west, and in a roundabout direction.
Marched some seven miles,
when we came to the Tallapoosa river,
which we waded and got
somewhat cooled off from our condition
from marching through
the hot sun and dust. After draining off
a little, we moved on
and halted for the night three miles
from where we forded the
river.
Tuesday, May 24th. Moved about 10 A. M. and keeping a
southeast course, marched five miles and
bivouacked on the road
for the night.
Wednesday, May 25th. About 10 A. M. our brigade moved
east some five miles. We bivouacked for
the night in a woods on
top of a hill. About sundown we heard
heavy firing of artillery
and musketry, which kept up until after
dark.
Thursday, May 26th. At 1 A. M. our brigade was awakened
and in a short time we were moving
toward the front. Going
very slowly south seven miles, we came
up to the line of battle
about 4 P. M. Our division was on
reserve. Here we lay
down and went to sleep to the music of
cannon and musketry.
Friday, May 27th. At 9 A. M. our division moved out to
lengthen our line on the left. We
maneuvered all day in the
woods, still moving to the left. We met
but little opposition
until 4 P. M. Our brigade came up to the
Rebs at an old mill
668 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
on a little creek on the extreme left of
our line. We were hotly
engaged until after dark. Our regiment
lay for some time on
the second line under quite heavy fire
on the right of the brigade,
and to the right of the creek. About
dusk we were formed in
line to protect our left flank. Here we
lay undisturbed until mid-
night, when we retired one-half mile and
lay down for the night.
Saturday, May 28th. About sunup, while we were chang-
ing position, Colonel Neibling was
wounded, from which wound
he lost an arm. We lay on the bank of
this Pumpkinvine Creek
all day, as reserve of our brigade,
listening to skirmishing and
now and then dodging a stray ball. At
dark our regiment moved
across the creek and built breastworks
to protect our left flank.
Worked until midnight and lay down on
arms to rest.
Sunday, May 29th. We lay by our works all day improv-
ing them. No firing on the line to speak
of except skirmishing
until 5 P. M. there was quite a brisk
fire on our right, and about
midnight there was a very heavy fire of
artillery and musketry
all along the line which brought us to
attention.
Monday, May 30th. Lay behind our works until 5 P. M.
when our regiment was moved to the front
line, our right resting
on the creek, where we went at our old
trade of putting up pro-
tection against the enemy's fire. We
worked until about 10 P.
M. when we again lay down to rest a
little. The line had been
extended to the left and we now lay on
the left center. But
little firing along the line today.
Tuesday, May 31st. In the morning we moved our line a
couple of hundred yards to the left, and
about sundown our
regiment advanced some 200 hundred yards
and quietly went to
work without tools to make rifle pits
with logs and green leaves,
which kept us at work all night. All
quiet along the line. We
were still on Pumpkinvine Creek.
A STATEMENT OF THE PARTS OF THE ARMY IN
WHICH WE SERVED ABOUT THIS TIME.
On or about the 12th of March, 1864,
when our regiment,
the 21st 0. V. V. I., joined the brigade
at Tyner Station, Tenn-
Diary of Jacob Adams 669
essee, after being reorganized as
Veterans, we were still in the
3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 14th Corps.
The Corps, commanded by Major General
Palmer.
The Division, commanded by Brigadier
General Johnson.
The Brigade, commanded by Colonel J. M.
Neibling.
The regiments that then belonged to our
brigade were:-
The 74th 0. V. V. I., Colonel Given; The
79th Pennsylvania
Veteran Volunteers, Colonel Harbright;
The 78th Pennsylvania
Veteran Volunteers, Colonel Surwell; The
37th Indiana Veteran
Volunteers, Colonel Hull; The 21st 0. V.
V. I, Colonel Neibling,
and the 24th Illinois, 1st Wisconsin,
and the 21st Wisconsin V. I.
On or about the 1st of May, 1864, its
time of service being
nearly expired, the 24th Illinois left
our brigade. About the
same time the 21St Wisconsin was
taken out of our brigade.
and the 36th Indiana Veteran Volunteer,
Colonel Scrivner, took
its place. About the first of May,
Colonel Scrivner took com-
mand of our brigade, the 3rd, and
Colonel Neibling commanded
our regiment.
On May 28th General Johnson was wounded
and Brigadier
General King took command of our
division.
On May 28th Colonel Neibling was wounded
and Major C.
McMahen took command of our regiment, the
21st O. V. V. I.
Wednesday, June 1st. The morning still found our regi-
ment on the front line behind the works
we had built the night
before on Pumpkinvine Creek. We lay by
our works all day
waiting for the enemy to attack us. No
firing along the line
except by skirmishers and now and then a
shot from the ar-
tillery.
Thursday, June 2nd. We lay behind our works until dark.
My company went on the skirmish line and
we kept the Rebs
awake by shooting at them.
Friday, June 3rd. We stayed on skirmish line until dark
and went back to our works expecting to
get a little sleep. Were
kept awake nearly all night by the
racket made by the skirmishers.
Saturday, June 4th. Still lay by our works. Quite a heavy
fire was kept up all day on the skirmish
line and increased to-
ward night and kept up until morning.
670 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
Sunday, June 5th. Fire kept up on skirmish line until Io
A. M., when it ceased and we soon
learned that the enemy had
left. Then we threw off our
cartridge-boxes, pitched our pup
tents and tried to get a little rest.
Monday, June 6th. About 9 A. M. our brigade moved out,
poking along all day. We moved five
miles to the east and at
9 P. M. halted and lay down in an open
field some two miles
west of the railroad and near Acworth,
Georgia.
Tuesday, June 7th. Moved our quarters a few rods into
the woods to stay a day or two to wash
up.
Wednesday, June 8th. Lay still all day.
Thursday, June 9th. Lay still until 3 P. M. when my com-
pany went on picket and stayed out until
morning.
Friday, June 10th. We were relieved and went back to the
regiment. At 9 A. M. our brigade moved
out in a southeasterly
course. Before we had gone very far we
heard cannonading in
front. Marching about seven miles we
halted at 6 P. M. and
bivouacked for the night with a woods in
front.
Saturday, June 11th. At 6 A. M. our regiment went on the
skirmish line. After maneuvering, or
fooling around, all day
in the rain, we finally advanced some
300 yards with no oppo-
sition. Quite a brisk fire kept up all
day on our right, and about
5 P. M. a duel between the artillery
engaged on our right and
kept up until sundown.
Sunday, June 12th. The morning still found our brigade
on the skirmish line in a downpour of
rain. About i A. M. we
were relieved and retired to the 3rd
line and pitched tents to
keep in the dry. Some firing on the
left, but all quiet in front and
on the right.
VICINITY OF KENESAW MOUNTAIN
Monday, June 13th. Lay still all day in the rain. Quite a
brisk fire kept up all day on the left,
which increased toward
evening.
Tuesday, June 14th. At 9 A. M. we moved forward one
and one-fourth miles, meeting little
resistance. Our regiment
halted and was soon busy throwing up
protection on 2nd line.
Diary of Jacob Adams 671
We lay on arms for the night. Heavy
firing of musketry and
artillery on left.
Wednesday, June 15th. Quite heavy firing was to be heard,
both on the left and on the right of our
line, indicating an ad-
vance at those points, and at 5 P. M.
our line advanced one-half
mile, meeting but little resistance. Our
regiment took position
on 2nd line and lay on arms until the
morning of the 15th.
Thursday, June 16th. Our regiment advanced 100 yards on
front line where we threw up works and
lay in support of a
battery. At 6 P. M. we advanced 100
yards and again threw
up works. After that was done our
company went on the picket
line very close to the enemy and had to
lie low.
Friday, June 17th. Came in off skirmish line, made our
coffee and took breakfast. At 9 A. M.
the skirmishers of our
brigade made a charge on the enemy,
driving them back, and
took some prisoners. Then our regiment
advanced 100 yards,
making a left wheel facing east toward
Kenesaw Mountain,
about two and one-fourth miles away.
After hastily throwing
up works, we lay all day listening to
our artillery practicing on
the enemy's position.
Saturday, June 18th. At about noon our brigade advanced
900 yards under heavy fire from a
battery which was soon
silenced by our artillery, supported by
infantry. Our regiment
again on the front line took position
facing east within 800
yards of the enemy's works, manned by
infantry and artillery.
Here we worked all night throwing up
protection as was our
habit on this campaign.
Sunday, June 19th. We found the enemy had left their
works in our front, so we lay the rest
of the day in reserve,
listening to the brisk firing as our
troops advanced.
Monday, June 2oth. In the morning we moved a little way
to the left and at 4 P. M. our brigade
was again moved to the
front, our regiment on the skirmish line
facing east a little to the
right and near the face of Kenesaw
mountain. We maneuvered
around until midnight and lay on arms in
the mud.
Tuesday, June 21st. The morning still found our regiment
on the front line, lying deep in the mud
and rain behind our
672 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
works, and at 10 A. M. something worse
occurred. Our ar-
tillery and that of the enemy opened
quite a sharp duel, playing
over our heads, each side having about
twelve pieces in action.
There we lay all day exposed to fire
from both sides, but about
10 P. M. we were relieved and went back
on the third line.
Wednesday, June 22nd. At 9 A. M. the artillery duel opened
again and put in the day pretty busily
throwing shell and solid
shot, causing us to lay pretty low most
of the time. About 9 P.
M. our division was relieved and moved
about a mile to the
right and relieved another division. Our
regiment again took
the front line on the brow of a little
hill called Bald Knob, facing
the northeast, within 500 yards of the
enemy's works, where they
had a battery posted. After maneuvering
around considerably
we got to lie down about 1 A. M. of the
23rd.
Thursday, June 23rd. Lay by our works listening to our
skirmishers exchanging shots with the
enemy until 5 P. M. when
the artillery opened, which caused us to
hug our works pretty
close doing no, or little, damage to our
regiment.
Friday, June 24th. Lay in our works all day. But little
artillery firing along the line and only
a few shots over our
heads. Quite brisk firing on the
skirmish line.
Saturday, June 25th. Comparatively quiet on the line.
Sunday, June 26th. Not much firing along the line until I
P. M. when Buckskin, as we called him,
Captain of Battery No.
2, 1st
Ohio Artillery, opened on the Rebs with a couple of pieces
planted near us. This drew a spirited
reply from the enemy with
about 18 pieces in action, which made it
pretty hot for us for a
time. But luckily no one of our regiment
was struck. At dark
my company was detailed to go on the
skirmish line, but I, with
others, lay in reserve all night by our
works.
Monday, June 27th. About 7 A. M. the Buckskin battery
again opened on the enemy, soon getting
a reply which kept up
and made it warm for us until 10 A. M.,
killing Lieutenant Dil-
worth, of Company 1, of our regiment. At
noon I went on the
skirmish line and took position behind a
rifle pit made of logs,
about 200 yards from the enemy's line of
battle, protected by
breastworks. I was so located that
through a small opening I
Diary of Jacob Adams 673
could plainly see their works, and every
time I saw a Reb, or part
of one, I would send him a warning to
lie low. I was so located
that it was difficult for them to find
out my place of abode. I
am quite sure that I made my presence in
the neighborhood felt.
Towards evening I was getting somewhat
bold and did not try
so much as I might to protect myself,
and the Johnnies dis-
covered my whereabouts. As I was sitting
with my side to the
rifle pit, a little too high-headed,
perhaps, with my gun across my
lap and a charge in my fingers ready to
put into the muzzle of
it, a ball from the enemy came along,
grazing the top log of my
rifle pit and carried away the
cartridges out of my fingers. It
was so close to my forehead I could feel
the heat of it. No, my
ball did not drop out of my hand, as the
ground was clean there
and I could have found it.
Tuesday, June 28th. No demonstration on the line.
Wednesday, June 29th. But little firing.
Thursday, June 30th. At 2 A. M. we were called up by
hearing heavy firing on our right, which
did not last long. We
lay by our works all day. Some
cannonading on the left which
became brisk toward evening. The health
of the troops was
good and their spirits high. Plenty to
eat.
Friday, July 1st. Our regiment was with the brigade on
Bald Knob, and on the front line. We lay
by our works all day
dodging stray Minie balls. Our men kept
up a slow fire all day
with the artillery, increasing it in the
evening, but getting a very
weak reply.
Saturday, July 2nd. Our men opened with their artillery
early in the morning, only now and then
getting a shot in reply.
About 10 A. M. our brigade was
relieved and went about a mile
to the left, and some distance to the
rear, and lay down about
3 P. M. about a mile west of Kenesaw
Mountain.
Sunday, July 3rd. Finding the enemy had left their strong-
hold here, at 9 A. M. our brigade
started to follow them up
again through the hot sun. Passing
through Marietta, Georgia,
then keeping along the railroad toward
Atlanta, we bivouacked
for the night in an open field near the
railroad in hearing of can-
nonading and musketry.
Vol. XXXVIII-43.
674 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
Monday, July 4th. At 5 P. M. we advanced half a mile
and lay in reserve for the night.
Tuesday, July 5th. Finding the enemy were on the move
again, at 8 A. M. our brigade moved in
pursuit. Keeping to the
right of the railroad we advanced four
miles where the enemy
halted. Our regiment lay in reserve
until sundown, when our
brigade was taken to the front, our
regiment taking second line
about midnight.
Wednesday, July 6th. At 7 A. M. our regiment moved on
the front line and threw up works facing
south.
Thursday, July 7th. Lay in our works all day, now and
then visited by a stray Minie ball.
ATLANTA CAMPAIGN, NEAR CHATTAHOOCHEE
RIVER
Friday, July 8th. About 8 A. M. moved three-fourths of a
mile and pitched tents in regular camp
order in the woods one and
one-fourth miles from the Chattahoochee
River, near the railroad
and to the right of it.
Saturday, July 9th. At 6 A. M. our regiment went on the
skirmish line. We had hardly taken
position when we had orders
to advance to the enemy's rifle pits,
skirmish line. Our com-
pany, F, in reserve. This order was
executed. Then crossing
to the left of the railroad under heavy
fire, we advanced to the
crest of a little hill or ridge 150 yards from the enemy's
main line
of works. We lay there some time exposed
to a galling fire from
the enemy, and some from our artillery,
our regiment losing
heavily. This is where Jimmy Dorsey and
Thomas Foreman of
our company were killed, and a number
wounded. Our company,
finding ourselves outflanked by the
withdrawal of our support on
both our right and left, fell back to
the enemy's rifle pits. Here,
finding we were still outflanked we
retired nearly to our old skir-
mish line, where we remained the balance
of the day and night,
to the right of the railroad. In this
retreat I felt my danger as
keenly as any time when in the service.
On my way back I over-
took Mahlon Povenmire, of our company,
very badly wounded-
totally disabled in one leg. Had him
throw his weight (190 lbs.)
Diary of Jacob Adams 675 on me and hobble along on one leg. We realized our progress was very slow crossing the railroad where bullets flew thick and fast. ATLANTA CAMPAIGN, ACROSS THE CHATTA- HOOCHEE RIVER AND AT PEACH- TREE CREEK. Sunday, July 10th. Finding the enemy had evacuated their works and safely crossed the Chattahoochee River, and seeing |
|
our dead comrades were decently buried, we returned to camp to rest our weary limbs. Monday and Tuesday, July IIth and 12th. Lay in camp washing up and drew new clothing. Wednesday, July 13th to Saturday, July 16th. In camp. Heard some musketry firing. Sunday, July 17th. About noon our brigade moved out in |
676 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
a roundabout course some three miles,
where we crossed the
Chattahoochee River on a pontoon bridge
one and one-half miles
above the railroad. Thence east some
three miles, our regiment
in front, where we halted for the night.
Our regiment took posi-
tion on top of a little hill on second
line, and after throwing up
light defenses, we lay on arms for the
night.
Monday, July 18th. At 8 A. M. our brigade moved out to-
ward Atlanta for five miles, over hills,
through valleys, woods,
over the logs and brush, and under the
hot sun, driving the enemy
before us, mostly by the skirmish line.
Our regiment halted for
the night and threw up light works.
Tuesday, July 19th. About 8 P. M. the brigade moved
about a mile and took position on a
little hill to support the front
line until 3 A. M.
Wednesday, July 20th. Our brigade moved a mile to the
left, crossed Peachtree Creek, and an
advance of three-fourths of a
mile found our brigade again on the
front. At noon our regiment
took its place on the front line, and
went to work under heavy fire
building works or reversing the enemy's
works. At 1 P. M. our
company went on skirmish line. At 4 P.
M. had orders to ad-
vance, which order was countermanded, as
the Rebs. made an
unsuccessful charge.
ATLANTA CAMPAIGN (NEAR ATLANTA)
Thursday, July 21st. Lay by our works until 5 P. M. when
our brigade advanced one and one-fourth
miles, under fire from
artillery and musketry, driving the
enemy before us. Halted
about four miles from Atlanta, and under
heavy fire commenced
throwing up works, with no tools but our
bayonets and frying
pans, within 200 yards of the enemy, and
right under the fire of a
battery. Worked our best until 2 A. M.
of Friday, 22nd. To our
utmost satisfaction we got orders to
quit work, that the Rebs. had
left their works in our front, and at
daylight we moved over to
the enemy's works. Made coffee there and
took breakfast. At
9 A. M. we again moved forward and came
up to where the John-
Diary of Jacob Adams 677
nies had made another stand, one ane
one-half miles from At-
lanta. Our brigade took position to the
right of the railroad and
threw up works, our regiment on second
line. General McPher-
son was killed on the left and not far
from where we maneu-
vered.
Saturday, July 23rd. In our works all day. Some shots
exchanged by the artillery, and we got
our share. One killed in
Company D.
Sunday, July 24th. Still in our works. But little firing
until 9 P. M. when our men made a feint
on the enemy and
created quite a scare among the
Johnnies. Also among the
teamsters and men in our rear.
Monday, July 25th. Not much firing to be heard.
Tuesday, July 26th. At 6 P. M. our brigade was relieved
by the 1st Brigade and went a short
distance to the rear and lay
in reserve. Some artillery dueling.
Wednesday, July 27th. We lay still and rest. But little
firing along the line.
ATLANTA CAMPAIGN (IN FRONT OF ATLANTA)
Thursday, July 28th. We lay in our tents listening to
heavy firing on our right and also on
our left. At 4 P. M.
our brigade was called out and rushed on
double-quick, five
miles to the right, took position and
threw up works to protect
the right flank of our line. About dark
our company went on
the skirmish line and stayed out all
night and morning of Friday,
July 29th. We found no
Johnnies near in front of us, and at
9 A. M. our brigade was relieved and
went back to our old posi-
tion in reserve. Not much firing was to
be heard. Our artillery
in front of us opened on them but got a
weak reply.
Saturday, July 30th. They again opened with their artillery
and kept throwing over shells to us all
day.
Sunday, July 31st. We lay in our tents. Very quiet in
front, some artillery firing on the
right.
678 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
CHANGES TAKEN PLACE IN OUR COMMAND,
JULY, 1864
On or about the 5th, Colonel Scriven
took sick and Colonel
Given took command of the 3rd Brigade.
On or about the 14th, the 69th O. V. V.
I., Colonel Moore,
was transferred to our brigade, and
Colonel Moore took com-
mand.
About the 15th, Brigadier General
Johnson returned and took
command of our division, the 1st.
In June, the 78th Pennsylvania V. I. was
sent north on
guard duty.
ATLANTA CAMPAIGN (IN FRONT OF ATLANTA)
Monday, August 1st. Our brigade was still lying in reserve
two miles north of Atlanta, just west of
the railroad. Brisk
cannonading all day in our front.
Tuesday, August 2nd. At 6 P. M. our brigade relieved the
1st Brigade and took position in front
just to the right of the
railroad. Our regiment on second line.
Some noise in front.
Wednesday, August 3rd. At 9 A. M. our brigade was re-
lieved and moved a mile to the right and
strung out in single line
on the right of the 20th Army Corps.
Heavy cannonading both
on right and left. Quiet in front of us.
Thursday, August 4th. At 1:30 P. M. our brigade got a
"hurry-up" call and marched
five miles to the right on quick
time to join our division and as soon as
we got there, without
rest we countermarched back to where we
started from. Our
regiment took position on front line
some 400 yards to the left
of where we were in the morning. Brisk
skirmishing in our
front, cannonading all along the line.
Friday, August 5th. At 5 P. M. our regiment moved 150
yards to the left and on second line.
Some cannonading all
along the line and quite brisk at times.
Saturday, August 6th to Tuesday,
August 9th. Lay still
listening to cannon music along the
line, frequently visited by
Minies.
Diary of Jacob Adams 679
Wednesday, August 10th. At daylight our regiment moved
to the front and took position on a
little hill to the right of a
little muddy creek, on front line, a
half mile from where we lay
the night before.
ATLANTA CAMPAIGN (IN THE SIEGE OF
ATLANTA)
Wednesday, August 10th (Continued). We went to work
building entrenchments under fire from
the enemy's sharp-
shooters. At dark our company was
detailed to go on the skir-
mish line and lay in reserve.
Thursday, August 11th. At daylight we went on the line
with orders to advance and take the
enemy's skirmish pits, which
we did on the right. The left of our
line of skirmishers ad-
vanced some 200 yards and
nearly to the enemy's rifle pits, but
owing to having no support on our left
and a large swamp in
front, we could go no further. We went
to it with our bayo-
nets and frying pans, our ever ready
tools, under a heavy fire
by both artillery and infantry, and soon
had pretty good pro-
tection. We stayed here all day, the
heavy fire continuing. Here,
Abraham Powell was killed and Samuel
Powell, his brother, was
seriously wounded. They, with Gideon
Powell, another brother,
formed a trio of brothers in our
company, of whom we were all
justly proud. At dark we were relieved
and went back to our
works on front line.
Friday, August 12th. We lay close to our works all day
under heavy artillery fire.
Saturday, August 13th. At 7 P. M. our regiment and others
of our brigade on the front line were
relieved by the second line
of our brigade and our regiment pitched
tents on second line.
Sunday, August 14th to Wednesday,
17th. Lay still listening
to the music of the artillery and
skirmishing on the line which
at times was quite lively.
Thursday, August 18th. At 4 A. M. our regiment again took
our old place on the front line, and at
dark I, with a few others
of our company went on the skirmish line
and kept the Johnnies
in health by giving them some blue
pills.
680 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
Friday, August 19th. At dark I was relieved and more of
our company went out on the skirmish
line.
Saturday, August 20th. We lay low listening to our men
shell Atlanta. It was not altogether a
one-sided game while we
lay here in our pretty complete works,
which in later days would
be called trenches. It would be all
quiet in front until we left
our pit and went on the side hill to
make coffee. The smoke
would be a signal for the enemy to
commence throwing over shells
to fan up our fires. Through their
carelessness this would often
strike our fire and carry all our meal
down hill. Then we would
hunt our hole, or "grab a
root" as the boys in the trench would
call out. At one time I had a pot of
mush cooking when the
signal came. I grabbed it and ran back
to the pit, when a shell
came and burst in our works, causing the
sand and gravel to
rain down for some ten minutes. This
completely peppered my
mush. Many other amusing incidents are
not recorded here.
Sunday, August 21st. At 6 P. M. our regiment was relieved
and went back on second line and pitched
tents.
Monday, August 22nd to Wednesday,
24th. Lay still all
the time.
Thursday, August 25th. At 8 P. M. our brigade moved to
the right about five miles, joined our
corps and lay low in an
open field about midnight.
ATLANTA CAMPAIGN (ON A FLANK MOVEMENT)
Friday, August 26th. Our brigade moved two miles to right
and joined our division.
Saturday, August 27th. At 7 A. M. our regiment moved
200 yards
to the right in works and lay in readiness to move or
fight at a moment's notice.
Sunday, August 28th. By 5 A. M. our brigade was on the
move, keeping a southwesterly course for
10 miles. Here we
struck the Mont. & West Pt. R. R. 13
miles west of Atlanta
at 6 P. M. Our brigade formed on the
left of the railroad facing
Atlanta, where we threw up light works
and lay down for the
night.
Diary of Jacob Adams 681
Monday, August 29th. At 6 A. M. our brigade put in the
day tearing up and destroying the
railroad track. The work done,
we went back where we were the night
before and drew rations.
Tuesday, August 30th. At 6 A. M. our brigade moved out
in a southeasterly direction some 13
miles and about sundown
we halted for the night, five and
one-half miles northwest of
Jonesboro, Georgia, on the Macon and
Western R. R.
Wednesday, August 31st. At 9 A. M. our brigade moved
south two miles, stacked arms and lay
until 3 P. M. We then
moved two miles toward the front and
turned around and moved
back to where we lay the night before.
CHANGES DURING JULY
On the 2nd the 37th Infantry left, our
brigade was detailed
as train guards.
On the 15th Brigadier General Carlin
took command of our
division, Brigadier General Johnson
being relieved at his own
request.
On the 14th, Major General Jeff. C.
Davis took command
of the 14th Army Corps, Vice Major
General Palmer.
ATLANTA CAMPAIGN (BATTLE OF JONESBORO)
Thursday, September 1st. The day opened clear, the sun
rose bright and warm and found our
brigade making coffee in
an open field some six miles northwest
of Jonesboro, Georgia.
At 7 A. M. the old 3rd Brigade moved out
with a cheerful step,
little thinking of the work that was
before it. We marched
nearly east some two miles, then turned
to the right and marched
one and one-half miles south where we
stacked arms and rested
a half hour. At 11 A. M. our brigade,
then in a cornfield, formed
in line of battle, was ordered to
advance and dislodge the enemy
from a position in our front, which
order was handsomely ex-
ecuted. We charged across a field 1000
yards and drove the
enemy from their entrenchments under a
heavy fire from both
artillery and infantry. We did not halt
there, but pressed on
half a mile and halted in a pine grove.
As a matter of self in-
682 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
terest we fell to throwing up a defense,
the shells flying over our
heads, not slow. We had worked only a
short time when our
regiment was ordered to report to
General Carlin, which we did
without delay. There being a gap between
our Corps, the 14th
and the 4th Corps, we learned our
mission was to reconnoiter
and find the railroad and the right of
the 4th Corps at all hazards,
which was done with dispatch. By
advancing three-fourths of a
mile we struck the right of the 4th
Corps already stationed, and
the rest of our brigade soon joined us.
At 3 P. M. the brigade formed on the
right of the railroad.
we advanced three-fourths of a mile,
meeting but little resistance.
Passing through a strip of wood, we came
to an open field 400
yards wide, on the opposite side of
which, in a strip of wood,
the enemy had a strong skirmish line
with logs and rails thrown
up for protection. There we charged and
drove them from their
position into their main line of works,
a short distance away.
We took position in the edge of the
wood, taking shelter behind
the enemy's skirmish pits, which
afforded slight protection from
the heavy fire the enemy poured into us
from their main line
175 yards away, protected by hastily
thrown up works. We lay
there only a short time when we got
orders to again advance,
and, under deadly fire, we moved forward
a short distance, halted
and reformed our line. There seemed to
be a lull in the storm,
but it was soon broken by an awful roar
on our right and as we
advanced this roar was soon drowned by
the deafening sound of
the enemy's cannon and musketry in our
front, which threw
messengers of death into our ranks in an
appalling manner. But
that did not halt the old Third Brigade.
On the contrary, we
pushed forward through showers of
canister and Minie balls
and gained the enemy's works which were
strongly contested.
We lay there under a heavy fire until
dusk. Leaving a heavy
skirmish line to protect and hold what
we had gained, the main
line retired to the edge of the woods
and lay down for the night,
not much disturbed by the Johnnies.
In our last charge we had quite a
thrilling experience. In
our advance we had to cross the railroad
at a left oblique course,
and where our company crossed it was a
deep cut, easy to go
Diary of Jacob Adams 683
down, but too, steep to climb up on the
other side until we ran
a few rods where the enemy was filling
the air with grape and
canister from a battery posted so as to
rake the railroad. The
loss to our regiment was light in this
engagement, considering
what we went through, about 35 killed
and wounded in our regi-
ment and two wounded in our company.
Friday, September 2nd. Daylight found no enemy near us.
They, being completely worsted the day
before, took advantage
of the darkness and got up and lit out,
leaving haversacks, knap-
sacks, camp equipment, etc. behind. At 9
A. M. our brigade
moved over to Jonesboro and camped north
of town.
This practically ends the ATLANTA
CAMPAIGN, which
spells VICTORY with a capital V.
The army was healthy, well fed and in
good spirits all the
way through. Our loss was very light for
the fighting we did
and for the amount we accomplished. This
was largely due to
General Sherman's flanking tactics and
to universal rule of
throwing up works as soon as we took
position where there was
no protection. Our ever-present tools,
the bayonet and the fry-
ing-pan, deserve much credit, the
bayonet to pick the ground
loose and the frying pan to throw it
out.
ATLANTA CAMPAIGN
The experience of myself with my
regiment and brigade,
as I have attempted to describe this
120-day battle, is a fair
sample of what every regiment and
brigade in the army did.
While we were not all actively engaged
every day, yet, I think
that was the case with every battle of
shorter duration during
the Civil War. In the three-day battle
of Stone's River or Mur-
freesboro, Tennessee, one of the most
severe engagements of the
war, the troops were not all in action
at once. On the first day
the left wing of our army was very
lightly engaged, the second
day was all quiet along the line, except
on the part of the artil-
lery, and the third day the right wing
of our army did not have
much to do. So it was on the Atlanta
campaign, though on a
larger scale. The enemy stubbornly
contested every foot of the
about 150 miles we drove them over. The
loss of the Rebs.
684 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
doubtless was light for they were nearly
always behind works.
They would hold their fortified position
as long as they could,
and when they saw they would be
outflanked they fell back to
another selected position already
fortified by a gang of negroes
they had constantly working in that way.
Toward the latter
part of the campaign, General Hood took
command of the Rebel
Army in our front and used different
tactics. He would some-
times come out of his defenses and would
get a good trouncing
and doubtless lost heavily.
RETURNING TO ATLANTA AND IN CAMP THERE
Saturday, September 3rd, to Monday,
September 5th. We
lay still all the time, our corps in
reserve at Jonesboro, while the
rest of the army pursued the retreating
and demoralized Reb.
army.
Tuesday, September 6th. As our victorious army had pur-
sued the enemy as far as thought
necessary, it had begun to fall
back to Atlanta to go into camp to rest.
About noon our brigade
moved out on quick time about two miles
north of town where
we formed in a strip of woods to protect
the rear of our army
and put up for the night.
Wednesday, September 7th. Our brigade took up the march
at 7 A. M. and marched about 10 miles on
quick time. Halted
at 1 P. M. and bivouacked for the night,
at Rough and Ready
Station, near the railroad three miles
south of Eastpoint.
Thursday, September 8th. At 7 A. M. we marched out to
the music of the band bound for Atlanta.
Marched some six
miles where we halted one and one-half
miles west of Atlanta
and pitched tents in regular camp order.
Friday, September 9th. Policed our camp.
Saturday, September 10th. At 8 P. M. our brigade moved
one-half mile south and north of the
railroad from Atlanta to
Eastpoint.
Sunday, September 11th. We lay out the ground and pitched
tents.
Monday, September 12th. Policed the camp.
Diary of Jacob Adams 685
Tuesday, September 13th. At 9 A. M. had inspection by
Brigade Inspector.
Wednesday, September 14th to
Thursday, September 15th.
We lay still and did nothing but enjoy
our good times.
Friday, September 16th. Our
brigade had dress parade,
the first time since we
veteraned.
Saturday, September 17th. Our regiment was all detailed
and at 6:30 A. M. started out on picket.
I stayed in camp on an
excuse from the doctor, the first since
I enlisted.
Sunday, September 18th. At 8 A. M. the regiment came in
off picket.
Friday, September 23rd. At 1 P. M. had brigade inspec-
tion.
Sunday, September 25th. Sunday morning inspection at 9
A. M. After that I went to town and put
in the rest of the day
looking over Atlanta.
Thursday, September 29th. In
the morning I went on
camp guard and stayed all day.
Friday, September 30th. At 7 A. M. the regiment all went
on picket, but I, not having been
relieved from camp guard
stayed in until 4 P. M. We went on
picket where we stayed
all night in the rain.
CHANGES IN COMMANDS DURING SEPTEMBER
About the 15th the 1st Wisconsin left
our brigade, their
time being up. On the 26th the
non-veterans of our regiment
left Atlanta for home.
About the 11th, Colonel Hambright took
command of the 3rd
Brigade, Vice Colonel Moore.
Officers in command, respectively, in
order: Lieutenant, J.
L. Keller; Lieutenant Colonel McMahen;
Colonel Hambright;
Brigadier General Carlin; Brevet Major
General Jeff. C. Davis;
Major General Thomas.
MOVING NORTH AFTER HOOD
Saturday, October 1st. The morning found our regiment
on picket near Atlanta, Georgia, and at
8 A. M. were relieved
686 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications
and went back to camp, two miles
southwest of Atlanta. At 4
P. M. had battalion drill.
Sunday, October 2nd. Had company inspection at 9 A. M.
Monday, October 3rd. The reveille call sounded at 4 A. M.
with orders to move on short notice, and
at 1 P. M. our brigade
took up the line of march with the
balance of the 14th Army
Corps, as General Hood, who was now in
command of the
enemy's forces in our front, was making
demonstrations in our
rear to interrupt our communication.
Consequently our atten-
tion was called to the northward. Taking
a roundabout course,
we marched about 10 miles and crossed
the Chattahoochee river
just above the railroad bridge, keeping
near the railroad. We
moved north one and one-half miles and
at 10 P. M. we halted
for the night on the C. & A. R. R.
Tuesday, October 4th. At 8 A. M. our brigade moved out,
keeping to the left of the railroad.
Moved northwest three miles
and halted until 3 P. M. We then moved nearly
west and stopped
for the night about 8 P. M. Our company
was detailed on picket
duty. Went about one-half mile and was
stationed as vidette
and to guard a spring, where we lay
until noon of Wednesday.
Wednesday, October 5th. We were relieved, joined our
regiment and were soon on the move. Went
12 miles
and at II
P. M. we halted near Marietta, quite
fatigued.
Thursday, October 6th. At 7 A. M. moved out, keeping to
the left of Kenesaw mountain. Marched
some six miles and at
noon halted for the day, two miles west
of Kenesaw mountain.
Saturday, October 8th. At 3 P. M. our brigade took up the
line of march and went north eight miles
and camped some
three miles southwest of Acworth.
Monday, October 10th. The assembly sounded at 4 P. M.
and our brigade moved out. Our regiment
was on picket and
formed the rear guard of the corps. Our
company lay in re-
serve at an old church, where we were
until 1 A. M. of Tuesday.
Tuesday, October 11th. We started to follow the brigade,
marching some four miles on quick time,
and crossed the rail-
road at Acworth. Stopped on a little
creek until daylight,
when we started again on quick time to
overtake the brigade,
Diary of Jacob Adams 687
keeping on or near the railroad. We
passed through Allatoona,
Georgia, without rest, marched on and
crossed the Etowah river,
just below the railroad bridge. Then
passing to the left of
Cartersville we overtook the brigade
some three miles north of
the Etowah river. We marched on and at 7
P. M. halted for
the night one and one-half miles west of
Kingston, Georgia,
marching in all 31 miles. After drinking
a cup of hot coffee,
lay down on my gum blanket quite
fatigued and slept soundly.
Wednesday, October 13th. At 7 A. M.
our brigade moved
in a northwesterly direction 10 miles
where we struck the Rome
and Calhoun Pike. This we followed and
at dark halted for the
night within two miles of Rome, Georgia,
having marched 16
miles.
Thursday, October 14th. At dark our brigade moved out
again back northeast on the Rome and
Calhoun Pike and about
I A. M. of Friday, we halted and lay
down to sleep until 4 A. M.
At daylight we were again on the move.
We marched to and
crossed a river and took dinner on the
north bank near Cal-
houn, which town we marched through to
the music of the band.
Keeping near the railroad we marched to
Resaca, Georgia, and
at dark we went in camp on the south
bank of the river.
Saturday, October 15th. At 7 A. M. we pulled out, crossed
the river and marched 15 miles. At 10 P.
M. we halted and
camped at the foot of a mountain.
Sunday, October 16th. At 7 A. M. our brigade again moved
out. We climbed the mountain and came
down in Snake Gap,
about two miles from the north entrance
to which we marched
and there rested about an hour. Then we
moved west eight
miles and about 4 P. M. halted for the
night.
Tuesday, October 18th. At 9 A. M. the brigade moved
nearly west, struck the Chattanooga
& Summerville Pike, then
moved nearly south until 9 P. M. when we
halted for the night,
marching 16 miles.
Wednesday, October 19th. Struck out about 6 A. M. and
crossed the river on a foot bridge, then
marched southwest eight
miles and halted at Summerville,
Georgia, at 3 P. M.
Thursday, October 20th. At 9 A. M. we moved in a south-
688 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
westerly course 20 miles and at 2
P. M. halted for the night, on
the west bank of the Chattanooga river
two miles northwest of
Galesville, Alabama.
Monday, October 24th. At 1 P. M. our brigade alone started
on a scout. Moved up the river six miles
and crossed it on a
covered bridge at Chattooga, Georgia.
Took the Rome road
four miles east and halted for the day
at 7 P. M.
ON WAY BACK TOWARD ATLANTA
Tuesday, October 25th. Reveille sounded at 4 A. M. and
at 5:30 we were on the move. Took a
northeasterly course and
went over every conceivable kind of
country, road and no road,
filled our haversacks well and gave that
country a complete
scouting. Passed through Dirttown and
other little towns, and
after traveling some 25 miles we camped
13 miles northwest of
Rome.
Wednesday, October 26th. Again we were called out at
4 A. M. and at 5:30 we were in motion.
Taking a roundabout
course, mainly southwest over mountain
and through valleys,
we had marched some 22 miles
when we struck the Rome and
Chattoogaville Pike about sundown and
soon were in camp.
Thursday, October 27th. Moved out at 6 A. M. Marched
west some nine miles and took dinner at
the Chattoogaville
bridge. Crossed the river, then moved
down it and about sun-
down we got back to our old camp near
Galesville, Alabama,
thus ending our brigade's scouting
expedition.
Friday, October 28th. At 2 P. M. the assembly blew and
we moved out east four miles and halted.
Our regiment went on
picket.
Saturday, October 29th. At daylight moved east for 22
miles and camped on the river a mile
west of Rome, Georgia,
for a rest.
Sunday, October 30th. We lay still and signed the pay-roll.
Monday, October 31st. At 9 A. M. had inspection and mus-
ter.
Diary of Jacob Adams 689
CHANGES IN OUR COMMAND DURING THE MONTH
On the 8th, the 79th Pennsylvania was
taken to fix the rail-
road and have not come back to the
brigade.
About the 1st Major General Thomas
released command of
the Army of the Cumberland.
MARCH BACK TO ATLANTA
Tuesday, November 1st. Nothing with our regiment but
draw pay.
Wednesday, November 2nd. At 7 A. M. our brigade moved
out through town where we took the
Kingston Pike, moving
steadily through rain and mud. We halted
for the day a mile
west of Kingston, Georgia.
Thursday, November 3rd. We lay in camp and warmed our
shins.
Friday, November 4th. At 5 P. M. our company nearly all
went on picket. I stayed in camp as
Headquarters' guard.
Saturday, November 5th to Monday,
November 7th. Noth-
ing but inspection on Sunday.
Tuesday, November 8th. At 2 P. M. our regiment went
foraging up the Etowah river four miles.
Got back to camp at
6 P. M.
Saturday, November 12th. At 9 A. M. our brigade moved
out but did not leave town until 1 P. M.
when we marched for
Atlanta, traveling parallel with the
railroad. We marched 12
miles, camped at Cartersville, Georgia,
and drew rations without
requisition.
Sunday, November 13th. At 7 A. M. we were on the move.
Crossed the Etowah river below the
railroad bridge, then, keep-
ing on or near the railroad we marched
through Allatoona and
Acworth, Georgia. After tearing up the
railroad from Ac-
worth to Big Shanty, we camped at the
latter place for the
night, after a 20-mile march.
Monday, November 14th. Moved out early in the morn-
ing and traveling parallel with the
railroad we marched through
Vol. XXXVIII--44.
690 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
Marietta, Georgia, and about dark we
halted on the north bank
of the Chattahoochee River after a
20-mile march.
Tuesday, November 15th. Crossed the Chattahoochee River
just above the railroad bridge and then
struck for Atlanta,
Georgia, nine miles distant where we
arrived at noon. At 2 P. M.
we halted a mile from town on the
Augusta railroad.
START ON "SHERMAN'S MARCH TO THE
SEA"
Wednesday, November 16th. At 7 P. M. our brigade, with
the rest of Sherman's Army was on the
move for farther "Down
in Dixie." Keeping near the Augusta
railroad we marched
through Decatur, Georgia, and to the
right of Stone mountain.
After marching 24 miles we camped for
the night at Lithonia,
Georgia, at 7 P. M.
Thursday, November 17th. Moved at 7 A.
M. keeping near
the railroad and marched through
Conyers, Georgia. Went to
tearing up the railroad which kept us
from camping until 9 P. M.,
when we pulled in near Yellow River,
after marching 16 miles.
Friday, November 18th. Moved out at 7 A. M. passing
through Covington, Georgia, and at noon
we halted four miles
east, after marching seven miles.
Saturday, November 19th. Marched nearly south 10 miles,
pulling out at 11 A. M. and
halted at 8 P. M. Our regiment went
on picket.
Sunday, November 20th. Marched south 20 miles. Moved
out at 5 A. M. Halted at dark.
Monday, November 21st. Marched southeast seven miles,
moving out at 6 A. M. and halted for
night at sundown, 20 miles
northwest of Milledgeville.
Tuesday, November 22nd. Marched southeast 10 miles.
Started at 7 A. M. and halted at dark.
Wednesday, November 23rd. Moved out at 6 A. M. After
marching 12 miles we came to
Milledgeville, Georgia, where we
camped for the night in the north edge
of the city.
Thursday, November 24th. At 7 A. M. we moved out
through the city, crossed the Oconee
River on the covered bridge
Diary of Jacob Adams 691
just east of town, then took the
Sandersville Pike east 14 miles
and halted at 2 P. M.
Saturday, November 26th. Moved out at 7 A. M. Keeping
the Sandersville Pike we marched
southeast six miles at a slow
and tedious gait and at 8 P. M. we
halted for the night 11 miles
northwest of Sandersville.
Sunday, November 27th. Moved out at 7 A. M. and in a
short time crossed Buffalo swamp, and
about a mile farther
crossed Keg Creek. Then on to
Sandersville, Georgia. We
then took the Louisville road east nine
miles and at sundown
we halted for night two miles from
Davisboro near the Georgia
Central R. R. Marched 20 miles.
Monday, November 28th. Starting at 7 A. M. we marched
through Davisboro, Georgia. Still
keeping the Louisville road we
crossed the Ogeechee River, then moved
two miles and at 9 P. M.
halted for the night a mile from
Louisville, Georgia, having
marched 15 miles.
Tuesday, November 29th. In the forenoon we moved to
Louisville and halted about two miles
north of town where we
lay until Wednesday.
Wednesday, November 3oth. Were early on the move.
Marched southeast some 17 miles passing
through Sebastapol,
Georgia. At 7 P. M. we halted for the
night three miles east of
Sebastapol. Our regiment was on picket
duty and maneuvered
around nearly all night and got little
sleep.
CHANGES IN OUR BRIGADE DURING NOVEMBER
On the 14th the 79th Pennsylvania
returned to the brigade at
Marietta, Georgia.
On the 1st the 13th Michigan temporarily
assigned to our
brigade.
On the 17th the 69th O. V. V. I. and the
13th Michigan were
transferred from our brigade to the 2nd
Brigade.
On or about the 19th
Lieutenant Colonel Miles of the 79th
took command of our brigade, vice
Colonel Hambright taken sick.
Thursday, December 1st. This day found our regiment on
picket two miles east of Sebastapol,
Georgia. At daylight the
692 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
pack-up call sounded and we were soon on
the move with the
brigade. Moved some six miles north and
rested at 10 A. M.
Friday, December 2nd. Moved out at 7 A. M. Went north
some distance, then east and halted for
the night at sundown,
having marched 15 miles.
Saturday, December 3rd. Marched northeast 17 miles, cross-
ing Buckhead River, a creek and several
swamps and at dark
camped for the night on the Augusta
& Millen R. R., 10 miles
north of Millen, Georgia.
Sunday, December 4th. Our brigade put in the forenoon
tearing up the railroad track. At 1 P.
M. we moved on. Our
regiment was rear-guard and did some
skirmishing with the rebel
cavalry all afternoon. We moved
southeast 12 miles over swamps
and at 9 P. M. camped for the night. My
company go on picket.
I stayed in.
Monday, December 5th. Marched southeast 15 miles, pulling
out before daylight and halted for the
night at 9 A. M. within three
miles of the Savannah River.
Tuesday, December 6th. Were on the move at daylight.
Moving down the Savannah River we kept
about three miles from
it. After marching 16 miles we halted at
8 P. M.
Wednesday, December 7th. Traveled
down the river 17
miles. Starting at 7 A. M. and stopping
at 10 P. M.
Thursday, December 8th. At sunup we pulled out, marched
down the river eight miles and crossed
Ebenezer Creek and at
10 P. M., camped just beyond the
creek.
Friday, December 9th. Marched down the Savannah ii
miles, starting at 8 A. M. and stopping
at sundown.
Saturday, December Ioth. Marched only three miles and
stopped for the night I miles
up the river from Savannah,
Georgia.
Sunday, December iith. Coming up in front of Savannah,
Georgia, we marched toward the city
seven and one-half miles,
then turned to the right and marched
through rice swamps for
four miles, crossing the Georgia Central
R. R. Dark found our
brigade in line of battle, in the swamps
on the old canal five miles
west of Savannah, with plenty of
Johnnies in our front.
Diary of Jacob Adams 693
Monday, December 12th to Wednesday,
December 14th. Our
men lay still listening to the sound of
the artillery and skirmishing
all along the line and now and then
visited by a stray Minie.
Thursday, December 1i5th. In the afternoon our regiment
moved 200 yards to the left to a position
on the north side of the
canal.
Friday, December 6th and Saturday,
December 17th. We
lay in same position.
Sunday, December 18th. My company went on the skir-
mish line. I stayed in.
Monday, December 19th. At 4 A. M. our brigade moved
across the canal some 200 yards to the left and relieved the 2nd
Brigade and took position behind the
works on front line. Here
we lay listening to the music of the
Minie balls soaring over our
heads.
Tuesday, December 20th. Lay still. A detail was made to
bridge the swamp in our front and we
expected to have to charge
the enemy's works in our front the next
morning.
Wednesday, December 21st. Before daylight we learned to
our great satisfaction that the enemy
had evacuated their works in
our front and at 6 A. M. our regiment
and the 79th Pennsylvania
were sent out to reconnoiter and find
the enemy's whereabouts.
We advanced as far as Savannah but found
no enemy. After
staying in the city about an hour we
returned to where we had
lain the night before.
COMMENTS ON "SHERMAN'S MARCH
THROUGH
GEORGIA"
Wednesday, the 21st of December,
1864, successfully ended
the famous campaign of "Sherman's
March to the Sea", which
commenced November 15th, 1864. The
movement was a complete
success and not hard service to the
army. The health of the
troops was good and we usually had
plenty to eat, though we had
to depend largely on the country through
which we passed. The
army was spread out on different roads,
so we cut quite a wide
swath, not only taking to eat what first
came to sight, but really
694 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
"gleaning the fields" as it
were, leaving slim living for the people
in the strip traveled over. The
railroads all being destroyed in our
path, some of the inhabitants may have
gone a little hungry. We
cannot blame the Southern people for
having no ardent love for
General Sherman. It was not from orders
from the officers, nor
was it the object of the army to destroy
any property, except
what would tend to hasten the end of the
war. We were some-
what short of rations for a time after
we struck the vicinity of
Savannah, until we routed the enemy and
the transports could get
up with eats. We had to live almost
altogether on rice which
we had to thresh ourselves by hand,
which was no easy job, as
the hulls stick to the grain with great
persistency. At Atlanta
on the night of November 15th I was in
the section of the city
which was burning. It was quite a sight
to see the fire and hear
shells burst that had lodged in the
buildings during the siege.
IN CAMP AT SAVANNAH
Thursday, December 22nd. We moved to within one and
one-half miles of the city and went into
regular camp.
Friday, December 23rd and Saturday,
December 24th. Did
nothing but fix quarters and rest.
Sunday, December 25th. Christmas. I put in the day run-
ning over the city of Savannah.
Monday, December 26th. There was company drill in the
forenoon and we prepared for inspection
on the day to follow.
Tuesday, December 27th. At 8 A. M. left camp for grand
review. Our Corps, the 14th, was reviewed
in the city of Sa-
vannah by General W. T. Sherman.
Thursday, December 29th. At noon we got orders to move
out on quick time. Did not move far.
Only changed camp to
some 400 yards nearer town.
Friday, December 30th. Fixed up our tents and policed our
camp ground.
Saturday, December 31st. At 2 P. M. were inspected by
brigade inspector.
Diary of Jacob Adams 695
STARTED ON CAROLINA CAMPAIGN
Sunday, January 1st, 1865. Today found our regiment with
the rest of our brigade in camp one and
one-half miles west of
Savannah, Georgia. At 8 A. M. had Sunday
morning inspection.
After that was over I went to camp of
the 47th Ohio and put in
the day with several old comrades.
Wednesday, January 4th. At noon our regiment started out
on picket with three days' rations. We
went out to the enemy's
breastworks at an old rice mill six miles
from town.
Thursday, January 5th and
Friday, January 6th. Still out
on picket.
Saturday, January 7th. In the afternoon were relieved and
returned to camp.
Wednesday, January 11th. At 6 A. M. our regiment reported
to work on fortification south of the
city and returned to camp
at sundown.
Saturday, January 14th. Our regiment worked on fortifi-
cation south of the city.
Sunday, January 15th and Monday,
January 16th. Nothing
but Sunday inspection.
Tuesday, January 17th. I was in a detail of the regiment to
work on a fort west of town near the
depot.
Friday, January 20th. Again on the move to parts unknown
to me then. At 11 A. M. the assembly
call was heard and in a
few minutes our brigade was with the
Georgia Central R. R. and
marched seven miles through rain, mud
and swamps. At 4 P. M.
we halted in a pine wood.
BEGINNING OF THE CAROLINA CAMPAIGN
Saturday, January 21st to Tuesday,
January 24th. Lay still
and rested.
Wednesday, January 25th. Our brigade moved out at 7 A.
M. keeping a northerly direction for 15
miles. We halted for the
night at 4 P. M.
Thursday, January 26th. Moved out at 7 A. M. through
swamps all the way, nearly north 10
miles. We halted for the
696 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
night near Springfield, Georgia. Our
regiment went on picket
duty.
Friday, January 27th. At 10 A. M. our regiment was re-
lieved and started to march, but went
only a short distance when
we stopped and lay still and shortly
came back to where our
brigade lay the night before, and lay
there for the night.
Saturday, January 28th. We moved out about 1 P. M., went
through Springfield, thence on a
southeasterly course for eight
miles, crossed Ebenezer creek and halted
at dark.
Sunday, January 29th. Moved one and one-half miles,
halted and put up tents in regular camp
style near the Savannah
River one and one-half miles from the
ferry, which was 35 or 40
miles above Savannah.
Monday, January 30th and Tuesday,
January 31st. The
brigade lay still and rested.
MOVING IN SOUTH CAROLINA
Wednesday, February 1st. Today found our regiment with
the balance of our brigade still camped
near the landing on the
west bank of the Savannah River some 35
miles above Savannah
by land road.
Thursday, February 2nd. In
the afternoon I went on
picket, where I stayed until 3 P. M. of
Friday.
Friday, February 3rd. Had dress parade in the evening.
Saturday, February 4th. Drilled.
Sunday, February 5th. Crossed the Savannah River into
South Carolina about 9 A. M. Marched
down to the landing and
crossed the river on pontoon bridge,
then moved up the river two
miles and pitched tents for the first
time in South Carolina. We
camped near Sister's Ferry where we drew
clothing and rations.
Monday, February 6th. Struck tents, broke camp and at
10 A. M. moved out, marching
northeast. We crossed a five-mile
swamp and came to what was
Taylorville. There we took the
Augusta road and at 5 P. M. we halted at
a little town, having
marched 11 miles.
Diary of Jacob Adams 697
Tuesday, February 7th. Moved out at 7 A. M. taking the
Orangeburg road and marched northeast
for nine miles. Halted
near a church at sundown.
Wednesday, February 8th. In the morning moved about a
mile halted and pitched tents and lay
still for the day.
Thursday, February 9th. Struck tents, broke camp and at
7 A. M. were on the move. Kept the
Orangeburg road six miles,
then turned to the left and marched
nearly west some distance. We
turned then to the right, marching north
and at sundown we
halted for the night, after marching 20 miles. My
company went
on picket after we halted.
Friday, February 10th. Marched nearly northeast for 20
miles, starting at 6 A. M. and halting
for the night at sundown.
Saturday, February 11th. We were on the move by day-
light. Marched north seven miles to
Barnwell, South Carolina,
where we took dinner, then moved north
and camped at sundown.
Sunday, February 12th. Pulled out at daylight. Going
north six miles we struck the Charleston
& Augusta R. R. at
Whitepond station. Thence our division
went four miles west
on the railroad and tore it up in good
shape, after which we re-
turned to Whitepond and camped at
sundown, moving 14 miles.
Monday, February 13th. The regiment moved out at 7 A. M.
Our company was detailed to do foraging.
Took to the right and
went to Willowstown, South Carolina.
There took the Colum-
bia road and joined the regiment at
South Edisto River. Here
crossed the river and moved down it
seven miles and camped at 9
P. M. Our company traveled 24 miles that
day.
Tuesday, February 14th. Moved out at 8 A. M. Went to-
ward Columbia for 21 miles, crossing
North Edisto River, and at
dark camped for the night 19 miles south
of Columbia.
Wednesday, February 15th. Our division took to the left
of the Columbia road, moving out at 6 A.
M. Our brigade was in
advance and had to skirmish nearly all
day, the enemy's cavalry
being in evidence. Marched northwest 15
miles and at 9 P. M.
halted for the night at Lexington, South
Carolina, 12 miles south-
west of Columbia.
698 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
Thursday, February 16th. Moved forward at 10 A. M. and
marched within five miles of Columbia,
then moved back a dis-
tance and crossed the Saluda River on
pontoon at a ferry eight
miles above Columbia. Camped at 10 P. M.
and my company
went on picket. Marched 12 miles.
Friday, February 17th. Marched northwest 12 miles starting
at 7 A. M. and stopping at 2 P. M.
Saturday, February 18th. Lay still and rested.
Sunday, February 19th. At 9 A. M. we moved down to
Broad River, which we crossed on pontoon
bridge at Freshies
Ferry, 21 miles above Columbia. We then moved some distance
northwest. At 4 P. M. stopped for the
night, having marched
nine miles.
Monday, February 20th. Went northeast five miles, cross-
ing Little River and halted 10 miles
southwest of Winnsboro,
South Carolina.
Tuesday, February 21st. Moved out at
daylight and by
marching steadily got to Winnsboro at
noon. Got dinner, then
marched north six miles and halted for
night at sundown. Marched
16 miles.
Wednesday, February 22nd. Again moved out at daylight.
Marched parallel with the Columbia &
Richmond R. R. for 11
miles. Our brigade tore up a lot of the
railroad at Blackstock
Station, then went back three miles and
at sundown camped at
Chester P. O. Marched 14 miles.
Thursday, February 23rd. On the move at 6 A. M. Took a
roundabout course, mainly an eastern
direction, and marched 12
miles. Halted for the night at 2 P. M.
two and one-half miles
from the Catawba River.
Friday, February 24th and Saturday,
February 25th. Lay
still and rested.
Sunday, February 26th. In the morning our company went
on a foraging chase for eats. We crossed
Rocky River and went
10 miles north and returned to the
brigade, which had moved a
mile nearer the river.
Monday, February 27th. At noon, as we were eating din-
ner, a band of Rebs. appeared almost in
our camp. As we did not
Diary of Jacob Adams 699
invite them to eat with us, they
ceremoniously retired. Our com-
pany went on picket.
Tuesday, February 28th. Crossed the Catawba River on
pontoons, 47 miles from Columbia. Our
company, being on
picket, formed the rear-guard to the
river. Took all the day
crossing the river and helping the teams
up the river bank.
Camped on river bank. Company F, 21st O.
V. V. I. 3d Brigade,
1st Division 14th Army Corps for
February, 1865.
Wednesday, March 1st. The morning found us on the
east bank of the Catawba River, some 45
miles southwest of Ches-
terfield, South Carolina, which place we
struck out for, pulling
out at 6 A. M., marching through the mud
14 miles and halted for
the night at sundown.
Thursday, March 2nd. Marched 12 miles, crossing King's
Creek. Started at daylight and halted at
dark.
Friday, March 3rd. Marched 15 miles. Crossed Lynch
Creek and two or three little streams.
Marched out at daylight,
halted at dark.
Saturday, March 4th. Crossed over into North Carolina.
We moved out about 10 A. M. and went
within nine miles of
Chesterfield. There we turned to the
left and at 11 P. M. we
halted in North Carolina close to the
state line, having marched
16 miles.
Sunday, March 5th. Pulled out at 6 A. M., marched 13 miles
east, and halted again in South Carolina
near the state line, a
mile from Great Pedee River.
Monday, March 6th. At 6 A. M. we moved down to the
river to cross but lay there waiting
until 1 A. M. of Tuesday.
Tuesday, March 7th. Crossed the Great Pedee River on
pontoons at Pedee Ferry, about one and
one-half miles below
the North Carolina and South Carolina
state lines. We went
about two miles and stopped (yet in
South Carolina) and lay
there until 11 A. M. We then marched
northeast 13 miles, cross-
ing Marks Creek, and at sundown halted
for the night four miles
east of Rockingham, North Carolina.
Wednesday, March 8th. We took the route for Fayette-
700 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications
ville, North Carolina. Moving out at 7
A. M. and, after march-
ing 20
miles and crossing a branch of the Little
Pedee River,
we halted for the night at 4 P. M.
Thursday, March 9th. Marched 13 miles, starting at 9 A.
M. and halting at 8 P. M.
Friday, March 10th. Marched seven miles, starting at 7
A. M. and at 1 P. M. we halted three
miles from Fayetteville,
North Carolina.
WINDING UP THE CAROLINA CAMPAIGN
Saturday, March. 11th. Moved out at 8 A. M. and marched
within six and one-half miles of
Fayetteville, where we took to
the left of the main road and, at 3 P.
M. we halted on plank road
two and one-half miles west of
Fayetteville, North Carolina,
having marched 14 miles.
Sunday, March 12th. At 3 P. M. our company went on
picket, where we stayed until 7 A. M. of
Monday.
Monday, March 13th. We were called in and joined our
regiment, which was already on the move.
Marched down to
the Cape Fear River, where we crossed on
pontoons nearly op-
posite the town. We then marched three
miles northeast and
stopped, expecting to rest a day or two.
Tuesday, March 14th. Lay still.
Wednesday, March 15th. At 10 A. M. we were again on the
move. We marched north nine miles and
camped.
Thursday, March 16th. Moved out at 9 A. M. Marched
north nine miles, when we came up to
where the enemy made a
stand to check the 20th Army Corps. We
then moved to the
left and took position in rear of 2nd
Division, 14th Army Corps.
Friday, March 17th. Finding
the enemy had left their
works, we moved out about 7 A. M. and
halted at sundown,
having marched east six miles.
Saturday, March 18th. We marched east on the Goldsboro
road 12 miles, starting at 6 A. M. and
halting at 4 P. M .
Diary of Jacob Adams 701
BATTLE OF BENTONVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA
Sunday, March 19th. Moved out at 7 A. M., our division
in advance, and had not gone far when we
came up to the enemy's
skirmish line, which we drove from one
position to another for
some three miles. We then came up to
where the enemy had
concentrated his whole force, some 21 miles southwest
of Golds-
boro, and lay there waiting to gobble up
the 14th Army Corps.
Our commander, thinking there was only a
small force of cav-
alry, had a skirmish line charge the
enemy, but was repulsed.
In like manner a battle line failed to
move the Rebs. and we had
to retire with some loss, which
convinced us the enemy was
there in force. We then formed our line
and threw up light
works. Early in the afternoon we had
need of them for the
sharp cannonading, then the deadly
thunder of musketry on
our left, indicated the enemy were
already charging our line.
They were handsomely repulsed in front,
but they soon found
the left of our line and made good use
of the opportunity to
swing around it and pour in a heavy fire
from our left flank and
rear. Thus they poured in the deadly
messengers from all sides,
and our only chance was to move by the
right flank and take
another position. In this we were again
outflanked and forced
to a right flank movement, repeating two
or three times, but they
could never dislodge us by coming up in
front.
Towards evening the 20th Army Corps came
up on our left
and part of the 15th Army Corps formed
so as to support our
right and got our line strengthened. The
enemy still came up
on us, column after column, and repeated
the attack time and
again, but each time were repulsed with
deadly loss. In turn
part of our line charged the enemy and
drove them back hand-
somely. About dark the firing ceased.
The enemy left the field,
leaving their dead and wounded in our
midst. Our division re-
tired a short distance to the rear to
rest.
Monday, March 20th. In the morning our division moved
to the front. Our brigade was in
reserve, on the battlefield, just
to the right of the main road. We lay
there all day, no fighting.
702 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
Tuesday, March 21st. Lay still. Some cannonading on
right.
Wednesday, March 22nd. Finding the enemy had left our
front, we proceeded on our way to
Goldsboro, North Carolina.
Marched 10 miles.
Thursday, March 23rd. The regiment pulled out at 7 A. M
Our company, having been detailed to do
some foraging pulled
out at 5 A. M., crossing the Neuse River
some 10 miles south-
west of Goldsboro, and went in camp near
a little creek two
miles northwest of said town. Marched
some 14 miles.
Friday, March 24th. Laid out the camp and pitched our
tents. At 5 P. M. our company went on
picket.
Saturday, March 25th. Came in off picket at 5 A. M.
Sunday, March 26th. Sunday morning inspection at 9 A. M.
Monday, March 27th to Friday, March 31st. Lay around
in camp discussing our late campaign,
especially the late battle,
which had been a severe and successful
engagement on our side.
The loss of our army was light, for the
severity of the engage-
ment. The loss of our regiment was also
quite light, two being
killed, and but few wounded. In our
company Sylvester Trout
was killed. He was one who was liked and
respected by every
one.
COMMENTS ON MARCH THROUGH THE CAROLINAS
Sherman's march through the Carolinas
came to an end
successfully in every respect. The
campaign lasted fully two
months, and during this time we were
entirely cut off from all
communication with the north and with
home and friends. We
moved through the enemy's country and
subsisted entirely, a
good share of the time, off the land
through which we were
passing. The foraging, which we did
thoroughly, was for a
two-fold purpose, verifying the adage
"killing two birds with one
stone." One was to curtail the
supplies of the enemy, together
with the destruction of the railroads,
which caused the Rebs.
some little inconvenience to say the
least. Also it was a great
factor toward stilling the craving of
the inner man in part of
Sherman's men. It would have been
impossible to carry pro-
Diary of Jacob Adams 703
visions sufficient to supply the army
during the long tramp over
swamps, swollen streams, hills and
unimproved roads. While
we did not always have an abundance, we
seldom went hungry.
But sometimes, like the parsons' prayer
for a "barrel of pepper,"
there was too much of one thing. Our
fare was (when it was in
sight) ham and other cured meats,
chicken, turkey and fresh
pork, sweet potatoes in the ground,
field peas in the straw, sor-
ghum syrup, et cetera. Yes, and honey
and fresh milk occa-
sionally. Always being troubled with
sore feet on a march, I
would never strike out from the company
like some of the
command.
THROUGH THE CAROLINAS. NOTES
I always carried a suitable vessel in a
convenient place, and,
when I saw the comrades tackle a
beehive, after several unsuc-
cessful attempts by different parties, I
would conclude the bees
had about all left the hive to attack
the first raiders, then I would
quietly go up and fill my vessel with
the nectar.
The tearing up and destroying of the
railroads was done
in the following manner: A regiment or
brigade would line up
facing the track. After loosening a
section at one end of the
line, we would have orders to
"heave to," each man doing his
part in raising the track and tumbling
it over to the side of the
grade, with the ties on top of the
rails. When we had the track
raised and tumbling over, it would often
hold together and pull
over with it the rest of the track for a
long distance beyond
where we had lifted it. Then, to make
the destruction more
complete, we would sometimes tear off
the ties, pile them and
set fire to the piles. We would also lay
the rails across the fire
so that when red-hot the ends would drop
down and make them
crooked. Or, to make the job look
better, when the rails were
red-hot in the middle, men would take
hold of each end of a
rail and wind it around a tree or
telegraph hole for it to cool
with a kink in it. Our army may be
censured for the destruc-
tion of property it wrought on this
raid. Well, the boys rather
"had it in" for South
Carolina. If it did not(?) lay the egg of
secession, it was largely responsible
for furnishing the incubator
which hatched out the rebellion.
704 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
ABOUT THE CAROLINA RAID
Some of the boys may have been a little
careless with fire
when about outbuildings. Doubtless the
burning of Columbia, as
well as other towns in the state, was
started by the enemy in
destroying property to keep it out of
our hands. Yet there
doubtless were some of our men who would
take it in their hands
to mete out revenge. The fire at
Atlanta, Georgia, just before
the army left there may have been
started in that way, as At-
lanta is the place where eight of our
soldiers (the Andrews
raiders) were hung. But when we got into
North Carolina,
the same as in Georgia, there was
absolutely no property inten-
tionally destroyed, except to cripple
the rebel cause.
The army came out of the campaign in
good health and in
fine spirits, believing the enemy could
not stand such jolts for
very long. My brother, Will Adams, and I
came out in fine
shape, as did our company and regiment.
On this expedition,
as well as on "Sherman's March
through Georgia," the foraging
was not all done by squads and companies
detailed for that pur-
pose, but boys would go out on their own
"hook," often in ad-
vance of the main army, without any
officer in command. The
rebel cavalry was ever on the lookout
for such a chance to "gob-
ble" in some prisoners, when some
private would assume com-
mand of the squad and go after the
Johnnies in regular military
order, and would route the enemy, as
well as if they had been
commanded by a Major General.
Considering the fact that the
enemy knew every foot of the ground we
traveled over and had
opportunity to know just where our army
was every hour, we
lost very few prisoners.
ON MOVE TOWARD RALEIGH
Saturday, April 1st. To-day found our regiment with the
rest of the brigade in camp some two
miles from Goldsboro,
North Carolina. In the afternoon our
company went outside
the picket line to guard the wagons
which were out after lumber.
Sunday, April 2nd. The company went on picket. I was on
camp guard.
Diary of Jacob Adams 705
Monday, April 3rd and Tuesday, April
4th. Did nothing but
drill a little.
Wednesday, April 5th. Our brigade was reviewed and in-
spected by the Division Commander.
Thursday, April 6th. I went over to the 47th Ohio to see
some of my old friends and got the news
of the fall of Rich-
mond. This was encouraging to us as was
the news of any vic-
tory. There was a faint hope, scarcely
expressed, that it might
perhaps bring the end of the war nearer.
Friday, April 7th. Had brigade drill.
Saturday, April 8th. Our division was reviewed by General
Jeff. C. Davis.
Sunday, April 9th. Company inspection was at 9 A. M.
Monday, April 10th. We again took up the line of march.
Moving at 3 A. M. we took the Smithfield
road and marched
west 11 miles, halting at sundown.
Tuesday, April 11th. Moved our regiment out at 7 A. M.
and went back two and one-half miles to
help the wagon train
along. We then moved on, and at 8 P. M.
we halted for the
night within two miles of Smithfield,
North Carolina. Marched
16 miles.
Wednesday, April 12th. Moved out at 7 A. M. Soon after
got the news that Lee had surrendered,
and we marched through
Smithfield yelling with joy. There was a
wild hullabaloo as the
boys began shooting off their ammunition
in celebration, saying
they would have no further use of it in
battles. The news had not
yet reached the Third Division when they
heard our firing. They
thought we were engaged in battle and
were hurrying to our relief
when they met the carriers with the good
news. They immediately
put up a celebration equal to our own.
Here we recrossed the Neuse River on
pontoons and on to
the Raleigh road, marching northwest. At
4 P. M. we halted for
the night within 14 miles of Raleigh,
having marched 15 miles.
In the evening we were surprised to see
a train of cars coming in.
from the front, one was captured by our
cavalry.
Thursday, April 13th. Moved out at daylight and by mov-
ing rapidly for 15 miles at 11 A. M. we
went in camp in the west
Vol. XXXVIII-45.
706 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications
edge of Raleigh, North Carolina, our
division being the first
Union troops there. Moved forward, halt,
and then start north.
Friday, April 14th. At 9 A. M. we were on the move. We
followed the Greensboro railroad to a
station seven miles west
of Raleigh. There we filed left,
marching south and at sun-
down we halted for the night after
marching 19 miles. Our
company went on picket.
Saturday, April 15th. We were on the move at daylight.
Marched southeast 18 miles, passing
through Holly Springs,
North Carolina. At 4 P. M. we got orders
to halt where we
were, as negotiations were on between
General Sherman and
General Johnson, looking to the
surrender of Johnson's army.
News of the assassination of President
Lincoln cast gloom
over the entire army and our fighting
spirit was roused as we
thought at first there was treachery
upon the part of the Rebel
army.
Sunday, April 16th to Friday, April 21st. We were
under
orders not to leave camp.
Saturday, April 22nd. In the morning my company went
on picket and was relieved in the
morning of Sunday.
Sunday, April 23rd. Came in off picket and had company
inspection at 9 A. M.
Wednesday, April 26th. In the morning our company went
on picket.
Thursday, April 27th. Came in off picket in the evening.
Friday, April 28th. At 6 A. M. our division was ready to
leave Martha's Vineyard and join our
corps to march northward.
We marched north 16 miles, passing to
the left of Holly Springs,
and stopped for the night where we had
lain the night after we
left Raleigh.
Saturday, April 29th. On the move at 5 A. M. After travel-
ing 1O miles north we joined our corps
and at 4 P. M. we halted
for the night at Morrisville, North
Carolina.
Sunday, April 30th. At noon our division commenced the
long march for Alexandria, Virginia. We
marched 17 miles
and at sundown we halted at the Neuse
River.
Diary of Jacob Adams 707
ON THE MARCH TO RICHMOND, VIRGINIA
Monday, May 1st. Morning found our brigade on the west
bank of the Neuse River in North
Carolina. We pulled out at
5 A. M., crossed the river, then
proceeded nearly north, crossed
Tar River seven miles from Oxford, North
Carolina, and went
into camp at that place about dark,
after a march of 24 miles.
Tuesday, May 2nd. We were on the move at 6 A. M.
Marched north, passing through
Williamsboro, North Carolina.
Crossed the Virginia and North Carolina
state line three miles
from the Roanoke River. We halted for
the night at sundown
on the south bank of said Roanoke River
in Virginia, marching
28 miles.
Wednesday, May 3rd. At
noon we were on the move,
crossing the Roanoke River on pontoons,
passed through Boyd-
ton, Virginia, and halted for the night
at sundown after march-
ing 15 miles.
Thursday, May 4th. Moved out at 7 A. M. Marched
through Lunenburg C. H., Virginia. Crossed the Nottoway
River at the Falls and halted for the
night near by. Went into
camp at sundown, after marching 31
miles.
Friday, May 5th. On the move at 5:30 A. M. We passed
through Nottoway, Virginia, and moving
at a lively and steady
gait, at sundown we halted for the night
five miles from the Ap-
pomattox River in Virginia. We marched
35 miles that day.
Saturday, May 6th. Moved out at 7 A. M. Crossed the
Appomattox River on pontoons, then moved
northeast and at 5
P. M. halted nine miles southwest of
Richmond. Marched 28
miles.
Sunday, May 7th. Moved at 5 A. M. down to Manchester,
Virginia, by 8 A. M. Halted for some
time near James River
opposite Belle Island, then moved up
James River four miles
and pitched camp near the stone quarry.
Marched 13 miles.
ON OUR WAY TO WASHINGTON, D. C.
Monday, May 8th to Wednesday, May
10th. Lay in camp
and rested. My brother William Adams was
sick here, and in
708 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
a very bad condition. I saw the need of
his having something
different to eat from our army grub. So
I started out through
the country which had been overrun by at
least two different
armies. After traveling miles and miles,
without success, I
came to an ex-Major's home and related
my case to him. He
took compassion on me and supplied my
needs of what he had,
refusing pay for it, and directed where
I could get the balance
of what I needed. So when I came into
camp with supply of
butter, milk, eggs and vegetables it
cheered the boy up. He had
given up to die, but in a few days he
was quite a different lad
and improved from that time on. When the
army moved from
Richmond to Washington, D. C. he was
sent on a boat, and hav-
ing no heavy duty to perform after that,
he kept with us until
we were discharged. He never was well in
after life.
Thursday, May 11th. At 8 A. M. our division was again
in motion to resume our march to
Alexandria, Virginia. We
marched down to Manchester, Virginia,
crossed the James River
on pontoons just above Libby Prison,
marched through the city
of Richmond, Virginia, took the road for
Hanover C. H., crossed
Chickahominy creek and at dark we halted
for the night within
four miles of said Hanover C. H. Marched
17 miles.
Friday, May 12th. Moved out at 4 P. M. and marched past
Hanover C. H. Then down to the Pamunkey
River where we
lay until a late hour in the night
before we could cross it on
pontoons. Went about a mile and halted.
Marched eight miles.
Saturday, May 13th. At 10 A. M. moved west and at sun-
down halted after marching 17 miles.
Sunday, May 14th. Pulled out at 6 A. M. Marched north
in the forenoon and west in the
afternoon and halted at 4 P. M.
Marching 16 miles.
Monday, May 15th. Moved out at 6 A. M. Went six miles
west of Spotsylvania C. H. in a
northwest course. At 4 P. M.
we camped within seven miles of Rapidan
River, after having
marched 17 miles.
Tuesday, May 16th. We were on the move at 5 A. M.
Crossed the Rapidan River at Raccoon
ford, six miles below
Rapidan Station. After crossing the
river we took the straight
Diary of Jacob Adams 709
road for Alexandria, and about sundown
crossed Mountain Run.
We went into camp on its bank some two
miles from the Rappa-
hannock River, after marching 19 miles.
Wednesday, May 17th. We pulled out at 6 A. M. and
crossed the Rappahannock River at
Kelley's ford. At sundown
we halted within a mile of the
Alexandria & Gordonsville R. R.,
having marched 18 miles.
Thursday, May 18th. Moved out at 5 A. M. and struck
the railroad a few miles below Warrenton
Junction. We then
marched parallel with the railroad,
passed Manassas Junction,
crossed Bull Run and took dinner on its
banks. We marched
on some five miles and at 4 P. M. halted
for the night, after
marching 21 miles.
Friday, May 19th. Pulled stakes and marched out at 5 A. M.
Passed through Fairfax C. H. then on and
at 4 P. M. went into
camp near Fort Ward, three and one-half
miles northwest of
Alexandria, Virginia. Marched 20
miles.
ON GRAND REVIEW
Wednesday, May 24th. On
grand review by President
Johnson and General U. S. Grant at the
Presidential mansion in
the city of Washington, D. C. Our
division left camp at 8 A. M.,
crossed the Potomac River into
Washington, over Long bridge.
We waited a few minutes near the Capitol
where we formed in
column by company, thus marching up
Pennsylvania Avenue
passing the reviewing stand and out over
Aqueduct bridge back
to camp with somewhat tired legs.
Friday, May 26th. At 6 A. M. our division pulled stakes and
moved out. We crossed the Potomac River
on Long Bridge into
Washington, D. C. and marched through
the city. Our brigade
went into camp in a park formerly owned
by Kocklin, a Reb.
This place which had been confiscated
and was now owned by
the Government, was two and one-half
miles north of Wash-
ington, as it was then.
Saturday, May 27th. I was guard at brigade headquarters.
Sunday, May 28th. Sunday morning inspection at 9 A. M.
Monday, May 29th. I took a ramble over the city. I made
710 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
a tour through the Capitol, Smithsonian
Institute and Patent
Office and was somewhat tired.
Tuesday, May 30th to Wednesday, May
31st. Made an-
other trip to the city.
NOTES ON OPERATIONS
Our trip from Raleigh to Alexandria was
not a hard one
compared with some trips we had made.
Yet in the day of
bicycles, automobiles, airplanes and
other things to follow, when
the art of walking is almost lost, some
may think the trip from
Raleigh to Richmond, where we averaged
about 29 miles a day
and carried a load of from 50 to 60
pounds, made pretty good
exercise. Yet in one raid in Tennessee,
of which I have lost
the record, we averaged over 40 miles
some days. Some who
read this may think this guess-work, but
not so, for many
of the roads we marched over had
guide-posts. Then we could
often reckon the distance from town to
town, and I always car-
ried a reliable map and knew just where
we were nearly all the
time. But to inquire of natives the
distance to a certain town,
you could put no reliance in their
answer. On might answer
15 miles to a certain town, another 20
miles and the next to
miles, all within a mile of travel. On
our last march, of course
we were in the best of spirits. The
fighting was all over and
we were moving towards home and friends.
Our loads were
somewhat lightened, having no ammunition
to carry, and most
of our bayonets reported "Lost in
action." With light hearts
we tripped along, forgetting all
hardships, and occasionally giv-
ing vent to our feelings by calling out
one to another, as we
moved along, some ridiculous expression,
such as "grab a root"
or some old saying.
THE GRAND REVIEW AT WASHINGTON, D. C.
The review in Washington City was a
grand affair. While
our army did not make as fine an
appearance as did the Army
of the Potomac, we were not ashamed of
our form. We gave
a good demonstration of our long march
around the large half-
Diary of Jacob Adams 711
circle from Atlanta, Georgia, to
Washington, D. C. The boys
carried, with their accoutrement, a
liberal supply of forage, as
we had on the raid, such as chickens,
geese, turkeys, hams, hogs
(both dead and alive), with every
conceivable article of food
such as we could pick up in the country
through which we
passed. Besides this a liberal supply of
colored people insisted
upon following our troops, doing
anything for the officers and
men to earn their living.
The people were lined up on the sides of
the streets over
which we marched, as well as the windows
and doors and roofs
of houses, and telegraph poles being
jammed with spectators.
Their demonstrations in the way of
cheering, waving of hats,
handkerchiefs and anything they might
have in their hands, gave
evidence that they appreciated what we
had done for our coun-
try, making us feel proud that we had
gone at our country's
call, and thankful that we were
permitted to participate in this
event.
Thursday, June 1st. To-day found our regiment still in the
park, some two miles north of Washington
City, near Bunker
Hill Fort.
Sunday, June 4th. General Thomas reviewed, or visited,
the 14th Army Corps. We were all glad to
see him.
Friday, June 9th. Took leave of Washington City. Our
brigade pulled stakes at 7 A. M. and
marched to the railroad
station in the city, where we boarded
the cars for Parkersburg,
West Virginia, enroute for Louisville,
Kentucky. About 10 A.
M. went to Washington Junction, within a
few miles of Balti-
more, Maryland. Then took the Baltimore
& Ohio R. R. and
got to Harper's Ferry, Virginia, at 10
P. M., following up the
Potomac River.
Saturday, June 10th. Morning found us still packed in
stock or hog-cars, so tight we could
hardly turn around and
nearly suffocated. At noon we got to
Cumberland, Maryland,
at the foot of the Alleghany Mountains
(Piedmont, Virginia, is
at the foot of the Alleghany Mountains),
where we arrived at
2 P. M. and by sundown we had ascended
to the summit of the
mountains and jolted down the other side
during the night.
712 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
Sunday, June 11th. Morning found us down the mountains
at Webster, Virginia. We kept moving
pretty briskly, going
through 23 tunnels and at sundown we
arrived at Parkersburg
where we gladly abandoned our hog-cars
and went into camp on
the Kanawha River, much fatigued.
Monday, June 12th. At 7 A. M. our regiment boarded the
steamboat, Sherman, at
Parkersburg, and moved down the Ohio
river for Louisville, Kentucky. Landed
at one place to coal
and landed again at Gallipolis, Ohio.
Tuesday, June 13th. Got down to Cincinnati, Ohio, at I P.
P. M., where we stopped an hour or two.
Wednesday, June 14th. We landed at Louisville, Kentucky,
where we took leave of the old boat and
went into camp some
two miles southeast of town.
Sunday, June 18th. Sunday morning inspection at 9 A. M.
Wednesday, June 21st. Our regiment was paid off.
Thursday, June 22nd. I was on camp guard.
Saturday, June 24th. I was over in the city of Louisville.
Tuesday, June 27th. I was on camp guard.
Friday, June 30th. Had muster and inspection.
Saturday, July 1st. To-day found our regiment still in
camp near Louisville, Kentucky, where we
took up quarters
after arriving from Washington. I was on
camp guard.
Sunday, July 2nd. Sunday morning inspection at 9 A. M.
Tuesday, July 4th. General Sherman paid a visit to his old
army. Made a farewell address to our
division, as he did to
each division in the army. I was on
patrol guard.
Wednesday, July 5th to Sunday, July
23rd, inclusive. Noth-
ing worthy of note. The latter part of
this time was taken by
our officers on the muster-out rolls,
looking to the discharge of
our regiment.
Monday, July 24th. Our muster-out rolls completed, we
struck tents and bid good-by to camp
life and headed for Colum-
bus, Ohio, where we were to receive our
final pay and discharge.
Our regiment marched down to the boat
landing at Louisville,
Kentucky, where at 2 P. M. we boarded
the steamboat, America,
Diary of Jacob Adams 713
and moved up the Ohio river for
Cincinnati, Ohio, where we
arrived Tuesday noon.
Tuesday, July 25th. Marched up to the Cincinnati depot,
where, after waiting an hour we boarded
the ever-ready stock
cars, though we were not so crowded in
these as we were from
Washington. We had pretty clean straw to
lie down on, yet we
did think our own state might have
furnished better accommo-
dations for us after serving so long.
Arrived in Columbus at
8 P. M. and put up for our stay there at
the Tod Barracks.
Wednesday, July 26th. We signed the pay-rolls and turned
over our arms and accoutrements.
Thursday, July 27th. I went out to Uncle James Dorsey's
in evening.
Friday, July 28th. At I P. M. the paymaster commenced
paying off our regiment, and by 2 P. M.
I had my money and
discharge in my pocket and felt some
like a white man. Stayed
in tavern.
Saturday, July 29th. At 7 A. M. took the train for Findlay,
Ohio, changing cars at Urbana, Ohio.
After waiting some three
hours, took the 12:40 train for Carey,
Ohio, where we arrived
at 3 P. M. and was from that time to
sundown running (or rather
poking) from there to Findlay. I soon
started on foot for home
(eight miles) and by 11:30 P. M. I
arrived at Father Dorsey's,
two miles west of Van Buren.
Sunday, July 30th. At home all day and in the evening
Adaline and I went to the Hickory Grubb
Church to meeting.
Monday, July 31st. To Van Buren and return in forenoon
and worked a little in the afternoon.
Was truly thankful to be
back home again safe and apparently
sound, after going through
what I did in the service of my country.
I am happy to say I
held the honored rank of private during
all of my service for
my country.
MAY AND JUNE, 1865. NOTES
Our trip from Washington, D. C. to
Louisville, Kentucky,
while a little disagreeable part of the
way, was not a hard one.
While we were crowded in hog-cars so
close we could hardly
714 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
turn around from Washington to
Parkersburg, West Virginia,
for two days and one night, yet it was a
change and not so hard
on us as marching. On the boat, though
we took deck passage,
we were not crowded and got along
nicely. On this trip and
especially on the cars we were kindly
greeted by the citizens all
along the route. When passing a town or
dwelling-house our
attention was called to men, women and
children waving hats,
handkerchiefs, bonnets, dishrags,
papers, flags or anything they
could get hold of, at the same time
hallooing at the top of their
voices. The salute was always returned
by the battle-scarred
veterans with a hearty yell, the waving
of hats and handkerchiefs
and the presentation of the battle-torn
flags. The following I
wrote my sister: "0, yes, and the
ladies were what most drew
my attention. How could I help noticing
the fair creatures wav-
ing their bonnets, small flags, etc. And
ever and anon a fair
damsel would throw over a kiss to us. I
never was hit by one
but had some close calls."
In camp at Louisville we had an easy
time but got some-
what restive on account of the officers
being mum about what
they would do with us, but when the
order came for us to move
for Columbus, Ohio, a calm struck us.
SOME LITTLE ABOUT CAMP LIFE
I will here attempt to give a faint
description of camp life,
or some of the things besides our
military duties we resorted to,
to pass away our time. Some of our
actions may be considered
by some orthodox reader to be not just
the proper things to do.
Yet, as I said before, we, or some of
us, at least, thought we
had license to do some things a little
outside the strict lines of
propriety. We assumed the hypothesis
that "our service to our
country" would serve as a
"cloak to cover a multitude of sins."
I put in considerable of my time in
writing.
One of the principal ways of amusement
was playing cards,
at which we would often put in a whole
day. The games we
principally played then with play cards
were euchre, poker and
seven-up. And some of the boys, but not
many, really gambled.
I have known a soldier so interested in
a game when money was
Diary of Jacob Adams 715
at stake, and he had been successful in
winning for a time, that
he would give a bystander a five-dollar
bill to go a few feet to
get him a drink of water. But very few
of the boys indulged in
gambling. Sometimes a number of us
would throw in so much
apiece on a watch or other property,
and then raffle it off to the
other fellow, in all likelihood. The
method of getting rid of
property just cited was seldom done,
but we had a method some-
what interesting in this wise: The
owner would put a restricted
price on his property and a number
would put in sealed bids.
The highest bidder would take the
property on certain conditions
and the lowest bidder would treat those
interested in the game.
When Comrade Dave Leiter, an old-time
fiddler, was with
us with his violin, we would often
dance the "Cotillion" and the
fair sex would be designated by some
manner of dress, perhaps
a red bandanna handkerchief over their
heads.
When we needed exercise we would have
running matches,
jumping contests, and wrestling in
different ways. One of these
games was to form a large circle with
joined hands, then we
would trip our neighbor on either side
of us until all had fallen
but two, and they would settle the game
between them. It
nearly always fell upon me and John
Miller, of our company, to
settle the contest. And we were about
fifty-fifty, sometimes one
and sometimes the other, and at times a
draw, neither one being
able to down the other. One of our
pastimes was "picking" our
underwear and our weekly washing,
always boiling our clothes
if possible, for very good reasons. We
would strip everything
off but blouse in warm weather, if
scarce of clothing, and when
the rest was dry would wash the blouse.
SOLDIERS AND THEIR CAMP LIFE
My brother, William Adams, as well as
all the veteran re-
cruits, proved to be good soldiers,
never shirking from duty.
While not quarrelsome, he would not
stand to be run over, as it
was a little the disposition of some of
the veterans, to treat the
newly initiated soldiers. My brother
seemed to be the subject
of the over-bearing treatment of one of
the comrades who
threatened to slap the boy on several
occasions, until my kin
716 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
tired of it. So, one time when using a
hatchet, he thought this
treatment had gone far enough, and he
squared up to the chap,
shook his left fist at his face,
(holding the hatchet in his right
hand) and spoke with emphasis:
"Now, Mr. --, if you are
going to slap me, do it now, this
very minute, or forever here-
after hold your peace." He held his
peace. The boys would kid
Bill, as they called him, about his
short stubby feet. They said
his shoes were made over a teakettle for
a last. Such things all
go toward making up camp life.
CAMP LIFE
We sometimes indulged in practical
jokes. Two or three
of our Martial Music Band came in with a
horrible tale of a
tragical death in the 37th
Indiana Regiment. The next day these
parties got an apparently genuine order
to report to the Chap-
lain of the 37th Indiana,
with their instruments. They obeyed
the order. The Chaplain being of a
jovial disposition dismissed
the boys in a way they did not seem much
hurt. When discussing
the matter after they returned, one of
the party could not under-
stand why they were called over there,
when a bystander sug-
gested it was to help bury the man they
reported killed over
there. No more reports of this kind were
brought in, by these
parties, at least.
When in camp the citizens in the
surrounding country would
bring in cakes and pies, fruit and
vegetables, and things we did
not have in our every-day bill of fare,
quite a treat to us; but
the venders did not always get out of
camp with pay for all their
goods. While one man was negotiating for
an article, another
guy or two would be hiding something
under their blouses from
the other end of the wagon, and others
would be loosening the
tugs or taking out the linchpins so that
when the owner would
start his mule up to get away from the
thieves, something would
happen. Even our Sutlers, licensed
northern traders, were not
immune from the tricks of the boys.
In the early part of the war we had very
strict orders against
foraging and the citizens would often
track their stolen property
to our regiment, and would go to
headquarters with their com-
Diary of Jacob Adams 717
plaint. A search would immediately be
instituted by an officer,
who was very much interested and anxious
(?) to find and pun-
ish the guilty one and restore the
property. This never was done
in our regiment as the officers would
suggest to the complainant
that perhaps he would be more successful
in the regiment just
across the way, which command had a
slightly cloudy reputation
along this line. You may bank on it that
headquarters would
have something extra in their mess for
the next eat. To illus-
trate: While yet in Kentucky, when on
dress parade, in response
to a call for the band to strike up a
tune, the bass drummer did
not respond, and after getting two or
three orders and a good
many more curses he quietly stepped up
to Colonel Neibling and
whispered in his ear, "I've got a
pig in my drum, Colonel."
Colonel Jim answered him in his loud
voice that could be heard
half a mile, "Why the H-- didn't
you tell me you were sick!
Go to your quarters."
For further description of army life,
read Si Kleg, First
Edition.
EFFECTS OF THE WAR ON PEOPLE AT HOME
While it was trying for the soldier to
see his comrade, who
perhaps was his chum and messmate, shot
down when touching
elbows, yet we became somewhat hardened
to such scenes, and
would pass them by in a manner from
which a disinterested ob-
server might think we were only slightly
affected. But with the
friends at home is where intense sorrow
sprang up when the
news was carried that a dear one had
fallen. And when there
was some uncertainty connected with the
report, it made it much
harder for the friends to bear. To
illustrate, I will relate an
incident that happened in our company F.
At the battle of
Stone's River it was observed by some of
his comrades that
John Wilkinson was shot dead, as they
supposed. Our battle-
line soon after fell in the hands of the
enemy, and it was nearly
three days after, before we recovered it
to bury our dead. Others
of our company who were killed there
were found, but Comrade
Wilkinson's body could not be found.
Consequently different
reports reached his friends at home. His
brother, of another
718 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
company engaged in the battle wrote home
that he was wounded
and taken prisoner. His Captain, Henry
Alban, reported him
missing and could not be found anywhere
on the battle field,
intimating he was probably killed.
Neither was he ever heard
from afterwards.
The first letter I received from my
sister at home she tried
to describe the sorrow the news caused
in his own family and
neighborhood. None of his family went to
school the first week
after getting the word, and the second
week his grown-up sister
would frequently break out crying in her
studies and recitations,
and of course others would, in sympathy,
join her. And even in
adjoining schools the shadow of sorrow
extended, for he was a
very popular young man wherever he was
known. This is only
one case in perhaps thousands of similar
ones.
FEELINGS AND ACTIONS IN BATTLE
As I have dwelt on different phases of
the war, I will here
say something of my feelings in time of
battle. I cannot say
that I ever went into an engagement
without any feeling of fear,
or at least dread, but that never
overbalanced my sense of duty,
and I never entertained a thought of
trying to keep out of it.
The most trying time was when
approaching the battle line to
relieve or support a part of the
battlefield already engaged, and
hearing the bullet sing in passing near
one, and not being able
to return the fire on account of our own
troops being in front.
But when actively engaged the thought of
fear would leave and
we would do all in our power to hurt the
other fellow. I do not
know if I ever killed any one, neither
do I want to know, and if
I did I would not boast of it. Few
soldiers know that they
killed an enemy. In action you draw a
bead on a man and see
him fall as you fire. After the battle
you may go to the object
you fired at and discover he received
two or three fatal shots.
Though not a professor of Christianity
at that time I recog-
nized there was a God and always before
an expected engage-
ment I would implore His protection. And
if not sufficiently
grateful then, I am truly thankful to
this day for His watchful
care over me in those perilous days.
Diary of Jacob Adams 719
There were some soldiers who seemed to
have no sense of
fear. Joe Vaughn, a veteran recruit of
our company, was one
of that class. One time when we were on
the skirmish line near
the enemy and it was not safe for us to
raise our heads above
our rifle-pits, Joe arose in plain view
of the enemy and walked
slowly out in front of our protection
some two or three rods
and lay down there and took a sleep,
saying when we remon-
strated with him against his actions,
that "the Rebels had no
bullets moulded to kill him." We
cannot deny that there were
a few good soldiers in other respects,
but they could not stand
up under fire, and would recoil every
time. The chances are
we had no need of accusing them of
running their fingers down
their throats to make them sick, for
they were truly pale and sick
from fright.
JACOB ADAMS,
Private Co. F, 21st 0. V.
V. I.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF JACOB ADAMS
Jacob Adams was born in Hancock County,
Ohio, March
30, 1842, the fifth child of Paul Adams
Jr. and Margaret (Diehl)
Adams. His father was the son of Paul
Adams Sr. and wife
Abigail and was born in Columbia County,
Pennsylvania, April
28, 1811. Of the Adams ancestry nothing
further is known ex-
cept that the family came from Ireland.
Paul Sr. was not a man
of wealth and a common school education
was with difficulty
afforded the family. A friend undertook
to educate Paul Jr.
for the ministry (Presbyterian) but
unfortunately the benefactor
died before the education was completed,
and making no pro-
vision for him he was forced to quit
school and took up the
profession of teaching for a livelihood,
which he followed, to-
gether with farming.
In 1832
he married Margaret Diehl, daughter of
Christian
and Juliana Diehl. She was born in
Columbia County, Penn-
sylvania, June 6, 1808. To this union
were born eight children:
Mason, Sarah Elizabeth, Martha Jane,
Paul Philetus, Jacob,
Margaret Maria, William, Hannah Adaline.
720 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications
The Diehl family came to America in 1727
from near
Coblentz, Germany. A very interesting
incident in the life of
Peter Diehl, father of Christian Diehl,
is that during the French
and Indian war he was captured by the
Indians and lived with
them for ten years. The story is that
while living near Tulpe-
hocken, in Berks County, the mother,
wife of John Diehl, left
her four year old son, Peter, in care of
a six year old brother
while she went to a spring to do some
washing, and charged if
they saw an Indian coming they should go
in another room and
crawl under a bed with curtains all
around the bottom, which
they did when they saw an Indian
approach. But the four year
old said he wanted to see a red man and
came out and the
Indian grabbed him and carried him away
in his arms to the
Indian village on the Susquehanna river,
near the present city
of Wilkes-Barre, where they kept him
until he was twelve years
old. Later, moving down the river to the
Indian village of
Mahoning, near where the town of
Danville now stands, where
he spent two years.
When the treaty with the Indians was
made all stolen chil-
dren were to be brought to the Wheat
Sheaf Tavern, in Phila-
delphia, and all parents of stolen
children were notified to go
there and claim their own. Peter's
father went to identify his
son. The boy had grown so and lost his
native tongue, so the
father could not recognize him and went
back home without
his son. The next time the mother went
along. She sang some
lullaby songs that she sang to the boy
when he was a child; he
seemed interested and looked up and
smiled; she then looked at
his left hand where had been a scar she
remembered and found
him to be her long lost son. The boy did
not recognize his
parents so readily. He wanted to go back
and live with the
Indians and they had quite a time to
keep him at first, but in
time he quieted down. He had many Indian
traits. When
grown up he married a Miss Foust; they
left home on horse-
back over the mountains for Mahoning,
the place where he
lived with the Indians for two years,
near which he bought a
farm known as the Old Diehl Home, now
owned by the State
of Pennsylvania, on which is located an
insane asylum. Peter
Sketch of Jacob Adams 721 Diehl had service in the Revolutionary war, where, on account of his early training and knowledge of the Indians, he was of valuable service to the American cause, as a scout. Paul Adams Jr. lived in Columbia County until 1836, when he moved to Richland County, Ohio, and in 1841 moved to Hancock County, where he bought a farm and in season taught school until 1850, when he died. He left the widow with seven small children and a 40 acre farm heavily encumbered; but ster- ling mother that she was, she kept the family together until they were able to go out into the world and face life's battle. This brings the life story of our subject up to the beginning of the Great American War Between the States, and as that period of his life is very ably told in the main part of this volume we will not here repeat. On May 3, 1870, Mr. Adams was married to Miss Belle Phillip. To this union were born three daughters: Adaline Grace married John Stone and lives near Hillsdale, Michigan; Sarah Leever married P. W. Mix and lives in Defiance, Ohio; Margaret Delle married Charles V. Moats and lived in Sher- wood, Ohio. Mr. Adams for years followed the profession of farming, owning a farm near Ayersville, Ohio, where by all the countryside he was looked up to as a steady, sterling, Chris- tian man. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, having been recording steward of the Ayersville Charge for fifty-one consecutive years. Politically he is a Republican. January 8, 1929. |
|
Vol. XXXVIII-46. |
DIARY OF JACOB ADAMS, PRIVATE IN COM-
PANY F, 21st O. V. V. I.
FOREWORD
This diary presented is from the pen of
Jacob Adams, a pri-
vate in Co. F, 21st O. V. V. I., and
covers the period of his service
in the American Civil War of 1861-1865.
The account was com-
piled in 1924 from letters written home
and from a diary kept
day by day during most of the time of
service. The intention
of the author was to preserve for his
children an account of his
services.
Knowing the value placed on such
accounts by historians and
wishing to preserve the story of the
glorious and honorable record
of my father's regiment as written by
his friend and comrade in
arms, I have caused this copy to be made
and herewith presented.
H. M. POVENMIRE.
Ada, Ohio,
October 18, 1927.
(627)