This engagement was short, but terrible in its results to the regiment. It may be said that with this struggle its star of glory began to fade—its pride and spirit were broken. But one officer escaped uninjured, while many were killed. The number of men in the action was two hundred and six, of whom fourteen was killed and forty-nine wounded.
For what purpose this handful of men were ordered to storm the enemy's position on the hill has never been explained. There was no artillery used to cover the assault, without which it was impossible to carry the position with such a force, and hazardous to attempt it with any. Within a short distance there was a large amount of artillery, which could have been placed in position, after which Taylor's Ridge would have been untenable by the enemy. On seeing such dispositions being made, he would probably have anticipated the movement, and fled without firing a gun. But thus far Hooker and his almost invincible corps had carried every thing before them. This success seemed to bring with it a contempt for the rebel soldiers, which finally resulted in the great disaster at Taylor's Ridge. A good general will resist the influences growing out of success, and not be led by these to undertake impossibilities, and by such rashness endanger that which he has already gained. It requires greater self-control to resist the temptations following victory, than to overcome the demoralizing influences of defeat. Victory must never elate a general, while defeat must never depress him.
After this battle, an unsuccessful attempt was made to get the regiment ordered home. But the response of Halleck, to a similar application, made after the battle of Cedar Mountain, was reiterated. "No!" said the old warrior; "not so long as there is a lame drummer-boy left; not if you will send us a whole new regiment in place of this handful. We know these men—they are just such as we want." This compliment, from an officer who was in command of all of the armies of the United States, was worth many a hard march, as well as battle.
The following is a list of the killed and wounded in the three battles of Lookout Mountain, Mission Ridge, and Taylor's Ridge:
Killed.—Colonel W. R. Creighton; Lieutenant-Colonel O. J. Crane; Adjutant Moris Baxter; second-lieutenants, Isaac C. Jones and Joseph Cryne; sergeants, J. C. Corlet, William Van Wye; corporals, Alfred Austin, W. H. Bennett; privates, C. F. King, C. E. Wall, D. P. Wood, J. L. Fish, Thomas Sweet, Oliver Grinels, Lawrence Remmel, H. Hanson, J. H. Merrill, William Pfuel.
Wounded.—Captains, W. D. Braden, Samuel McClelland; first-lieutenants, George A. McKay, George D. Lockwood; second-lieutenants, D. H. Brown, E. H. Bohm, H. N. Spencer, Christian Nesper; sergeants, M. M. Cutler, John Gardner, L. Wilson, Isaac Stratton, Elmore Hemkston; corporals, James W. Raymond, E. V. Nash, John Baptee, C. Glendenning, Hiram Deeds, Thomas Dowse, George Spencer, William Senfert, J. E. Hine, W. H. Petton, J. H. Cleverton, H. C. Hunt, M. H. Sheldon, John Phillips, W. O. Barnes, M. Fitzgerald, J. Tuttle, George Eikler, W. J. Lowrie, H. O. Pixley, W. H. Johnson, John Bergin, W. Wise, H. B. Pownell, J. N. Hall, V. Reynolds, R. White, H. Wright, R. D. Gates, Otis Martin, Joseph Kincaid, W. O. Johnson, J. Decker, J. Hall, C. Cowden, D. F. Dow, George Mandall, H. Fezer, George Raynette, L. Habbig, John Schwinck, Joseph Rowe, C. Deitz.
The following were wounded at Lookout Mountain:
John H. Galvin, M. C. Stone, M. W. Bartlett, James A. Garrison, Louis Owen, A. Gordon.