Before daylight, October 3d, orders were received to march at eight A.M., in "light marching order, with five days' rations and forty rounds of ammunition per man," the destination being "a point beyond Greenville." As this "point" was known to be the rebel force, the affair savored strongly of a fight. As the regiment passed through Knoxville on its way to the cars, with drums beating and colors flying, it passed the head-quarters of General Burnside, and gave him a marching salute.
We had a long day in the cars, going slowly, as the road was a pretty rickety affair in many places, and about sunset we arrived at Bull's Gap, sixty miles from Knoxville, where a small force was found, consisting of the One Hundred and Third Ohio Infantry and Second East Tennessee Regiment. Large numbers of men were constantly coming in from the east, many of them refugees, and some rebel deserters. The former were mostly anxious to enlist in the Union ranks, and seemed bitterly in earnest in their desire to drive the rebels from here. Their sufferings and privations since the war broke out had been terrible,—their homes destroyed, families scattered or forced to hide in caves in the hills. It is no wonder they welcomed the Union army as their saviors and liberators. Old men and women stood by the roadside and audibly thanked God and blessed the soldiers as they marched past. Little Union flags, made of the roughest material, but with the true colors, that had long been hidden sacredly away, were waved triumphantly, and were greeted with cheers by the Yankee boys, who no less proudly displayed the beloved silken standard that they had followed so long, and which, like them, was beginning to have a war-worn, veteran look.
A march of four miles, October 4th, brought the regiment to a place called "Lick Creek," where it remained until the 10th, awaiting the arrival of other troops and the Commanding General. The Eighth Tennessee Infantry, and the Ninth Michigan and Seventh Ohio Cavalry were already here, the enemy being in force at Blue Springs, about three miles from this place, closely watched by the cavalry pickets. Probably all who went into camp with the Thirty-sixth this day recall the amusing incident of the grand rabbit-hunt when the regiment broke ranks. The field seemed to be alive with the little animals, and the men, never averse to variety in their bill-of-fare, turned into Nimrods like magic. The bewildered rabbits, headed off in every direction, rushed upon their fate, and game suppers were "à la mode."
The Second Brigade of the First Division, and four large regiments and three batteries of new troops under General Willcox, arrived on the 8th, and on this day the cavalry captured a rebel foraging train of thirteen wagons and nine drivers. From them it was learned that a large force, under Generals Breckenridge, Jones, Crittenden, Courcy, and Ransom, was at Blue Springs, in a strong position, and meant fight. The regiment was now small in numbers, but tough and healthy, and certain to give a good account of itself whatever service it might be called on to perform.
The nature of the country about Blue Springs was such that it was easy to conceal a large force of troops, and difficult to reconnoitre. Strips of dense woodland, alternating with open and some hilly country, gave good opportunity for planting and masking artillery, and it was necessary to approach the rebel position cautiously, it being difficult to develop. Early on the morning of October 10th the entire force was on the march, Burnside being present in command, and as usual, when he showed himself to his boys, he was warmly and vociferously greeted. The regiment moved slowly until, at about noon, it appeared to be checked, and heavy firing of artillery showed that the engagement was opened. Until about 3 P.M. the fighting was left to the Twenty-third Corps, which, however, seemed to make little or no impression upon the enemy, and was meeting with considerable loss. Up to this hour the First Brigade, of which the Thirty-sixth was a part, was in reserve, within easy rifle-shot of the rebel line, awaiting orders. Not far from the left of the brigade a section of Osborn's New York battery was engaged in shelling a piece of wood at a distance of about one hundred and fifty yards in front, where the rebel soldiers were posted, and had all day very obstinately resisted the efforts of the artillery and Twenty-third Corps to dislodge them. Generals Burnside, Willcox, Ferrero, and other officers were near this section, watching the effect of the firing. About half-past three o'clock P.M., General Burnside ordered General Ferrero to advance with his division and clear out this wood at the point of the bayonet. The First Brigade was at once in motion, the Seventy-ninth New York on the right, Thirty-sixth Massachusetts in the centre, and Eighth Michigan on the left; the Forty-fifth Pennsylvania, as usual, was deployed as skirmishers. After moving a short distance by the right flank to get the shelter of a wood, the right of the brigade struck the rebel line, and received a heavy fire, from which the Seventy-ninth New York sustained some loss. The brigade then "changed front forward," which brought the Thirty-sixth and Eighth Michigan out into an open field, when the enemy opened a sharp fire of musketry from behind a fence that bordered the strip of wood. But no sooner did the brigade front their position than it dashed forward, and in less time than it takes to tell it drove back the rebel force, killing some and capturing fifteen men of a Georgia regiment. Their entire line broke, fled through the woods over a hill, and took shelter behind their artillery, which now opened fire at short range.
The brigade followed the retreating enemy until ordered to halt by General Ferrero and await further orders, having done all it was expected to do in a very short space of time. The halting of a charging line of infantry under a heavy fire is a delicate manœuvre. The men, excited by the charge, can more easily be led forward than held steadily in the position taken. At such a moment the example of the officers is indispensable, and it was while in front of the colors, calling upon the regiment to keep the line "steady," that Lieutenant-Colonel Goodell fell, severely wounded by a piece of shell in the thigh. He was carried to the rear, and the command devolved upon Major Draper. There was much sorrow at the loss of the young and favorite colonel, and a desire was expressed to get at the battery that threw the shell.
The regiment lay quietly and coolly under the fire of the rebel guns until dark, and, being sheltered by the slight rise of ground along its front, did not suffer much loss. Lieutenants Holmes and Robinson were wounded, the latter in the head, and three men of Companies A, D, and H; only one severely,—Woodward, of Company H. Considering the severe fire to which the regiment was exposed for more than an hour, its escape from great loss was noteworthy. General Burnside sent an aid down to congratulate the brigade upon the manner in which it carried the wood and unmasked the rebel batteries.
It was thought that the rebels, being so strongly posted and in large force, would hold their ground. During the night earthworks were thrown up along the ridge held by the brigade, and before daylight two guns of Roemer's battery were brought up and trained. With the earliest morn the Eighth Michigan skirmished forward, and found that the rebels had retreated, evidently in haste. The pursuit was at once commenced and pushed rapidly; the regiment marched nineteen miles, and a little after dark halted at a place called Rheatown, eight miles beyond Greenville. All along the route were seen the evidences of the hasty retreat of the enemy, who abandoned their wounded and much baggage. Their rear was harassed by our cavalry, who killed and captured many.
All day, October 12th, orders were expected to continue the pursuit, and the regiment lay in line. But the cavalry reported the enemy so scattered and broken up that General Burnside concluded not to follow them further with infantry, and the corps was ordered back to Knoxville. The next day the regiment marched sixteen miles, passing through Greenville again,—a considerable town, which is noteworthy as the home of Andrew Johnson, and the place where he is now buried.
October 14th, the Seventy-ninth New York, Forty-fifth Pennsylvania, and Companies H and F of the Thirty-sixth, took cars for Knoxville at noon. The rest of the regiment, with the Eighth Michigan, marched to Bull's Gap to take the cars,—a march of fourteen miles,—and arrived at Knoxville late in the night. There was a general idea now prevalent that the corps would go into winter-quarters here; but, after a rest of five days, the regiment marched to Loudon, about thirty miles south-west of Knoxville, on the south bank of the Little Tennessee river, an attack by the enemy from this quarter being threatened.