Resumption of the History of the 21st.
AT Vicksburg the detachment of the 21st taking part in the Red River campaign joined their comrades who had returned at the expiration of their thirty days’ furlough. On June 4th the regiment left Vicksburg on a steamer, en route up the river for Memphis. The Confederates, however, had erected batteries on the west bank of the river, preventing the transports from proceeding. A landing was made at a point called Columbia, on June 5th, and on the following day the regiment was marched around Lake Providence and had an engagement with the enemy at Lake Chicot. The Confederates were completely routed and the blockade of the river removed. On the 7th the command re-embarked on the transports and arrived at Memphis on the 10th without any further incident.
On June the 12th the regiment was ordered to the relief of Gen. Sturgis, who had been defeated a few days previous at Gun Town. The retreating Federals were met at Colliersville, and under the escort of the 21st made the trip into Memphis without being molested by the enemy.
On June 25th the regiment, along with the 1st Brigade, 3d Division, to which it belonged, moved out of the city and encamped at Moscow, on the Memphis and Charleston Railroad, and on the 26th held Division review. On June 27th the regiment was moved to La Grange, Tenn., where it was encamped until July 8th. At this time it was marched to Pontotoc, Miss., going by way of Ripley, and traversing a distance of over one hundred miles, and on the route the regiment was continuously fighting and skirmishing with the cavalry of the enemy under Gen. Forrest. On July 13th another move was made, to Tupelo, Miss., a distance of twenty miles, where an engagement with the enemy, known to history as the battle of Tupelo, took place. The 21st took a conspicuous part in this engagement, as will be seen by reading the report of Col. Edwin Moore, here published:
Col. Moore’s Report.
Headquarters 21st Mo. Inf. Vols. } Memphis, Tenn., July 18th, 1864.
Lieut. Sam’l D. Sawyer,
A. A. Gen’l., 1st Brigade.Lieutenant:—I have the honor to report the part taken by the 21st Mo. Infantry Volunteers at the battle of Tupelo on the 14th day of July, 1864. About 6 o’clock a. m. we were formed in line of battle with the brigade, the 119th Illinois Infantry Volunteers being on our left and the 58th Illinois Infantry on our right. About 7:30 a. m. the enemy opened on us with artillery, which continued until 9 o’clock a. m., when they advanced their infantry in line of battle, driving in our skirmishers precipitately. They came within twenty paces of our line when I gave the order to fire and immediately after to advance. The fire was well directed and took the enemy by surprise, who fled in great disorder, with the regiment in pursuit, and for fifteen or twenty minutes a continuous and deadly fire was poured in upon them; its effect was visible on the field. There being no enemy in sight after advancing four hundred and fifty yards, we returned to our former position and were not again attacked during the day, although frequently subjected to a heavy artillery fire. The officers and men of the command behaved with the utmost gallantry, obeying every order with that promptness which secures success. Our loss was one man killed and fifteen wounded.
Edwin Moore,
Lieut.-Col. 21st Mo. Inf. Vols., Com.
| Headquarters 21st Mo. Inf. Vols. | } |
| Memphis, Tenn., July 18th, 1864. |
On the day following the Tupelo fight the command was ordered back to Memphis. On the same day, while encamped for dinner, we were attacked by the Confederates who were, however, repulsed after a lively skirmish, and the men resumed their meal. This time they were allowed to eat in peace and to finally reach Memphis without any further brushes with the enemy. On August 5th the regiment was sent on another excursion in pursuit of the Confederate General Forrest, who was reported to be rendezvousing in the vicinity of Memphis. On the Talahatchie river they first encountered the enemy, when a lively skirmish took place. This was on August 9th. The next brush with the Confederates occurred on the 12th, and again at Hurricane Creek on the 13th. Oxford, a distance of one hundred and fifty miles from Memphis, was reached August 22d. Here, after meeting and repulsing the enemy, startling news was received from Memphis, by courier, to the effect that Forrest had captured and was in possession of the city. There was an immediate call to arms and in double quick time the command was hurried on the journey back to recapture the city. They arrived, however, to find that the Confederate leader had been in the city but had taken his departure.
On September 5th, 1864, the regiment embarked on the steamer W. R. Wallace for Cairo, Ill. They were confined on board transports at Cairo when orders were received to proceed to St. Louis to assist in repelling the invasion of Missouri by the Confederates under Gen. Price. On arriving at St. Louis the regiment was moved down the Iron Mountain R. R., to De Sota, to intercept Gen. Price, who was reported at or near Pilot Knob. Gen. Price failed to show up at that point but was reported moving in the direction of Jefferson City. On learning this fact the command was hastily put on cars and returned to Jefferson Barracks, near St. Louis. Then commenced the long, weary march after Price, through Central Missouri, going by way of Franklin, Jefferson City, Sedalia, Lexington and Independence. The command came up with the rear guard of the enemy at Little Blue, about three miles west of Independence, on October 23d. Here, after skirmishing, they were routed. Gen. Price being harassed by Federal troops, both front and rear, commenced retreating out of the State, the infantry following him south to Harrisonville, where the chase was abandoned by the infantry, the cavalry following him on into Arkansas. The infantry returned towards St. Louis, marching by way of Pleasant Hill, Lexington and Glasgow, where they crossed over to the north side of the Missouri river; resuming the march from the river, by way of Fayette, Columbia, Warrenton, High Hill and St. Charles, where the command crossed back to the south side of the Missouri river, marching to and arriving in St. Louis on the 23d of November. On this pursuit after Gen. Price the division, with which was the 21st Missouri, made a forced march of fifty-six miles, which was the longest continued march known in military history.
On the trip back to St. Louis the command was being continually annoyed by Quantrell’s and Anderson’s guerrillas, and lost several men killed by these outlaws.
Gen. A. J. Smith, commanding the 16th Army Corps, having received orders to report to Gen. George H. Thomas at Nashville, Tenn., the 21st Missouri embarked on board the steamer Mars en route for Nashville, where they arrived on the 30th of November. Leaving the steamer, the 21st was moved out two miles southwest of the city and threw up breastworks to assist in repelling the attack of the Confederate General Hood, which was hourly expected. Hood appeared on December the 1st and began a regular siege of Nashville, which continued until the 15th of December, when Gen. Thomas moved out of his intrenchments, hurling the 16th Corps, which held the position on his right, against Hood’s left. The enemy was driven back, doubling his left flank back on his center, capturing a number of prisoners and several pieces of artillery. The night of the 15th closed in with Hood’s crushed and bleeding army driven back to a strongly fortified position in the Brentwood Hills, some three miles from the position he held in the morning. The battle was resumed early on the morning of the 16th, with varying results until 3 p. m., when Gen. Thomas, seeing the decisive moment had come, ordered a general assault, and Hood’s broken and reeling columns were sent whirling down the pikes in the direction of Columbia, Tenn. Thus ended the vain boast of President Davis, at Macon, made to the Tennessee troops after the capture of Atlanta by Sherman: “Tennesseeans, be of good cheer; you will soon see the green fields of Kentucky.” The remnant of the proud army that had dealt Gen. Sherman so many crushing blows was hurrying to make its escape across the Tennessee river—to escape complete annihilation.