On a lovely October morning the battalion left Memphis by rail. It was the 11th day of the month,—Sunday—1863. The battalion consisted of the headquarter guard, with General Sherman and his staff, destined to reinforce Grant at Chattanooga. We got away from Memphis about ten o’clock, General Sherman, the staff and officers occupying the coaches. The rest of the battalion took places on top of the cars. Everything went smoothly enough until we got to Collierville, a small station about twenty-six or seven miles out of Memphis. I did not feel exactly right that morning; I had a premonition that something was going to happen, and, as first Sergeant of E Co., 13th U. S. Infantry, I was over-vigilant. I took particular pains to see that the men did not remove accoutrements.
Within something like a mile from Collierville, as the train panted along, I discovered three men riding hard towards the track. They were armed with crowbars instead of guns. One of our men let fly a shot at them, and the battalion was immediately in arms. The train stopped at the station. It was nearly mid-day, and no time was lost in action. The first work of General Sherman was to telegraph to Germantown, about twelve miles away, for hasty reinforcements, saying he had to cope with a division of Confederates numbering 3,100, with five pieces of artillery. It was the one opportunity of a generation for the Confederates to make a great capture; and the result would have been simple if those three men with crowbars and wire-cutting apparatus had got in their work in time. But it was not to be; fortune was on our side and the telegram for reinforcements reached its destination in time.
The battalion was detrained and ordered to form a line of battle. I will never forget that line. I looked to the right and to the left, scanning about two hundred and forty as good and brave officers and men as ever met an enemy. We marched in battle line two or three hundred yards from the train towards the enemy, and were ordered to lie down. We observed that communication was being made in the rebel lines with a flag of truce. This communication was received by Col. Irish, commander of the little dismantled fort, with 240 or 250 men stationed at that point. General Chalmers demanded the unconditional surrender of General Sherman, his troops and supplies. He added that refusal would mean a useless sacrifice of lives, because he had 3,100 cavalry, infantry and artillery in his command. What do you think your “Uncle Billy” said? “Give my compliments to General Chalmers,” said he, “and tell him that the government pays me to fight, not to surrender.”
As soon as the rebel aide rode back to his command, the ball opened with grape and cannister; but they overshot us and only a few were wounded. They threw four or five rounds into us, and the order was given to stand up and then to fall back on the fort and entrenchments. This was done in fairly good order, but let me tell you, comrades, we made awfully fast time in the three hundred yards to the fort. I cast the heel of my shoe—shot off.
The men were disposed of to the very best advantage. It was an easy matter to distribute the 240 of our battalion, and I suppose Col. Irish, with his six companies of the 66th Indiana, did not have much trouble in placing them where they would do most good. Well, here we were partially protected by rifle pits, a dismantled fort, and a train of cars—480 men against an army of 3,100. Comrades, think of it!
I had been paid at Memphis and I had two fifty dollar bills with me. I was so sure of being captured, I cut the sole of my shoe open and slipped the two fifties in there. I knew that if we were taken prisoners, they would shake us down; and made up my mind that the money would help my chances of escaping during the night if captured. It was hammer and tongs until about four o’clock in the afternoon.
This was the first time I had seen General Sherman under fire, and he was certainly worth watching. He was mad as a march hare at being trapped in such a manner; something was wrong in the line of communication—somebody had made a mistake. But he was Sherman all the time that afternoon. I could not help studying this remarkable man whenever I got the opportunity. Great as his anger was at the beginning, he became later on, calm and resolute. The interior of this earthwork contained about thirty or forty men and quite a number of cooks, waiters and followers of the headquarters’ guard. The general with his hat off in the broiling sun was a marvel to look at. When a man was shot he would get one of these headquarters’ employees and say to him: “Don’t you see that man is killed? Take his cartridge box and his gun and load it. Fight for your country, sir.”
I had four men with me in defending one point. Two were wounded, which left myself and two others, Privates Warner and Klineham. Pretty soon Warner was shot in the neck and killed instantly. The rebels had gotten in the trees around the fort, and were doing serious damage to those inside. The General was ever moving about, and I was afraid they would hit him. The only one of my companions from my company was shot in the breast, and, I supposed, mortally wounded. When he was hit he said to me, “Sergeant, give me my knapsack, I want to go home.” I said, “Harry, what is the matter?” “Huh,” he said, and pointed to his breast. The blood was spurting from his wound, and I put my finger to his back to find out if the ball had gone through. My finger sunk into a cavity, and I thought he was done for. I put him in a protected position and went direct to General Sherman, who was only a few feet away.
I said, “General, these men are being killed from the trees and you will surely be hit if you don’t keep under cover.” What do you suppose I got for an answer? “Sergeant,” said the General, “attend to your business, sir; attend to your business, I will take care of myself, sir.” I stopped at once making suggestions to the General as to his safety.
Of course, I was not in a position to see anything of the fighting outside. I was a “lone fisherman” guarding my post. I was the only one left.