Status - John Baer - 40th Indiana Regiment - Stanley's Corps - Wagner's Division - Lane's Brigade
By the 22nd, General Hood has moved the Confederate army to Gadsden, AL, and has conferred with his new department commander, General P. G. T. Beauregard. He has gotten approval from the general for his proposed attack into Tennessee. He is preparing to move north toward Tennessee soon.
General Sherman has moved most of his army toward Gadsden but has not approached the town. Sherman has realized that Hood is no longer interested in cutting his supply lines. Sherman now commands his armies to prepare for the march through Georgia, planned to start on November 1st. As part of this, he decides that the 4th army corps (with Wagner's division including 40th Indiana) will move to Tennessee, and report to General Thomas, who has been tasked with defending the state with the troops not taken south by Sherman.
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John Baer Diary Entries - text in white, comments in blue. - October 18th to 21st.
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DIARY ENTRY - Tuesday, October 18th, 1864
Was aroused at 5 A.M. with orders to be ready to march at 6:00. Marched to the depot and was informed that our destination was Chattanooga, with orders to march there. Arrived at Chattanooga about 12:00. Received a letter before I got off the train - the first one in over four months. Went to Blake’s restaurant and took dinner. Thence to Brigade Headquarters - drew one day’s rations and about 3:00 P.M. marched out without knowing where we were going. Some supposed to Rossville, others to Gorden Mills. Marched 11 miles and went into camp about 8 o’clock with orders to march at 8 o’clock A.M. the following morning - this settled the question in regard to Rossville and Gorden Mills as we had passed the one and were within a mile and a half of the other, and we had also brought out a drove of cattle destined for the army.
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DIARY ENTRY - Wednesday, October 19th, 1864
Breakfasted at a reasonable hour, struck tents and loaded baggage and were ready to march at the appointed hour, but the order was countermanded, and we rested a couple of hours. Marched a few miles and rested for dinner. Continued our march in the afternoon and arrived within a mile of Lafayette, Georgia, and went into camp.
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DIARY ENTRY - Thursday, October 20th, 1864
Continued the march at daylight - destination some miles. Went to take a nearer route about noon and ran into Schofield column - returned to the old route. Halted for dinner, marched about a mile and a half and camped for the night. Drew two days’ rations, had sweet potatoes, fresh pork, and honey for supper. Orders to march at 6 o’clock A.M. tomorrow morning, returned to rest after having roasted some pork for breakfast.
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DIARY ENTRY - Friday, October 21st, 1864
Marched at 6 o’clock A.M. in the direction of Alpine, Alabama. Arrived at Alpine about 12:00 P.M. Here we struck the route of the army and halted for dinner. The 1st Brigade remained there and our Brigade was ordered to Williams Valley. Marched about 3 miles and camped at the foot of Lookout Mountain.
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Wagner's brigade is ordered to rejoin Sherman's army, and they march out through LaFayette, GA to Alpine, AL which is near the current DeSoto State Park. They then march a few miles west to Wills Valley and camp, The remain there on the lookout for any movements of the Confederate army. They have marched 40 miles or so since leaving Chattanooga.
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More Information:
- Link: War Operations, see Volume XXXIX, Chapter LI, Part III, Correspondence, pp. 346-394.
- The Civil War Day by Day, John S. Bowman, Ed. pp. 181-182.
- The Civil War, A Narrative, Vol 1II, Red River to Appomattox, Shelby Foote, p. 616.
- Shrouds of Glory: From Atlanta to Nashville, Winston Groom, pp 96-100.
- Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant, pp. 640-641.
- Memoirs of General William T. Sherman, pp. 633-634.
- Events: 1864
NEXT POST: OCTOBER 25TH
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