History of the Nineteenth Army CorpsIrwin, Richard B. (Richard Biddle)
History
History of the Nineteenth Army Corps
Irwin, Richard B. (Richard Biddle)
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Regimental histories; United States. Army. Corps, 19th
Almost at the moment when Taylor's left was thus roughly bearing
down the right of Birge, on his left his own 13th Connecticut,
under Lieutenant-Colonel Warner, enveloped in a grove, was moving
steadily on the Confederate right, where Clack stood and the two
guns of Cornay. Emerging from the grove into an open field that
still lay between them and the enemy in the wood, Warner's men
instantly replied to the volleys of cannon and small-arms that
greeted their appearance and pushed on, firing as they went. More
fortunate than their comrades in the direction and the moment of
their attack, they pressed back Clack, drove off Cornay's guns,
and took two of his caissons, a limber, and a color presented to
his battery by the ladies of Franklin. Nearly 60 prisoners at the
same time fell into their hands. They were still advancing when
Grover's orders recalled them to the restored line of battle of
the brigade.
As Birge's right retired, Dwight deployed in two lines, the 6th
New York and the 91st New York in front, the 22d Maine, 1st Louisiana,
and 131st New York in support, and advancing against Taylor's left
flank and overlapping it in its turn pushed it back into and beyond
the woods. In this movement Dwight took 70 prisoners. The resistance
he encountered was feeble compared with the vigor with which Birge
had been met and turned back, for in that effort the Confederate
line of battle had practically gained its main object and had now
only to extricate itself and make good its own withdrawal.
Birge, at the same time that he drew back the 13th Connecticut,
once more moved forward his three other regiments and re-formed
the brigade in two lines on Dwight's left.
Kimball, whose brigade was in two lines in reserve, brought up the
12th Maine to the support of the 13th Connecticut.
This done, Grover advanced the whole division through the woods to
the open fields on their farther or western verge, and seeing the
Confederates in force on the knoll beyond, to which they had retired,
halted and began to observe and reconnoitre.
To cover the right flank of the last Confederate position Semmes
brought up the _Diana_, whose injuries of the day before he had
during the night partly made good by repairs. Her 30-pounder
Parrott now opened a slow fire without great effect other than to
add to Grover's caution.
Shortly after eight o'clock Mouton rode up. To him Taylor turned
over the command of the force confronting Grover, and then rode
into Franklin to direct the retreat. By half-past nine Green with
the rear-guard moved out on the direct road toward New Iberia.
The last of Green's troopers had not quitted the little town at
the upper end when the first of Weitzel's entered at the lower end.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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