Allatoona Pass

[johan_steele]

I Company had a number of Ojibiwa in the ranks and at least as far as Vicksburg the maintained a "somewhat distinctive dress" applying beadwork and modifying their trousers (in what maner I have no idea). H Company had at least one Dakota in the ranks wh was repeatedly chastised for taking scalps. Looking at the roster you wouldn't guess it though, I can only assume they took European sounding names.

When the various Companies were ordered to report to Ft Snelling and travel north some went by sleigh, all had a hard march as it was not yet really spring and they fought snow drifts of 20-30' in places. Some companies moved w/out tentage making wigwams when they camped at night waking most morning w/ the water in their canteen frozen solid.

The Regiment appointed ten corporals as the Regimental pioneers and they marched South at the head of the Regiment. Somewhere acquiring tall bearskin caps which they wore for as long as possible.

I saw the first two flags of the Regiment today, neither had any battle honors upon them. The received another flag in 63 and after their return from furlough, this is the flag that they would have carried at Allatoona. I believe it is sitting in the rotunda at the state capital but don't know for certain. But there is a very real possibility there were no battle honors inscribed on the flag at Allatoona. It looks like all the battle honors were placed on the flag post war. Below are the battle honors the 4th was authorized.

Siege of Corinth
Iuka
Corinth
Yazoo Pass
Port Gibson
Forty Hills
Raymond
Jackson
Champion Hills
22 May Assault on Vicksburg
Siege of Vicksburg (led the Column into the city after the surrender being the first US troops into the city.)
Chattanooga
Allatoona
March to the Sea (Savannah Campaign)
Bentonville
Grand Review

Discharge 7 August 1865


After Furlough the Veterans garrisoned Huntsville AL 4 May-22 June. Garrison & Provost at Kingston GA 4 July-? Brigade moved to Garrison Allatoona prior to 4 August.

The first 4th MN men engaged started skirmishing at about 0400 and were members of E Company who were driven from their rifle pits near the wagon road to the north. From what I can tell they still had ammo in their boxes when they made it into the trenches after 0900 meaning less than 80 rounds fired per man from 0400-0930. K Co came to their rescue about 0900 but was in turn pushed back into the works. The entire Regt was heavily engaged until about 1600. Elements of the 35th & 39th Mississippi got into a gully in front of A Company. As the battle was drawing to a close H & C Co moved out onto the hillside to the west of the gully and took them in the flank forcing them to surrender. Both flags and about 100 men surrendered to the 4th MN.


1602 men were part of the 4th MN VI throughout the war. There were a number of Draftees into the Regiment in the Spring and again in Aug of 64, arriving in time for their baptism of fire to be Allatoona. I've read of a Captain taking a detail of men from Huntsville to find some "lost souls who were due to the Regiment." At least one of the men, John Young of A Co, killed at Allatoona died after his service was up. He could have ridden the Hospital train out of the garrison that left the eve before but refused so he could stay with his friends. His devotion to his comrades cost him his life.

John Tourtellotte resigned 21 June 65 due to disability and was called back to active duty 28 July 1866. He was assigned to the 7th Cav, yep that one but was appointed the aide de camp to the General of the Army 1871-1884 thus missing out on Custer's wee skirmish. In March 1885 his CW wounds caught up w/ him and invalided him out of the army.

THe 4th MN VI provided enough men to the officer ranks of the USCT to "officer" two Regiments.
One of the Native Americans in the Regt may have been made a 1st LT in one of those USCt Regts. But I haven't been able to verify this.

[larry_cockerham]

Originally Posted by johan_steele

I Company had a number of Ojibiwa in the ranks and at least as far as Vicksburg the maintained a "somewhat distinctive dress" applying beadwork and modifying their trousers (in what maner I have no idea). H Company had at least one Dakota in the ranks wh was repeatedly chastised for taking scalps. Looking at the roster you wouldn't guess it though, I can only assume they took European sounding names.

When the various Companies were ordered to report to Ft Snelling and travel north some went by sleigh, all had a hard march as it was not yet really spring and they fought snow drifts of 20-30' in places. Some companies moved w/out tentage making wigwams when they camped at night waking most morning w/ the water in their canteen frozen solid.

The Regiment appointed ten corporals as the Regimental pioneers and they marched South at the head of the Regiment. Somewhere acquiring tall bearskin caps which they wore for as long as possible.

I saw the first two flags of the Regiment today, neither had any battle honors upon them. The received another flag in 63 and after their return from furlough, this is the flag that they would have carried at Allatoona. I believe it is sitting in the rotunda at the state capital but don't know for certain. But there is a very real possibility there were no battle honors inscribed on the flag at Allatoona. It looks like all the battle honors were placed on the flag post war. Below are the battle honors the 4th was authorized.

Siege of Corinth
Iuka
Corinth
Yazoo Pass
Port Gibson
Forty Hills
Raymond
Jackson
Champion Hills
22 May Assault on Vicksburg
Siege of Vicksburg (led the Column into the city after the surrender being the first US troops into the city.)
Chattanooga
Allatoona
March to the Sea (Savannah Campaign)
Bentonville
Grand Review

Discharge 7 August 1865


After Furlough the Veterans garrisoned Huntsville AL 4 May-22 June. Garrison & Provost at Kingston GA 4 July-? Brigade moved to Garrison Allatoona prior to 4 August.

The first 4th MN men engaged started skirmishing at about 0400 and were members of E Company who were driven from their rifle pits near the wagon road to the north. From what I can tell they still had ammo in their boxes when they made it into the trenches after 0900 meaning less than 80 rounds fired per man from 0400-0930. K Co came to their rescue about 0900 but was in turn pushed back into the works. The entire Regt was heavily engaged until about 1600. Elements of the 35th & 39th Mississippi got into a gully in front of A Company. As the battle was drawing to a close H & C Co moved out onto the hillside to the west of the gully and took them in the flank forcing them to surrender. Both flags and about 100 men surrendered to the 4th MN.


1602 men were part of the 4th MN VI throughout the war. There were a number of Draftees into the Regiment in the Spring and again in Aug of 64, arriving in time for their baptism of fire to be Allatoona. I've read of a Captain taking a detail of men from Huntsville to find some "lost souls who were due to the Regiment." At least one of the men, John Young of A Co, killed at Allatoona died after his service was up. He could have ridden the Hospital train out of the garrison that left the eve before but refused so he could stay with his friends. His devotion to his comrades cost him his life.

John Tourtellotte resigned 21 June 65 due to disability and was called back to active duty 28 July 1866. He was assigned to the 7th Cav, yep that one but was appointed the aide de camp to the General of the Army 1871-1884 thus missing out on Custer's wee skirmish. In March 1885 his CW wounds caught up w/ him and invalided him out of the army.

THe 4th MN VI provided enough men to the officer ranks of the USCT to "officer" two Regiments.
One of the Native Americans in the Regt may have been made a 1st LT in one of those USCt Regts. But I haven't been able to verify this.

A scalp-taking yankee. Now that's a new category! Shane thanks very much for this most informative post. Guess that's why you have that star. I'm certainly glad my Confederate folks didn't meet those men in battle, though one of my Grandson's ancestors came close at Raymond with the 41st TN. I have one who was engaged at Allatoona and Bentonville with the 63rd VA as well, as best I can tell.

[johan_steele]

Larry, I discovered last night how the Native Americans likely modified their trousers. They probably cut away the pant legs and converted them into leggings to wear w/ a breech cloth.

At Raymond, I believe, the 4th Double Quicked for well over a mile to reach the far left flank. Several men died of heat stroke/heat exhaustion but I don't think any men even fired their weapons.

By the time the Regt made it South about half the Regiment were in hospital w/ typhoid fever and malaria. During their occupation of Vicksburg in August 63 they mustered 631 men w/ only 325 PFD the rest were sick in hospital.

[johan_steele]

Fourth Regiment, Minnesota Volunteer Infantry personal accounts at MHS
-P914 Levi B. Aldrich Papers, 1853 - 1896. (I, 4th) Several diaries of Sergeant Aldrich, former farmer and carpenter, who served from October 1861 until his transfer to the Pioneer Corps in December 1862. Diaries 9 and 10 document his time with the Regiment.

-P1929 Peter Daniel Anderson Papers, 1828 - 1906. (A, 4th)

Letters of a Swedish immigrant with published translation document service during Sherman’s Atlanta Campaign and March to the Sea.

-P671 John Battin and Family Papers, 1862 - 1941. (Richard, C, 4th) Letter of July 13, 1862 describes action around Corinth.

-P621 Luther L. Baxter and Family Papers, 1853 - 1950. (A, 4th)
Captain Baxter served from October 4, 1861 to April 18, 1862, and was later lieutenant colonel of the First Minnesota Heavy Artillery. Collection includes correspondence from other officers and men, reports, muster rolls and quarterly returns for the company.

-P939 John N. Bradford Letter. (B, 4th) Letter to his wife from Vicksburg just prior to the surrender.

-P1680 John P. Bradford Papers, 1862 – 1864. (John N., B, 4th) Typescript manuscript “Reaching Back: Fifty Years in the Life of John Nice Bradford” and 27 letters dated 1862 through 1864 from Private Bradford to his wife.

-FE475.27 Fix, Calvin R. Veterans’ responses to detailed questionnaires about the Regiment’s entry into Vicksburg.

-P2116 Knud Helling Letters and Photographs. (H, 4th) Letters in Norwegian from Private, Sergeant, and finally Second Lieutenant, Helling.

-P1005 John K. Hoffman and Family Papers, 1856 - 1936. (Bellfield, H, 4th)
Includes an 1862 diary and approximately 20 letters written until his May 1863 death at Vicksburg. Some letters have good Fort Snelling content while others concern his death. A September 1864 letter from Jesse Bean describes the Regiment’s status at Altoona.

-P185 Civil War Diary, 1862 - 1865. (Henry A. House, F, 4th) Brief entries from April 1862 through June 1865 document the Regiment’s marches, camp activities and engagements.

-BG4+M643 4th Minnesota Infantry, Company K Papers, 1862 - 1866.Final record of Company K, listing all the members of the company including name, age at enlistment, dates of enlistment and discharge, home address and occupation.

-P393 Ira N. Morrill Diary, 1864 - 1865. (K, 4th) Diary covers June 1864 to January 1864 including Altoona and the March to the Sea, including his duties as company clerk.

-A/.M994 Isaac W. Muzzy Papers, 1856 - 1866. (H, 4th) Collection includes two 1864 letters to his wife.

-A.R332 Richard S. Reeves Papers, 1861 - 1865, 1897. (F, 4th) Three volumes of Corporal Reeves’ diaries dated November 16, 1861 to July 17, 1865. The collection also includes information on the Battle of Altoona Pass.

-A.R595 John E. Risedorph Papers, 1862 - 1911. (E, 4th) Diaries and 27 letters to Corporal Risedorph’s mother contain information on Iuka Campaign, Corinth and Altoona Pass.

-P2267 Sewell G. Randall Diary, 1864. (I, 4th) Diary kept by Private, later Corporal Randall from January 1, 1864 until his death from wounds received at Altoona, Georgia on October 5, 1864.

-P2268 George Sly Diary and Letter, 1862 - 1864, 1911. (A, 4th) Drummer boy’s diary covering May 1862 to 1864.

-FE515.5 Sly, George Eliot. (A, 4th) Musician Sly’s unpublished manuscript, “Marches and Camps of the 4th Regiment, Minnesota Infantry. May 1, 1862 - March, 1864.”

-A.S728 Newton Southworth and Family Papers, 1852 - 1917. (Eli, A, 4th) Collection includes letters from September 1861 through November 1862 plus letters of other family members documenting civilian activities and attitudes toward the war.

-Alpha Harrington and Merrill Family Papers, 1732 - 1963. (Eli Southworth, A, 4th)Letter dated October 16, 1862 describes conditions in a hospital at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri.

-P939 Civil War Papers of Joseph H. Volk, 1864 - 1865. (C, 4th) Photocopied 1865 diary by this late 1864 recruit describes the Regiment’s activities in the Carolinas.

-P2563 John T. Hoblit Civil War Diary and Related Papers, 1861 - 1862. (Orison Washburn, C, 4th)
Washburn’s 1862 letter is from Benton Barracks, Missouri.

-P1889 Abraham Edward Welch and Family Papers, 1830 - 1879.Photocopied and transcribed letters to family members and other documents cover his varied service until his death at Nashville in 1864.

-M596 John Young Papers, 1862 - 1864. (A, 4th) Microfilm copy of 1863 diary with brief entries plus 9 letters to his wife.

FOURTH REGIMENT INFANTRY

Anderson, Peter D., (Peterson, Ralph C.E., ed.), Marching Barefoot, A Collection of Civil War Letters written by Peter Daniel Anderson to his wife and children in Scandia, Minnesota, Minneapolis, 1991.

Baldwin, Ray, Looking Back, Marshall (MN), 1993.

Brown, Alonzo L., History of the Fourth Regiment of Minnesota Infantry Volunteers During the Great Rebellion, 1861 - 1865, St. Paul, 1892.

Brown, Captain Alonzo L., “Narrative of the Fourth Regiment.”, Minnesota in the Civil and Indian Wars 1861-1865., St. Paul, 1890, 198-242.

Brown, Fred E., “The Battle of Altoona”, Civil War History, Vol. 6, No. 3 (September 1960), 277-297.

Childs, Henry W., “The Life and Work of General Sanborn”, Minnesota Historical Society Collections, Vol. 10, Pt. 2 (1905), 338-356.

Gardstrom, Dwight A., “A History of the Fourth Regimental Band and Musicians of the Fourth Minnesota Infantry Volunteers During the War of the Great Rebellion, 1861-1865”, unpublished PhD. dissertation, University of Minnesota, 1989.

Hubbard, Lucius F., Minnesota in the Campaigns of Vicksburg, November 1862 - July 1863, St. Paul (?), 1907.

Hubbard, Lucius F., “Minnesota in the Battles of Corinth”, Glimpses of the Nation's Struggle, 6th Series (MOLLUS-Minn.), St. Paul, 1909, 479-496.

Martinson, Flora, “The Fourth Minnesota Entering Vicksburg”, Gopher Historian, Vol. 17, No. 3 (Spring 1963), 16-17.

Neiderheiser, Cloudaugh, “Some Civil War Wallpaper Newspapers”, Minnesota History, Vol. 33, No. 5 (Spring 1953), 211-213.

Sanborn, John B., Some Descriptions of the Battles in Which the Commands of General John B. Sanborn, of St. Paul, Minnesota, Participated in the Departments of Tennessee and Missouri During the Rebellion of 1861 - 1865, St. Paul, 1900 (?).

Shaw, Thomas G., “A Minnesota Officer's Rain Cap”, Military Collector & Historian, Vol. 47, No. 2 (Summer 1995).

“A Wallpaper Newspaper of the Civil War”, Gopher Historian, Vol. 19, No. 3 (Spring 1965), 6-7.

Young, Eric, Houle, Thomas (ed.), The Letters of Eric (Wedmark) Young, 1858-1866, Sioux Falls, 1992.

Young, Eric, Houle, Thomas (ed.), Additional Letters of Eric (Wedmark) Young from 1858-1866, Sioux Falls, 1992.

[Joey12thga]

Great googly moogly that sure is a lot of info. Thanks!

[johan_steele]

Joey, here is another nugget, 4th MN VI was at the head of Shermans Army for the Grand Review. I'd like to know how they made that work.

[rivrrat]

This may be a little off topic. If you are interested in Native American soldiers try Civil War in the Indian Territory By Steve Cottrell.
A very good little book about the war in what is now Oklahoma. Covers indian troops on both sides.

[larry_cockerham]

Originally Posted by johan_steele

Larry, I discovered last night how the Native Americans likely modified their trousers. They probably cut away the pant legs and converted them into leggings to wear w/ a breech cloth.

At Raymond, I believe, the 4th Double Quicked for well over a mile to reach the far left flank. Several men died of heat stroke/heat exhaustion but I don't think any men even fired their weapons.

By the time the Regt made it South about half the Regiment were in hospital w/ typhoid fever and malaria. During their occupation of Vicksburg in August 63 they mustered 631 men w/ only 325 PFD the rest were sick in hospital.

There's a word for folks like that: Soldiers.

[samgrant]

Injuns? What injuns? I thought ths thread was about Allatoona Pass!

--

[johan_steele]

There were at least a few Native Americans w/ the 4th MN.