Capt. McClure, 71st Ohio Infantry

[damYankee]

my step grandfathers uncle William McClure, Capt. 71st Ohio

 

[East Tennessee Roots]

my step grandfathers uncle William McClure, Capt. 71st Ohio

View attachment 84844

Nashville, TN after battle report:


No. 76.

Report of Capt. William H. McClure, Seventy-first Ohio Infantry, of
operations December 15-16, 1864.

HDQRS. SEVENTY-FIRST OHIO VETERAN VOL. INFANTRY, Near
Huntsville, Ala., January 9, 1865.
SIR: I have the honor, in compliance to orders, to make the following report
of the part taken by the Seventy-first Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry, in the
two days' fight before Nashville, Tenn., on the 15th and 16th of
December, 1864:

We broke camp at 4 a.m. on the 15th, and at 7 o'clock was marching with
the Second Brigade, Third Division, Fourth Army Corps, to Hillsborough
pike, and there remained in reserve until 9 o'clock, when two companies,
A and F, were deployed as skirmishers, they remaining on the line through
the day. The regiment was formed in the front line, with the right resting on
the First Brigade, the Fifty-ninth Illinois Veteran Volunteer Infantry on the
left. We charged with the column on the skirmish line at the burnt house,
taking some prisoners. The regiment was halted at the stone fence in rear of
the house. We remained there under a heavy artillery fire until 3 p.m., at
which time the charge was made on the main line of the enemy's works. The
regiment moved forward through a field under a heavy fire of musketry,
losing a number of men.

At within 100 yards of the works we charged on the double-quick, carrying
the works, with a loss of 49 men killed and wounded. The abatis was very
heavy, but was able to burst through and plant our colors first on the works,
the color-bearer [Sergeant Bodwell] being wounded in the attempt. We
captured a number of prisoners, and one piece of artillery with limber chest
[which] was in our front. We marched to the Granny White pike and
bivouacked for the night. On the 16th marched at daybreak, crossed the
Franklin pike, then moved forward in line. Found the enemy in force on
Overton Knob. In the assault the regiment was formed in the second line,
with the Fifty-ninth Illinois Veteran Volunteer Infantry on the right, with
orders to conform our movements with the Fifty-ninth Illinois, as they were
to follow the pike. The enemy made a stubborn resistance, and after
remaining under a fire of artillery and musketry for thirty minutes, was
ordered to fall back, as the entire line on our left was falling back. Our line
was pressed forward as far as any other, three color-bearers being wounded
right at the abatis, and quite a number were found dead within twenty feet
of the works.

The regiment was reformed in rear of the batteries, and ready for the second
assault within fifteen minutes after the order to fall back. The officers and
men acted nobly.

Col. Hart was wounded near the middle of the charge, at which time I
took command of the regiment.

I herewith append a list of casualties: Killed and wounded, commissioned
officers, 7; enlisted men, 117; total, 124.

W. H. McCLURE,
Capt. Seventy-first Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry.

Lieut. B. A. HAMILTON,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-Gen.

Source: Official Records
CHAP. LVII.] CAMPAIGN IN NORTH ALA. AND MIDDLE TENN. PAGE 310-93
[Series I. Vol. 45. Part I, Reports, Correspondence, Etc. Serial No. 93.]

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[damYankee]

Thanks East Tennessee! That is great!
William McClure went to work for the rail road, I'm not sure which one, but I have his pocket watch.