- Joined
- Feb 20, 2005
"We formed a battle, three Regiment front. All this time heavy cannonading was going on at our right and it kept coming down the line" Cpl George W. Morris 81st Indiana, Kirby's Brigade
"We found ourselfs in plain view of their works. As soon as they saw us they began to shell us. We were ordered forward a short distance where we were sheltered by ther brow of a hill where we;re ordered to lay down." Sgt. Samuel C. Broughton 21st Illinois, Kirby Brigade
Soldiers and Civilians watching the Battle of Nashville Dec. 15th 1864
"The Citizens of Nashville were out by the thousands, strung along on the works and on the hill, witnessing the mighty conflict" W.A. Keesy 64th Ohio Conrad's Brigade
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To the west Federal forces are pushing toward the bend in the confederate line. From the bend anchord by redoubt 1 the line run south, along the eastern side of the Hillsboro pike.
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"We had to march for some distance under a galling fire from the enemy before we could get our battery in postion. Our battery was ordered in postion on high ground in plain view of two rebel bateries, one to our right and the other directly in front about 240 yards distant, which were doing there best to disloge the Union forces and several men and horses were killed before we could get our battery in postion. My gun , a 12 lb Napolean was located about eight feet to the right of a large brick house."
"after the command fire... a villey from the rebel batteries cased the the # 1 cannoner to become terror stricken, He dumped his sponge staff and ran behind the brick house. His terror soread to the others cannoneers, who also fled and neither command or entreatry could move them to return to their gun.:
I the face of the terrible rain of shot and shell from the enemy I loaded and fired my gun 11 times alone before assistance came. A Private soldier in my battery... J.A. Thorp.. was the wheel driver of the caisson and his postion at the time was comparatively out of danger, saw my siutuation as I was manning the gun alone .. and he boldly came up where the misslesof death were flying thick and fast and said to me, 'Let me help you , the Lt. says I can.' I was never so glad to see a man as I was too see him. He took the spomge and went to work like a old warrior." Cpl Samuel J. Churchill 2nd Illinois Lt Artillery, Wolfe's Brigade
"When I took that sponge staff there wasnt a man on earth that felt any better than I did, .. I pulled my jacket off and rolled up my sleeves as I was going to chop wood. I really thought for a while that we were goiing to get the worst of it. James A Thorp 2nd Illinois Lt Artillery, Wolfe's Brigade
"The rebel batteries were silenced and driven back and the Union forces took an advanced postion" Cpl Samuel J. Churchill 2nd Illinois Lt Artillery, Wolfe's Brigade
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For his action at the Battle of Nashville Cpl Samuel J. Churchill was awarded the Congessional Medal of Honor
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CHURCHILL, SAMUEL J.
Rank and organization: Corporal, Company G, 2d Illinois Light Artillery.
Place and date: At Nashville, Tenn., 15 December 1864.
Entered service at: DeKalb County, Ill.
Birth: Rutland County, Vt.
Date of issue: 20 January 1897.
Citation: When the fire of the enemy's batteries compelled the men of his detachment for a short time to seek shelter, he stood manfully at his post and for some minutes worked his gun alone.
"We found ourselfs in plain view of their works. As soon as they saw us they began to shell us. We were ordered forward a short distance where we were sheltered by ther brow of a hill where we;re ordered to lay down." Sgt. Samuel C. Broughton 21st Illinois, Kirby Brigade
Soldiers and Civilians watching the Battle of Nashville Dec. 15th 1864
"The Citizens of Nashville were out by the thousands, strung along on the works and on the hill, witnessing the mighty conflict" W.A. Keesy 64th Ohio Conrad's Brigade
==================================================
To the west Federal forces are pushing toward the bend in the confederate line. From the bend anchord by redoubt 1 the line run south, along the eastern side of the Hillsboro pike.
==================================================
"We had to march for some distance under a galling fire from the enemy before we could get our battery in postion. Our battery was ordered in postion on high ground in plain view of two rebel bateries, one to our right and the other directly in front about 240 yards distant, which were doing there best to disloge the Union forces and several men and horses were killed before we could get our battery in postion. My gun , a 12 lb Napolean was located about eight feet to the right of a large brick house."
"after the command fire... a villey from the rebel batteries cased the the # 1 cannoner to become terror stricken, He dumped his sponge staff and ran behind the brick house. His terror soread to the others cannoneers, who also fled and neither command or entreatry could move them to return to their gun.:
I the face of the terrible rain of shot and shell from the enemy I loaded and fired my gun 11 times alone before assistance came. A Private soldier in my battery... J.A. Thorp.. was the wheel driver of the caisson and his postion at the time was comparatively out of danger, saw my siutuation as I was manning the gun alone .. and he boldly came up where the misslesof death were flying thick and fast and said to me, 'Let me help you , the Lt. says I can.' I was never so glad to see a man as I was too see him. He took the spomge and went to work like a old warrior." Cpl Samuel J. Churchill 2nd Illinois Lt Artillery, Wolfe's Brigade
"When I took that sponge staff there wasnt a man on earth that felt any better than I did, .. I pulled my jacket off and rolled up my sleeves as I was going to chop wood. I really thought for a while that we were goiing to get the worst of it. James A Thorp 2nd Illinois Lt Artillery, Wolfe's Brigade
"The rebel batteries were silenced and driven back and the Union forces took an advanced postion" Cpl Samuel J. Churchill 2nd Illinois Lt Artillery, Wolfe's Brigade
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For his action at the Battle of Nashville Cpl Samuel J. Churchill was awarded the Congessional Medal of Honor
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Medal of Honor Army
CHURCHILL, SAMUEL J.
Rank and organization: Corporal, Company G, 2d Illinois Light Artillery.
Place and date: At Nashville, Tenn., 15 December 1864.
Entered service at: DeKalb County, Ill.
Birth: Rutland County, Vt.
Date of issue: 20 January 1897.
Citation: When the fire of the enemy's batteries compelled the men of his detachment for a short time to seek shelter, he stood manfully at his post and for some minutes worked his gun alone.
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