Spencer Talley, Part 3

Promotion

Our army returned to our camping ground at Corinth where we rested peacefully for several weeks. It was here that we reenlisted for three years or during the war. All of our men over 45 and under 18 were allowed to withdraw from the army, our Captain Wade Baker and several others were under this ruling, leaving us. Before he made us a farewell address, he spoke feelingly of his devotion to southern rights and his regret of physical weakness which prevented him from leading us to a successful finish, he closed his speech by saying, "When this sword was presented me on leaving our homes, I promised that it should ever be wielded in bravery and honor, and as you are now called on to elect a man to fill my place as Captain, I want to suggest to you my choice of the man who shall wear this sword". Now when he said private S.B. Talley was the man of his choice I almost staggered from shock for he had not spoken to me on the subject and I had no thought of trying for any office. This choice expressed by him was so sudden and so unexpected I hardly knew what to say, but I insisted that Lieutenant Holman who had been second in command ought to have the Captaincy and let me be his second in command which was done, and thus it was that Captain Baker presented me his sword as first Lieutenant with a long string of cautions and good wishes. In battles further on we may give some of the history of this sword.

Interlude at Vicksburg

After several weeks rest at Corinth, General Beauregard was relieved of this command and General Bragg took charge of us. General Bragg with a larger part of our fighting force now began to move from here to East Tennessee and Kentucky while the brigade to which I belonged commanded by General Strahl was sent to Vicksburg, Mississippi where we remained through the long and hot and dry summer. We were here to hold Vicksburg, a point on the Mississippi of much importance to the Confederacy, New Orleans having fallen some months before. Her treasure was transported to this point and consisted largely of sugar, rice and molasses. Vicksburg was about the only place occupied by southern troops on the Mississippi River and if we should lose it, it would give the Yanks a free and open commerce from the lakes of the gulf. Our brigade held this place for many weeks and we can now call to mind much of the suffering and privation endured around this historic place. The water here was bad, mostly from ponds that had a green scum over them and often we drank or sucked our water through a cloth to keep from swallowing the filth. Many of our men were sick on account of this and some died. Next to the bad water here was the number and size of mosquitoes, clothing was but little protection as they could bite through any ordinary shirting.

There was nothing very exciting or interesting occurring in our stay at Vicksburg except on occasion. The Yankee fleet of several ships or gun boats were drawn up a few miles below the city, though sufficiently near to keep up a continual bombardment especially so at night. After being there for sometime they became quite tame and ventured to leave their boats and come out on the land for health and recreation I suppose. No sooner were they discovered than a project for their capture was planned and to this end about fifteen hundred or two thousand of our men were taken on a detour or way in which they could not observe us before we could make a rush upon them. We made this circulation route of about four miles in the greatest haste and with the most sanguine expectation, but by some way, no one knows how, they became aware of our movement and withdrew to their boats, so our charge was not made upon an absent enemy. When we reached the "levee" they opened a furious fire from their boats on us, but the river was so low the levee gave us complete protection. No one was hurt save one of our men who was killed by the hammer of his own gun striking the ground as he fell down behind the levee. Soon after this incident we were relieved, having been there through a part of May, June and July. We had become very tired of our place on account of bad water and almost a single diet of sugar and rice. We lived on rice until we became so tired of it, as to despise it, and for thirty years after the war I never saw a day that I could eat it. It is now fifty-four years since I took this distaste for the grain and it has found no favor in my menu yet. So when our relief came we were glad to leave the rice and mosquitoes and go into a rest spell out on Pearl River, where we had a delightful rest, and change of diet. Corn, tomatoes, potatoes, and onions were quite plentiful and the water was much better. Pearl River was fine little stream to bathe in, which we heartily enjoyed.

On one occasion there were about twenty or thirty of us bathing in the river, floating and enjoying the refreshing and coolness of the exercise. Someone called in an excited tone that Tom Felter was drowning. He could not swim and by accident had gotten in water over his head. I knew right where he was, having seen him a moment before, and made a dash just in time to seize him by the hand as he came up, probably for the last time and soon had him at the bank, where after working with him for more than an hour, we had him fully restored. Tom Felter's home was somewhere near Mount Juliet. I met him several times after the war and he never failed to hug and squeeze me and in other ways express his gratitude for having saved his life. He went to Texas a few years after the war and I never heard anymore of him.

Return to Tennessee and Battle at Murfreesboro

Our pleasant surrounding here did not last very long. We soon had orders to join Bragg's army in Kentucky. We went by way of railroad and by way of Mobile. Here we crossed the Mobile Bay, which I suppose is some forty or fifty miles wide. We were for awhile, entirely out of sight of land. It was late in the evening when we started across, and we had a glorious sight of the setting sun on the vast expanse of waters glittering in the fading sunlight, which made an impression that will be as lasting as life itself. We made this trip on a large cotton ship. There were several thousand of us on board, and we were in a pain from the top to the lower deck.

On reaching the opposite side of the bay, we found a long train of cars waiting our arrival. They were not passenger coaches as we see in this age of the world, but were freight boxes of every kind and not a few flat or coal cars. It was the best however that could be done for us. We filled them full, top and bottom. We were being hurried on our long journey and only stopped long enough to cook and eat. We were eleven days and nights making this trip from Mississippi to Knoxville, Tennessee. We slept on the train and those of us who were on the top of the train (of which I was one) would tie ourselves to the walk way on top with our gun slings to keep from falling off.

One day while speeding along at a rate of about twenty miles an hour, being on top we saw our engine careen and fall down an embankment. We at once realized we were in a wreck and began jumping. However, the cars did not pile up and only a few boxes left the track, but in jumping there a goodly number badly bruised and sprained ankles and some with broken bones. The excitement was great and it always seemed a miracle that no more harm was done us. This brought some delay and confusion of which we will not undertake to tell. When we reached Knoxville, we learned of Bragg's battle at Perryville, Kentucky and of his retreat back into East Tennessee so we went into camp here to await his arrival. While waiting for the return of Bragg's army news came that General Bedford Forrest had made a dash with his force of cavalry on Murfreesboro and had captured the garrison there. We were rushed to his aid to hold the position until Bragg's arrival, which things we did, for after our arrival no attempt was made by the Yankees to retake the place. This was about the first of November, 1862 and winter was rapidly approaching. General Forrest had a number of us who lived in nearby counties to go and bring in the supply of good warm winter clothing our mothers and sisters had woven and made into garments for our use. I was one of this detail and came home and found that mother had myself and brother Robert J., a goodly supply of heavy jeans and wool socks that reached well near our knees. Many of our neighbors had clothing ready for their sons and we had a full jersey load of food clothing and other things to bring back to the boys in camp. It was probably December 1st before Bragg's army arrived. We can't remember dates of more than fifty years ago, but we know it was a cold winter.

Among the prisoners taken by General Forest at this place was a man by the name of John Gray. He was a home made Yankee, and was a terror to the people of the town and county while in possession of the Yanks. He had reported and had punished many of the citizens for their aid and help in Confederate service. Forest had him "Court Marshaled" and the facts so clearly revealed his cruelty and vicious treatment of non combatants, that he was hanged. He was the first, and I think the only person, I ever saw hanged.

I think it was while General Bragg was at Murfreesboro that John Morgan made a successful raid on Hartsville capturing more than two thousand prisoners. This was among the first of his famous cavalier's brilliant achievements. This with his many daring exploits gave him a name and fame in all histories of the rise and fall of the Southern Confederacy. When Bragg's army had all fully gotten together I think there were forty of fifty thousand of us and we had taken up winter quarters, and expected no more fighting till the Spring campaign began. So we rested and enjoyed our camp life, especially on Christmas when our good people at home were sending us many food things to eat, and other presents to use, for our enjoyment. It was toward the latter part of Christmas week when our high officials were enjoying a Grand Ball and festival at the Courthouse which had been planned several days before, that I have yet planted freely in my memory. No officers of a rank below that of Colonel was admitted. The Colonel of our regiment declined going and kindly loaned me his uniform which entitled me to admission. I had already had the pleasure of forming the acquaintance of a Miss Winston, a beautiful young lady living in the town, and by a previous arrangement had the pleasure of taking her to this great social festival. We were having a most delightful time. We had the best band of musicians in the army and our table was loaded with the best things that Murfreesboro could afford. I well remember that my girl wished an introduction to General Bragg. I knew all the generals in our army but had no acquaintance with them of course. I made no mention of this to her, but with much familiarity introduced her to General Bragg and a number of the generals of lower rank. Happiness and merriment seemed to fill every heart and this lasted till near midnight when a dispatch came to General Bragg that Rosecrans Army from Nashville was marching upon us. I am unable to describe the excitement and confusion this message brought upon us. General Bragg's order was to rush to our men and have them cook rations and be in readiness to move at a moments warning. I had given a Negro boy a dollar to take care of my hat, but leaving in a hurry could not find the boy, or hat and thus bareheaded I took my girl to her home on East Main, in a double quick step. The night was cold and I had a mile or more to go. On reaching her home she took the comfort or wrapping off her own head and handed to me to wear through the cold to our camp. I declined her offer saying I might not be able to return it, but she insisted and I accepted her gracious offer with an assurance that I would never forget her kindness and with a happy good-bye I left her on the front porch and off I went in a brisk run till I reached our camping ground and had the "bugle" note sounded that brought the men from their midnight slumber to a realization that the enemy was marching upon us. Fires were quickly burning and all of the flour, meal and bacon, etc. that we had on hand was soon cooked and in our "Haver sacks" and before it was good daylight we were on our way to meet the Yankees.

Our lines were formed 4 or 5 miles out West of town. It was evening before the battle became general and furious. Breckinridge's division of which our brigade was a part, was held in reserve the first day, and was stationed on the right of our lines and on the North side of Stones River. Late in the evening the battle waxed not and furious on the left wing. General Withers' division was about to give way under the strong pressure and onslaught of the Federal forces. For this cause, General Breckinridge was ordered to hastened to his relief and support. In doing so we had to wade the river which was two to three feet deep. We made no halt but plunged right through it and soon after crossing our pants were frozen and rattled like a rawhide. It was freezing cold and the ground was frozen. When we reached Withers' division the firing had nearly ceased. The sun had been down for some bit and darkness was fast coming on us. So much so, that it made the sheets of fire from the enemies cannon look hideous and dazzling. They kept up this shelling until late at night. When it became evident that no further infantry charge could be made, we were relieved and permitted to retire to a position where we could build fires and dry our clothes.

In the meantime, our commanding officer had considered our wet and frozen condition and he had a barrel of whiskey sent out for our use and benefit. A detail of one commissioned officer from each company was sent to this barrel to get whiskey for his men. I was sent from our company, and having gathered a dozen of more canteens, started for the barrel which was 3 or 4 hundred yards away. When I got there I found the barrel sitting on its end with the head out and a crowd around it with the same mission as myself. When my time came to fill up I would take the canteen in each hand and sink them in the liquor and they would say good, good, till they were full. Then I would take two more and do like wise until all were full. With these full canteens swinging around my neck, I started back and found that it was all I could do to walk, bending over the barrel and inhaling the fumes had made me drunk. When I got there I said "boys here is your liquor". It made me drunk without tasting it. The boys laughed and guyed me for awhile. They appeared slow to believe that the scent of liquor would drunken, but finally accepted my statement. With the hot fires they had now burning and the big drink of liquor they had taken, put them in full plight for sleeping and resting which they greatly enjoyed till the bugle notes sounded warning us of the near approach of daylight when we were again engaged in this fearful conflict.

It is now Thursday morning, the battle raged all day. Rosecrans's efforts to smash our lines was a failure at every point. Thursday night we slept on our guns, ready for the attack, day or night. Early Friday morning, we were awakened by the gushing thunders of our heavy artillery. Much of the morning was spent in military movements. Each side seeking the advantageous ground. It was well into the evening before any mighty assaults were made on either side. It was then that Breckinridge made his fearful charge on the enemy's stronghold. Now stands a monument to the memory of the heroes that fell in that awful struggle. It was in this desperate charge that I received my first wound which was an ounce musket ball lodging against a rib in my right side. My heavy coat, vest and underwear together with a rolled shawl which hung over my neck, and through which the ball passed, prevented it from going through me and thus saved my life. The ball felled me to the ground, knocked the breath out of me and I felt that I was dangerously hurt. I could feel the flood running down my side but could not tell whether the ball was lodged in me or if it passed through. I was able to make my way unassisted to the field hospital and when our surgeon examined the ball mashed flat against my rib, I reckon I was the happiest one in the army.

Our regiment suffered a heavy loss in men and officers. Our colonel was killed soon after I was wounded. When his dead body was brought to the hospital, my heart was full of sorrow. And regardless of my wound, I secured a vessel of water and washed his blood stained face and hands. The coat which I had worn a few nights before to the grand ball and festival, was now spotted and saturated with his life's blood. I removed the stains from his coat as best I could with cold water and a rag, combed his unkempt hair and whiskers and had his dead body laid with many others in the courthouse at Murfreesboro. No braver or better man fell in our struggle for independence.

The Federal forces suffered a greater loss in men than we did. I believe our history of that conflict places their loss at fourteen thousand and ours at about eleven thousand. Our armies felt that they had done their best and neither side had a victory. Both sides were planning to retreat and if we had not retreated Friday night, the Yankees would have given up the field. But our army withdrew and fell back to Shelbyville.

On to Part 4