19 January 1862, Kentucky, War Between the States

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Battle Accounts of Robert and Inslee Deaderick, 4th Battalion, Tennessee Cavalry

From a typescript entitled "The Diary or Register of David Anderson Deaderick, Esq.," David Anderson Deaderick Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress.

ROBERT DEADERICK'S ACCOUNT OF WHAT BEFELL HIM AT THE BATTLE OF FISHING CREEK, PULASKI COUNTY, KENTUCKY, 1862

On the 18th of Jany., 1862, orders came to our Battalion (Brammer’s 1st Battalion of East Tennessee, Cavalry) [Col. Benjamin Branner’s 4th Battalion, Tennessee Cavalry] to prepare two days rations and hold ourselves in readiness to move at any moment. It was understood throughout the Batl. (and I suppose the whole Brigade) that 6 or 7 thousand Federals had crossed Fishing Creek, and we were going to meet them after being in camp for so long a time without doing much fighting.

At dark we were ordered to saddle our horses, and expected to move any minute, therefore did not sleep of any consequence. At eleven o’clock we were on our horses and took up line of march in rear of the artillery, the infantry going in front. We marched over very bad roads in the rain, for about nine mile. The slow progress of the Artillery allowed me to get several broken naps, by dismounting and rolling myself in my blanket and lying on the ground with bridle in hand, until they could move on, after being stalled in some mud-hole, or other bad place in the road.

At daylight or a little after, picket firing commenced about 1-1/2 miles in advance of us, when we reached the scene of action and were thrown into line just in rear of the artillery. There was a brisk firing kept up in the infantry which grew more fierce every minute, volley or [of] musketry after volley was fired without intermission.

Soon the artillery commenced their fire, which with the sounds of their balls whizzing by and the whistling minnie balls over our heads made it still more fierce. The fight had progressed about an hour when we heard of the death of Genl. Zollicoffer, which threw a damper over the whole Army.

While our Batal. stood in this exposed position, I saw a ball (6 pounder) coming in my direction, striking the ground about 12 feet in front. It glanced and struck the horse on my right in the eye; knocked the horse down, throwing the rider; but to my surprise both horse and rider rose and took their places in line. The horse on my left was also shot in the shoulder by a minnie ball; it broke his shoulder and he was left on the field.

The enemy was driven back to their entrenchments more than once, but were re-enforced in such numbers that our inferior force could not stand their ground and had to give way. The infantry broke ranks. I do not know what regiment made the break. We (cavalry) were ordered to fall back some distance and to try to stop the infantry, who were leaving, but in this we failed. Retreat was ordered. We were to cover the retreat, and this we did by allowing the infantry to go in front of the retreat.

The enemy bro’t their artillery to the hospital in which our wounded were and still played on us with a few pieces as we left. We were then ordered to stop at the forks of the road about five miles from our camp, to prevent the enemy from surrounding and cutting us off, while the infantry passed. We got into camp about 2 o’clock in the evening. At 5-1/2 o’clock the enemy attacked our breastworks with artillery, and I understood attempted with their infantry, but were driven back by McClung’s Battery.

Our Batal. was ordered to saddle horses and I suppose we were going to try to drive back the enemy, but formed in lines between our camp and the River (Note: This was probably the Rockcastle River or upper branch of the Cumberland) [this note is found in the typescript; the river was, of course, the Cumberland itself], to keep our horses out of danger, as several balls fell in our camp. We remained in line until it was evident there would be no more firing from that quarter, and then were permitted to return to our respective quarters, but not to unsaddle our horses.

I was told by one of the officers to have ready everything I could carry of most value, that we would cross the river that night. After 12 o’clock we were ordered to the river, and after some time waiting on the bank were ordered to dismount, leave our horses and make our way across in the steamboat or flats; but our company concluded by whipping their horses into the river; they wanted to swim across, but in this we failed.

I told our captain that as our horses would not swim because of the river being up, and the night dark, I would swim mine and break the way for the rest, and probably they would follow. I therefore stripped myself and horse, gave my clothes to the rest of the boys to guard and carry across on the boat; jumped on my horse and rode him in, but in trying to turn his head up the river to keep him from the bushes, which were very thick, he got himself tangled in the bushes, threw me off and both swam to bank. I then put on my clothes, hitched my horse, took my blankets, etc., got on the steamer and crossed the river. (Note: The temperature can be imagined from the fact that this exploit occurred on Jany. 19).

My next thought was how to get my horse. Three of us went up the river about a mile, found a boat that would hold three horses. We therefore took possession of it, made three or four trips and brought our own and several other horses. By this time it was daylight. We thought it best to go and find the rest of our company, went to the steamboat landing but could not find but few of them together. I then found Inslee’s horse hitched and concluded he was close about, and to wait until he should come for him. After waiting a long time, someone told me he had gone up the hill. I led his horse up with what things I could find that belonged to him, found that he was not there, came back and met him coming up. (Note: The brothers were then on the opposite side of the river from the enemy.) I then went down to the river to see what was going on; about this time the enemy commenced firing on our boat, which was then run to the bank and set on fire. Our commissary stores were also burnt. I then went on the hill from

(Letter ends abruptly here; evidently a page lost.)

Pvt. Inslee Deaderick 4th Battln., Tenn. Cav. from: Divided Loyalties

INSLEE DEADERICK’S ACCOUNT OF THE BATTLE OF FISHING CREEK, Ky., 1862

Late Saturday evening we heard that there was an attack to be made on the Federals who had crossed on this side of Fishing Creek, numbering, as we then supposed, about 7,000. Our Batl. of Cavalry (Col. Branner’s) was ordered to saddle horses and be ready at any time to march with two days provisions. We were ordered out that night at 10 o’clock in the rear of the infantry and the artillery. We marched all night over a very bad road and in heavy rain and came upon the enemy’s picket at daybreak next morning.

The engagement commenced soon after, which continued about three hours. Our forces drove the enemy back over a large hill, across a valley and up another hill until we came to the enemy’s breastworks. Our Batl. was stationed on a hill in the rear of the infantry and in a very exposed position, for the Federals, as is their custom, shot over the infantry, and a great many of their balls came up to where we were. The Federals receiving reinforcements continually, our troops were overpowered and forced to retreat. We fell back about a quarter of a mile and formed a line to await the approach of the enemy. We stood here about 20 minutes, when we were ordered to scout in the woods on the left, to keep the enemy from flanking us. When it was found that there was no danger of our infantry being flanked, we were ordered to retreat towards camp, and we each took a wounded or broken-down man behind us. We reached camp about 3 o’clock that evening.

Toward night the enemy arrived within two miles of our breastworks and commanded [cannonaded?] us until dark. They threw their shells and ball all over our encampment and the river [there is no notation in the typescript, but some words are obviously missing here] so as to be in readiness for an attack and at the same time be out of the way of the balls of the enemy, and here we remained until about 10 o’clock in the night.

We were allowed to dismount but not take our horses out of the ranks. I held my horse by the reins, set down on a stone and slept a little while, which refreshed me very much. when at last the welcome order came to mount and march to camp, we were told not to unsaddle but hold ourselves in readiness to mount at all times. I suppose we had got a half hour sleep when we were ordered to horse and down the river, and then we were told that we would have to leave our horses and get across the river the best way we could in some flat boats and a steam boat.

We didn’t like to leave our horses, so we stayed there some time trying to get them over. Some of us stripped our horses and pushed them in and tried to make them swim over, but they would swim around a while and come out. Robert, thinking that if some one would lead the way the rest of the horses would follow, stripped himself and horse and rode in. But in turning the horse’s head upstream he pulled the rein too hard, the horse reared up and threw him off and they both swam back to bank.

The river was up and very swift, making it very dangerous to attempt swimming. My horse got entangled in some bushes and I gave him up for drowned. I got all my things and by tight pushing got on the steamboat and went across. When I got over, I thought I would go back and try still further to get my horse over. I found a canoe on this bank and thought I would go over if my horse was not drowned to bring him over by the side of the canoe.

I told another man whose horse was on the other side that if he would help me bring my horse over in the canoe, I would help him with his, to which he agreed.

When we got across, I found that my horse had got out of the river. I caught him and started to the canoe with him. Just at that time the steam boat came across with flat boats fastened at each side of it, and I found that I could get my horse into one of them. I led him in and took him across in safety; but I found I had no saddle blanket, so I got in the steamboat after leaving my horse in charge of a friend and crossed again and got two or three saddle blankets, got on the steamboat again, came across and found that my horse and friend were gone.

Some one told me that Robert had taken my horse and things up the hill, just at the bank of the river, so I went up the hill and found him, mounted him and rode off just as the enemy’s cannon commenced booming.

(End Inslee’s account)

Spelling, punctuation, and the notes in parentheses are as found in the typescript manuscript. The typescript has several corrections and additions by hand; these have been incorporated here. Neither of these accounts is dated, but they were evidently written shortly after the battle. Of interest is the fact that both brothers mentioned Federal entrenchments/breastworks on the battlefield. Since they were posted quite a distance behind the front line, where they almost certainly could not see the main Federal line or the main part of the battle, they must have mistaken some infantryman’s account of the rail fence to mean that the Federals had piled the rails up as field works.

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