GLORY II Chapter 17

Chapter 17

  Colonel Waring drew up in front of Bill Brice's house and dismounted, his staff following close behind him.  A young captain was standing near the house talking with two civilians.  They were in a heated discussion.

  "What's the problem, Captain?" Waring asked, knocking dried mud from his sleeves.

  "Captain Hansen, 4th Missouri, Sir," the officer replied.  "These civilians say that most of the rebel units have been heading east towards the town of Baldwin.  Says General Lee and General Forrest passed through here on Tuesday and Colonel Rucker came through here yesterday with his full brigade.  They also say that the Mobile and Ohio railroad has been running a lot lately."

  Colonel Waring had noticed that the road leading east had seen heavy traffic.  Numerous wagon wheel marks and hundreds of horses had turned the road into a mess.  "Why are these men here?" he asked, pointing at the civilians.

  "Says they came to the store across the road to get some things but the owner isn't here, Sir.  There's also a dead Reb in the house, Sir, bloods still fresh, couldn't have been dead for long."

  "I'll advise General Grierson," Colonel Waring stated.  "Captain Hansen is it?  Captain, I want you to take several companies east in the direction of Baldwin.  If you engage the Confederates, send back word immediately."

  "Yes, Sir," the young captain replied, saluting and moving out quickly to obey his orders.  "Colonel Browne, send a squadron down that road leading south for a few miles to see what's there," Waring continued, addressing one of his Regimental Commanders.  "Lieutenant Brooks go back and tell General Grierson that I am sending out reconnaissance down the Baldwin and Guntown Roads and that I will hold the remainder of the Brigade here at the crossroads until further orders."

  Colonel Waring pulled out his pocket watch and glanced at the time, which was 8:05 a.m.  He had been told that the infantry brigades had not moved out until after 7 a.m., which would place them at least six, possibly eight, miles from the crossroads.  Tactically, it would be a danger to continue opening the distance between him and his infantry support.  He could be in Baldwyn in less than half an hour, which would easily open the gap by ten or twelve miles.  He was pondering these thoughts when the Division Commander, General Grierson rode up and halted in front of the house.

  "What gives, George?" Grierson asked, still resting in his saddle, his glance moving up towards the sun, which looked like a giant orange disk.

  Colonel Waring copied his move and turned to look at the rising sun.  It was going to be a swelteringly hot day.  Already the roads and fields had been sucked dry of their moisture and rings of sweat had formed under the arms and down the backs of the dusty uniform jackets.  "Just sent Lieutenant Brooks back to brief you, Ben," he finally replied, "Must have missed your staff in all the excitement.  I sent Captain Hansen down the Baldwin Road there, and a detachment from the 7th Indiana down the Guntown Road over there to cut for sign.  Civilians here say that Forrest, Lee, and Rucker are massing near the town of Baldwin, bout six miles east of here."

  "Got orders from General Sturgis to scout the Baldwin Road, but he wants us to head south towards Guntown," Grierson replied.  "Hard headed man takes a lot to change his mind."

  "If we push on out further, we risk a chance of moving beyond close infantry support, Sir.  Cavalry almost got wiped out last year up at Gettysburg doin' that."

  "We'll take a break here, George.  As soon as Captain Hanson reports back, we'll pull out and head towards Guntown.  Who knows, perhaps Sturgis has orders or information we know nothing about."

  Captain Hansen was happy to be away from the main body of troops.  Not that he didn't get along well with his regimental commander, Colonel Von Hemrich, but the old man was trying at best.  He loved the freedom of leading his men without having to constantly look to the higher ups for permission to do something.  Out here, alone with his command, he could call the shots, make the decisions.

  The land was hilly; actually undulating would be a much better description.  The thick woods on both sides of the road were practically impenetrable.  It would be difficult for a man to push his way through the thick mass of briars, scrub oak, vines, and undergrowth.  Once inside the mess, a person could see no more than half-a-dozen steps if they were lucky.  A rail fence ran parallel to the road and the road itself was very narrow and deeply rutted from the passage of many heavy wagons when it was still mud.

  They came to an open field, which ran horizontal to the road.  It was about a hundred yards across and several hundred yards wide, shaped somewhat like a rectangle with one side pointed.  It was also completely surrounded by a rail fence running parallel down a slight incline then disappearing over another small rise.  The fence had been topped with trees and shrub.  The road continued to rise and fall so he could only see ahead a few dozen yards at a time.

  The sudden sound of gunshots brought the patrol to an abrupt halt.  Moments later, the point riders came over a small rise beating their mounts for all they were worth.

  "Rebs!" one man yelled, pulling up next to him.  "A large patrol heading in this direction, Sir."

  "How far?"

  "About three hundred yards.  If that idiot Jones hadn't fired his carbine at their point rider, they wouldn't even known we was here."

  "Ride on back and tell Colonel Von Heimrich we've made contact.  Tell him that I am deploying my two companies in line and ask for further orders.  Tell him we're approximately two miles east of the crossroads."

  Private Allenby did as ordered and reached the Brigade headquarters in a matter of minutes.  Knowing the situation was urgent; he barged in and boldly interrupted a conversation between General Grierson and Colonel Waring.  He could not find his regimental commander.  "Reb units down the road a couple miles," he blurted.  "Captain Hansen sent me to tell you and ask what he should oughta do.  He's spread out on a line defense."

  Grierson and Waring finally paid attention to the tired dirty courier.  "Tell Captain Hansen to hold his position," General Grierson ordered, dismissing the man.  He then turned to Colonel Waring.  "Lead the 3rd and 9th Illinois and the 3rd New Jersey down to beef up Hansen along with a couple of mountain howitzers.  I'll have one of your staff officers deploy the rest of your brigade about a half mile down the road from here.  Let me know what size force we're facing as soon as you can.  I'll have Ed assemble his brigade in that open field where the Ripley-New Albany Roads meet."

  "This Confederate unit is most likely a reconnaissance sent out from Baldwin to determine our line of march, Sir."

  "Probably true George, but we can't afford to take any chances.  They could also be the vanguard of a full division or even corps.  We know they've been massing to our east from the scattered reports we have received and they no doubt have a full report on our own strength.  Not only that, they probably know that our infantry is still hours behind us."

  "If they show any signs of deploying in force I'll pull back and align along with the rest of the brigade, Sir."  Taking his leave from the general, Colonel Waring signaled for his regimental commanders to assemble.  They had been waiting across the street in front of Brice's country store anxious to hear the news.

  "Captain Mock, have your detachment mount up," Waring ordered.  “Colonel Karge, the same for the 2nd New Jersey.  We're moving up to see what young Captain Hansen ran into.  The rest of you will deploy about half a mile east of here.  Colonel Von Heimrich, I want a couple of your mountain howitzers with me, the rest you can position as needed.  Are there any questions?"

  There were none.  As soon as Colonel Waring moved east with his detail, Major Williams, his senior aide, rode along the road in search of a good position to deploy the remainder of the brigade.  Less than half-a-mile east, he came to the large open field that Captain Hansen had earlier passed through.  It was a perfect spot for deployment.  They would be lined up on both sides of the road behind the rail fence, hidden by the thick undergrowth, and they had the advantage of looking down slope across an open field about a hundred yards across.  The enemy would not be able to see them from the other side and they would have to cross the open field and attack up hill.

  Satisfied with the position, he returned to the crossroads and brought up the rest of Colonel Waring's Brigade.  The two mountain howitzers and two rifled cannons were unlimbered and placed on each side of the road.  To the left of the road he placed Colonel Von Heimrich's 4th Missouri and a squadron of the 7th Indiana.  The remaining two battalions of Colonel Browne's Indiana cavalry he placed on the right side of the road.  Colonel Browne remarked, “That his position was well selected, being in the edge of a grove, in rear of a fence, and having a large open field between us and the enemy.”