Battle of Jonesboro

The 14th Ohio Infantry at the Battle of Jonesboro

September 1, 1864

I would like to start this new monthly column focusing on the history and service of the 14th Ohio Infantry by quoting from two letters written shortly after the Battle of Jonesboro. In this battle, the 14th Ohio as the second line in George Este’s brigade charged and took two lines of Confederate breastworks held by the famed Orphan Brigade (2nd, 4th, 6th, and 9th Kentucky Infantry regiments). This was a rare achievement in the Atlanta campaign for any regiment to charge field fortifications held by veteran troops and successfully carry them. In that sense, the assault at Jonesboro was similar to the famous charge on Missionary Ridge near Chattanooga the November previous. The successful assault also served as something of a rebuke to Sherman who had been down on the fighting qualities of the 14th Corps in general throughout the Atlanta campaign. (For more information on how Sherman’s animus against George Thomas and the 14th Corps affected the course of the Atlanta campaign, I highly recommend you read Albert Castel’s campaign study Decision in the West: The Atlanta Campaign of 1864.)

The first letter was written by First Lieutenant Henry G. Neubert, a young German-born officer of Company K who was a close friend and confidante of local Radical Republican Guido Marx. Neubert served throughout the entire war, starting as a Private in Company C and rose rapidly through the ranks, working his way up to Captain by the end of the war. At the time of the Battle of Jonesboro, Neubert was an aide on Colonel George P. Este’s staff.

“A charge had been decided upon for the 3rd Brigade. It was just 5:25 p.m. when the men were ordered to strip themselves of knapsacks and all unnecessary encumbrances. General Baird and Colonel Este could not have been otherwise than pleased with the apparent coolness of the men as they stripped for the deadly conflict. All seemed to know their danger but no one who looked upon these brave faces could help but read their determination to face it. When Colonel Este gave the order ‘Battalions, forward guide center!,’ and General Baird waved his hand for the forward, the lines moved forward with a steadiness that bespoke success.

When they neared the edge of the woods, such a shower of death missiles as baffles description was poured into the bosom of those unfaltering lines. A battery now opened upon us with grape and canister-shot and balls went screeching, tearing through the living mass; but those lines moved steadily on, marking their way by many killed and wounded, but undaunted. They gained the edge of the timber when with a yell and a charge they gained the Rebel works about 5 rods from the edge of the open field. Now a hand-to-hand conflict ensued, for we had more than ordinary troops of the Confederacy before us- troops who thought themselves invincible behind works, who had done the best fighting of the Confederacy under Pat Cleburne of Hardee’s Corps. But this made it a more glorious contest and victory for us. Swords and bayonets were freely used along the line. So stubborn were the Rebels that not until many had been killed with the cold steel would they surrender, but finally they succumbed and filed over the works to our rear, like sheep from a pen.”

The second letter I would like to quote from was written by Private William H. Coalwell of Company A to his mother. Coalwell, a 19-year-old farmer from Genoa, enlisted in the 14th in January 1864 while the regiment was on veteran furlough and fought throughout the Atlanta campaign. At Jonesboro, the young man was wounded in each leg, one of which had to be amputated. He was discharged from the service for disability the following June in Cleveland.

“The old 14th Corps went in on her nerve in one of the most awful charges ever known. We formed in an open field, fixed bayonets, and went for the Rebs, who could see us from behind their works, which were formed about 30 yards in the woods, with their line of rifle pits at the edge of the field. Well, we went for them at the double quick. Orders were given not to fire till we got to the woods and we did not. We drove them from two lines of works and their line of rifle pits.

“Our company lost 17 killed and wounded. The loss of our regiment was 90. Our Major, who commands the regiment, had his right leg shot off, and my Lieutenant had his right leg amputated, also then next in turn comes your boy. It appears the Rebels thought I was an officer for I was the only ‘high private’ in the 14th that lost a leg. My leg was amputated below the knee. It is my right one, too. Well the devils thought that was not enough so they put a ball through he calf of my left leg. I can say one thing for myself-I was not very far in the rear when I was wounded, for I fell within 20 feet of the enemy’s works, and thanks to God, that I was not all shot to pieces while laying there, for the bullets flew so thick that I could lie and see them meet in the air. I lay there until the hottest was over, when I halloed a young man to come and carry me off. He came, and as it happened, he was a very strong man, and I got up and went on his back. He carried me to the rear and laid me down.”