R. C. Rankin

“ I stripped my horse of everything and bid him adieu. Taking a strap from the saddle, I buckled my blankets together, ran my saber through, threw it over my shoulder and began the descent, and upon reaching the foot found myself in a deep dell, surrounded by high peaks of craggy rocks. ”

“ They are first to criticize the acts of those who are in the first ranks; and raise the question, “where are your trophies?” There is not a true soldier in our army but will bear me out in my statement.
The enemy were here scattered; some going out through Owen county, while Morgan himself took the pike toward the Ohio river through Claysville, crossing the Maysville and Lexington pike at Mayslick, and on through Mt. Sterling. Col Garrard’s brigade following in his trail picking up stragglers until we lost him in the mountains of eastern Kentucky in his retreat to Pound Gap. ”

“ Garrard’s brigade bore a conspicuous part, for there was scarcely a position gained that was not first gained by Col. Garrard’s cavalry, and in many instances we fought the enemy in front, until the infantry came up and intrenched themselves in our rear.
This being done, they would send a brigade to relieve us, and we would be placed further out on the flank.
On the first of September, near Rough and Ready Station, which is south of Atlanta, on the road leading to Macon, Capt. Rankin commanding a battalion of the Seventh, was the first to find the works evacuated at this point. ”

“ The detachment of the Seventh being the rear guard was ordered to remain in position one hour after the column moved, which movement was made to the left and around a spur of the mountain out of sight, striking the valley again, five miles further down at Childer’s Gap, finding one regiment of the enemy’s cavalry, which made a hasty retreat down the valley after receiving one volley from the First Tennessee mounted Infantry, which accompanied our expedition. ”

“ Some eighty-four of our men which beggered all description, not being able to be removed, were left in the prison pen.
The 7th joined the command in time to participate in the fight at Columbus, which was reached about the middle of the afternoon, when 1st O. V. C. charged a bridge which had previously been strewed with cotton saturated with turpentine, and on reaching the bridge the enemy applied the torch and the whole thing was in a blaze, which caused their return, when skirmishing and an artillery duel continued until after dark. ”

“ In this field the ground was very wet and soft and there were many ditches several feet deep, which made it impossible to preserve a correct line, but we did the best we could under the circumstances, and by the time we reached the woodland the enemy were in full retreat down the pike.
On seeing this, Col. Garrard ordered a charge by squadrons or companies in columns of fours, and ordered Captain Rankin’s battalion to charge down the pike and out to the enemy’s left.
A universal shout went up from the regiment and at them they went, the woods being open and favorable for a charge. ”

“ A considerable force of the enemy being at London, and some fighting going on, the regiment was ordered to that point, and on reaching there found the rebels gone and the bridge that spanned the Tennessee river, in flames.
The regiment then counter-marched, reaching Knoxville the next day. Resting two days, we took up our line of march for Cumberland Gap, skirmishing with the enemy at Taswell and Powell’s river, reaching the Gap and beseiging that place three days. ”

“ Fremont, through Kentucky and Tennessee to Corinth, Miss., back to Ohio and through all the wanderings of the 7th O. V. C., including this masterly “raid,” being yet good in flesh and unbroken in spirit; to part with such a friend was no light affair. ”

“ The enemy attacked the command on the 28th of September and compelled it to retreat down the railroad as far as Bull’s Gap, where we stayed several days.
On the 10th of October, we started eastward again and had a fight at Blue Springs, losing several men killed and wounded, among them, Captain Higly, a most valuable officer, who was commanding a battallion and was killed in the thickest of the fight while encouraging and leading on his men.
The rebels held their ground until a detachment of the 9th army corps came up, charging them and driving them from the field at dusk. ”

“ The country here is alternately mountain and valley, running nearly parallel east and west, with occasional narrow passes through the mountains from one valley to another, these valleys losing themselves every few miles in the main valley of the Holston river.
The brigade of which the Seventh formed a part was camped in the main Holston Valley about three miles above Rogersville. ”

“ I told him he should have fifty dollars upon delivering the horse to me, and he at once started in search of him, while I went up on the side of the mountain; spread my blanket and went to sleep.
The old man returned in the evening without the horse. I procured a guide and set by a foot-path over the mountains, traveling all night, reaching London, Ky., twenty-four hours in advance of the command. The column coming up, we continued our march until reaching Lancaster, on the 1st day of July, being twenty days out. ”

“ West’s. Beyond this farm is a gap in the mountain, called Scott’s [Pg 5] Gap. Here the enemy made a stand and quite a sharp little fight ensued which lasted near one hour.
It now being dusk and the enemy being driven from their position, the command went into camp for the night, Company E of the 7th, under Capt. Rankin, being left to hold the Gap. The next morning, skirmishing between the pickets commenced. The column was soon in motion moving on toward Monticello, with occasional skirmishing on the advance, the enemy gradually falling back toward the town ”

“ That part of the command which stopped to throw down fences, now coming to our assistance, the enemy were soon driven to a point four miles beyond, where they got large reinforcements, as well as ourselves and a fight was made in which the enemy used considerable artillery.
In an hour our artillery came up and was put in position and a flank movement being made on the enemy’s right, they were soon to be found on the retreat again.
In this engagement the rebels lost nine men killed, several wounded and twelve prisoners. ”

“ A portion of the First Brigade, composed of the three Iowa regiments, were dismounted for the purpose of storming these forts.
The Second Brigade was retained, mounted. At 9 o’clock, P. M., a move was made. The Iowa men cleared the enemy’s works on their third assault, when the Second Brigade charged, mounted, over the bridge into the city.
In this, the enemy lost over three hundred killed and wounded, one thousand and five hundred prisoners, twenty-four guns, eight battle flags and a vast amount of munitions of war. ”

“ R. C. Rankin, with Co. E and a squad of mounted citizens from Ripley, Ohio, made a charge on the place, capturing one rebel as they went in, and having one man killed by the retreating rebels. The gallant Duke did not stand upon the order of his going, but just “went.” This may be recorded as the first blood the Seventh saw in battle.
Ripley being connected with a large portion of Kentucky by turnpike roads, was selected as the place for the Regiment to rendezvous and receive instructions, which duty devolved principally on Lt. Col. Minor, who proved himself fully competent to the task. ”

“ One battallion under Capt. Copeland, was ordered to make a scout to this place, but meeting the rebel pickets, he returned to camp, losing one man killed, James Barnes of Co. E.
The next day, October the 14th, the column moved on toward the town driving the rebels from the place.
They continued their retreat through Zollecoffer and Bristol. We followed and burnt the bridge at Zollecoffer, on our way and captured at Bristol two locomotives and fifty cars, which were all destroyed, besides a considerable amount of commissary store.
The men carrying away all the sugar they could manage. ”

“ Now the country became mountainous and the valleys were reduced to narrow passes between hills, and the enemy became more stubborn and resentful taking possession of every available position to plant their batteries, and impede our progress, and in short when they reached the broken country they did not drive worth a cent. ”

“ In this charge, the first credit of entering the place, all chances being equal, is due the Seventh, Company E, under Capt. Rankin, leaping the fences, gaining the streets and crossing the creek, and mingled in a hand to hand fight with the flying rebels half way up the hill on the other side. The Adjutant of the 1st Kentucky, gained the head of the column and ordered them back to the Monticello side, where the command was formed in line of battle.
This gave the enemy time to reform, also. In this charge, the Seventh lost one man killed and three wounded, besides several horses. ”

“ At the expiration of that time, the regiment was got together at Cincinnati and marched to Stanford, Ky., preparatory to their march to Knoxville, Tenn., under Gen. Burnside.
The regiment broke camp about the 20th day of August, moving by the [Pg 10] way of Crab Orchard and London, crossing the Cumberland river at Williamsburg, about the 25th.
Here, one batallion of the 7th, under Major McIntyre, was thrown out in front as the advance of Gen. Burnside’s command, and held that post of honor during the whole march, until they reached the railroad at Lenoir Station. ”

“ As we had to subsist exclusively off of the country for forage and provisions for men and the horses, and the supply becoming exhausted our horses were reduced to skeletons and were no longer able to do duty. ”

“ He also said that Forrest’s cavalry had refused to fight any more and these brigades of infantry were ordered to hold us until they could get their trains out of our reach.
We fell back about four hundred yards and reformed.
In this affair, I am most happy to state we did not lose a single man. Our losses in horses was twenty-eight.
The rebels captured the 4th U. S. battery which belonged to our brigade.
This battery was situated on our left about a mile and supported by the 4th U. S. cavalry. ”

“ Rankin, commanding the rear guard, not being interested in this fight, nor caring which gained the day, ordered his command forward and followed the main column, it having continued its march and being now out of sight.
The night being very dark and no road, not even a path to follow nor [Pg 8] any mounted guide left to guide them, they worked their way over rocks and timber in the direction they supposed the column had moved, and became scattered. ”

“ Garrard ordered the 9th Mich. to move around Burbridge’s right flank and charge the enemy, mounted. The battallion of Kentucky cavalry was dismounted and formed on the extreme left of our line. The 7th O. V. C. was ordered to move around our left flank and charge the enemy, mounted.
The fences were quickly thrown down and the 7th had moved scarcely 600 yards, when they were met by Humphrey Marshal’s brigade, making a flank movement on the left of our line and in the rear, when a gallant charge was made by Co. H, commanded by Capt. Hall, resulting in the capture of thirty-six rebels. ”

“ In this fight we captured four hundred prisoners and four pieces of artillery.
The enemy fell back in great disorder. Among the trophies captured, the Seventh claims three battle flags; one being captured by Lieut. Copeland, who greatly distinguished himself on that occasion for coolness and bravery.
Major Norton also deserves mention for the gallant style in which he led his battalion in the charge. Major McIntire deserves especial mention. On one occasion he penetrated the confused mass of rebels, and found himself fired on from the rear. ”

“ The task being accomplished, the command fell back through Bluntsville and Kingsport to Rogersville, pressing all the horses that could be found, and remained there sometime, nothing particular occurring save the usual scouting in an enemy’s country. ”