46 Days To Save An Army: Gen. John Corson Smith And The Chattanooga Campaign

By Wayne L. Wolf and Bruce S. Allardice · Originally published November 2016 · p. 22

On rare occasions, an historian is privileged to discover a previously unpublished primary source that has been hidden away in an attic for decades. Such was the case with Brevet Brigadier General John Corson Smith. Recently sold by a Chicago Civil War shop to the Chicago Public Library, the five wartime diaries of Gen. Smith span the years 1861-1865. His diary entries from September 2 to October 18, 1863, provide a previously untapped window into the Chattanooga campaign and the fighting 96th Illinois Infantry. Born in 1832, John Corson Smith was a carpenter/builder in Galena, Illinois before the war and also a staunch Lincoln supporter. He originally enlisted as a private in the 74th Illinois Infantry. But upon the organization of the 96th Infantry in 1862, he was elected its major. The regiment was composed mostly of farmer and tradesmen from Jo Daviess County, Illinois. The first significant battle the 96th took part in was Chickamauga (Sept. 1820, 1863), where they were part of General James B. Steedman’s division. It was here that Smith helped rally the troops of the Union right wing and temporarily led the 22nd Michigan in a bayonet charge that stalled the Confederate advance. For his conspicuous bravery here he was promoted to Lt. Colonel. The original diary entries of Col. Smith for the two weeks leading up to Chickamauga are detailed here for the first time. They clearly trace his unit’s movements, his concern for his family, and the initial encounters with rebel units. Thursday, Sept. 2, 1863—Murfreesboro, Tenn. Cloudy and cool. Busy all day administering the oath of allegiance. So many are coming in daily. Saturday, Sept. 5—Cloudy and cool. Had a great rush of persons to take the oath of allegiance today. 85th Indiana left for Wartrace. Capt. Sherman who commands the provost guard has gone, as he belongs to the 85th. Sept. 6—Cloudy. Busy looking over papers to get prisoners sorted. Sent some forward and others will be tried by military court-martial. Sept. 7—Clear and warm. Great rush of citizens to take the oath of allegiance. Sept. 8—Clear and warm. Took the house that Col. Coburn formerly occupied. Shall have my family stay there. Sept. 9—Clear and warm. Lieut. Wilson and father to see me. Citizens still coming in. Arrested Col. Ready father in law of the rebel Genl. Morgan, Leadbetter and others. Hostages for security of railroad. Sept. 10—Clear and hot. Wife in Louisville this a.m. Expect her here on Saturday. Sept. 11—Clear and hot. At Nashville this p.m. Wife and Benjamin all safe staying at the Commercial Hotel. Sept. 12—Nashville. Clear and hot. Met Mr. Chilton. Wife will go to his house to stay until I send for her. I go to Stevenson today. Sept. 13—Stevenson, Alabama. Clear and warm. Arrived here at 9 p.m. had some oysters. Rumors of fighting near Chattanooga and our div. moving front, sent $190 to my wife by express. Sept. 14—Bridgeport, Alabama. Clear and warm. Left Stevenson at 2 p.m. arrived here at 3 pm and remained overnight to rest. The horses camped on a hill close to the river. 1st div. moved. Sept. 15—Rossville, Georgia. Clear and warm. Six miles south of Chattanooga. Left Bridgeport, Alabama yesterday at 6 am. Arrived here at 6 pm. 36 miles over mountainous country. Sept. 16—Clear and hot. 1st div. here. Same all the boys. – well several thousand troops at the Gap. Nothing new from the front. Stayed with Col. Clarke [I. L. Clarke of the 96th] last night. Visited Chattanooga. Sept. 17—Clear and hot. 2nd Brig. And 22nd Mich. And 89th Ohio Genl. Steedman commanding, moved down on the Ringgold Road to Ringgold, skirmished and threw a few shells over the town. Came back 7 miles and bivouacked for the night. What is clearly evident from these entries is John Corson’s Smith wartime penchant to keep his family close by. His wife, Charlotte Gallaher, was so often present she earned the moniker “Mother of the 96th.” She clearly enjoyed a closeness to the theatre of war that many a wife would have envied. Likewise, these entries show evidence of the large number of Southerners who voluntarily came into the Union camp to take the oath of allegiance. This is an obvious deviation from the Confederate press, which stresses the unanimous loyalty and resolve of all Confederate citizens. The crucial diary entries from September 18 to October 18, 1863, highlight three additional themes in Smith’s writings. First, he labels the Battle of Chickamauga as the Battle of Missionary Hills, clearly a reference to his units numerous maneuvers in the hilly and unfriendly terrain. Secondly, Smith never mentions a shortage of rations in Chattanooga, something frequently mentioned by historians describing the Union army’s plight. He instead emphasizes the constant skirmishing, being (almost) surrounded by the rebels and trying to prevent their advancing. And finally, he mentions the rumors that the rebels fought a battle among themselves. Smith may have heard garbled tales of the infighting among Confederate generals. The following entries highlight the 96th in action around Chattanooga: Sept. 18—Clear and warm. Rebs shelled our camp last night no one hurt. Came back to Rossville, 1st Brig. 1st Div. and 2nd Brig. 2nd Div. moved out that pm. And have skirmished since. Sept. 19—Clear and cold. Troops moving. 96th lost several men. Last night Corp. Elisha Haggert, Co. D killed Capt. Blodgett slightly wounded. Movement with Col. Mitchell’s [John G. Mitchell’s] 2nd Brig. Sept. 20—10 pm. Fought the Battle of Missionary Hills. 1st Div. suffered terribly. 96th lost 40 killed, 125 wounded and 17 missing. Col. Clarke mortally wounded. Sept. 21—Missionary Hills, Georgia. Clear and warm. Our division moved back one mile into Tenn. Men all wore out. Fighting in our front. Cannot learn of my bro. Thomas but think him safe. Sept. 22—Chattanooga, Tenn. Clear and warm. Heavy cannoning all day yesterday. Falling back on Chattanooga. Fighting all day mostly artillery. Very tired and unwell but still on duty. Enemy all around us. Sept. 23—Clear and warm. Laying in line of battle. Fighting in our front. Cannonading this afternoon. No general engagement. Sept. 24—Cool heavy fog. Has been heavy fog each morning for a week past. Clears up by noon. Had a reveille of commanding this morning. Col. Clarke died Tuesday morning in an ambulance. Sept. 25—Tennessee River opposite Lookout Mountain. Came here at 2 a.m. Will Perry with me to locate earthworks for batteries to prevent the Rebs crossing. Met Col. Champion [T.E. Champion of the 96th] and many of the boys. Will stay tonight with the Col. Sept. 26—Today clear and warm as yesterday. Batteries progressing finely. Skirmishing yesterday the same. Rebels have several guns mounted on Lookout Mountain. Sept. 27—Tennessee River opposite Chattanooga. Clear and hot.

Came up from the 1st Brig. Last night found Genl. Steedman moved to this side of the river. All quiet up to 2 p.m. Sept. 28—Warm and foggy. Rode along the lines visited the 1st Brig. All well. Sharpshooters fired on me. Ed rode with me. Saw Sam Jameson in the 16th Pa Cav. Sept. 29—Warm and cloudy. No firing on the lines last night in Chattanooga. Saw Jim Murphy and Genl. Rosecrans’ headquarters. Murphy is unwell. Sept. 30—Cloudy and warm. Met T. H. Green formerly Capt. Of Co. F first from Galena. Went to Col. Champion’s with him. Met. Adj. Blodgett who has returned. Oct. 1—Cloudy with rain. Bro. Tom returned from Bridgeport. Capt. Hicks [G. M. Hicks of the 96th, later Major] remained last night with me. Rained all day. All quiet on the lines. Oct. 2—Clear and cool. Visited Col. Mitchell and the 2nd Brig. With Genl. Steedman. Tom remained with me today. Train of 400 wagons captured and burned by the enemy today. Oct. 3—Clear and cool. H. W. Blodgett arrived today. Went down to the regiment with him Tom joined the regt. Today. All well. Oct. 4—Cloudy and cool. All quiet today. Moved our camp back next to the ridge. Have a much prettier place. Have been getting the inspection reports in today. Oct. 5—Cloudy and cool. Had an artillery engagement today. Rebels batteries opened on us from Lookout Mountain shelling our camp but doing little damage. Our batteries answering them. Oct. 6—Cloudy and cool. Reports of a battle 15 miles south of us. Camp rumor says the rebels are fighting among themselves. Capt. Hicks reported for duty as Div. Inspector. Oct. 7—Cloudy and cold. Rain until noon when it cleared up. Cold nights very cold. Capt. Hicks rode with me today while D. Windle is absent. Reports today said the rebels had a fight among themselves. Oct. 8—All quiet. Capt. Hicks assigned to duty on the staff as assistant Inspector General of this Div. Some little cannonading this afternoon. Oct. 9—Nothing new in camp. Days clear and warm. Nights cold with heavy fog in the morning. Sharpshooters fire across the river at us, of course, our boys return the fire. Oct. 10—Clear and warm. Visited the field hospital. Saw Quinn and others of my regt. All doing well. 18th Ohio Battery threw a few shells on top of Lookout Mountain, scattering the Rebels. Oct. 11—Clear and cool. Our army is being reorganized. The 96th goes into the new corps (4th) Genl. Granger commanding. Genl. Thomas commanding the 14th corps. The 21st and 20th are no more. Do not know our Brig. Or Div. yet. Oct. 12—Clear and cool. 4 p.m. have just got through the work of consolidating loss of our Div. in the Battle of Chickamauga Sept. 20th. Took it to Dept. Hqrs. Think I shall be ordered to visit Murfreesboro and other points. Oct. 13—Raining all the past night prospect of a wet day. H. W. Blodgett and Capt. A. L. Blodgett left for home yesterday and Lieut. Windle returned last evening. 9 p.m. raining all day. Oct. 14—Cloudy and rainy. Visited Col. Champion and the regt. Today. Raining all day and got wet. Oct. 15—Cloudy and rainy. Heavy rain all night. At Field Hospital to see the boys. Oct. 16—Cloudy and wet. Visited Hqrs. and received an order to proceed down the railroad. To visit P.M. [provost marshal] to settle business. Visited my regt. this p.m. Oct. 17—Jasper, Tenn. 9 p.m. Day cloudy and warm. Ed with me. Had to leave the Haley Trace Road on account of rebels. Came the Anderson Road. Horse tired and sick. 12 miles to Bridgeport. Oct. 18—Bridgeport, Alabama. Rainy. Arrived 8 am Horse give out. Roads very muddy. Train leaves here at noon for Stevenson. Miserable place. Ed stays here with my horses. These 48 days of previously unpublished diary entries from a major participant in the action around Chattanooga not only illuminate the actions of the 96th Illinois but pose at least two additional questions for historians. How bad was the shortage of rations in besieged Chattanooga, if this is never mentioned? And did the rumor of Southern troops fighting among themselves boost Union morale? In June 1865 John Corson Smith was brevetted a Brigadier General for his gallantry at Chickamauga. Smith always believed that the 96th, despite its heavy losses, helped to save the Union army at Chickamauga. Colonel Smith was seriously wounded at Kennesaw Mountain in June of 1864, essentially ending his active combat role. He survived the war and went on to a distinguished career in politics. He served as Illinois State Treasurer and Lieutenant Governor and became a fixture at veteran’s events. He died in Chicago on December 31, 1910, and is buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Galena, Illinois. For more on the 96th and General Smith, see Wolf and Allardice, “General John Corson Smith and the Early Days of the Fighting NinetySixth Illinois Infantry,” Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society Vol. 107, No. 3/4 (Fall/Winter 2014); Cozzens, “This Terrible Sound: The Battle of Chickamauga”; and Partridge’s “History of the NinetySixth Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry”. Bruce S. Allardice is Professor of History at South Suburban College in Illinois. He is a past president of the Civil War Round Table of Chicago. Wayne L. Wolf is past president of the Lincoln-Davis Civil War Roundtable.