Editor’s Note: The following article is the fifth of a six-part series by Marysville resident Eric Demchak about one of Marysville’s forgotten war heroes. The series describes the career of Col. Joseph G. Hawkins, a resident of Marysville who organized a local company of soldiers to fight for the North in the Civil War. It details the role that he and his men played in what became known as the Battle of Stones River in Tennessee in late December of 1862 and early January of 1863. Unfortunately, there is no photograph of Hawkins, but we feel that Demchak’s exhaustive research will provide interesting reading.
by ERIC DEMCHAK
The rebel cavalry was marauding well into the Union rear area ahead of McCown and Cleburne. Led by the fiery Texan John Wharton, they were attempting to capture McCook’s ammunition trains.
Two of McCook’s divisions had completely dissolved except for Brig. Gen. Philip H. Sheridan’s troops near the center. But Sheridan couldn’t help protect the trains since he had all he could handle against the Confederate attacks in the cedars.
The trains made a dash north toward Union lines. As they did so, they came to a crossroad and Capt. Gates Thruston, who was in charge of the trains, chose to follow the lane east instead of continuing north.
The trains came on a clearing near the Widow Burris farm which had become a Union hospital. Amid the chaos of wounded soldiers, scattered debris and stragglers, Thruston pulled the cars into the open part of the friendly area.
Several Ohio cavalry units raced to repel Wharton’s Texans and for a while it seemed Wharton would prevail. However, he eventually was overwhelmed and withdrew his men. When Northern infantry units appeared, he realized that he couldn’t hold the Nashville-Murfreesboro Pike with just cavalry.
When he retreated, Thruston brought the trains safely into the Union’s rear lines.
Those Northern infantry units were the reserves which Rosecrans had sent. The brigades of Beatty, Fyffe and Harker had to fight their way north through the mass of confused soldiers from McCook’s shattered divisions.
Beatty’s brigade linked up with Maj. Gen. Lovell Rouseeau’s division which made up the right of the Union line. Fyffe covered Beatty’s right and Harker took up Fyffe’s right flank. Behind them ran the Nashville-Murfreesboro Pike, the Confederate objective.
As soon as they maneuvered into place, Cleburne’s division appeared and the Union troops braced for battle.
Hawkins and the men of the 13th, along with the 86th Indiana on his right flank, were behind the 59th Ohio and 44th Indiana. To Hawkins’ left was Beatty’s brigade. To their right were Harker’s troops.
Harder had anchored his brigade around the Burris farm, the highest point on the ridge which the Union brigades occupied.
Cleburne’s men comprised the crack division of Army of Tennessee. His attack at dawn had unhinged the Union right and forced Sheridan to make a fighting retreat. Now Cleburne was going to try to break the Union line again.
Hawkins ordered the 13th to lie low as he observed the movement of the enemy. Reports came back to the Union commanders that the rebels were advancing in heavy numbers.
The South brought up artillery to the west at the corner of Asbury Lane and Hord Road where Thruston had earlier turned his trains east. There stood Asbury Church.
In a field near the church, Southern light artillery opened fire on Harker’s brigade. Concerned about his flank and the bombing of his troops, he ordered his men to move to the right. In doing so, as he put it, “the enemy was completely baffled.”
But by making this move, he had created a wide gap between his and Fyffe’s brigade. Fyffe watched in disbelief and sent three messengers to Harker asking him to close the breech. It was to no avail.
The firing became heavier as Cleburne’s division closed in on the Union line.
Fyffe ordered the 86th Indiana’s commander “to wheel to the right and place it in the woods to secure my flank.”
Southern troops poured into the opening and their commanders reported that the fight lasted no more than 20 minutes as the Union line began to crumble. The 59th Ohio and 44th Indiana gave way and Hawkins’ 13th wavered as the front line dissolved before their very eyes. Hawkins encouraged his men to keep cool and fire low.
To his right, the 86th Indian completely unraveled. Both its color-bearers were shot and their colors captured.
Amid the chaos, Hawkins exhorted his men to stand firm.
The sixth and final part of this series will appear in Friday, July 2nd edition of the Marysville Journal-Tribune.