The Federal Counter-Attack
General George Thomas arrived to find Manson’s two regiments and Wolford’s Cavalry fighting an assault from a cornfield, their right about to be overlapped. Wolford rode up to him and shouted, “General, the men in your front are nearly out of ammunition!” Thomas responded, “Tell them to hold their line; that McCook is coming up on their right.” He furthermore made sure that the 9th Ohio, his best trained regiment, would anchor the critical right flank. The 9th Ohio consisted of German immigrants who had served in European armies. Colonel Robert McCook, their brigade commander, had in fact once personally created and led their regiment. He believed that a unit made up entirely of German military veterans would be among the best in the army. General George McClellan, who managed the Ohio and western Virginia theater at the start of the war, agreed and once stated that the 9th Ohio was the best he had “seen in either Europe or America.” In addition to advancing the infantry, Thomas masterfully redeployed his artillery. The general hurried forward Captain Kenny’s battery and placed it on the left of the 4th Kentucky. Kenny’s gunners “opened an efficient fire.” The bulk of the 10th Indiana replenished its ammunition. Now Thomas sent them to the left of the 4th Kentucky.[1]
The timing of Thomas’ arrival contributed to a controversy that arose after the battle. In his report Thomas said he arrived to find the 10th Indiana standing close to their camp while the 4th Kansas was fighting at the front. Colonel McCook negatively reported that the 2nd Minnesota found its path obstructed by scattered Indianans, all in need of ammunition. By contrast Manson claimed that the 10th Indiana held the enemy in check for an hour. He got this information from Kise, colonel of the 10th Indiana. Because Kise’s report contradicted other regimental reports, he actually faced a court-martial for falsifying his report. Veterans of the 10th Indiana, their own honor at stake, denied these accusations. Their regimental history of course made the boast that “for an hour and a quarter the regiment fought and no help from the rear.” Stuart W. Sanders, who wrote the sesquicentennial history of the battle, offered an explanation as to why the reports contradicted each other. He believes that other regiments tried to prop up their own roles in the fight while also evading criticism for not reinforcing Kise earlier. He points out that letters from soldiers right after the battle, as well as enemy reports, clearly established that the 10th Indiana held Zollicoffer at bay for at least 45 minutes. My limited research for this post leads me to agree, as several Confederate reports clearly mentioned that their advances were checked by the 10th Indiana. Also in the Hoosiers’ defense they were in desperate need of ammunition and in little condition to be holding the front at that point. They were close to camp because that was where more ammunition could be found.[2]
