History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5; prepared in compliance with acts of the legislature, by Samuel P. Bates.

18 5 FRA~NKLIN AND NASHVILLE. 991
column, and succeeded in eluding the rebel chieftain, and safely reaching
Franklin. Here it was decided to make a stand, the lines were established,
and temporary breast-works thrown up covering the town, which is situated in
an elbow of the Harpeth River. The First Division of the Fourth Corps was
posted on the right of the line, covering the roads leading west, with its right
resting on the river. The Seventy-seventh was deployed as skirmishers, connecting on the left with the skirmishers of the Twenty-third Corps. Scarcely
had the line been posted, four companies upon the outer line, and the remaining ones in close proximity in reserve, before the enemy came up in line of
battle, and commenced a furious attack. The skirmishers upon the right, not
having got into position, gave way, and his line pushed on in pursuit. The
Seventy-seventh maintained, heroically, its position against overwhelming odds,
until nearly surrounded, but succeeded in cutting its way back, bringing in all
its wounded and some of its dead. It was now posted behind the breast-works,
on the left of the Thirtieth Indiana, where it remained until the close of the
battle.
At midnight the forces withdrew across the Harpeth River, and retired to
Nashville. Hood followed, and sat down in front of the town. Having gathered in and re-organized his forces, mounting what he could, Thomas marched
out on the 15th of December, and attacked him in his intrenchments. The
regiment moved on the Granny White Pike, and was engaged with the troops
on the right, that stormed the heights where the rebel lines were first broken.
At night it moved three miles to the Franklin Pike, and at daylight, with other
troops, attacked the enemy in the new position to which he had withdrawn. In
movin' over the hill, to the right of the pike, it was exposed to a terrible cross
fire of grape and canister, losing heavily, Colonel Rose having his horse killed
under him, and Lieutenant Baldwin being killed. But undismayed it pushed
forward, carried both lines of the enemy's works, and captured one of the batteries from which it had suffered so severely in advancing. The rebel army
was completely routed, losing heavily in men and material. The pursuit was
vigorously pushed, but swollen streams, and almost impassible roads, delayed
the column. The Seventy-seventh followed up, occasionally skirmishing with
his rear guard, until it reached Huntsville, Alabama, where it rested.
On the 13th of March, 1865, the regiment broke camp, and moved to Strawberry Plains, East Tennessee, where it was joined by three new companies
under Captains Rohrbacker, Bell, and Shock. Two weeks later it pushed on
to Bull's Gap, and here received two more companies under Captains Brauff
a.nd Shaw. On the 25th of April the regiment returned, by rail, to Nashville.
While here Major William A. Robinson was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel,
and Captain J. J. Lawson to Major. In the re-organization of the forces, which
was here made, the regiment was assigned to the First Brigade of the First
Division of the Fourth Corps, and Colonel Rose placd in command of the
brigade, Lieutenant Colonel Robinson of the regiment.
The rebel armies east of the Mississippi, thoroughly beaten, had laid down
their arms, and surrendered to the victors; but on the west they still preserved
a hostile front. The Seventy-seventh, with other forces was, accordingly, ordered to Texas. Moving by rail to Johnsonville, it proceeded, by transport, to
New Orleans, where it bivouacked for three weeks on the field of Jackson's
victory, and thence by steamer, to Indianola, Texas, arriving on the 27th of
July. From here it marched to Green Lake, where a halt of ten days was made,