The Battle of Dutton’s Hill

On March 30, General Pegram chose a defensive position on Dutton’s Hill near the intersection of the Crab Orchard & Stanford roads, in an effort to protect his cattle, which were then crossing the Cumberland River a mere six-miles away. Pegram placed Colonel Scott of the 1^st Louisiana in charge of the mounted troops. The 16^th Tennessee Battalion was deployed on the Stanford Road. The 1^st Louisiana and the 1^st Tennessee were placed at the intersection. Dismounting the balance of his men, except for the three companies from the 1^st Florida which were crossing the cattle, to the position on Dutton’s Hill.

The 1^st Georgia was placed on the right. Steele’s Battalion held the center, and the 2^nd Tennessee was placed upon the left. Huwald’s Battery was placed in advantageous positions.

General Gillmore began his attack at 12:30 p. m., with an artillery barrage, which was damaging to the Confederate defenses. Meanwhile he placed the 1^st Kentucky dismounted in the woods to the right. The 7^th Ohio and the four Rodman guns were placed in the center. Dismounting, the 44^th & 45^th Ohio took a position on the left. Believing his mountain howitzers to be useless, Gillmore, placed them in reserve.

General Pegram’s and Colonel Scott’s after action reports differ as to how events unfolded during the three-hour battle to hold the hill. Colonel Scott took the 1^st Louisiana and 1^st Tennessee and attempted to flank the position of the 1^st Kentucky Cavalry, so that they could get to the rear of the Union artillery. Pegram claims he held out for an hour awaiting Scott’s attack, which he felt should have taken only 10 minutes to have begun. Colonel Scott stated that an aide to General Pegram, Lt. J. F. Ranson, had countermanded the order and had halted the bulk of his command without his knowledge. As a result Scott charged the Union position with 30 troopers managing to capture just three horses. Furious, Scott retired and confronted Lt. Ranson, chastising him for delivering the order to halt to Lt. Colonel Nixon instead of himself, and cursing General Pegram in the process. In the meantime General Pegram reversed himself and ordered the flanking attack once again.

Observing the Confederate maneuvering, General Gillmore took steps to prevent its success. As Colonel Scott withdrew his troopers for a second attempt, Gillmore ordered the 44^th and 45^th Ohio Infantry and the 7^th Ohio Cavalry to storm the hill, which they captured after a desperate defense of a thicket by three companies of the 2^nd Tennessee. Captain Footman of the 1^st Florida Cavalry had sent a detachment to support Pegram but they arrived too late to be of assistance. Gillmore quickly sent the 7^th Ohio to support the 1^st Kentucky by flanking Scott’s position, while parts of the 44^th and 45^th Ohio Infantry marched to the support as well.

After regrouping his command of approximately 330 men, Colonel Scott split them into three groups. Lt. Colonel Nixon with 6 companies and Captain Mathews with 4 companies of the 1^st Louisiana charged the union troops at a right angle upon the Crab Orchard road. Captain Mathews of company A, and the members of his company, were known to wear rattlesnake tails on their hats. Meanwhile Colonel Carter’s 1^st Tennessee cavalry proceeded a few hundred yards and then charged pell-mell down the Crab Orchard road. Due to the terrain the 1^st Louisiana was forced to fight dismounted. With the element of surprise gone the attack failed. For the first time in its history the 1^st Louisiana was forced to give up ground it held.

During the next two hours the 1^st Louisiana and 1^st Tennessee retired fighting from various positions in an effort to delay the Union advance while Pegram took a new position on Sugar Hill approximately 2 and 1/2 miles south of Somerset. During the combat the 1^st Tennessee lost its colors which had recently been presented to them by the daughter of General Marshall. The 1^st Louisiana reported losses of 75 men. The 1^st Tennessee reported losses of 37 men. After some half-hearted skirmishing, about 5:30 p.m., Pegram was allowed to withdraw under the cover of night. The Confederates crossed the Cumberland River at Stigall’s and Newell’s ferries with 537 of the 750 cattle that they had collected. General Pegram additionally claimed to have captured and paroled 178 Union soldiers. His losses were approximately 200 killed, wounded or missing. The Confederate prisoners were sent to Forts McHenry and Monroe. From there they were forwarded to City Point, Virginia, for exchange.

After the Battle of Dutton’s Hill, General Pegram ordered the arrest of Colonel Scott, court-martialing him for cursing a superior officer. Although found guilty, Colonel Scott received a light reprimand from General S. B. Buckner before being returned to command a brigade of cavalry.

Lt. Colonel Nixon filed six charges against General Pegram, which seem to have never been adjudicated by Confederate authorities.

Colonel John S. Scott reports his engagement on Crab Orchards Road, during the Expedition into Kentucky

 

Colonel John Simms Scott 1865

Report of Col. J.S. Scott, First Louisiana Cavalry.

APRIL 4, 1863.

SIR: In accordance with orders, on March 30, while you were engaged with the enemy on the Crab Orchard road, I moved from your left with my own and Colonel (James E.) Carter’s regiment, to attack the enemy in flank and rear. After advancing about 1,000 yards, and reaching the head of a ravine that opened on the Crab Orchard road immediately in rear of the enemy’s batteries, I came in contact with a regiment moving in column, dismounted, bearing guns with fixed bayonets. I ordered my men to front into line for a charge, but soon discovered that I had but 30 men with me. On inquiry as to what had become of my command, I was informed by Captain (G.A.) Scott, who had pushed up from the rear, that it had been cut off by Lieutenant (J.F.) Ransom, one of your aides, ordered to countermarch, and resume the position which I had left. The enemy, whom I met at the head of the ravine, fled without firing a gun, and with my 30 men I marched back in the direction of where my command had been ordered by your aide. Before reaching them, however, I learned that you had ordered them back to me, and renewed the order to charge the enemy’s rear. After my command had returned, I found that my movements were discovered by the enemy, and he had made such preparation as rendered it impossible to attack him as near his front as first intended. After moving a few hundred yards farther to the rear, I divided my command into three parts, placing six companies of the First Louisiana Cavalry under Lieutenant-Colonel (James O.) Nixon, and four under Captain (Samuel) Matthews, with orders to charge down at right angles to the Crab Orchard road, while Colonel Carter, by making a detour to the left, would strike the same road several hundred yards farther to the rear, and charge up it. Owing to the unevenness of the ground, the two detachments of the First Louisiana were unable to reach the road, mounted, and finding the enemy in force on their front, a part of the regiment was dismounted, which engaged him briskly, while Colonel Carter gallantry drove through a regiment of infantry and dispersed a detachment of cavalry. But finding the enemy in front of Colonel Nixon too strong, he filed to the right and formed in rear of the First Louisiana, who at that time were engaging the enemy with spirit and determination. Lieutenant-Colonel Nixon fought them until his ammunition was exhausted, when he retired to the rear of Colonel Carter, who gave them a heavy volley as the cavalry charged; but, being overpowered by numbers, was compelled to give way. On the Stanford road I again rallied my men, and with a few rounds of ammunition checked and drove back the enemy with some loss, and retired toward the Cumberland.

  After the charge of Colonel Carter, a fight could have been avoided, and the two regiments been brought off without the loss of 10 men; but both officers and men seemed to feel that upon an effort made there devolved the safety of the brigade, and all were willing to submit to any sacrifice to insure its safe crossing at the river. It was for this reason that I attempted to make a stand against a force fully five times my number, and that had already flanked me on both wings.

My command did not number over 330 men. Of that number the First Louisiana lost 71 men and 4 commissioned officers, and Colonel Carter’s lost 5 commissioned officers and 32 men.

  The individual acts of gallantry and heroism were so numerous as to preclude the possibility of my detailing them. Colonel Carter and Lieutenant-Colonel Nixon displayed great coolness on the field. The former was at one time completely surrounded, and made his escape by use of his pistol. The latter had his bridle-reins seized by a Yankee officer, but succeeded in making his escape with a slight wound in his hand.

  This is the first time that the First Louisiana Cavalry has ever turned their backs on an enemy, and I assure you I feel as much mortified as any soldier could who thinks he has done his duty. But for the unfortunate circumstance of cutting my command in two when I thought I had an advantage of the enemy, the disasters of the day might have been very much lessened, and I would respectfully suggest that aides in the future be instructed to bear your messages to me in person, instead of halting my column in a charge and in the face of a powerful enemy.

Very respectfully,

J.S. SCOTT,

Colonel First Louisiana Cavalry.

Brigadier-General PEGRAM,

Commanding Cavalry.