Reforming The Union Line

Reforming The Union Line. The Battle of Richmond, Kentucky. The blow the Confederates struck Manson's brigade at Mt. Zion Church was considerable. The Confederates captured at least 500 men and a considerable amount of equipment. The heat of the day - it was in the upper 90s and there was little water for the thirsty men - slowed the Confederate pursuit. While the Confederates paused to replenish their ammunition, Generals Charles Cruft and Mahlon Manson used the time to rally their troops and form a second line., The Union army regrouped just north of here. The 12th and 66th Indiana Infantry regiments retreated in good order and formed a line. Manson and Cruft used the two Hoosier regiments as a base to gather the scattered army., "The men, however, began to rally. I had the Twelfth and Sixty-sixth Indiana formed on the left of the road across the fields about 1 mile in the rear of the battle-field and in front of the retreating mass, and placed a line of cavalry still to their front. Here the greater portion of the retreating regiments were eventually rallied.” Gen. Charles Cruft, After rallying his men Manson marched them north. They deployed near Duncannon Road and waited for the Confederates. A month earlier, many of these men were farming, starting families or finishing their schooling. Now, they had seen their friends and neighbors die on the battlefield. Hot, tired, and thirsty, they waited once again for the Rebels, knowing they might share their friends' fate., "While General Manson's brigade was falling back in some disorder a large number of different regiments under General Manson was rallied by our gallant general and his aides.” Capt. John F. Baird, 66 Indiana, "Seeing a large farmhouse... I thought... I will get a drink of water and fill my canteen when we get there. But I was doomed to disappointment, for the well was surrounded by a struggling mass of men all, like myself, famishing for a drink of water. I gave it up, and suffered on till night." , Capt. Thomas M. Robertson, 71” Indiana