James Bragg

Was born in Fayette County, Ind., February 10, 1830; moved to the east side of Boone County, Ind., on Eagle Creek, in 1840; came to Lebanon November 1, 1849; was married to Margaret Kernodle April 27, 1851; was one of the contractors in building the present court house in Lebanon, in 1856-’57, in which he lost two years’ hard work and what other money he was possessed with. At that time he was engaged in building many of the old-time brick buildings of Lebanon. He enlisted as a private in Company F, 40th Regiment Indiana Vol. Infantry, at Lebanon, October 7, 1861; promoted Second Lieutenant November 18, 1861; promoted First Lieutenant April 1, 1862. He was engaged in the Battle of Shiloh, Tenn., April 7, 1862; was in siege of Corinth, Miss., during the months of April and May, 1862; was engaged in all the battles and skirmishes of the Buell campaign to Louisville, Ky., in 1862; was engaged in the Battle of Perryville, Ky., October 8, 1862; in Battle of Stone River, at Murfreesboro, Tenn., December 31, 1863, [sic] and January 1, 2, 3 and 4, 1863; was engaged in the Tullahoma, Tenn., campaign in 1863; was engaged in the battles and sieges around Chattanooga, Tenn., in 1863; was promoted Captain, March 1, 1864; was engaged in all the battles and skirmishes of the Georgia campaign to Atlanta. He received a concussion by the bursting of a shell from the enemy’s guns near his head while leading the skirmish-line at the Battle of Rosacca, Ga., May 8, 1864; received further injury while charging the enemy’s works at Lost Mountain, Ga., during a violent rainstorm, June 18, 1864; was engaged in the memorable charge of the enemy’s works at Renessaw Mountain, Ga., June 27, 1864, at which time so many of our brave soldiers fell. As autumn leaves fall, so fell the bravest of the 40th Regiment at Renessaw Mountain, Ga. He was engaged in the battle of Peach Tree Creek, Ga., July 20, 1864; was engaged in all the skirmishes to the taking of Atlanta, Ga., after which he was sent back with the 4th army corps to take care of Hood and the rebel army. Was in the skirmish at Columbia, Tenn., in November, 1864; was engaged in battle at Springhill, Tenn., November 29, 1864. He was prominently engaged in the battle of Franklin, Tenn., November 30, 1864, where he was slightly wounded and had his sash shot from his shoulder. Mr. Bragg says of this battle: “Our division, that of the 2d of the 4th army corps, bore the brunt of this terrible, bloody battle, losing more than 2,000 men. This was the hardest fought and bloodiest battle, for the number engaged, during the war. It was a hand-to-hand contest. The rebels, being stimulated by the aid of whisky, were urged on by the valor of their officers to break through our lines and march on Nashville, Tenn., only thirty miles distant, and the home of many of the brave, rebel soldiers who fell to rise no more at that bloody battle. Each charge made by the rebels was as stubbornly resisted by us Union soldiers. Never wavering or faltering, but each one vieing [sic] with each other in deeds of valor, every one of us baring our breasts to the enemy’s guns to do or to die.” He was engaged in the two-days battle of Nashville, Tenn., December 15 and 16, 1864; marched to East Tennessee, then back to Nashville, Tenn. He then went to New Orleans, La., and crossed the Gulf of Mexico to Texas. He was mustered out at Texarkana, Texas, December 21, 1865, by reason of his services being no longer required, as the war was ended. He re-crossed the gulf, and was discharged at Indianapolis, January 23, 1866.

Transcribed by: Julie S. Townsend - June 6, 2007
Source: "Early Life and Times in Boone County, Indiana," Harden & Spahr, Lebanon, Ind., May, 1887, pp 245-246.