Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-11-15
sIsstsiIIs aipn mo 3Hitrifnn
csrrectIOn-IncIdents Of the Hattie OF Coz
1Umhuss
From tie Memphis Appesi, Nov. IL. i.il T !

From tie Memphis Appesi, Nov. H. g Z
Having assumed the sObriqust Of " Arlstides /" IN
The article YOU published on sunday morning, am
Obliged, in order to act his part If no other motive
imeelled me, to disown the honor OF having esp
tired Cen Rohler and stand OF colors on the Dat
RE fied y as stated By your correspondent; and to
commemorate vour readers for claiming even small
Snsca in vour valuable columns, will add some in
cidents of the battle which may not prove wholly
uninteresting.
7 came to commend them. As q pro ten actor in
Cen, Folks staff, itdeTolyed upon ME to gallop from
squadron to squadron Of our brave but disheSrt-
ened boys who had been broken and driven from
the open field by the enemy In ambush While mus
engaged, ] dashed up to about one hundred men
screened by some fallen trees from the battery which
had been captured and turned alternately upon our
retreatng forces along the bank, and our reinforce
ments embarking from the opposite shore- elo-
Quence was evidently abortive, they nsd found
safe retreat and intended to hold It against al such
sssY,liIs5 AZ mine One man said with an oath) he
would not fiaht without HgaeratS" but small boy,
about fourteen years Of age who had belonged to
Watson's battery q snppOss) sprang 70 his feet eX-
claiming aGive me musket and III follow Gen.
Polk | Immediately commanded the man VINO
had refused 10 move to give the boy his gun, and
demanded the boys name. My name he ex'
claimed, (ocsaro( ''is Charley Dutchman, and LIN
from Louisiana "Well, Charley,"I replied, IN
report YOU to Gen. Polk, and you can report these
men, In an instant they dashed up the bank, LED
BY Charley, and mingled in the fight. "Charaeter-
istic of Iouisiana boys,n exclaimed Gen. Polk,
when reported him. 800. -----
The siam meanwhile had lett me, and l gaNoped
on to overtake them, but was detained again ny
SQUAD of soldiers, who bore q uylDg ceinrsue
CStoolrineerl some of whom knew me. be desired
bantism, and those bold fellows who fought under
Pillow after the battery was taken, now kneeieo
around the diving man with all their mother IN
their eyes''-some sobbiDg bitterly-and commend
ed his soul into tie hands OF his creator ana pa
yior. kept the canteen from which had baptized
him and bore il to our brave and pioIs General
suffering for water-here found General Bohler
delivering his sword by command of General Polk
to his equal in rank-a noble looking fellow (whose
name iorget) from Louisiana, and Gen. POLK then
gave me his sword himself into my custody, and the
stand of celors. The were worth to US thousand
mel, for whenever l exhibited the captured stars
and stripes vociferating the stereotyped speech
communicated by "Aristidss,' and given to US IN
substance by Gen Polk, the boys souted and dashed
on with resistless energy and incredible daring
HOW. LIEUT.. REA FELL
l cannot say he was leading Capt. Burton's com
pany, without informing your readers that this
brave captain, man of well known and repeatedly
tried courage had been i'll for two months. l saw
him leading his command to the boats In the morn
ing with scarcely strength to reach the river after
marching from his camp, but his fine face was per
feety Illuminated st the prospect before US, and be
0attereO himself lldb Lie Ec"oTu Va LhS SOI14SA .
toll was now at hand. DR.. Rogers who passed over
the river by special permission of Gen. Polk, to as
sist the wounded when the storm was fercest, met
Capt Burton on the field returning to the boat and
will testify to the utter folly Of his remaining
longer-hs voice lost in the fret shouting, and his
physical strength worn out by exertion. Mat Rea
took his command. Poor, brave fellow so gentle,
so noblei How shall lay g wreath upon your
soldier bier? He was waving his grand-father's
sword with this inscription on it: Presented by
Gen. Green to Matthew Rea-ths last man to re-
treat from the battle of Guilford Court House"
He dashed up with his command under the cloud
of battle within thirty feet of the enemy. They
held their fire and commanded him TO surrender.
He waived the grand old relic and exclaimed, " l
shall never surrender the sword of my grandfather
to Yankee ~ The Eolley flashed from the villains
guns, and poor Matt was no moreno more While
the fame of our fathers is dear his shall be
watchword Of liberty, and from his blood shall
rise mysterious host tO aYenge his fall.
So you that amidst all this heroism and glory,
poor Aristides emily bsphsed dying soldier and
gave a canteen of water to his General.
Yours, j. W. ROGERS.