The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-08-01

tnthedbrssamen al.hsr wess xictimized BY
ian sttarly 5ineempetnnt is6dera dnps1iouslJ
demand Of usis recital Of the fact, Had
man Of coolness and sell. possession beer
their 0olonsl they would have repealed The
guetiiias with scarcely 10 blow. pol There
would have been no, officially In bringing
Of the entire force to this place, b1t even
this was not pecessary. They, would have
held their position triumphantly. 9a naH
Perhaps we should say Id justice to Gen.
sral Ts z. Orittenden, that he had just ar.
rived from Indiana, and bad not taken com.
mand.. A finer body Of men that the Third
Minnes0ta we never saw, and We deeply
sympathize with them and their misfortune
Let their fate serve as q lesson to- other regi-
menfs and companies, 70 be careful in their
choice Of officers. ,os, p.
From the Nashville Union Of the 9th. d -
De MORE ABOUT THa MURFREEsBoRo AFFAIR.
1--WE publish the following Communication
with pleasure, The, statements We made
were, given On the authority Of highly re-
spectacle members Of the Third Minnesota
who had excellent opportunities for know.
ing what they stated; but If there are any
extenuating circumstances we, and the pub
lie, will be glad to heal, them. Mr.. Hatha'
way himself speaks Of the surrender as dis.
honorable. aa371In5 3aJ z>'ia 3H32s5 1860
93.l Mr.. EDITOR: / desire in as few words as
possible, TO correct some small misstate.
ments made BY Dr.. Butler to you. Wis
Col. Lester was far from being 'sparal-
yzed by fear" Aswe were marching over
the field in line of battle, many men if no,
the whole regiment. heard him say, "Keep
your line well dressed, boys, it is the best
marching you have ever done," &C., which
was evidently true, and which no man SPAR
alyzed by fear" would have noticed.
The enemy numbered in all 1000. They
consisted OF the celebrated Texan Rangers
700 strong, two Georgia regiments of 500
each, and battalion Of Kentucky troops
At the time of the surrender we were less
than 500 strong, and the artillery was near
ly out of ammunition. Nevertheless, we
would have held our position until rein
forcements had had arrived, if ordered to.
The Texans, as we'll as the enemy gene
rally, had arms of their own choice. Those
had sabres who wanted them, and I do not
remember to have seen half dozen without
revolvers.
The wounded were on a cool, shady hill
side, admirably sheltered from danger by
the nature ofthe ground. The fact that Col.
Lester selected this place instead of the
house which it was necessary to shell, and
which was occupied at the time by the
rebels, is one of the greatest things which 1
have vet heard in his favor.
Gen. Crittenden assumed command the
day before the attack. He as we'll as Col.
Duffield advised Col. Lester to surrender.
Before surrendering, Col. Lester called a
council of war. Five voted for surrender,
and three against. Captains Andrews and
Halt, and Lieut.. COL Griggs, are the ever
heroic three, who preferred an honorable
death to dishonorable surrender. Capt
Mills was opposed to surrender, but 1 am
informed, was not allowed to vote on &C
count OF the absence of bis company.
N. P. HATHAWAY, Co, l. Sd Mimi,