, 1863-04-18

Col. Blood goods Surrender at
Brentwood, Team. :.

Col. DloolSood's Surrender at
Brentwood, Tenn.
RACINE, Wis, April IL, 1865
Editors Chicago Tribune:
4 communication from your correspondent
at Murfreesboro, published in the TRIBUNE,
few days since, and the editorial heading Of
the column in which 1t appeared, reflect very
unjustly upon the character Of Lieut.. Colonel
Bioodgood. And having been present at the
time Of the surrender, and also in company
with the prisoners till the ninth day follow
ing, with your permission, which / presume
will he chcetlully granted, will furnish tho
public with brief statement Of the Glcts iu
the ease,
4 remnant Of the a2ad regiment, Wiscon-
sin volunteers, numbering in all, officers,
tcamsters and sick, I think, so men, was sta
toned at Brentwood, nine miles south Of
Nashville, and about the same distance north
Of franklin, for the protection Of the railroad.
We must have lad less than 400 men fit for
duty.
Two miles south Of us, remnant Of the
18th Michigan, numbering in all, $50 men,
were stationed to protect bridge. We had
neither artillery nor cavalry ut either post.
On the morning Of the 25th Of March mes
sengcr notified Col. B1oodgood that the 10th
Michigan vas attacked, and that tho enemy
we're tearing up the r.ilroad track. With all
possible dispatch, Col. Bloodgood, with 30
1aany men as lie deemed 1t prudent to take
from the camp, started to assist the 10Th.
On reaching the summit of small elevation
Of land, about one fourth Of mile from
camp, j large body Of the enemy appeared in
full view, upon the other side, forming in line
Of battle on each side Of the street. Our men
were Immediately ordered to deploY to the
right and left as skirmishers, and the order
uns quickly obeyc3.
at this point, flag Of truce appeared,
coming up from the enemy's lines, and Major
Smith was sent out in advance to meet 1t.
lie received a written message, stating that
Of Gen. Forests command, demanding an
| immediate and unconditional surrender, and
stating that upon refusing to comply, VIC
should be cut to pieces. The answer returned
was, "Come and take us.''
The enemy soon advanced, and when sut1-
GENTLY near, they we're fred upon by our
men, and a very sharp contest was kept up
on both sides about ten minutes. 4 piece If
artillery Was now discovered in position to
shell our camp, aud rebel cavalry were NOV
ing down the hills, and in large bodies rapidly
approaching US from all directions. 4 da< Of
truce was sent out from our lines, the firing
| ceased, and our forces were surrendered.
Our loss IVES three wounded IN tho eugace-
ment. The enemy, to my knowledge, had
one killed md FIVE wounded
The encmy's force consisted Of three brig
adcs, commanded BY Generals Forrest, Arm
strong and Stcarns, and q battalion Of Indc-
pendent Scouts, under the command Of Mai.
Sanders, numbering In all not less than 5000
men.
An attempt was made to give notice Of the
attack at franklin and Nashville, but the
wires had been cut. Col. Bloodgood had no
point and be had nothing TO do with the sur
render at the bridge. though your correspon.
dent says he surrendered that post without
firing gun. That point WAS Subsequently
surrendered, but only when there remained
no possibility Of successful resistance.
Perhaps some men might have fought
longer thar Col. Bloodgood fought; but to
have done SO, in my judgment, would have
been reckless sacrificing Of life to no pur-
pose.
Officers in command at each point consid:
| cred themselves exposed to raid Of this kind
and made commendsble efforts to obtain m
additional force Of artillery, but without sue.
cess. With two pieces OF artillery our posi-
tion might have been maintained till the
arrival Of reinforcen1ents, aud very differen.
result might have followed.
Many will think that a charge OF negligence
rests somvhere; and the Communication o1
your correspondent appears a little like IN
effort to cast shadows over Col. BloodgooG
for the purpose Of drawing attention from the
really guilty head.
In the absence Of Col B1oodgooa, he being
still las suppose) in the hands of tile enemy
considered it my duty to make this simpis
statement Of facts. And permit me to say
further, that the statement in the TRIBUNE o
yesterday, TINT Gen Grant sent flag OF truce
TO Vickbburg, and demanded the Two Chap
lains.' is a mistake. The "Confederate an
tlorities'' at Vicksburg sent up the nas 0
truce upon their own responsibility, prompt,
and cheennlly, and have no reasons to sup
pose that Gen. Grant had any knowledge q
them, until they were within his lines. Their
are other statements Of minor Importance
respecting the ttwo Chaplains,'' uaautho1
lied. Respectable yours,
c. D. PnLsuERT,
Chaplain o22d Reg. Wis. Vols.
Racine Wis Aprit a. 1863