, 1863-06-22
CORRECTING TEE RECORD
Blowing up OF the Army Correspon-
dcnts-Settinxt the 20th Illinois Right
Before the Public.


c6Hr 9r THE aorH REe'T Ill. Vo1s.,
In THE FIELD, NEAR V1cEzauEG.
june E, 1s6a
1t is amusing to notice the accounts of bat
ties furnished the Northern papers BIZ cores
pondents attached to this, that or the other
Tennessee. Permit the writer hereof to reier
to certain errors which hive occurred in the
descriptions Of the battles since Nav lst. fur
nikhed the Chicago and Cincinnati papers by
"Bod" and "Nack" respectively. These
gentlemen will readily recognize their own
offspring, and let us begin with Raymond.
ERRoR No. Owl Is stated IN pub.
1ished account of that battle, that the I'd brI-
gst|e advanced splendidly, supported By the
lsf brigade, Gen. J. E. Smith. No doubt
Dennis brigade advanced splendidly, but
there Is Just Us little donbt that Smiths bri-
gade did not support them; that is, in the
common acceptance Of the term: formed in
their rear to aid in case Of need. Gen. Smith
bad portion Of the line assigned to him !;
and the rebel line,
ERROR NuarBER Two.-It is stated that the
23d lDdiana, having advanced too far from its
sul port, YVES forced to fall back, which 1t did
in magnificent order, as only veterans could
d." etc The facts are these: The sd In
diana advanced, contrary to orders, but in q
rear: In line of battle the 2sd ha:. .,een torm
ed On the right Of the Both Illinois. whe1
having met the enemy, it was driven back. !
la'ge number Of the men dashed through
the ranks Of the 10th, and tie
later regiment was forced to reserve
It's fire until the whites ,of rebel
eyes were fairly discerrab1c; this, owing to
The danger Of tnju1ing our own men {the 33d)
il We fired too soon. Far be 1t from the
writer OF this to disparage the 2sd Indiana !;
it was seized with one Of those unaccountable
ranics which too often cast dIscredit upon
our arms. Some Of the officers of the 23d
said after the batt1e'that "they could not tell
what had got into their regiment and that
the rebels were actually grabbing at their
Error No. THREE.-The account goes On
to say: Meanwhile the battle on the 1efl was
waxing deepc1ate. The Goth Illinois had al
ready tired forty rounds, and were still held
at bay" L}eld at tayi How? By whom
The s0th Illinois had, for nearly three mortal
hours, lain In tie broiling sun, holding at bay
lhe force which had driven before it the
.cr ck" go Indiana, regiment double the
eun, their water gone, their ammunition
nearly expended, With just one third Of their
number lying dead and dying by their sides,
this handful Of men breasted the advancing
tide Of traitors-a tide victorious till it met
! hein-aud the pidful notice they get Is that
=" theS were helu at lay"
ch1cnfeler then proceeds to narrate how s'at
this critical jnncture the Slh Illinois al
yanced gallantly, with fixed bayonets, and
drove the rebels from the field" All honor
to the noble 8th! Not one whit Of their hard
tarned glory. do We envy them. When the
Entn Of the 10th saw their glittering steel and
blue coats emerging from the timber to our
Ll3l>rnrf ftU II oh f7f lad
tears Of joy coursed down many powder
bcgsimed cheek, that q moment before had
been res Ing on Muskee-stock, drawing
deadly beaa Oh the foe. But the "correspon-
dem" conveys the idea that the 9th charg-
I'd alone on tie enemy, whereas the sugges.
f!cn TO charge went out from the 20th, aud
side by side the two regiments dashed to the
So much for Raymond.
Ut Champions Hill little need be said; this
much, however, in evidence Of the truth OF
our oIel1ng remarks. When the Sd division
arrived Gu The field aud formed In line, Ho-
yey, on the left, was being driven slowly
back !; the rebel line was slowly advancing.
- There they are, behind TINT fence; can't
get anybody to dislodgc them. Men Of the
I'd division! you have driven them befJre,
J on can do 1t again. I will be with you, and
we'll all die or be victorious together" And
the Sd division did drive them; drove them,
rebel flesh, so obstinately did they resist US.
Yet, although this was the turning point Of
that bloody battle, although up to that time
the enemy had been driving us, Logan's d.
vifion gets but a passing notice, while other
coruands. will. their officers, are lauded, in
detail, to the skies.
In the assault on the enemy's works at
VickEbu1g, May I'D, all the troops engaged
met with heavy loss and but few succeeded in
reaching the Immediate vicinity Of the enc
uy's entrencb1nents. Of the regiments COM
posing the LIST brigade, Sd division, General J.
E. Smith, the 20th Illinois alone crossed the
open space in front Of the formidable fortli.
yation opposite the centre" at the time flxed,
len q: NJ, and planted Its colors III unpleasant
crossed in the afternoon and took position on
cur right, and there the two regiments remain
I'd, some thirty feet distant from the fort, IN
I'll the following day, when they were recalled,
rot having been compelled to tttal back" as
stated: We have seen but one regiment Of
onr brigade, the 51st Illinois, which regimen.
that dag. It is said that the 3lst charged up
10 rebel stockade, perpendicular, and ever
60 many feet high that they lay down By it
and we're opened on By a rebel
battery, which battery wns replied
|o By our artillery and speedily
lose Of ours. This was related By the Com
hi rcial correspondent
But correspondence genins and fertility Of
negil alton eliminated In the statement that
he foe had been driven from NIL his works
" hh the exception Of one redoubt, tlat there
he rebels had congregatcd, evidently deter
mined on making t6fstheIr 'tlast Glitch;" that
'le position was unassailable By infantry;
That artillcy was being got in position in or
DIR to reduce it; and that the enemy toere de-
finding i soiM pixies! 4 position unassailable
By infantry, yet defended against artillery with.
pites! Oh, Munehausen! Where Is thy
mighty shade!
I do not charge this last on any one In par
Eicu1ar, jet the statement went the rounds Of
he papers without q word Of comment.
Ard now, to close. This communication is
written, not with any spirit Of bitterness, not
With desire to detract in the least from the
ntrits of Others, our brethren in arms, but to
how that the naHations Of professional cor
are not always to be regarded
n the light Of gospel truths; that the meed Of
'raise Is not always properly awarded. We
Ek Its publication rs matter Of simple ins-
ice to ourselves aRd the service.
Very truly, your ob't servant,
DANIEL BRADLEY,
M13rr foYr Iir,r Dn.xs.,oTk