The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1864-08-25

lines at this point, he started to ride
through the woods TO General Giles A.
Smiths division, which held the left of the
18th corps, it having been reported to him
that the enemy in heavy force was moving
around the left of the 17th corps, and were
pu hing In towards the gap which I here
referred to.
The only road which it was possible to
to travel, in order to reach General Smiths
command, without making lengthy de.
tour to the rear and crossing number oil
ravines, streams, etc, ran nearly in prolon-
/ CATION of the line ofthe 10th corps. The
! General had ridden oyer the road about 1O
O'Clock, and il had been passed over con-
stantly by the troops of our army up to a
4 quarter past r., and ten minutes prior te
the Generals death had passed over the
road from General Blair's command with.
out being fired at,
4 rode with the General until we struck
the road feading through the woods. He
1stopped for moment and looked the ground
lover carefully, and then sent me to Major
General Logan with the last order he ever
tgave- probably the last time he ever spoke
1to any person. Unfortunately I happened
to be the only officer with him at this time
the balance of his staff officers having been
sent with orders to different portions of the
Geld. mh
The substance of the order was ito obtain
a brigade from Gen. Logan's command, and
throw IT across the gap east of the road. !.
lconnecting with the right ofthe 16th corps,
and to Immediately join him at Gen Smiths
command" When he had given me the
order he dashed into the woods on the
road mentioned, accompanied only by his
Orderly, and as soon as he could ride $50
y ards he was killed.
Capt Howard, Chief Signal officer of the
Deparement, and Lieutenant of his corps
passed down into the road from the open
fields in rear of the General, and was but a
short distance behind him when he was
shot. The enemy had advanced their
skir,nish line and controlled and bad pos
session Of a portion Of the road, and the
General rode within fifty feet of their line
before he discovered them He was called
upon to surrender by the rebel officer in
charge of the skrmishers The General
only raised his hat, bowed, and dashed his
horse to the right Of the roal. Capt. How
ard saw the enemy fire. but did not see the
General fall from his horse. A short time
subsequent the horse came out of the wood
alone, wounded in two places.
4 The saddle and equipments bore the
marks of three bullets. 1t was hoped. al
this time, that the General had been only
wounded or captured. The Generals Or.
deriy has not been heard from, but his horse
was found uninjured
About half past one o'clock D. m. Can
Buef, Chief Ordinance Officer of the De.
partment, and myself, met private George
Reynolds, of Company d, 18th Iowa In
fantry, and Joseph Siiarland, cath Illinois
Infantry, and they reported to us that they
had just left the Generals body, and that he
was dead They had pocket-book and
several small articles, which we at once rec
ognized as belonging to Gen. Mcpherson
We Immediately secured an ambulance, and
the two soldiers guided us to the spot where
the Generals body was lying. With their
assistance we succeeded in getting the body
to the Ambulance and in bringing it from
the field. He wasl lying about one hundred
and fifty yards from the point where the
road enters the wood, and thirty yards tc
the right or southwest of the road.
The enemy were in possession of bis body
for short time, but evidently were unac.
quainted with his rank, as they only tool
from him his watch, sword belt, field glass,
and few private papers which were in his
side pocket All the articles were recovered
from prisoners taken during the day, ex,
cept bis watch.
No article of clothing had been taken
from his person except his hat, and this
may have been lost in the woods before he
fell from his horse.
] George Reynolds reports that whsn he
found the General he was still living. bu,
} unable to speak. He asked him ir he de-
sired drink of water, or if anything could
be done for him, but he could make no re.
ply, and died very soon.
Not enough can be said IN praise OF
young Reynolds He was severely wound
ed through the left arm, and, although
weak and faint from loss ofblood, remained
with the Generaluntil he died, and did eve
rything in bis power to com fort and re
lieve him, and refused to have his wound
dressed until his remains had been secured
and carried to Gen.. Sherman's headquar
tiers, t.b E.s .i4e.a9
Asa sligh. reward for his bravery ane
for his kindness to General Mcpherson dur
!, ing his last moments, the gold "Medal o
Honor" Of the 18th corps has been award
ed him by Major Gen. Blair, his corps com
mander. It was presented to him in tn.
presence Of his regiment under arms.
i have the honor to be, very respect
fully. Fl Your obedient servant,
r4 WM. E. STRONG,
Lieut.. Col. and Asst Insp'r Gen.
The above is an accurate statement oi
: the circumstances attending the death o
q General Mcpherson, and Of the facts attend
A - 4 air