Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1864-03-02
From the Second Ohio.
CHATTANooeA, Tenn, Feb. 5, '64.
I'm TTpp.N. Trv1oN win Won pleaso

Regiment, o. I. W. and being myself
a devotee of truth and justice, was
somewhat shocked, or rather surprised
at the thrilling history of that regiment,
as given by the Chaplain, or 'ParsOn,
in his speech in reply to the presentation
of the new banner. would beg to be
allowed to make a few remarks, or cor
rections, in reference TO certain asser-
tions made in said speech. do not pro
pose to say anything about what the 66th
did or did not, in their Virginia cam
paigns. It is of the part they took in
the expulsion of the rebels from the vi
cinity Of Chattanooga I will mostly speak.
In remarkIng the losses of the regiment,
the chaplain says, "some fell at Port
Republic, more at Cedar Mountain, otL-
ers on the hard fought field of Antietam,
others at Charlottesville, others at Get
tysburg, others at Lookout Mountain,
and others at Ringgold" In regard to
Lookout Mountain, to my certain knowl-
edge the Goth did not fire a gun, and had
but one man wounded by chance shot,
a little further down, in speaking of the
endurance of the regiment, he says, u
have known them to be cheerful in the
darkest hour. to smile when their naked
feet were bleeding, and to grow brave by
1t is no uncommon thing
for any regiment to be cheerful in the
darkest hour In fact it is a peculiar
trait of soldiers to laugh at what they
cannot help. I have been in the service
nearly three years, and have never yet
seen a soldier forced, nor even asked to
march with naked feet until they would
bleed 1 presume the Revolutionary
soldiers were the last ones who perform
ed this feat. AS for 'growing brave by
the veriest coward can say
the same. This sentence also occurs: {:
- When fully aroused every man weighs
a tun. presume it is their extraordi-
nary weight which makes them so effec-
live on bayonet charge, as it is a well
known fact that a preponderance of
weight gives the fortunate POssessOr a
most decided advantage in the use of
cold steel.
In the presentation speech, the Rev.
L. II. Long, in recounting the many fields
on which the Goth signaliged itself, seems
to make no distinction between being in
hearing Of, and taking an active part in
4 battle. He included Kelly's Ferry,
Lookout Mountain, Mission Ridge, Pea
Vine Creek, and RinggoId. Let us re-
view. When the fight came off at Kol-
ly's Ferry, between a part of HoOkers
and Longstreet's forces, the Goth was
somewhere in the vicinity Of Shell-mound,
and not nearly as close as ThOmas's Ar
my of the Cumberland, who did not pre-
tend to claim a participation in that
fight. Lookout Mountain I have spoken
of before Mission Ridge.-The Goth
reached the foot of the Ridge after the
enemy were entirely driven off and our
forces occupied the crest. They we're in
sight of this fight but did not participate.
Pea Vine Greek was not a battle, nor
even a skirmish. 1t was a night sur
prise, in which our forces captured four
pieces Of artillery; there were about 100
shots fred in all; the credit of the cap
tue belongs exclusively to the 69th D.
V. l. The Goth was at that time at least
u miles from the scene of the surprise.
| know this, for 1 was there. OF the
conduct of the 66th at the battle of Tay-
lor's Ridge, or RinggoId, I have nothing
to say. except to condemn the uugeuer-
Gus way in which D. N Arbaw Gin let,
ter to an Ohio paper) stigmatizes the 9th
Regiment Iowa Volunteers. He says
"the Goth charged over the 5th Iowa
who we're hiding or skuIking behind rocks
and trees" Mr.. Arbaw must have had
very excellent eyes to have seen so much
[ was an eye witness to that fight, and ]
did sot see any such movement Of the
Goth, and have the second person t.
see who did see it. The loss in killed o.
the Goth from the time they left the Pc
tOmac until the present date, will not ex
ceed FIVE, all Of whom were killed a
Ringgold.
1t is not my intention nor desire t,
disparage the Goth, or to detract on,
particle from the temple Of glory the.
have reared up for themselves. 1t i
only for the purpose of Distinguishing
between what they did and what the.
did not, that | write this.
Thare are others in different Obi
regiments who claim Champaign count
as the place of their nativity, and VIII
perhaps have equal claims to honor an
renown, with one exception: they ar
non-expanders, and when fully arouse
do not claim to weigh a tun, and who G
by the principle that one battle partic
pcted in is productive OF more honor tha
"A thousand and one battles hsard of, b.
nut seen.