Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-11-06
"Reminiscences. Of the War.


movement from the valley Of Middle
Tennessee, So soon as the enemy
passed beyond our works at Tullahoma,
it became evident that the objective point
of this memorable flank movement was
Chattanooga So soon as this was salts
factorily ascertained, our object was, |
judge, or ought to have been, to prevent
the enemy obtaining his One would
naturally suppose to do this it was
necessary to get between the enemy and
his object, and by SO doing, either com
pei him to remove us from an advan-
tageous postion-for instance, such as
Meade,,seected at Gettysburg make
wider circuit / admit | am not sufii-
cieutly versed in the higher branches of
military science to know whether this
was possible at the time or not, but this
much do know, that unless these de-
structive, demoralizing and annoying
flank movements can be prevented, there
| is ne more security in the interior of
country that engages in a defensive war,
than there is within ten miles OF the
actual lines of military operations. 1t
was proven during the late war that
bold general could penetrate to the very
vitals of rich, agricultural country,
such as ours, and there establish himself
in our very midst When a general
can accomplish this, in my opinion, he
has gained much. The burden Of sup.
porting his army is almost entirely re-
moved from his people, and they are
elated as much by his success as the
enemy is depressed. think past ex-
perience has proven that this permit.
ting an enemy to penetrate far into the
country, believing that his defeat would
be the more crushing, is all nonsense
This policy, in my opinion, is similar to
a physician permitting disease to get
we'll established in patients system be-
fore he elects it. | admit that the
physician will acquire more honor by
election than by prevention, but it is
always at the expense of his patients
pocket, and very often of his life.
Kind reader, thinking, probably as you
do, that 1 have said enough upon this
subject, will proceed to inform you
that after we arrived at Chattanooga,
our brigade was marched above Harri-
son, small village, pleasantly situated
on the Tennessee river, and there de-
ployed along the bank of that pleasant
stream to prevent the enemy crossing
For few days all was peaceable and
quiet, so much so, that we had almost
forgotten that an enemy was near, until
one fine morning, myself and an Irish
man were seated upon some works that
had been erected fronting ford, con-
versing about matters in general, having
no idea that an enemy was near, when
suddenly there burst forth from the tall
corn, on the opposite edge Of the river,
the sharp reports of dozen rifles, and
almost instantly as many bullets pattered
around us or, whizzed by. The surprise
was complete. From the Irishman's
lips spontaneously burst " You id red
mouths" and both together we disap-
peared behind the works. In moment,
from our right and left hundred mes
sengers of death went searching through
the corn, on the opposite bank, for the
concealed enemy. The shaking corn
soon indicated that at least some of the
enemy we're rapidly changing their base,
and the next shots that came from over
the river, were fred away back from
behind the angles Of a log cabin. In
this neighborhood l noticed that some of
the people were intensely Union. One
old lady l remember particularly. In
passing her, some of the men made a
remark not very Complimentary to the
Yankees, which, the old lady hearing IT,
rather aroused her anger and produced
the following reply;
"Yes, you are big dogs now Amt
you? But jest wait until Rosey gets
here, if you only dare; and I'll bet you
will soon be az your old trade again.
Some of the men innocently asked
what that was. The old lady replied:
Now iist listen to that feller pre-
tending he don't know. Why, its running,
to be sure; and everybody knows you
are better at that than anything else,
unless it's stealing poor folks corn" |
was rather surprised at the old lady com
ing out so strong until she mentioned |
corn; but so soon as that word fell from
her lips, saw in an instant where she
was hurt Our quartermaster had been
there. At this time we we're coHcentra-
ting on the Chickamauga, and few days
after fought the battle; and, as the old
lady predicted, we did run. Yes, J be-
lieve the whole army ran little, any
how. / am certain our division ran at
least six hundred yards, but not in the
direction she expected, with her favorite
Rosey after Us, but in vigorous pursuit
of him. After pursuing the enemy this
distance, l suppose our general thought
we had now enough glory for one day.
Therefore. We spent the following day in