The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1868-08-29

IL. in the van, moVe9 " SnO |
the rehal Publications. IN IL c asE.sA -
on the ridge innmeaiaSeay IA lrYns VI
. nc net U with a CALLING fire of artillery
I'D musketry, but passed on down
the hill TO the rdCtRe intervening
II there halted a few moments to
the alignment, and again
advanced. L will here call the
attention of Major John w.
Foster to a -httle matter which has
hardly escapad his aniemnryA. via 1fy /
commend to the regiment to halt and |
lie dozen, when we had reached dis
lance about midway between the ra-
vine and the eneflye works and my /
hurried movement to the left and in |
quiry as to the whereabouts of the |
Colonel. As he was not with us, L,
the next officer In rank, assumed the |
and under my orders the |
men rose up and moved CALAMITY for |
ward to the discharge of their duty, |
Observing that we were not supported
by the other troops of the brigade, L
again commanded halt at distance
not more than thirty PAGES, from the
enemy's works, which position we
held until near two o'clock in the af-
ternoon. qaR
Referring to what purports to be an
extract from the official report OF the
Brigade Commander, Col. bauman, /
find theaiallowiBg Ia reference to the
first days fight at Fort Donelson:
Here Tin the ravine) we halted
until the line could be formed, when
the Twenty fifth Indiana, under Col.
| Veatch, moved steadily up the hill
under q most CALLING fire of musketry
and grape until their onward progress
was obstructed by the fallen timber
and brushwood. Having, however,
| succeeded in gaining an advanced po-
| sition. they held it unfiinchiDgiy for
two hours, until ordered to fall back, "
Now. L ask. Major Roster, or any
| member of the regiment then on the
field, if he dare, under oath, assert
| that Colonel James q. Veatch was
presents in person in this advanced
/ position, or with us at any time after
leaving the ravine, and therefore in
" Immediate and personal commando
But to resume: At or about 2 o'clock =,
there being a lull In the firing, /
heard Lieutenant William Walker.
Adjutant of the regiment, calling me,
Turning my eyes, In the, direction Of
the sound, i saw him standing near
the foot of the hill, and when recog-
nized, he replied. THE Colonel says
fail back, SIR" Is it difficult to de-
termine the ColoneIs exact location
st this time?- s.. This unfoEtuuate or
der was heard by the men of the reg
lment, and, without orders from me,
they moved, panic stricken, to the
reas9 On reaching the ravine,
toaad the Colonel very greatly ex-
cited, calling on the men to halt,
to remember the honor of Indiana,
etc.
Shortly after dark the regiment
moved to its position of the night be-
fore, the. Colonel continuing in the
rear on thelhunt0f u1oTe comfortable
quarters than the snow clad hills af,
lorded.
At an early hour the following
morning | visited the hospital where
were deposited some of our wounded
: comrades, among them Capt. Laird, %
Company K" and on my return,
happened to pass the headquarters o
Gen. G. f. Smith, our Division com
mander. Observing Colonel Veatcl
there, | stopped a moment and to m,
| surprise heard him ask to be relieved
from the command of his regiment
offering as an excuse for a request 81
extraordinary, iH health. The com
) mand now devolved upon me, not
.l9Only ibecaaseof my rank, 6pCJy tn
! e5cf1rt IS orders of Gen. Smith gt0eR M
ut the time, and IN the presence of Col
Veatch. Having no living witness Il
; thts fact, | willtestify to it under oath
e and ask the Colonel if he dare in th
: same way contradict it?
| Informed Major Foster of tn
state of affairs, on my return to til
regiment.
!. There being no general engagement
r that day, in which Lauman's brigad
a participated, nor until the afternoon
OF the following, the Colonel remain
ed with us, and actually accompanied
or more correctly speaking, folLo1Oet
;, us, in the assault of that day. But a
r he did not signify to me that he woult
resume the command, and thereb
1.-THE responsibilities. 1 gave all the or
: ders to the regiment in that blood
engagement, and was, therefore, re
S sponsible for its conduct, and clearl
entitled to the credit as It's command
er, as / would have been forced t,
shoulder the disgrace, had the me-
failed in the DISCHARGE of their duty
o Contrary to the expectations of all
o the enemy, at very early hour of tn
: following morning, exhibited token
J of surrender. About this time. pri
e vate David Morris of Il Company
s then acting as the Colonel's orderly
y rode up with message from him I
D the effect that he (the ColoneD wa
\ too sick to be present that day. Ma
4 jor Foster, according to his own state
/ ments to me a few moments after
= directed the orderly to - say to tn
Colonel that his services are not re
: quired, particularly as the enemy i
n ON the point of surrenderipg. -
If The regiment, by permission
e marched to the rear, but in few mo
It ments was ordered to return. Whel
is we reached the Notifications, we dis
~ covered the, Colonel, who, plaein
J. himself at our head, prepared to leat
" 10 10 receive the surrender, u
lie thIs L oIIeTed objections, which Meth
! forgotten. IS 0S 49, 'Sff,F =
y As was i'll during this last en-
n gagement, and became aImoSt scr;
; ously so immediately afterward til,
q Colonel took advantage of nv inahiI
a ity, as also my inexperience in s,,ol
7 matters and prepared the leffic;ai ", "a
: port, to which, for the sake Of n,
! friendship heretofore existing he
: tween US, /, at the time, submitted
1 Some two or three weeks afterward
and while in camp at Fort Henry. !
copy of the Evansville JOURNAL wa
= placed in my ha1ds, which containe,
y a bitter article 10 reply to a lette
written, I think, to the tafayett
Courier, by Dr. Il. w. Fry, Surgeor
4 of the 18th Indiana, in which he re