Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-10-09

| AOiio"lnS remakaDlc capture " Noi. Cav
age, Of Tennessee; m
After marching about three miles from
Tiger river, Col. Savage, Ct the 10th Ten
nessee regiment, desiring to make some
Reconnaissance, sailed of from his regi-
ment al least quarter Of a mile, and while
alone he suddenly and unexpectedly came
up to where a company Of Yankee pickets
were stationed.
Both he and they were considerably sur
prised, but the gallant Colonel, changing
not color in his countenance, in bold
and defiant manner, standing erect in. his
stirrups, looking suddenly in his rear, and
then quickly facing the pickets, exclaimed
in stentorian voice: "You damned ras-
calls, if you don't ground your arms and
surrender Immediately, my men shall sur
round and shoot you to pieces in min
uteln
They did surrender and he made them
prisoners without the firing Of gun.
The company consisted Of three COM
missioned, four non-commissioned officers
and sixty privates."
The 18th Regiment commenced the light
at Perryville, on the part Of Cheathams
Division, by charge led by its Colonel,
whose horse was shot in front Of the regi-
ment. The enemy's line was broken, the
18th Ohio driven from its position, and its
Colonel, o. f. Moore, an old Congressional
acquaintance and friend of Col. Savage,
was captured. Il was some twenty or thir-
ty minutes before the regiment was support
ed, and il lost in killed and wounded many
of its best and bravest men. The Colonel
was severely wounded.
Col. Savage was not well Of the wound
at Penyville, and had not reported for duty,
but took command of the regiment at Muir
freesbOro. which was the extreme right Of
the line of attack, and was subject TO fire
from the left of the Federal line. The Sth
regiment, commanded by the brave and la
mented Lawson Moore, was on the left Of
| the 10Th and was almost annihilated, and
| the 10th lost about half of its numbers
killed and wounded.
| Col. Savage at the commencement OF the
war, although the oldest soldier in Ten
nessee offering service, did not ask promo
| ton then nor afterwards, nor was any ten
dered him bv the powers at Nashville or
Richmond. While the army was at Shell
byville, Gen. Donaldson was made Major
General, and a gentleman without much
| experience as a soldier or command IN
| the army, but a personal friend Of Col.
Savage, was made Brigadier General and
placed in command over Col. Savage, the
senior officer. This was considered by
| Col. Savage and his friends a violation Of
military law and the result Of malice in
high places. and he resigned his commits
sion, and his conduct was at the time
almost universally approved by the army.
| He fled a letter in the War Office pro-
posing TO accept service whenever justice
Should be done him. BE went South, and
did not return until after the passport sys-
| TEN was abolished in July, 1886. Having
lost everything, including his fine political
and miscellaneous library, saving only a
| few works, which he procured young man
to hide in the woods, and who. TO save his
life. was afterwards forced into Stokes
command, but remained true to his trust.
Colonel S. declined TO attend the con-
| yentions that nominated Seymour and
Blair. believing that silence and non-inter-
ference by the South was the better policy.
He escaped the predicament Of some others
who then, under the pressure Of disfran-
cfisement spoke some very complimentary
things of Andrew johnson. Colonel 5.
since 1850 expressed his distrust Of ex-
President Johnson-voted for him under
protest when he was run against Major
Henry and Col. Gentry. His opposition TO
Mr.. johnson was well known TO both
political parties and was published in the
WING papers of that day, and was one of
the elements that tended to the election OF
Stokes in 1859.
Col. Savage was devoted to James K.
Polk, ranking him next to Jackson. be
was the true and working friend Of his old
i Il ,or,v,onfnr IN frnU
! Trousdale-nominating him in 1919 in the
convention at Notwithstanding ms
defeat in 1857, and urging his appointment
/ BY President Pierce to Foreign MISSION.
Col. s., in Congress, was devoted TO the
union of the States, and at the same time
the stern defender Of the constitution and
! Southern rights. We make the following
| brief extract from his speech OF May 18th,
1850:
gWe will give every soldier, every dollar,
| every blade Of grass for the Union as our
/ fathers made it, but not one title OF our
/ rights or honor shall be wrested from us
/ in the name Of the Union by violation
Of that constitution which made the
! Union"
Mr.. Clusky, in "The Political Text
! Book" in giving the opinions OF the
/ fathers of the Republic on slavery, quotes
! from this speech, and Mr.. Field, in ms
4 Scrap Book, makes an extract from the
speech of August 9th. 1850, in connection
/ with extracts from Clay, Webster, Houston
! and other distinguished statesmen. These
are political and literary hOnOrs accord
ed by these authors to no other Tennes-
seean.
Col. S. has never been ambitious. He
Il. L..
candidate for Governor or for Congress
He lives in quiet, and his enemies being
Judges, he is called an honest lawyer and
|