Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-05-22
GENERAL POLK'S DEATH.SHOT.
The Fate OF the Man Who Fired it
One of Towards stan Takes Issue
with sherman.

The Fate OF the Man Who Fired it
one of Towards stan Takes Issue
with sherman.
A correspondent, who signs the initials
81. D., writes TO the Nelg York Herald:
In your review of "Sherman's Memoirs"
what pupOrts to be statement of the man
ner in which Gen. Polk was killed is given,
from which it appears that Sherman called
Gen. Towards attention to a group of
officers on Pine Mountain, and "Ordered
him to compel it to keep under cover"
viii you permit one who was attached to
Gen. Towards headquarters, ard who was
by his side daily on the Atlanta campaign
one who, with Howard and other officers,
sat our horses beside the Fifth Indiana
battery that fired the fatal shot-tO give
the true story from my notes made that
morning? There certainly is a greivOus
error either in your review or in Sherman's
description Of the tragedy. Gen. Sherman
was not there and could not have seen the
shot fired. Gen. Sherman may have, how
ever, as he rode to the rear, where he met
Howard, called his attention to what he
(HOward) would see when our party
reached Gen. David SANKEY'S front. The
facts-in which am sure l will be sus-
tanned in the main by Generals Howard
and Stanley and the staff officers present
are these:
On June "A Gen. Howard and staff left
their headquarters for the front, where
SANKEY'S division of Towards (FOurth)
crops had broken camp and were awaiting
the order to attack Pine Mountain. 1t
was just after sunrise. 4 mile or two in
rear Of the advance Howard met Sherman,
but the conversation between them l did
not hear, as the two generals cOnveIsed
aside. Howard and staff joined Stanley
and his staff on the road, in full view of
Pine Mountain, and as we drew rein and
exchanged greetings Stanley exclaimed:
''HOward, do you see that group up there
on the crest of the mountain? l wonder
who they are"
We ali brought our field glasses to bear
upon the point indicated and could plainly
see three persons standing in front of a line
of breastworks and a larger group in the
background. We could not tell whether
they were officers or privates, but as it was
evident they were watching our movements
Stanley suggested that few shots be fred
to drive them under cOyer. Howard, who
had suggested that perhaps Bishop Polk
was in the party, made no objections, when
DLdLlGN AlLuC0 " NdDLs DlLuOlAoDAs lis
chief Of artillery, with the remark:
"SimonsOn, can't you unlimber, put a
shot into the group and give the Bishop a
morning salutatiOn?"
an tryy' was SimonsOn's lacOnie reply.
And away he gallOped to the rear. A few
minutes later a section Of the Fifth Indiana
battery (Simonson's) was unlimbered
within twenty feet ofus. The Lieutenant
cirrIfaT 1na hs hot 1.,Ta
and to the right Of the group. Here my
memory fails me, but my impression is a
second shot was sighted and fired by the
Lieutenant with no better effect. Simon
son, when the gun had been reloaded, dis
mounted and said, "Here, Lieutenant, let
me try it, He took the range and the
messenger of death sped on its mission.
Our glasses were bent upon the group, and
we observed a commOtion as the shot took
effect in the group that scattered to the
rear. While SimOnsOn was upon his knees
sighting the gun for another discharge,
Capt. Leonard, chief Of Towards Signal
corps, sitting on his horse beside me, read
the Confederate signal code that our Off
GERS had interpreted at Lookout Mountain,
and caught the words:
"Gen. Polk is killed" With a look of
amazement, Leonard turned to Howard and
Stanley and exclaimed:
"BishOp Polk is killed."
"What?' exclaimed Howard; "have you
interpreted the signal cOrreCtly?"
"Yes, General; SimOnsOn's last shot
killed him. They are signaling it along
the line"
The young men Of the staff who were
cracking jokes instantly ceased, and for a
moment none spoke. Then Howard said:
Swell, a Christian has fallen. Such is
war;
Just then SimOnsou caught the words,
"BishOp Polk is killed,'
He was sighting the gun, and lifting his
eyes, that glaTed fearfully, exclaimed:
"What is that, Leonardo
"BishOp Polk is killed. \ our last shot
did it. They are signaling it over the
mountain" l replied.
SimOnsOn's head dropped upon the
''vent, where it rested a moment. Them
raising his eyes, he exclaimed:
"Thank God, Yesterday they killed my
dear brother; l have killed a Lieutenant
General and am avengedr'
Without discharging the piece SimOnsOn
arose, TemOuuted and joined the staff.
Silently he repaired TO his regular duties,
and, the line being formed, we advanced
slowly against the mountain, every one Of
US feeling that we would have rejOiced had
some other than LOuisiaua's fighting Bishop
gone down before SimOnsOn's first and only
shot. The enemy was so demoralized that
he evacuated the mountain, and half an
hour afterward we stood upon the spot
where Polk fell and saw the ground stained
with his blood. A day or two after poor
SlmOnsOn, the only one of US who rejoiced
at the Bishops death, fell, shot on the
skiumish line in Ackworlh woods.
Then was the COnfederacy avenged. 1t
is possible that Gen. Sherman had been to
the front that morning, and, seeing the
group referred TO, ordered Howard to d.s-
perse It; but certain it is that be was no
where near Howard when SimonsOn's shot
felt for the heart Of Leonidas Polk, the fight
iy,or R5zIoD