The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1875-04-30

o'cSork on the lith Of October, when Gen.
Williams ordered the command.into camp -
the scene OF the disaster.
Our forcs cons'ssed Of two srigsdes OF
drsd men, under command Of Col. J. v.
Garter aud myseif, I being the highest In
rank, and . brigade Of infantry, numbering
about four hundred men, under Gen. A. r.
Jackson. This latter command, aftes the Gu
sagcmert ct Hendersoa's mill, had bscn or
1ered Oh 10 the right 10 continue ~ retrrat
by road running parallel with our line and
separated from US by . distancs Of several
mile~; 60 Of Rheatowu ve had nothing hut
the cavalry and two ANAL batteries Of artille-
~ The command, rstresting from mpe-
nor force, was ordered 10 halt IN . road just
under the shadow Of . rangc Of mountains,
which divided our line Of retreat frcm that
Of the enemy's pursuit on our left We had
frequently seen the enemy In the various gaps
% we pssecd up, and, almost - soon - We
halted 81 this place. bsNery OF the enemy wss
discovered I'm agap commanding eur poaition.
The sttention Of the whole army was drawn
To u come time before n opened Ore upon
ne, and | am sure Gen. Williams va Informed
Of It's existence. because went TO him myself
and said TO him: "Gen. Williams. the enemy
are planting their artillery upon our len aud
will hre upon ne In Q few momenta." To
which he replied, go and plant your artil-
lsry. by God" | said 10 him; 81 have no
morning" And he answered; 81 DID no such
. damned tning." I discovered then that
there vas something wrona With him, for the
battery was then 81 the frout, and he had
parked II on the len OF the road IN . sm all
field. Besidce this, from oar posftion beneath
the mountain II wss utterly impossible for as
aairins too great an elevation Tor ssfsiy. aud
every spot being perfectly commanded
bv the enemy's battery. | left him
hopelessly aud went hack 10 my
brigade. The men were all mounted
10 the middle OF . road, ] believe incloeed
on both aides With fence. l had hardly
reached my c~mmand. when the enemy open
ed Ore, and Capt. Henry Stanton, Gen. Will
llama chief OF stan, came to me and said:
"Col. 0iltner, you gill have to aseume CON
mand Of this army. TIE general 10 not In .
conditioo u manage II, and IL safety de-
penda upon you" I ssid TO him; Captain.
! can not take command uptil Gen. Williams
l then proceeded TO execute Gen. Williams
order by moving my men into camp on the
right They had already dismounted, and !
Vas IN the set of going 10 rem onstIate With
Gen. Williams on the improprfety OF soinx
into camp In the face OF the enemy. when
capt h. W. jenkins. Who vas then acting on
ioped up To me and said, "wherv arr you go
insf" told him ! VA going to see ten.
Williams and try and prevail upon him TO
place his men In . position To defend them
selves. He said; swell, come QUICK; VIII.
iams IL drunk - hell. and yoa will have to
jenkins about one hundred yards. when
. heavy volley was heard on cur
left and the enemy charged into Carter
camp. This produced the hr.t stampede. The
Tennessee cavalry came with . rush and In
utter disorder In our direction. hurried back
TO my brigade, mounted II, and pushed hack
about three OF four hundred yards. where
discounted Il ax.in sod formed line Of bat
tie to engage the enemy. had no chance To
nght ct the camp ground. and moved back To
obtain position and prevent Q similar disaster
to that which had ovsstakcn Carter. Ater
forming. moved forward and met the enc
my's advance, and engaged and checked them.
nearly an hour. found the enemy
rapidly reinforcing and pushing successfully
upon my tanks. ] knew | could hold the
position but . short time, and rode back 10
select another To fall back upon. Oh my way
To the rear. passed Gen. Williams, Who
asked me where ! vas going ] told him
Wa on my way 70 select position 10 fall
hack upon-that l was being nsnksd, and
could not hold my present ground. He said;
"Hold on aud | will 20 with you" ! did not
stop, hut simply said; 81 have no time 10
waste, and rode ON. FINDING . posttiou In
Q shor distance, ] returned and again met
Gen williams, who said; Have you selected
. position ] sAid; 81 have" and turning
In my saddle, pointed out the
place to him. He thsn rsmarked
10 me: "lf you send the artillery hack I
win place IT," ] seut back the guns a.
soon ~ I reached the line and On short time
after withdrew the line and foil back with Il.
Gen. Williams did place the artillery.
found n In position when came mp, and
formed my men without delay. When I saw
Gen. Williams again hr Was lying on mis- back
with HE head on fence rail. He raiscd up -
1 approached HIN and remarked, "a am very
sick and can not help you out Of this trouble
You will have To work out Of u the best way
you can" This was tho lasf I saw OF Gen.
Williams or heard Of him during that day
until late In the evening when the tight vas
over and the retreat betnx successfully con
Quoted
The last and only order ] received from
him, was the order 10 go into camp Of Rhea-
town and send out forage parties- I went
into camp ~ he directed. but would not send
out forage parties when ] knew the peril OF
the army 10 be imminent. | did not assume
command until was forced TO do 20 for the
protection OF my own men, and until was