The tribune. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1875-06-23
THE DEATH OF BISHOP POLK.
An Account thut Differs from that OF Gen.
Sherman.


An Account that Differs from that OF Gen.
sherman.
An officer on Gen. Howard's staff at
the time gives us the following account
of the death of Bishop Polk : On June
14tb, General Howard and staff left
their headquarters for the front, where
Stanley's division of Howard's (Fourth)
corps had broken camp and were await
ing the order to attack Pine mountain.
1t was just after sunrise. A mile or two
in rear of the advance Howard met
Sherman, but the conversation between
them l did not hear, as the two generals
conversed aside. Howard and staff
joined Stanley and his staff on the road,
as we drew rein and exchanged greetings
Stanley exclaimed:
"Howard, do you see that group up
there on the crest of the mountains I
wonder who they are2"
We all brought our field glasses to
bear upon the point indicated and conld
plainly see three persons standing in
front of line of breastworks and q
larger group in the background. We
could not tell whether they wero officers
or privates, but as it was evident that
they were watching our movements
Stanley suggested that few shots be
fired to drive them under cover. How
ard, who had suggested that perhaps
Bishop Polk was in the party, made no
objections, when Stanley turned to Cap
tain Simonson, his chief Of artillery,
with the remark:
"Simonson, can't you unlimber, put
n shot into the group and give the bishop
n morning salutation2'
"I'H try" was Simonson's laconic
reply. And away he galloped to the
rear. "A few minutes later section Of
the Fifth Indiana battery (Simonson's)
was numbered within twenty feet of
us. The lieutenant sighted the gun and
th,. shot exploded over and to the right
of the group. Here my memory fails
me, but my impression is that second
shot was sighted and fred by the lieu
tenant with no better effect. Simonson,
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 mis-
sion. 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, Captain Leonard,
chief of Howard's signal corps, sitting
on his horse beside me, read the Con-
federate signal code that our officers had
interpreted at Lookout mountain, and
caught the words:
General Polk is killed !" With a
look of amazement Leonard turned to
Howard and Stanley and exclaimed:
/" Bishop Polk is killed." -
"WhaG?" exclaimed Howard; shave
you interpreted the signal correctly7 2"
eyes, 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
"Well, Christian has fallen. Such
is war;"
just then Simonson caught the words,
Bishop Polk is killed."
He was sighting the gun, and, lifting
his eyes, that glared fearfully, ex-
claimed:
"What is that, Leonard %
= "Bishop Polk is killed Your last
shot did it. They are signaling it over
the mountain" L replied.
Simonson's head dropped upon the
event" where it rested for a moment.
Then, raising his eyes, he exclaimed:
"Thank God Yesterday they killed
my dear brother; I have killed lieu
tenant general and am avenged !"
Without discharging the piece Simon
son arose, remounted and joined the
staff. Silently he repaired to his regu-
lar duties, and, the line being formed,
we advanced slowly against the noun
tain, every one of us feeling chat we
would have rejoiced had soma other
than Louisiana's fighting bishop gone
down before Simonson's first and only
shot. The enemy wes 80 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 Simonson, the only one
of us who rejoiced at the bishops death,
fell, shot on the skirmish line in Ack-
worth woods.