New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-05-23
How General Polk Was Killed.

show cause issued for May o.
How General Polk Was Killed.
"A correspondent writes the following in
terestins sketch to the New York Herald:
| To the Editor of .he Herald:
10 your review of "Sherman's Memoirs
what pnrports to be a statement OF the
manner IN which General Polk was killed il
| gwen. from which 1t appears that Sherman
| called General Towards attention to a
group of officers on Pine mountain, and
ordered him 30 compel it to keep under
| cover. Will yOu permit one who was at.
tached to General Towards headquarters,
and who was by mis- side daily on the At
iaita calnpa gn-one who, with Howard and
other officers, sat our horses beside the Eft h
| Indiana battery that fred the fatal shot
| TO give the true story from my notes made
| that morning and published in Western
daily few weeks afterwarG, There eel
| talniy is grievous error either in your
review or IN Shermans description of the
tragedy. General Sherman was not there
and could not have seen the shot fred
General Sherman may ha re, however as he
rode 70 the rear. where he met Howard,
called BIS attention TO what he (HOward)
Woulc see when our party reached General
David Stanley front. The facts-in which
am sure | will oa sustained in the MAN
By Generals Howard and Stanley and the
statI Objects prasent-are these:
On June IA General Howard and etatf
LETT their headquarters for the froslt, where
SANKEY'S division OF Towards iFourth)
corps had broken camp and were waiting
the order to attack Pine mountain II was
Just after sunrise. A mile or two in rear of
the advance Howard net Sherman but the
conversation between them did not hear
as the two Generals conversed aside How
ard and staff Joined Stanley and his staff on
the road, in full view of Pine mountain.
and as we drew rein and exchanged greet,
lngs Stanley exclaimed
Howard. do You see that group MP there
on the crest OF the mountain! wonder
who they are
We all brought our teId glasses to bear
upon the point indicated and could plainly
see three persons standing in front Of 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 that they were watching our move
ments Stanley suggested that few shots
De hred 10 drive them under cover. How
ard, who had sugges ted that perhaps Bishop
Folk was in the party, made no objections, |
when STANLEY turned to Captain Simonson,
his chief OF artillery, with the remark
Sim0nsOn, can't you unlimber; put |
shot into the group and give the bishop a |
morning salutatiOn ~
''lll try, was Simonson's laconic reply
And away he galloped to the rear. a lew
minutes later section of the Fifth
Indiana Battery iSilnonsons) was un-
limbered within twenty feet of us.
Inc lieutenant sighted the gun and
the shot exploded ever and to the right
Of the gun. Here my memory fails me, but
my impression is second shot was sighted
and tired by the lieutenant with no
better effect. Simonson. when the gun
lad been reloaded. dismounted and said:
Here, lieutenant, let me try it," He took
he range and the messenger of death sped
N lis mission. Our glasses were bent upon
ne group and we observed commotion as
he sho. took effect in the group that scat
cred to the rear While Simonson was
lpon his knees sighting the gun for another
discharge, Captain Leonard. chief of How
I'd signal corps. sitting on his horse |
'eslde Inc, read the Confederate signal |
ode that our officers had interpreted at |
lockout mountain and canght the words:
General Polk is killed. With look of ;,
mazement Leonard turned to Howard and
tanley and exclaimed
General Polk is killed.
What exclaimed Howard: "have you
lterpreted tie signal correctly"
" es. General; SlElons0n's last shot killed |
I'M. They are signaling it along the line" ,,
Inc young men of the staff who were
racklng Jokes instantly ceased. and for a
loment none spoke. Then Howard said:
We'll, a Christian has fallen. Such is :
ar
Just then Simonson caught the words.
Bishop Polk is killed"
lie was sighting the gun, and, lifting his !
yes: that glared iearfully. exclaimed Q
What is that, Leonard @
'Bishop Polk is killed, Your last shot !
ID 1t. They are signaling it over the
ountains," replied 1
Slmonson's head dropped upon the event" a
here it rested moment Then, RAISING
s eyes, he exclaimed: G
Thank God, Yesterday they killed nv v
'ar brother; | have killed lieutenant s
neral and am avenged" n
Without discharging the piece Smouson n
ose, remounted and joined the staff. 81
lently he repaired TO his regular duties, II
10, the line being formed, we advanced q
)Wly against the mountain, every ona of | 81
feeling that We would have reioiced mad fl
me other than LOuisianas fighting BishoD | E.
ne down before SimonsOns first and only r.
OF. The enemy was SO demOralized that | 81
evacuated the mountain, and halt an d.
nr afterward we stood upon the spot a.
1ere Polk fell and saw the ground stained is
tn his blood. day or two after poor
n0nsOn. the only one of us who reiOiced
the Bishops death. fell, shot on the
lrmish line in Ackworth woods.
Then was the Confederacy avenged. 1t NJ
possible that General Sherman had been ''
the front that morning, and, seeing the G
pup referred to, ordered How ward to dis <
rse 1t; but certain it is he was nowhere u
ar Howard when SimOnson's shot felt for 81
heart OF Leonidas Polk, the fighting at
shop. ee