Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-01-02

participated ~ tuo ohtlAco Ol OOulT0fht,
Cherusbusco and Molino del Ray. Major
Savage was severely wounded 10 the
right leg at the latter place by a irag.
ment OF a she'll thrown from the castle
of Chepultepec. In this battle Lieut..
Col. Graham, of the Eleventh infantry,
was killed, and Major Savage promoted
TO his place, and as o o as able for duty
took command of the regiment until the
close Of the war, aud was discharged in
New York in is4S. Col. Savage re-
turned home aad resumed the practice
OF his profession at S~mitbville, but was
not long permitted to remain quiet, for
in lS49 he was elected to Congress by a
large majority over Hon. Sam'l Turney
and General Rodgers. In 1851 he was
again elected over opposition. In 1853
he did not aspire, Judge Gardenhine be-
ing a candidate. In 1855 and 1857 he
was elected over opposition.
Whom the late war came Colonel Saw
age was practising law at S~mithville.
he declined to recruit, but agreed to
command a regiment when recruited.
He was elected Colonel Of the famous
Sixteenth Tennessee regiment. AT the
beginning of the service, being a rigid
disciplinariAn, he was somewhat unpop-
ular with his men, who for the FIRST time
in life were having restraints thrown
over their personal freedom, but after
meeting the enemy his men at once
came to recognize the business aud ne
cessity for discipline, and no regiment
was ever more devoted to q commander
thaH was the Sixteenth to Colonel Saw
age. He was with General Lee in West
ern Virginia and North Carolina, an his
regiment was a favorite during this ser
vice. 1t was while in the mountains of
Virginia that Colonel Savage performed
one Of those bold and skilliul acts which
show him to be a man Of resources and
ready Of supply. 1t looks more like ro-
nance than truth; but the men of the
Eighth and Sixteenth Tennessee are the
witnesses, and the feat Of th- Colonel
was published in tho Nashville Union
and American of the 10Th of November,
1861, and was set forth in detail by DR..
j. W. Gray, General Donelson's Brigade
surgeon, in a communication to that
paper, and a reproduction of the points
will be admissible in this connection,
as furnished by a correspondent to the
Savannah Republican. The CORE.
spondent says: After marching about
three miles from Tiger river, Colonel
Savage, Of the Sixteenth Tennessee, de-
string to make seme reconnoisances in
person, sailed of from the regiment at
least a quarter of a mile, and while alone
suddenly and Unexpectedly came upon
a company Of Yankee pickets. Both he
and they were considerably surprised,
bat the gallant colonel. being full of re-
sources under difficulties, changed not a
color in his countensRce, bat in a bold
and defiant manner, standing erect ia
his stirrups, looking suddenly in his rear,
and Their quickly facing the pickles *.
claimed in a stentorian voice: You
damned ~rascals, if you don't ground
arms and surrender Immediately, nv
men shall surround and shoot you to
pieces 10 a minutel They did surren.
der without firing a gun. The company
consisted Of three commissioned, and
Tour non-commissioned officers and sixty
%privates." The history of the Sixteenth
regiment makes q proud page in the his.
tory of the late war. They commenced
the fight at Perryville, in which it lost
heavily OF its best aud braVest men, Col
onel s.. himself being among the wound.
ed. When the Murfreesboro fight. came
on Colonel Savage was not we'll Of the
wound received at Perryville, but took
command of his regiment, which vas
placed on the extreme right of the line
Of attack, the Eighth regiment, under
command of the brave and lamented
Lunson Muse, was on the left Of the Six
teenth, and was almost annihilated, and
the Sixteenth lost almost half Of its num-
bers in killed and wounded.
There is one piece of history in the late
war that, in justice to Col. s., we feel
in duty bound to refer to briefly: At the
commencement Of the war, although
the Oldest soldier In Tennessee offer.
ing service, Colonel Savage did not ask
promotion then nor afterwards. None
doubted his courage, his ability or eff.
cheney as an officer. After the battle Of
Murireesboro, aud while the army wal at
Shelbyville, General Donaldson was
made q Major General, and a gentleman
without much experience as a soldier or
q commander, was made a Brigsdier
General and placed in command over
Colonel s the senior officer. Why this
was done has ntver been satisfactorily
understood by Colonel SIS friends or the
men othis command. This was very
naturally considered by Colonel s. and
friends IS a fragrant violation Of military
law, and the result Of unexplained NAL
ice in high places. Colonel s. could only
resent the insult by resignibg his posi-
ton In the army, which he promptly did,
fling, however, a letter in the War
Office proposing to accept service when
! ever justice should be done him.
. At the close Of the war, Colonel Saw
age returned home and resumed the
: practice Of his profession in McMinn.
, vile, and had brit litils to do with politi.
t cal matters, belieVing that silence and
' aon interference by the South was the
better policy. He declined 10 attend the
conventions that nominated Seymour
: md blair. a. thae urgent request Of 81 BIZ
d frisnds ks attended the convention which
nominated Nj. Hreeiey vt baltimore, LgI
, opposed the convention making any
nomination, osiicging the true policy Il
: be merely to act as allies to the moder
ate h~epublieaps to aid 10 the defeat Of
General Grant, without inaorsIpg their
measures or men. He took but LITTLE
part in that campaign.
Colonel Savage has always and at all
e times been the friend Of the old soldier
e and be was largely instrumental in pass
o ing through Congress the bill ALLOWING