The National tribune., 1882-10-12
Well-TOld Anecdotes of the Great
Generals of the War.
A ROM MTG LETTING.
The Battle Of Stone River and
a Visit from Garfield.
continued from last Ueek.1

G, Twenty-frst Kentucky acting as color bearer
On the occasion, was confronted by rebel, who
demanded him to surrender those colors;"
but Hooker, who was as brave as he was fat,
answered: You may get me, but not this flag"
and pitched it to the middle of the stream.
Sergeant John T. Gum, of Company Z, Twenty
first Kentucky, who was less an object of rebel
attention at the moment, dashed into the river
and recovered the flag. Subsequently, while
the charge was being made, large number
from various regiments rallied around those
cOlOrs, and to this promiscuous battalion is due
the honor of capturing the colors of the Twenty
sixth rebel Tennessee regiment and rolling
from the field the large PARROT gun that had
been so fatal early in the action.
a ROMANTIC MEETING.
During this sanguinary conflict men Of kim
bred blood met in mortal cOmbat-even broth
ers measured bayonets with each other, as on
many other battIe-felds of this unfortunate
war. One man of the Twenty-frs5 found
wounded brother lying on the field at night
soon after the fighting ceased, whom he kindly
cared for. Colonel Price himself discovered
cousin lying badly wounded on the field. The
circumstances of the meeting were peculiar
and even romantic. While he was riding over
the battle-ground at night in search of the
dead, dying, and wounded of his command, he
was stopped by Colonel Broadus, of the Eighth
Kentucky, to inquire about the fate Of Lieu
tenant-C Colonel May, of his regiment, who was
missing. While in conversation with him an
inquiry was made in feeble voice by man
lying near by, if that was Colonel WoOdsOn
Price, of Lexington, Kentucky. Receiving an
affirmative response, the wounded man in
formed him that he was rebel cousin of his,
Kidder Woodson, of Frankfort, Kentucky.
The Colonel at once dismounted, and, removing
the blanket from the face of the PROSTATE man,
discovered by the light from his lantern the
familiar features of his relative. Colonel Price
at once called an ambulance, and, with the as
sistance of Scott Dudley, the brave and noble
hearted adiutant of the Twenty first, young
WoodsOn was placed in the conveyance and
sent to the hospital, Colonel Price, in the mean
time directing his regimental surgeon to take
particular care of him. But the poor fellow
was mortally wounded, and, despite the careful
nursing died in a few days after the wounded
were removed to Nashville. This is a striking
illustration of the unnatural divisions which
sundered Kentucky families during the war,
and, on the other hand, of the ever-existing
brotherhood between them in this National
struggle.
VISIT FROM ROsECRANs AND GARFIELD.
The day after this engagement the regiment
returned to the valley and encamped on the
field of the contest of the day before, where it
remained for few days, and then removed its
camp onto and near the centre of the noun
tain top. Fully approaching the destitute
situation of the besieged Army of Chattanooga,
it went earnestly to work to corduroy the road
for the easy transit of the trains which was its
daily occupation until ordered back to the
front. The constant passing of trains and
officers going to aud from the army gave inter
est to the camp, which otherwise would have
been monotonous on the dreary mountain top.
Frequent were the visitors to the camp; some
from motives of friendship, and others for con-
venience would make it a station by stopping
over night on their journey. One afternoon,
near nightfall, the regiment was hOnored by
Il visit from Generals ROsecrans and Garfield,
who were travelling to Nashville after their
connection with the Army of the Cumberland
had been severed. When they rode up to
Colonel Prices headquarters he requested them
to dismount and spend the night with him,
which invitation they readily accepted. The
Colonel assigned them to his quarters and he
and his chum, Lieutenant-ColOnel Evans,
sought beds elsewhere. Unfortunately for the
distinguished guests, heavy rain came up
during the night, greatly interfering with the
comfort of the travellers; for in the morning
when the host went in to inquire how they
had spent the night, he found General Garfield
seated on the side of the rustic bed employing
the water out of his boot, and his cOmrade
arranging his coat before the fire to dry.
Colonel Price felt disposed to apologize, but he
had done the best that he could for their COM
fort. This brought wildly to General Gar
fields mind Colonel Prices application, made
only a few days before, for tent, which had
been refused him. With an appreciative
twinkle in his eye, he called for the regimental
quartermaster, and told him to make out a re-
QUESTION for a tent for his colonel. This was
promptly done and presented to General Car
field who made the following Endorsement on
the margin: ~ most earnestly recommend
that tent be issued to Colonel Price, for /
know from my own experience that no officer
in the army needs now one more than he
does" 1t is needless to say that the recon-
mendation was recognized favorably, and that
the colonel got what he had so long needed
and desired General Garfield, in conversations
with Colonel Price, frequently re-
ferrcd to this circumstance as smart piece of
strategy on his part so obtain q new tent
The saddle of veuison on which the guests
were RECALLED is so intimately associated with
the remembrance of their agreeable visit that |
the latter cannot be mentioned without bring |
ing to mind the secret history of the steak. |
Soon after the visitors had departed, the cap
tain of Company G brought to Colonel Price |
one of his men "a native Of the Emerald lsle), |
with the complaint that he had the day before |
violated a solemn edict promulgated through |
the adjutant. He wanted to know the penalty |
for the commission of the offense. The soldier |
had killed a deer with the Government am
the common plea of selfdefense, usual in the
case of a sheep or hog, he pleaded guilty to the
charge. But when the stern judge had passed
sentence and assigned him to three hours hard
labor, Pat feeling the injustice Of the decision,
spoke up and said "If it place yer honor, I'd
like to know which is worse, to accept stolen
goods or to stale them" 1t is needless to say
that the Colonel at once discharged the
prisoner.
DESPERATE CHARGE OF THE 2isT KENTUCKY.