The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-10-22
GENERAL STEEDMAN,
His Own Story of the Way in Which He
Won His Title of cold Chickamauga."


Ben Abou, in Cincinnati Commercial Gazette.
AS we sat, one night in 1875, in the ratty
old editorial rooms of the Toledo Morning
Democrat and Herald, of which he was
f'leader' writer and L managing editor, I
asked him for the story of Chickamauga,
where he won his stars and the soldier title
of "Old Chickamauga," of which he was so
proud. He told it as coolly as if it was
dream to him:
"Why, my boy, there wasn't much to it. I
was in charge of the First division of the re-
serve corps of the army of the Cumberland,
and had been stationed at Ringgold, or Red
house bridge over the Chickamauga. My
orders were explicit, to hold the bridge at
all hazard1 and prevent the enemy from flank
ing General Thomas The enemy disappeared
from our front The sound Of cannonading
and battle to the notthward told me that the
enemy had massed against our center, and
great battle was on. From the noise of con-
ilict judged, and rightly, that Thomas was
Borely pressed. felt that my command was
needed, and yet could not understand the
absence of new orders | waited impatiently
enough from daylight till nearly noon, hoping
for some word from my commanding officer.
Finally decided to risk my neck rather
inactivity on my part. Calling a council
of officers and men, 1 explained the situa-
tion, read my orders, told them my de-
cision, and that on my shoulders should
fall whatever of responsibility attached
TO the disobedience of orders. You
know the inexorable military law is to ask
no questions obey all orders, and accept
consequences l knew that if my move
ment was failure my judgment mistaken,
nothing less than court-martial and death
awaited me. But the battle was on, and
every fiber in me said l was wanted. We
burned the bridge and marched Oy the can
on's sound to Thomas's aid. Through corn
fields, thickets and oak woods we made a
fearful tramp. for no man in the command
knew the country, and our only guide was
the canon's BOOM When l reported to
Thomas he was in despair at the loss of the
key to his position, which had ust been
captured by General Hindman's rebel corps
The place was indicated to me by flash of
guns and rattle of canister on the dry
leaves of the tree under which Thomas and
stood. 1t was steep ascent, with dense
ly-peopled crescent ridge, that lay before us.
There was a forbidding thicket and an oak
forest between us and the belt of
rocks that marked the edge of a
broad plateau on which the enemy was
jubilant with victory, There, there said
Thomas, as the guns flashed again. Now,
you see their exact position. You must take
that ridge My reply was: 'Pll do it, In
thirty minutes after we reached the field we
were storming the rock OF Chickamauga. 1t
was an awful contest up that slope, every
foot of which was planted with death.
I'VE went in with $500 men, and only
1000 reported for duty at the next muster.
We went up, up, up till we reached the sum-
mir and planted ourselves there to stay. 1t
was terribly hot place, and we made the
plateau lake of blood before we drove
Hindman back. rode back and reported to
He clasped my hand, and said with great
emotion General Steedman, you have saved