Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1883-11-09
NO. 45.


As we sat one night in 1875 in the ratty old
editorial-rooms Of the Toledo Democrat and
Herald of which Steedman was "leader"
writer and l managing editor l asked him
for the story of Chickamauga, where he won
his stars and the soldier title of "Old Chicka-
mauga," of which he was so proud. He told
it as cooly as if it were a dream to him.
why, my son. there wasn't much to it,
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 or
ders were explicit, Hold to the bridge at all
hazard and prevent the enemy from hanking
Gen. Thomas. The enemy disappeared from
our front. The sound of cannonading and
battle to the northward told me that the enc
my had massed agaist our center and a great
battle was on. From the noise of conflict l
judged, and rightly, that Thomas was sorely
pressed. felt that my command was need
ed, and yet could not understand the absence
of new orders. l waited impatiently enough
from daylight till nearly noon, hoping for
some word from the commanding officer. FL
nally decided to risk my neck rather than
see the Union army destroyed through mac
tivity on my part. Calling council of Off
GERS and men, l explained the situation, read
my orders, told them my decision and that on
my shoulders should fall whatever of respon-
sibility attached to the disobedience of orders
You know the inexorable military law is TO
ask no questions, obey all orders and accept
consequences 1 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 by the can
mons 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 gnide was
the caunons boom. When l reported to
Thomas, he was in despair at the loss of the
key to his position, which had just been cap
tured by Gen. Hindmans rebel corps. The
place was indicated to me by a flash of guns
and a rattle of canister on the dry leaves of
the tree under which Thomas and I stood
1t was q steep ascent, with densely -peopled
crescent ridge, that lay before US. There was
forbidding thicket and an oak forest be-
tween us and the belt of rocks that marked
the edge of broad plateau on which the en-
emy was jubiant 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 ; m
do it. In 80 minutes after we reached the
field " Q were storming the rock of Chickamau-
ga 1t was an awful contest up that slope,
| every lOOl OI WHICH was plhulsu WIFI uealn.
"We went in with 1900 men, and only 1000
reported for duty at next muster. We went
up, up, up till we reached the summit and
planted ourselves there to stay 1t was ter
ribly hot place, and we made the plateau a
lake of blood before we drove Hindman back.
| 1 rode back and reported to Thomas. 1 was
bloody from head to foot He clasped my
hand, and said with great emotion, Gen.
Steedman, you have saved my army 1 got
my stars not long afterward, and that's about
all there was of it. Yes, it was big risk 1
ran but was right, and 1 knew it,"
AS he rode to battle that day he met Gen.
Granger, who said feelingly, "Steed, old boy,
it's going to be. hot in there. If anything
should happen, have you any requests to
make of me?' The vein of sentiment was
running deep in the questioner's heart, but
the practical soldier responded in words that
have since been memorable -
"Yes, Gen. Granger if fall in the fight,
please see my body decently buried and my
name correctly spelled in the newspapers,
and be deliberately spelled it.-COmmercidl
Gazette.