The National tribune., 1883-11-15

Com'dg Dept. Of the Mississippi ST. Louis, MOI
IN FRONT OF ATLANTA.
Tie Fighting Not al Eone by the 18th and 18th
Wisconsin Regiments.
To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
With your permission I would like TO correct
some errors IN CoTaraGe Walkers communities
ton in regard 20 the 2lst and I'D Of July in
front OF Atlanta, which appeared III THE TRIB-
USE of October 18th, and also criticise some Of
his statements. His description of the charge
Of the First brigade on the 2lst is nearly cor
rect, except that one brigade commander, Gen.
Force, Was not wounded that day. | VIII give
full particulars further on.
Conrade Walkers claim that the Twelfth
and Sixteenth Wisconsin regiments saved the
day on the I'D IS an exaggeration. The cay
would have been saved just the same if those
two regiments had not been on the field. 1t is
q sur on the Army OF the Tennessee to set up
such a claim. Your two regiments, Comrade
Walker, for which you claim 20 much, aid not
man the works on Bald I'LL, SIS VIII be able
to show. Bald Hin was on q ridge extending
north aud soath-the bad part cleared field,
only about 200 yards wide from north and
south. After the charge on the Twenty first,
when the brigade deployed into line, the
Twelfth and Sixteenth regiments went north
into the woods, the Twentieth and Thirty
dIst Illinois regiments occupying the works on
Bald HILL and reaching from the woods On the
north TO the woods on the south. The IAir-
tieth Illinois moved into the woods south OF
the field, the right Of company resting just
ar the edge of the field and joining the Thirty
first regiment. These three regiments fronted
nearly st; the works occupied by the
Thirty first DETECTED TO the southwest.
THE FORT.
On the right of the Twentieth regiment, ad-
joining the woods, a small fort was constructed,
with three embrasures on the north and one
west, and battery ID, Second Illinois artillery,
( (AieAliister's battery of four 2i-pounder how
itZers placed in il. This fort was in the shape
Of horse shoe, with the toe to the west. and
was not more than thirty or forty feet wide in
the widest place. Ia rear Of the fort was
short piece of work thrown up TO protect
/ company of infantry supporting the guns
Soon after General Mcpherson passed us, GO
i ing south, the Thirtieth was ordered to move
back to the fort, and formed on the north side
| OF it, fronting south. We could see rebel in
fantry crossing the open fields few hundreds
| yards east OF as, and some hard lighting was
! being done there. Oar regiment was losing a
good many men by balls coming from that di-
/ recfion and General Force called for the flag Of
our regiment 10 be placed the fort, SO that cur
forces would know we were still there. Just
at this time his adjutant-ge general, Capt. Walker,
had his thigh broken, near the hip. Gen. Force
q
7 and made a ligature for the limb TO prevent
fatal hemorrhage. just as he Strengthened up
he was shot through the face. He was picked
up by members Of my company, and the first
words he spoke We're: Tell the colonel OF the
Twelfth Wisconsin TO take command of the
brigade" The Ihirtieth regiment was now
ordered 70 Occupy the works vacated by the
Thirty-frst, that regiment having been sent to
some other part of the field. We just had time
TO get into position, when the rebels came
charging across the same ground over which
we had charged the previous day. We brought
them to halt before they reached US, and back
they went into the woods TO reform and gather
fresh courage. Twice more they charged in
the same way, but with no better Success
they were repalssa with heavy loss.
THE LAST DITCH.
The battery st the fort changed front, and
did some splendid work with shell and CAMS
! ter, al short range. After the third charge il
, vas comparatively quiet part OF ths
/ / line for nearly Al hour. During this time thu
rebels had got q battery IN position On our left
i which en6laded the line Of the Twentieth ant
2 Thirtieth regiments, aud opened with canister
Z 4 few rounds was sufficient TO convince every
one thai We could not remain there longer
: The lett OF our regiment, which was suffering
I terribly was already ia some lgnfHsion, ant
: the men were commencing 10 m6venorth 10 th'
! fort, not in panic, but sulIen and determined
; and ready 10 reform at the hTst available place
z which they did on the north side Of tie fort
{ JUS Is the Thirtieth regiment began eayinj
{ their works the rebels made their fourth charge
e and, Of course, got the works Of the Twentietl
ana Thirticth, and reached the fort as soon a
e we did, and formed ia hordes on the south side
( They planted three flags on the fort and tw
r on the short piece Of work in the rear. 0nl.
( one rebel came inside Of the fort, and he wa
i killed within ten feet Of the north side. IN
81
|. charge was made.
Now, ! want it distinctly understood tina
the Twentieth and Thirtieth Illinois regiment
occupied the works on Bald Hill that day, an
d were the last troops TO be driven in, as We he'll
our position till 5 o'clock p. m, or later. Every
v thing on our left had been driven back
e much as two hours before, and il was by som
n ones blunder that We were left there w
j. should have been moved back to the fort an
L formed fronting south, and extended east, &
le was done later in the day.
II Comrade Walker says: Every eye We
4 turned on the Wisconsin regiments, the La
le obstacle in the way of that immense column,
&c Not quite so fast, comrade; the Twentiet
is and Ihirtieth regiments had to be driven bac
a. or annihilated before the Wisconsin regiment
T. were reached, and when we were driven BAG
d we reformed at the fort, which was still b.
d tween your position and the advancing rebel
he The Thirtieth Illinois lost their eolors in ii
Y the last cbAfgey out no regiment IN the diylsio
De did better work, even after that as our heay
is, est loss IN killed aud wounded was sustained
X the fort. We lost one half our regiment
k killed, wounded, and missing. ! do not kno
rs the percentage Of loss in the Twentieth Illino
Ar but there were only twenty men Of that reg
ment 10 be found the next morning.
ed No charge was made on the Twentieth al
OF and Thirtieth regiments from our front, but
tn heavy skirmish line advanced after the bait
re commenced and annoyed Us some, but we MAJ
I'd il hot for them between charges. We we
10, shelled all the afternoon by two Of their ba
a. tcries west Of us, but they did their own ms
nd more damage than ours. One of their shei
cd that fell among their men on the south side
the fort did fearful execution, and almost CT
at ated q panic. would like to know why oil
DO battery battery ID was withdrawn before Il
T. last charge was made. / would also like