The National tribune., 1883-09-20
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What Our Veterans Have TO Say About
Their Old Campaigns.
wagncr's Brigade at stone River.

To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
With your permission, would like to say
few words IN reply TO the letter Of Comrade
Phillip Dimes, in your issue Of August l6, 1883,
written ia reply TO C0mradc II. q. Blodgetts
letter Of June p, 1852, IN regard TO the part
taken in the battle Of Stone River by Magner's
brigade ! had the honor Of serving in that
brigade from its organization until the regi-
ments composing ii were all mustered out of
the service: my regiment being the last dis
charged-January p. 1856. The regiments
composing the brigade were: The Fifteenth,
Fortieth, and Fifty-seyenth Indiana volunteers,
Ninety-seventh o. V. J., and the Tenth In
diana battery. COmrade Bl0dgett is wrong as
TO the number Of the diyision-Nagners bri-
gade beng the Second brigade, First division,
left wing of the Fourteenth Army CORPS. at
that time. In confirmation Of Blodgett's asSer-
tien that Wagner's brigade held the same
ground 1t the close Of the battle they occu-
pied when il commenced, / VIII say that Nag-
ner's and Harller's brigades' had the advance
on the 2Sth Of December, 1862, and drove the
rebels back 10 their main line Of works at Stone
River. The brigades bivouacked for the night
in line Of battle. My regiment, on the right of
our brigade lines, occupied the ground between
the pike and railroad, our right resting or the
pike and left on the railroad; our right con-
meeting with Palmer's left, the rest Of the bri-
gade continuing our line to the left of the rail-
road and extending toward the river. We re-
manned IN that position until the forenoon of
the 3lst when we were shifted TO the left of
the railroad, remaining there until near noon,
when we were moved back TO our first position,
between the pike and railroad. where we re-
manned through the afternoon Of the 3lst, sus-
taining the assaults Of the enemy and repulsing
him III every attempt 20 break our lines The
new line was formed on the night Of the 31st.
when we were withdrawn about four hundred
yards TO the rear. After the defeat of our right
and center the line OF battle was almost per-
pendicnlar TO our first line. with the exception
of that part TO the left OF the pike So if Com
rade Dimes regiment occupied the ground be-
tween the railroad and the pike, il must have
been two o. three hundred yards to the rear of
our right wing and parallel with the pike, in
stead Of at a right angle TO it, According to
General Haskells report, the First brigade
(Haskell's Of the First division (Woods) was
on our right, ana Grose's brigade OF the Second
division. lPalmer's) on the right of HaskelPs
brigade in the afternoon of the 3Ist. Viii say
to COmrade Joseph C. Freeman, of the Twenty
fourth o. Y. J., that / do not think Comrade
BlOdgett intended TO disparage any regiment
or brigade for where ali did their whole duty
so herOically and nobly, there could be no crit
ieism. Comrade Dimes signs himself, Second
brigade Second division, Fourth Army Corps
] think he must be mistaken in the division !;
il must have been the First or Third division,
Fourth Army Corps. Now, / wish TO raise a
question for the boys: Was there Twentieth
or Tweniy-frst Army Corps at the time of the
battle of Stone Rivcr2 / claim there was not
but that it was all the Fourteenth Army Corps.
Respectfully, C. II. WooD,
Co. x, 40th Reg't Indiana Vet. Vols,
% Brigade, I'd Division, 4th A. C.
METz, No.
[Comradc Wood is right. The Twentieth
and Twenty first Corps, consisting OF the for
mer right and left wings, were not named as
corps by the War Department until after the
battle Of Stone Riyer.-ED.