The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-08-30


works, We're caught on the points of Federal
bayonets, lifted over the line, and dashed on
Abe ground behind the ditch rifles were
brokeE over the heads of Confederate soldiers
and the melee was general till about o'clock
p. m. when they retired a short distance, and
plungng fire was kept up till about 10 O'Clock.
If anything worth telling took place after that.
some one else viii have &c tell it. for about that
time caught Confederate lleaden) messenger
and measured my length in the bottom of the
ditch. VIM. n. BRowN,
Co. Z, 65th III Y. vi.
PoMERoY, Iowa.
AN ILLINOIS SOLDIERS OPINIONS.
To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
On the afternoon previous to the battle Of
Franklin. Tenn, the Third brigade, Third di-
vision, Twenty third Army Corps, was fighting
at Duck Run for the purpose of checking the
crossing Of some Of Hoods army. There was
also firing IN cur rear at Spring Hill. That
night we fell back to Franklin passing within
three-gu9TteTs of nile Of Hoods army, and
arrived there about or O'Clock on the fol-
lowing morning. After a hearty breakfast we
went 10 work erecting defense, and succeeded
IN throwing up pretty fair earthTorks. Just
as we We're completing our task We saw the
enemy approaching and splendid sight il
was We were on the Columbia pike, and
we held cur fire until the enemy came close TO
our works and then discharged Eolley, which
checked them for a moment. They were SOON
inNmOtiOa, however, and charged again Our
men on the left of the line broke but their
places were soon filed by other troops The
struggle was the 1eTcest was ever engaged in
during the war. General Cleburne was killed
little to the lefs of our front, and General
Adams fell on our works Just after exclaiming,
1 am the last Of my command" or words 10
that effect. The enemy charged with such
force that many were crowded over our works
and taken prisoners. 1t was a hand-to-hand
struggle. Men on both sides would raise their
guns over the works and shoot 1t each other
General SteWarts corps was in our immediate
front. i beard an officer, who had been at
Chickamauga Stone River. and Shiloh, declare
that the battle Of Franklin was the hardest
and hottest fight OF any Of them. General Cox,
cur division commander, said il was the Sc
yerest struggle he had eyerseen. But our men
would not give III, for they would rather have
died than be taken prisoners, wen knowing
that their fate would be death by starvation
After the battle Of Nashville we passed over
The ground On which the battle Of Franklin
was fought. and there saw large trees which
had been literally cut 10 pieces by bullets.
Some Of orr wounded who were left ON the
field said afterwards that they heard COnfed-
crate officers put their casualties at over 10000
killed aad wounded. The battle was so fierce
and hot Ia our Immediate front that we knew
nothing Of what was going on twenty or thirty
yards from US. That night / saw men march
ing along sound asleep, and dropping down
every Row and then by the wayside. Ii was
hard work 10 roase them and induce them 20
start again, as we had been on the move and
fighting for long time. Our regimeEtal
wagon had been burned the night before be-
tween Spring Kill and Franklin by some rebel
cavalry. E. II. c.
NTNToN, IA. Co. K, 18th Ill V. L
scHoFELD's BLUEDER AT FRANKLIN.
To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
desire TO correct a mistake Of the printer
IN my story OF the battle of Franklin. pub
lished IN THE TRIBUNE Of July 49, In the
hrst paragraph ] am made TO say, Second
brigade, Second Array Corps" 1t should be
Second brigade, Second division, Fourth
Army Corps Again. the printer makes my
name j. J. Frinney," it should be " J. ]. Fin
ney."
Comrada John I. Mcclure, in the last TRrR
UNE, takes issue with me in putting the re-
sponsibilty upon General Schofeld Of posting
and leaving those two hrigades IA front of thC
main line ~ Franklin. Now, wish TO say this
much about that matter: That General Scho
Held was ia command OF that army; was per
sonally present, and certainly directed tho
formation of cur hattle-lines. The field wa:
small, and from his headquarters he could see
Eith naked eye the position and movements O
both armies, and there was plenty Of time be
tween the moment Of the massing of thai
heavy rebel column Gu the franklin pike ana
the onslaught TO have ordered those brigade.
in; and. further, between General SchofelC
AND General Wagner IN authority was Genera
Stanley, the corps commander whose duty i
was to see that his corps lof which Wagner,
division was part was in proper position o.
In such position as he had been ordered x
take by the commanding general. Now, recol
lect that the field was small; every movement
was in plain view of the whole army and vet
NC orders frol Schodeld, none from Stanley, Il