The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1883-01-19
VOL. XIV.-NEw SERIES.
THE DEATH OF CLEBURNE.

IL was the Both Of November 1861 At 4
o'clock in the afternoo, the line of battle was
formed, Stewart on the right, Cheatham on the
left, their right and left fanks interlockei like
Parthian shields, composing the centre. Gen.
stephen ID. Lees Corps was held in reserve -
Cleburnes position was in the centre, his divis-
ion formed in three battle lines anI he at its
head. Thus arranged Hoods line was nearly
TWO miles long. advancing. curved like n Mus
sulman's scimitar, with the blade to the foc
But let us follow Cleburne. Bugles were blow
ing drums beating and bands playing. A cou-
rier dashed up to Cleburnes presence and soon
the word "Attention ~ was given. then "For-
ward. march - aud the column passed over a
hill and through little skirt Of, woods. Soon
xhey emerged into sn open field and steadily
they pressed on with "proper cadence" toward
the rampant Of blood and death. The Felcral
batteries began to open. First came solid shot
bounding over the earth and tearing and crash
Ing through the ranks then the shreking shells
dew through the air on the wings Of destruction
bursting under and above auI around the me n ,
and at every explosion unbinding more evils than
over flew from Pandora's box. Twilight was
coming on. Forward, men - was repeated
oil along thA line. A living sheet of fire was
poured into their ranks. Blu, the mon pressed
forward until the terrific roar ran from centre to
flank, from wing to wing.
Night came and the two armies fought like
two blind giants in despair. Cleburne's old war
cry rang ont above the din ofarms: "Follow me,
boys u Once again, and again, and again, sew
en- times, Cleburne's division, and, indeel, all
Of Hoods army, charged the breastworks. And
were they repused. Every time they formed
and reformed under most CALLING fire. At
one times, just before dusk, Cleburne captured
portion Of the works and turned the guns of q
Federal battery on their former owners but it
was only for few moments-a little silver rift
in the battle clouds that envelopel him in the
darkness. 1t was the hottest fire Clebnrne had
ever met. 1t was but one stream of blnzing hell.
Confederates were on one side of the breastworks
and Federals on. the other. Men fell fiat on their
faces and fred from behind the bodies of their
dead comrades. Dead soldiers filled the en-
trenchments. Bio ID made the earth as slippery
rs an ice pond. Thus the firing was kept up
until after midnight. and gradually died out.
But both armies held their own. The Confeder-
atos passed the night where they were, just out
feet off, held their cover uatil near daybreak,
when they were quietly marched away and re-
treated back to Nashville.
HOW cLEDUnNE DIED.
But when the morrow-s sun began to light
up the sky the surviving soldiers looked out
upon n sad battlefield. The dead were piled one
on top ofthe other in awful heaps and the woun-
ded seemed thicker than the uncounted stars.
dorses, like men, had died game upon the de-
fences. Cleburnes body 10y there on top of the
breastworks, CHASTITY in the sleep Of death
pierced with forty bullets, through aud
through. His marc had her forefeet on top of
the works, dead in that position.
Not fur from where Cleburne lay was seen the
dead body of Gen. Adams. His horse had his
forefeet on one side of the works and his hind
feet on tho other, dead. The General seems to
have been caught so that he was held to the
horses back, sitting bolt upright in his saddle,
as If living, riddled and torn with balls. Gen.
Stahi 10y by the roadside and his horse by his
side, both dead, aud oil his staff. Gen. Gist
from South Carolina, was lying with his sword,
reaching across the breasswork, still grasped in
his hand. He, too, was dead. Gen. Cranberry,
of Texas, AMI his horse were seen--horss and
rider right on top Of the breastworks, dead.
All dead Four thousand five hundred soldiers
all lying side by side in death. Thirteen Con-
federate Generals were killed and, wounded.
Six brothers, members Of a Mississippi regiment,
were all dead. "This was the bloodiest picture
in the book Of Time -
The route over which Cleburnes command
had marched the day previous to the battle Of
Franklin lay through some Of the richest and
loveliest country in all the South. The roads
from Mount pleasant to Columbia run through
Q farming district, fertile as the famous Blue
Grass region Of Kentucky, and in the highest
state Of improvement. Six miles from Col
umbia Is what is known as the "Polk and
Pillow Settlement" or as it is now called,
Ashwood. Here the distinguished and wealthy
families bearing those names lived in q style
OF elegance and ease but few baronial estates
OF Europe could afford. Gen. Leonidas Polk,
the Bishop; was born; here 80, too, was ex-Pres-
ident James K. Polk, Gen. Lucius Polk, Col.
William Polk, COL George Polk. Col. Andrew J..
Polk, Gen. Gideon 8. Pillow, Col. Jerome Pillow,
and other prominent and famous persons. Near
ly all Of these gentlemen owned large plantations
In Arkansas, Mississippi or louisiana, and had
priucely incomes from their cotton and sugar
crops; but here, ut Ashwood, they had their
superb homesteads, mansions each with manor,
and their surroundings were in keeping with
everything refined taste could suggest and
almost unlimited purses could purchase.
oLEDunNE's ROMANTIC Grave.
Being jealous church people these gentlemen
had built o beautiful Protestant Episcopal chap.
el, and hard by was the family burying ground.
II was q very romantic place and the neighbor-