Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1883-11-16
GEN. sIEEDlsAI.A ANS TITLE.
How He Cana to Be Called ''Old
a.@s %ChfcEamanga,' = 5#$tE

js @ Chtckanlansa.'' 5.t&S.%
{ AS we sat, one night in 1875, in the
ratty old editorial rooms Of the Toledo
Democrat and Herald, of which S,eed-
man was leader writer and managing
editor, ] asked him for the story OF
Chlckamauga, where he won his stars
and the soldier title Of HOld Chick
mausa," of which he was SO proud. he
told it as coolly as it it was a dream to
him: Ill., ;.s.. "s.. ..~.
why, my boy, there wasn't much to
it, / was in charge Of the first division
OF tina reserve corps of the army of the
Cumberland, and had been. stationed ut
Rim gold. on Redhouss bridge over the
Chickamauga. My orders were
explicit |'to hold tue bridge at all
hazard and prevent the enemy from
thanking General Thomas. The enemy
disappeared from our front. The sound
OF canonauing and rattle to the north
ward told me that the enemy had mass.
I'd against our centre, and great battle
was on. From the noise Of conflict /
Judged, and rightly, that Thomas was
soreIy pressed. / felt that my COM
mand Was needed, and yet could
not understand the absence Of new
orders. l waited impatitntly enough
from daylight till nearly
noon, hoping tor some word from my,
co nmanding officer. Finally decided
to risk my neck rather than see the
union army destroyed through lnactlvl-
ty IN my part. Calling q council OF Of
fcers and men, I explained the sl'ua-
ton, read my orders, told them my de-
-. lnf II "a -
fall whatever OF responsibility attached
to the dlsobedi' nee of order. You
know the mex )rable military law is to
ask no questions, obey all orders, and
accep ut Consequences know that if
NV movement was failure, my judy
ment mistaken, nothing less team COURT
martial awaited me. But the battle was
on. and every fibre in me said | was
wanted. We burned the bridge, and
marched by the lannon's sound to Thorn
ass AID. Through corntields, Tickets,
and oak woods we made Il fearful tramp,
for NO man in the command knew the
country, and our only guide WAS the
lannon's boom. When | reported to
Tuouas he was in despair at the loss OF
the key to his position, which, had just
been captured by Gen. HIND
mans rebel corps. Tho place was indi-
Gated to me by flash OF guns and rat
tie Of canister on the dry leaves of the
tree under which Thomas aud I stood.
1t was steep ascant, with a derseIy
peopled crescent ridge, that lay before
US. There was forbidlsng .lticket and
an oak forest between us and the belt Of
rocks that marked the edge of broad
plateau on which the enemy was JUDI.
liant with vi tory. There. there said
Thomas, as the guns flashed again. Now,
you see their exact position. You must
take that ridge My reply Was: 'I'u
DO it, In 81 minutes after we reached
the field we were stormjng the rock OF
Chickamauga. It was an awful contest
up that slope, every foot ..of which was
planted with death.
We went in with 10000 men, and only
4lOO reuorted for duty at the next mus
ter We went up, up, up till we reached
the summit, and planted ourselves there
to stay. 1t was d terribly hot place,
ana we. made the plateau lake Of
blood before we drove Hindmau
back. / rode back and report.
ed to Tho las. I was bloody
from head to foot. He clasped my hand.
and said with great emotion: General
Stetdnan, you have saved ray army I
got my stars not long after ward, and
that's about all there Was OF it. Yes, it
Was risk ran, but WAS right, and I
knew it."
AS he rode to battle that day, he met
Gen. Granger, who said feelinyiy. "Sted,
Old boy, its gong to be ID hot in there.
Ii anything should happen, have you
any REQUESTS to make vi me-" The vein
Of sentiment Was running deep in the
questioner's heart, bus the practical sol.
der responded in words that have since
beon memorable:
Yes, Mr.. Granger; if fall in the
light please see my body decently bur
led and my name correctly spelled in
the newspapers" and 10 deliberately
spelled it.-Cincinnati Com ne rcial- Ga
Zette.