davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The National tribune., 1883-11-01
The Coming Shiloh Reunion.

To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
hope You will do all you can to make a
success of the Shiloh Reunion next spring, and
as it is not far from Shiloh to Corinth would
suggest that the boys give time enough on
their programme to go over Halleck's famous
snail-route to the latter place. l was not in
the battle of Shiloh, but made the march
from Hamburg Landing via Pennington
to Corinth, and was at the siege, then at
luka, and finally at the battle of Cor
4th of this month. My wound received there
is old enough TO vote now Being permanently
disabled by reason of this gun-shot wound, my
army career ended with that battle. i see or
hear SO little from members of my old company
and regiment that it almost makes me think
ships we endured Should this meet the eve
Of any member of company B, Twenty seventh
Ohio volunteer infantry, ! would be glad to
hear from them, and more especially if We could
The National tribune., 1883-11-01

f. was the officer who had the wires wound
around the stumps in front of the fort; but no
such things as spears were ever seen there as far
as / know was there before the siege, during
all of the siege, and afterit; was among the wires
during the flag OF truce all day of Sunday, the
29th, when the rebels were getting their dead
and wounded; never saw spear nor heard of
one. The comrades Cd, Sd, and 4th questions
] cannot answer. Had / time in writing this
letter, would throw some light on Comrade
Dagger's account of taking wagon train by
General Wm. f. Jones, of the rebel army, at
Clinch River, Tenn, as given in your paper of
October Ie, 1888, but l will reserve that for
another communication.
AUSTIN CURTIN,
45th regt.. p. V. V.
Po-ANn n crNTrp ~ pa
The National tribune., 1883-11-01
Britton's Lane-wrong Again.

To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
In your issue of September 13, 1883, Lieu
tenant A. w. Cheney, in correcting your Chro-
nology of the War in regard to the action at
Britton's Lane, SEPTEMBER 1, 1862, says: One
possibly two-companies of cavalry were en-
gagged and you accept his correction as to
Twelfth Illinois cavalry, and explain that COM
pany H, Eleventh Illinois cavalry, and Captain
Fosters independent company of Ohio cavalry
were the companies of cavalry referred 70. A
detachment of the Second Illinois cavalry, COM
manded by Lieutenant Colonel Harry Hogg,
constituted part of the force engaged in that
action, and sustained a loss of several in killed
and wounded. Among the killed were Lieu
tenant-C Colonel Hogg and First Lieutenant Neil
I. Shannon, of company T. Second Lieutenant
Levi M. Leib, of company F, was mortally
wounded. / was at jackson, Tenn, with my
command at the time, but had brother who
was present, and / was well acquainted with
nearly every member of company T, Second
Illinois cavalry, and iuterchanged visits with
them frequently and heard the foregoing facts
from eyewitness. From this you viii see
that if but two companies of cavalry were pres
ent, one company was company F, Second
Illinois cavalry, instead of one of the companies
you mention. W. +. Cox,
LIST Lieut., Co. II, 63d Regt.
NASHVILLE, Mo.
ELientenant- Colonel Hogg was killed August
3lst in action, near Bolivar, Miss, IN which the
forces engaged were the Twentieth and Sew
enty-eighth O. V. l., four companies of the
Second Illinois cavalry, under Lieutenant Col
onel Hogg, two companies of the Eleventh
Illinois cavalry, under Major Peterbaugh, and
one section of artillery. Later in the same
day four companies of the Forty-ffth Illinois
volunteers, under Captain Palmer, were at
tackled at Medon Station. Six companies of
the Seventh Missouri volunteers. under Major
Oliver, were at once sent by General Ross to
re-enforce the Forty fifth Illinois, when the
enemy were driven off and pursued. In their
fight the enemy encountered force at Brit
tons Lane, September LIST, consisting of the
Twentieth and Thirtieth Illinois volunteers,
company i'll, Eleventh Illinois cavalry, and
Fosters independent company Ohio cavalry,
under Captain Foster, and one section of artil-
lery, 800 strong, when the enemy were again
defeated and routed These engagements along
the line of the Mississippi Central occurred so
near together that Cemrade Cox is quite excus-
able for confoundinp them-ED1
The National tribune., 1883-11-01
Sergeant Major, I'd n. C. NJ. 1.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn.
A ooMRADE WHO SAW THE SPEARS.

To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
] notice in your issue Of the 18th several
questions asked by J. N. Jolley concerning the
siege of Knoxville, Tenn. l was there, or
rather, at Fort Hill, one mile and half east of
Fort Sanders, where the Eighth Tennessee in
fantry was stationed,l and in regard to the
spears would say that they were planted around
the outside Of the rife pits, and would strike
man III the region Of the stomach. Mr. Jolley
says the guarternaster told him they were
planted in the ground. He was right; they
were just outside, where the Eighth Tennessee
were stationed. S. T. BROWN
TOPEKA. KAN. 1st East Tenn. Cav.
THE question as TO the use of spears in the
delenses at Knoxville has awakened so much
discussion, a representative of The TRIBUNE
was sent TO consult General o. M. Poe. now on
the staff Of General Sherman, In this city
General Poe served during the Tennessee cam
paiGn on the staT of General Burnside. and the
defenses of Knoxville were constructed under
his direction.
The line running around the city included
Fort Sanders at the northwestern angle, and
Fort Hill, On Mabrey's Hill, az the northeastern
angle From Fort Hill the line OF works ex-
tended southwark TO the river
General Poe found 1000 spears which had
been constructed under direction Of General
ZoilicOiier TO he used IN the backs of retreating
al KEGS DAE mining flD use 1Or Enefl thev were
abandoned when Bnekner marched away to
re-enforce Bragg, and were found stored away
in Knoxville when Barnsides troops entered
the city.
Knowing the determination of Longstreet to
take the city. every means was used to render
the works inpregnable, wires were stretched
along In front Of the western line where the
powerful assault was expected, and the heaviest
force was concentrated there and ID the yicin-
ity Of Fort Sanders
The northern line Of works was protected
largely by water in the two creeks that had
been damned for that purpose. The eastern
line from Fort Hill southward was held by
troops Of the Twenty-third Corps and the
Tennessee and North Carolina recruits, and to
render the works donbly secure, the spears were
used only along the front Of this line Of works
General Poe describes the manner in which
they were utilized as follows: The shafts were
showed firmly into the earth al the base of the
parapet, fourteen inches apart, the spears ele-
waited about four feet above the ground, where
they were held in place by posts driven into
the ground, to which they were lashed with
wire. They were also lashed together, and
when completed they constituted a barrier for
defense uneQualled by any appliance ever con-
strnctcd 10 resist an infantry or cavalry assault.
With regard to the propriety of putting the
spears 10 this use, General Poe failed to see any
difference between using them as an abatis,
and placing them in the hands of soldiers, and
only regretted that the Confederates had not
provided him with enough to protect the entire
line-ED1
The National tribune., 1883-11-01
From Veteran of the One Hundredth Ohio.

From Veteran OF the One Hundredth Ohio.
To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
For weeks | perused every copy of The
TRIBUNE that / received with the greatest
care in the hope of finding a report of the
Reunion of my old regiment, the One Hun
dredth Ohio volunteers, and finally, in your
issue of September 9th, [ saw an account of the
Reunion of the dear old regiment at Bryant,
Ohio. Oh, how | would have liked to have
been there and met my old comrades of years
gone by Though eighteen years have now
elapsed since we were mustered out at Cleye-
land, Ohio, / still think of them as brothers. /
notice that my old captain, Frank RundeH,
who organized our company, and at the time of
his discharge was colonel of the regiment, was
present at the Reunion, and also Colonel Pat.
Slevin, who was wounded in one of the fights
near Atlanta, and owing to his wound was
never able to rejoin the regiment. All COM
rades, we shall never forget the 9th day Of
August, 1864, when our regiment, numbering 325
rank and file, went into that awful charge from
which we returned with but two-thirds of our
number. We lost 102 officers and men; COM
pany T losing the most twenty three in all, of
which fifteen were killed, and company G the
least, losing but seven, five of whom were
killed, the disparity being due to the more
exposed position of company f. Just here, let
me narrlte the experience of private of COM
pany G-lsaac MetZger, of Genoa, Ohio,
whom our comrades viii remember He was
wounded seven tines,-in both thighs, both
hands, and the shoulder,-and lay on the field
from l o'clock August 9th until 1 o'clock Au-
gust 7th, when he was taken up by our men
and told his story. He said that he lay upon
the field in the hot scorching sun until dark,
when Johnny came up and stole his boots
Isaac begged him not to take them, and to give
him sip of water, but the Johnny replied
that he needed the boots and he had got no
water for him. Later in the night another
Johnny came and took his hat despite his pit
iful protest that the sun the next day would
burn his eyes out. At last, however, in the
person of a third Johnny, there came Good
Samaritan, who kaelt by his side and gave
him some water to drink, and prayed to God
to relieve his sufferings and restore him TO his
comrades. So moved was our comrade by this
appeal that he asked the Johnny to take him
into the rebel lines and care for him, but the
Johnny replied that it was better that his own
comrades should have him, since they could
take better care of him, and then, giving him
another drink and arranging some bushes over
him, left MIN. Tie next day, at o'clock, We
succeeded by a flank movement in bringing
him into the lines, and he expressed himself as
feeling in first-ra.e spirits and thought he
would be able to get home. 1t was a delusive
hope, however, for he died that evening at sum
set. He was one of the noblest boys in the
regiment, and he will never be forgotten. I
hope some comrade will write up the achieve
ments of the old brigade.
HENRY A. FIsTLE,
FULTON, IND. Co. G. Tooth O. Y. /.
The National tribune., 1883-11-01
ROLAND P. o., CENTER Co, Pa.
VINO THE SPY WAS.
AUSTIN CURTIN,
A5th rect. p. V. Y

To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
In your issue Of October 18th noticed some
questions asked by J. NJ. JoIley In answer TO
question No. i, would say ! was wounded the
first day of the siege of Knoxville, and do not
know from personal knowledge what was
around Fort Sanders during the siege, but l
was ali around the fort just before the siege
and afterwards, and did not see any spears, and
never heard Of any being placed there before.
Question No. 3: The name of the spy that was
hung, / think, was Ephr4im Told / saw him
hanged. The rope broke the first time, but he
bravely mounted the scaffoid and had his necktie
adjusted the second time. Questions 2 and l
cannot answer. would Ike TO hear from some
of the One Hundred and Twelfth Illinois Y. l.,
through The NATIONAL TRIBUNE, in regard
to ihe siege Of Knoxville; more particularly
Comrade 5iark Lowery.
NJ c. WHITE,
Co. B, Sth Mich. cav.
The National tribune., 1883-11-01

once more steam up the Tennessee River to
Pittsbtrg Landing together. Boys, we won't
have to sleep on the hurricane roof of the
steamboat this time and cook our coffee at the
furnace in front of the boilers.
HENRY TATE,
Sergt., Co. B, 9th o. v. I.
EVANSVILLE, IND.
[Colonel q. II. Spaulding, the brave COM
mander of the Twenty seventh now the lead
ing sugar planter in the Sandwich Islands, will
spend the winter in Washington.l
The National tribune., 1883-11-01
A soldiers Bibl. Awaiting the Owner.

s. A. Wing, Norwalk, Ohio, writes us tkat he
has Bible in his possession with the name of
William B. Gillespie written in it. i was
found in Georgia during the war, and he win
gladly return it to the owner or any of his
friends, if he or they viii communicate with
him
The National tribune., 1883-11-01

April 1862. j think the writer must be mis-
taken, for was one of the men who helped to-
cut around the island to get our boats below so
that the forces could cross the river and cut off
the retreat of the enemy. We got our boats to
New Madrid sometime in March, and the gun
boat ran the gauntlet after we got the trans
ports below the island j. c. WALLER,
Serg't, Co. III, 1st No. Eng.
DENNIsoN, Ill.
I-Tbe exploit of spiking the enemy's guns at
Island No. 10 by psrty of 100 men, under
command of Colonel Roberts, of the Forty
second Illinois volunteers. occurred on the
night of April /, 1863 Captain Wake, q. S.
N, with the gunboat Carondalet, ran the bat
teries at Island No. 10 on the 4th, followed on
the night of the 9Th by the Pittsburg Island
No. 10 was captured on the 7th.-ED.
The National tribune., 1883-11-01
PrrrsBUHa, Pa.
ANOTHER coMRkDE WHO NEVER SAW THE
SPEARS

To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
Noticing IN your valuable papersoIne Curious
Questions by Comrade Jolicy. Of company B.
Dne hundred and Seventh Illinois volunteers,
IN regard 70 Knoxville compa;gns and siege.
can at least answer one. Our regiment Forty
ffih p V. W helped TO construct Fort Sanders
and the ri1e-pits on the left, and occupied all
the left from in front Of the fort 70 the river.
lSeventy-ninth New York in the fort during
Lengstrcer scharge on the 29th Of November.
1885, The gallant and brayest of the brave.
Theodore Gregg afterwards lieutenant-colonel,
who died July 4, 1879 then captain Of company
The National tribune., 1883-11-01

Inciosed please find 81, one TO renew my own
subscription, and one for new subscriber Inc
latter was captured by the article Andersonylllo,
where lie bearded for nearly eleven raonths.-Wss-
Gala Roteek, Chicago, Ill
The National tribune., 1883-11-01
Island No. 10.
To the Editor N.

To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
/ see communication in THE TRIBUNE con-
cerning the spiking of the rebel guns on Island
No. 10, stating that it was done on the 2ash of
The National tribune., 1883-11-01
RoDELM, TENN.

LIVING UNDER THE SHADOW OF THE FORT.
To the Editor NATIONAL Tribune:
In your issue of October Is notice some
questions from C0mrade j. NJ. Jolley, company
b, One Hundred and Seventh Illinois volun-
teer infantry. / am living now under the
shadow of Fort Sanders, and belonged TO the
left wing Of the army, and was at Cumberland
Gap during the siege. have seen the spears
or spikes spoken Of but never heard that Burn
side used them. They were captured here.
large lot having been manufactured by the
rebels 10 use in place of the bayonet, but thrown
aside as useless. Telegraph wire was stretched
on the outer edge of the ditch, and as the rebels
tripped and fell into the ditch, hand grenades
and time-fnse shells, curto explode in one min
ute, were thrown among them.
III. ID. LOFTS,
Sergeant Major, ID n. c. II. I. Y.
Tx-.-,
The National tribune., 1883-11-01
STERLING, KAN.

For detailed information concerning the
Shiloh excursion address Connrade C. A. Kuhl,
Pekin, HE'D.
The National tribune., 1883-11-01
wARREN, Pa.
To the Editor NArrosAr TRIBUNE.

10 the Edltor NATIONAL tribune:
In your issue Of October 18th Comrade Arm
stead refers TO q poem copied from an inscrip-
ton written. / think, in pencii3 on the tomb
stone of a Revolutionary soldier. This has
brought memory 10 me lying dormant for
years. The tombstone IN question was situated
in an old churchyard in Cheraw, s. c. Those
who tarried day in that ancient but aristo-
cratic village viii well remember the old church
where legend said many wounded patriot and
Britisher had been taken for medical aid
They viii also recollect the gay equipages
which our boys paraded along the sandy streets
1t viii also require no effort TO call to mind
the terrible powder explosion which took place
there, and by which every window-light in the
town was broken. But to the poem. give it
as / remember it, and if there are any " missing
links" perhaps some other comrade can supply
them. EDWIN p. Tomg.
Co. B, 27th 0. Y. V. l., and Ord. officer and
A. D. c., Fullers brigade, 10th A. C.
WEIR Cry, KAN
The National tribune., 1883-11-01
Are You Going to shilehl
To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:

To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
/ see that it is proposed by some one to hold
a Reunion on the old battlefield of Shiloh.
Web dol remember the old Shiloh church,
the spring at the foot of the hill, the little ra
vine that meandered through the woods. Our
company was the left of Colonel Bucklands bri-
gade OF General w. L. Shermans division, and
we were camped just on the right of the old
church. The brigade ON our left was commanded
by Colonel Hittebrand, of the Seventy first
Ohio V. l.. aud you bet / would enjoy Re-
union on that historic spot.
DANIEL COLEMAN,
Company B, 10th Ohio V. /.
The National tribune., 1883-11-01
GLEN CASTLE, N. Y.
OTHER COMRADES WHO COPIED THE POEM.

UIHkh CoaihADElS v no COPIED THE POE4.
To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
/ noticed in the last publication of THE
TRIBUNE q communication from Comrade Geo
III. Armstead, of Carterville, Mo-, asking some
comrade to send in for publication certain
poem. On Sherman's march up through the
Carolinas, while the advance of the army was
halted, awaiting the laying Of the pontoons
across the Pedee River at Cheraw, S. c., !, with
many others. strolled into the cemetery at
Cheraw, and there saw written in pencil upon
the polished side of monument, erected to the
memory of an honored old soldier of the Reyo-
luton, the ode asked for. 1t was written on
the inspiration. of the moment by one of Sher-
mans army and spoke to the spirit of the de-
parted in words fitted to the hour when it was
written. w. j. ALExANDER,
Capt, Go. d, 1IIth Pa. Y. V.
The National tribune., 1883-11-01
WHO IS THE AUTHOR7
The Poem Written on the Monument to ReEolu
tionary Soldier.
CARTERvILLE, Mo.

Doubtless the following verses, which cop
led March 6, 1865, from tombstone ina cem-
etery at Cheraw, s. c., on Sherman's march
through the Caroiinas, from Savannah north,
are what you want:
Hail. siumbeTing patriots, laid beneath the sod!
Know ye the woes Of your unhappy State?
Know ye the soil has drunk your chiidrens blood,
And your loved homes are spoiled and desolate? ?
Know ye the Fame on which your fathers toiIed,
And which We guarded as a sacred trust,
Your wayward sons have entered and despoiled,
And cast its glorious idol in the dust?
Know We that treason DER your sunny Cline
Has blown its breath of perjury and strife7
Know We your sons espoused the iiideous crime
And struck with madness at the Nations life?
Know We the naughty and the proud, like slaves,
Are fleeing 10 the wood, the cave the swamp?
Know We your mountains, plains, and cen your
graves.
Are trembling meath an avenging army s tramp? ?
How can you rest-how can your ashes sleep.
While wars dread chariots roll above your head ?
Do not your bones with holy horror creep.
as falls the blood your perjured sons have shed
Rise. sumbering patriots view the ruin made,
And bid the traitor crew in shame disperse;
Bid them restore the Union they've betrayed,
Or double damn them with fathers curse;
tSignedl YANKEE.
The grave of General Marion, of Revolution
airy fame. was pointed out TO me in the same
cemetery. 1t was simply mound laid with
brick, with no name or Inscription diiapidated
and neglected. CHAs. A. ToMPRINs
Co. E, 18th N. Y. Vols
GLEN CASTLE. Ny.
The National tribune., 1883-11-01
HARTFORD. MIcH.
THE SONG CALLED FOR.
NJ. c. WHITE,
Co. B, Sth Mich. cav.
To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:

To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
Ihave read the questions asked by J. NJ. Jolley,
company B, One Hundred and Seventh Illinois
V l., IN regard to the siege of Knoxville, Tenn,
and, as TO question No. 1, would say that don't
think there were any spears driven in the
ground near the river for the use spoken of.
As for question No. ,, in regard to the song
written about the charge on Fort Sanders,
do not know whether it would be termed a
song or not. but | am in possession Of a small
book filed with poetry, written by one II. Clay
Graham, Of Indiana volunteers in which
find d few lines about the charge On Fort San
ders. / win take pleasure in answering any
comrades letters concerning the book.
Yours, truly, H. III. HARVEY,
Serg't, Co. d, Sd Tenn. Inf.
The National tribune., 1883-11-01
WASHINGTON THURSDAY NOVEMBER


$500 abls for duty, rs nearly all the troops
were sick at that tIne. Let that be as it may,
there were enough able for duty TO whip Gen.
Breckenridge and his 1000 men, the number
he was reported to Have had in that engage
inent And now / wonid like to hear from
more of my cid comrades in that engagement
through the columns of THE TRIBUNE.
J. S. GRAY,
Private, Co. E, 2lst Ind. Inf, and fst Ind b. A.
ARBoRyILLE, NEB.
[Ihe Union forces engaged at Baton Rouge,
August s. 1852 under Brigadier- General Viii
liams, were the Fourteenth Maine, Colonel
Nickcrson; the Twenty -iTst Indiana, Leuten-
ant-Colonei Keith; the Ninth Connecticut,
Colonel Cahill; the Sixth Michigan, Lieuten-
ant-ColoncI Clark; the Seventh Vermont,
Colonel Roberts; Minis, Eyerett's aud Mann
ing's Massachusetts batteries, and Magee's
company OF massachusetts, cavalry. The gun
boats were the Essex, Sumter and Kenio On
the death OF General Williams, near the close
of the action Colonel Cahill Ninth Connecti-
cut assumed command, and made the official
report Of the battle. He makes no mention OF
cowardly conduct on the part of the Seventh
Vermont, whose colonel tRobeTts) was killed
in the engagement. AS to the numbers en-
gagged on the Union side, it may be Stated that
at roll-call the previous evening 1900 men an
swered to their names. The strength of the
Confederate forces was 5000 men.-ED.
The National tribune., 1883-11-01

ov. l. SAtrmlSh on BI1ck tslverl La.s Dy otn y.
5. eolored heavy art
IL Skirnish at Union Station, Tsnn., by
IOth No. cav.
5. Skirnlish at Vera Cruz, Ark, by ons
company of 46th Mo. vols
As Action at Johnsonville Tenn. by IIfh
Tenn cav. E3d W Is. vols and i2th u.
s. eolored troops.
8. 8. Skirniish on Big Pigeon River, Tenn,
by Sd n. G. mounted inf
5. Action at Fort Sedgwiek Va. by ID
Corps. Army Of the Potomac
g. Action at Atlanta, Gss- by I'd div, 2ufn
Corps, Army OF the Cumberland
The National tribune., 1883-11-01

rades.
Comrnde Henry Levici., Seneca, Kan. would ike
to hear from some member OF Pap Wards old bri-
gade, composed of the One Hundred and Second
One Hundred and Fifth. and One Hundred and
Twenty ninth Illinois, and the Seventy tyninth Ohio
and Seventeen Indiana. He would also ike copy
of the which hessffse.
The National tribune., 1883-11-01
DID NoT rsE srEARs.
To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:

CEDAR Rapids, IA.