Morning journal and courier., 1883-10-27
General steedman's Title.
How He Came to be Called s'OId Chicks
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How He Came to be Called tsOId Chick R-
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 From tho Cincinnati Commercial Gazette.l
 As we sat, one night in 1875, in the ratty old editorial rooms of the Toledo Democrat and Herald, of which Steedmau was lead or" writer and managing editor, l asked him foE the story of Chickamauga, where he won his stars and the soldier title of ''Old Chickamauga," of which he was so proud. He told it ns coolly as if it was dream to him:
 tsWhy, my boy, there wasn't much to it. I WAS in charge of the First division of the Reserve corps of the Army of the Cumber- land. and had been stationed at RinggoId, or Red-house Bridge over the Chiokamauga.
 My orders were explicit, to hold the bridge at all hazard and prevent the enemy from fanking General Thomas. The enemy dis
 appeared from our front. The sound of cannonadipg and battle to the northward
 told me that the enemy had masseo sgsinst
 our centre, and great battle was on. From
 the noise of conflict I judged, and rightly,
 that Thomas was soreiy pressed. felt that my command was needed, and yet could not understand the absence of new orders. 1 waited impatiently enough from daylight till nearly noon, hoping for some word from my commanding officer. Finally I decided to risk mv neck rather than see the Union ar- nv destroyed through inactivity on my part. Calling a council of officers and men, ex- plained the situation, read my orders, told them my decision, and that on my shoulders should fall whatever of responsibility Rt- tached to the disobedience of orders. You know the memorable military law IS to ask no questions, obey all orders and accept consequences.' I knew that if my move msnt was failure, my judgment mistaken, nothing less than court-mart1al ana death awaited me. But the battle was on and eve ry fibre in me eaidI was wanted. We burned the bridge and marched by the cannons sound to Thomas aid. Through corn fields, thick cts and oak woods we made 6 fearful tramp,
 for no man in the command knew the coun- try, and our only guide was the cannon'a boom, When reported to Thomas he was in despair at the loss of the key to his posi- ton, which had just been captured by Gene ral Hindman's rebel corps. The place was indicated to me by flash of guns and a rat tIe of canister on the dry leaves under which Thomas and stood. It was steep ascent, with densely- -peoplsd crescent ridge, that lay before us. There was fofbidding thick ct and an oak forest between us and the belt of rocks that marked the edge of broad
 plateau on which the enemy was jubilanf with victory. There, there, said Thomas, as the guns flashed again. Now, you see
 their exact position. You must take thai ridge My reply was: I'll do it.. In thir- 4y minutes after we reached the field we were storuing the rock of Ohickamauga. It waa an awful contest up that slope. every foot o1
 which was planted with death.
 ssWe went in with 2, 7,5oO men, and only 1, 900 reported for duty at the next muster. We went up, up, up till we reached the sum- nit, and planted ourselves there to stay. II vas terribly hot place, and we made the plateau a lake of blood before we drove Hindman back. rode back and reported to Thomas was bloody from head to foos. He clasped my hand and said with great emo.
 tion: General Steedman, you have saved my army got my stars not long after ward, and that's about all there was of it.
 Yes, it was big risk I ran, but l was right and knew it.
 As he rode to battle that day he met Gene ral Granger, who said feelinely: .s'Sted, old boy, it's going to be d--d hot in there. Ii anything should happen, have you any re quests to make of me P The vein of senH ment was running deep in the questioner'i heart, but the practical soldier responded ir words that have since been memorable l Yes, General Granger; if I fall in tht 1 fight please see my body decently buried and
 my name correctly spelled in the newspa l pers. and he deliberately spelled it.