The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-03-12

division suffered terribly. He gained his
position and held 1t under the most trying
circumstances.
"COx's position was naturally strong one
and he added to its strength by taking advan-
tage of every point in building his earth
works. The line which Brown struck sloped
quite sharply to the left from the cotton gin
around beyond the Carter House. The earth
works on the right-hand side of the pike, as
he approached, were so built that the force
in it could enfilade his whole line as it
reached the Federal position on the left OF
the pike. AS Brown charged it a terrible
enfilading fire from these works was poured
into his men. 1t was very destructive and
to save themselves as much as possible his
troops made breastworks of the dead bodies
of there fallen comrades, until they could
throw up earth to protect themselves.
The battle was short, but desperate. |
lost greater number of men, according to
the number engaged than in any battle OF
the war, except Murfreesboro. The real
fight only lasted about two hours, but there
were sharp assaults on both sides until 10
o'clock About II the Federals withdrew,
and about o. clock l rode into the town and
got bite to eat, the first | had tasted that
day. Just at daybreak | rode upon the field,
and such sight never saw, and can never
expect to see again The dead were piled up
like shocks of wheat or scattered about like
sheafs of grain. You could have walked all
over the field upon dead bodies without step
ping upon the ground. The fierce flame of
within range of fifty yards, except the
cavalry fight on the other side of
the river. Almost under your eye nearly
all the dead, wounded and dying
lay. In front of the Carter House the bodies
lay in heaps, and to the right OF it locust
thcket had been moved off by bullets, as if
by scythe. 1t was wonder that any man
eSpape1 alive from that Of mis-
siles. A man who counted the dead told me
that there were over l, 800 bodies in the mar
row space on the right and left of the pike;
900 Confederates and something over 600
Union. l spent two years in the Mexican
war and four years in the late conflict.
never saw anything like that field, and never
want to again
at is all Q er now, and these are only re-
Elections upon a sad subject. l did not come
here to talk them, but to show you the posi-
ton of our troops and point out where we
began and ended. This is the first time I
have visited this battlefield since the fight
took place, and | have talked more OF the
events of the war to-day than during all the
past fifteen years. [ have never read true
story of this battle 1t will be hard to write
one. | should have added to what 1 said
about visit 10 the field next morning at
daybreak that we buried the dead, cared for
the wounded men of both sides as best we
could, and then moved on to the battle at
Nashville"
What details can be supplied that would
add interest to the plain story this old soldier
tells? He has here written, from his stand
point, better history of Franklin than the
best writers in the land have been able to
give. 1t is dramatic enough, and, when read
side by side with the first part of this paper,
that deals with the collision from the Union
side you have the most complete narrative
OF the battle that bears the name of this
place that [ can gather write.