The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-01-10
Hsich,s nirlsion af kaxhrIlIe.
To the Fditor Nar,os.I TRrRrsr.

To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
inclose clipping from your issue of Sep
TENDER b. The foot note by $ Ed. . looks like
a disposition to ignore the just claim OF Hateh's
division Of cavalry TO the bright laarels won
by them that day. The 18th army corps was
only half there-the other half not having got
back from the Red River campaign. The cav
airy corps was on the right OF the 10Th corps,
and attached to it for the day, under the COM
Inand Of General A. j. Smith. as / remember
the facts; at any rate, it was on the right of
the 18th. the Hath Illinois was the right of the
infantry, and the 9th Illinois the left OF the
cavalry. 1t was the I'd brigade Colonel G. G.
Coon commanding Of the 9Th division
tHateh's), cavalry corps. that charged and
took, without help, the FIRST two forts on De-
cember ID. The brigade was composed Of the
I'd Iowa, 9th, 7th and 9th Illinois and 18th
Tennessee.
II you VII look in General Grants annual
report 10 Congress made after this great battle
OF Nashville, you wiiise that the first telegram
General Thomas sent after attacking Hood was
nearly in these words: Hateh's cavalry has
taken two redoubts. turned the cnemy's left
and captured the Granny White pike which
Was the objective point Of TIE days cam
paIgn.' wish you would look at the record
and sec how nearly quote from memory after
50 many yeara. i was Coon's brigade Of Hatch's
division or cavalry who took the honors at
Nashville, which you VIII see were accorded
fully to them by both Thomas and Grant After
nineteen years, DO net wave them out Of exist
ence by saying the 10Th corps was on the
right of the Union Iinev 1t Is about time for
some cayalrylnan TO write an account Of the
battles OF Franklin and Nashville, or, perhaps,
it viii, after awhile, be thought there were
none at these battles, and ] am sure there are
cavalrymcn now living who know of and could
tel the immense importance Of the part per
/ formed By this branch OF the service in both
these battles. / ana sometimes tempted TO do il
myself T. W. LIPPIEcoTT,
Capt. Co. !, 9th Ill Cav.
Rockford, III.
THE 9th cavalry division. commanded BY
General Hatch: the lst brigade, LIST cavalry
division, General J. 7. Croxton; the 9th cav
airy division, General Z. W. Johnson, and the
eth cavalry, division. General Joseph Z. Kuipe
constituted the cavalry corps, under command
Of Aaior-Generai James Il Wilson, whose field
Of operations was On the extreme right OF the
Union line. On tho first day, this corps, in
conjunction with A. ]. Smiths corps forced
the Confederate left back some miles into the
hills. On the second day the cavalry corps
made detonr to the Granny White pike, and
/ by a vigorous assault carried the Confederate
works and cut off their retreat by that road
/ Hatcb's cavalry did not belong TO the 10Th
corps, having been attached TO the cavalry
corps By order Of General Thomas, command
ing the military division of the Mississippi, By
order dated November 8, 1864. Captain Lip
pinc0t is also IN error III stating that the 70.
mainGer Of tie 10th corps had not returned
from the Red River campaign Gen Smith
hae Only portion OF The 10th colfs On that
campaign. The remainder Of the corps wa.
/ merged into the 18th ard 18th corps IN Jane
previous and formed part Of the army thai
1 marched with Sherman 10 the sea- The assaults
made by the sth corps ION the left Of the 18th
coTsj on the first day was made on Montgomery
Hill. On the second day Schofeld's CORP
! moved 10 the right Of Smiths corps. aud be
tween that and the cavalry corps. The assault
made OF the second day was made sinultane
ously along the whole limo upon the enemy
second position, each carrying the works II
their front. The cavalry having cut off Tia,
Confederate line OF retreat hy the Gram,
White pike, they were forced 10 use the Frank
| lin pike, which resulted in the capture o
many prisoners and munitions of war.-Ep.l