The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-03-06
General 0. o. Howard and His sanday-school.


To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
reference to other than battle scenes in
connection with General o. o. Towards arti-
cles may be interesting to some OF your
numerous readers
1t was in Lookout Valley, Tenn, in the
early spring Of 1864, on pleasant Sabbath
morning, that / first saw the one-arnled hero,
who was then commanding the 1lth army
corps. Our brigade, recently attached to his
command, had marched from Nashville, and
on the previous evening had reported to the
general, who rode out with his staff to meet
the troops, and seemed we'll pleased with the
reinforcement.
He had good reason to be gratifed at their
appearance: for, although com paratively new
and untried, the brigade consisted of five solid
stalwaBt western regiments, and was COM
manded by the able aud gallant Colonel Ben
Harrison, now United States Senator from
Indiana.
They afterwards made a fine record during
the Atlanta campaign, and the subsequent
battles and marches OF Sherman.
On Sabbath morning / entered the chapel
tent of The Christian Commission, and was in
formed by Mr.. Douglas, the agent in charge,
that the general would hold sabbath-school
| in the tent, and that my assistance was de-
sired.
| There we're already present a little group Of
poor white children, whose humble homes the
general had visited. and obtained their consent
and that of tlieir parents to their attendance
on his Sabbath school IN the aforesaid chapel
| tent.
| One of these children was sickly looking
| little lame girl, who had come quite distance
/ on her crutelles. Soon Major {afterward Gen
| eral G. II. Howard, the commanders brother
| entered the tent. accompanied by young man
! in private's uniform. This brave and excel
L. I. l.
! son, was greatly beloved by General Howard
and / believe was soon after killed in battle
| Presently a compactly built. well proportional
man, slightly above the middle size, entered
the tent. On his right side he carried an
1 empty sleeve; on his shoulders the stars of q
major-general: his hair and beard, of dark.
brown color, were very slightly touched with
| gray; IN his look and expression were blended
/ the iron sternness OF the military commander
| with the winning courtesy of the Christian
| gentleman. He at ONCE called to his aid the
major, the young private the chaplain, and
others, and short Bible lesson was read BY
the classes, and briefly reviewed by the genera
| with the familiar ease of an old experienced
superintendent; then, after few simple ques
4 ti0ns and words of exhortation addressed tt
/ the children, he said, in closing: :" And now
/ children, let us kneel down here and viii ash
| the Lord to make our hearts right and save u.
| all, for the sake of Jesus Christ" Ali present
! knelt in the leaves, while the major-genera
! offered up short and very simple prayer
especially for the little ones. Let none sneel
| at such scene as this for the principal acto
was the man whom Headly describes as riding
/ along the front line amid the hottest fire
| sword in left hand, bride in teeth, and wavin:
| that empty sleeve until the most coward,
wretch was shamed into bravery.
Il. CoTToN,
Chaplain, 129th I'll. Inf
PURDY Tenn