Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-12-14
PAT CLEBURNEs DEATH.
Extract from the "True Story, as Told
by Judge L. H MaDgam OF His Staff,
and His Most Intimate Friend"

Extract from the ''True story, as Told
by Judge L. H Mangam of His StaH,
and His Most Intimate Friend"
50. Louis Republican.
On the morning of the memorable Nov.
80. 1864, after considerable delay, Hoods
army moved towards Franklin, 1t was
in the afternoon before the army reached
Winston's Ridge, high ridge some two
miles sOudh OF Franklin. There a council
OF war was held, and Gen. Hood, against
the judgment of his best Generals, decided
to attack the almost impregnable works
around Franklin, and, what was even
worse, to attack them in their strongest
point. Cleburne opposed an attack, but
he was too blunt and frank to have any
influence with Hood.
Cleburne considered the removal of
Joseph Z. Johnston and the appointment
of Gen. Hood in his stead as a great dis
aster to the army and COnfederacy. Gle
burne had too little of the political Gen
e-al about him to conceal his views, hence
Gen. Hood had no good feeling for Gle
Durne.
DR.. d. A. Leuthicum, Chief Surgeon of
Cleburne's division, remained behind to
care for the wounded of the division in
the skirmish of the evening before at
Spring Hill, came.up and reported to Gen.
Cleburne at Gen. Hoods headquarters.
Just after the council Of war was over,
just prior to the battle, and after Gen.
Cleburne was on his horse, heard Gen.
Hood say to him, General, form your
division to the right of the pike, letting
your lett overlap the same. Gen. Brown
{ now eX-GOV. Brown, of TENNESSEE. will
form on the left with his right overlap
ping your left. l wish you to move upon
the enemy. Give orders to your men not
to ire gun until you run the Yankee
skiTmlsh line from behind the first lire of
works in your front, then press them and
shoot them in their backs as they run to
their main line, then charge the enemy's
works. Franklin is the KEY TO Nashville.
and Nashville is the key to indeperdence.j
Gen. ClebuTne smiled and said, General.
/ Will take the works or fall in the Ell
fort"
The line of battle was formed on the
north side OF WinstOn's ridge, between
the ridge and the town, fully one mile
from the Federal works.
Hardee's old corps then commanded
by Gen. Cheal ham on the left and Stew
arts corps on the right, Cleburne's diYis-
ion on the right of Cheatham's corps, his
left guiding on the pike; then Cheatham's
old division, commanded by Gen. John {.
Brown, his right guiding on the pike;
| Bates division on the left of the corps
and army.
Cleburne marched forward with two
/ brIgades front, Cranberry, GOvan and
/ Lowry in the rear. In a few moments
the command was under a CALLING fire
/ from the enemy's artillery. The men
were ordered not to stop to fire, but to
I rush upon the enemy's works. The first
/ line OF works in Cleburne's front was
/ easily taken. This line was some 200
/ yards in front Of the main line of breast
works. Behind this first line Cleburne's
/ command halted few moments prepara-
/ tory to making a charge at the main
/ works. just at this time l gallOped up to
/ Cleburne, who was riding alone immedi-
/ ately behind his division about the centre.
! Previous to this ClebuTne had ordered me
to locate one of his batteries at a certain
point. Soon after leaving upon this mis-
sion he sent Capt. ). Z. Healy to locate
the battery, and for me to return to him
| Immediately. Upon riding up to him and
| asking what he wanted, he replied: 1T is
too late" and directed me to 90 with
| Granberry's brigade. He then turned
| his horse to the right and gallOped up to
| GOyan's brigade. The whole line was
then rushing madly for the enemy's
works. That was the last time l saw
| Gen. Cleburne alive. When l last saw
him he was going up towards the enemy's
works mounted on a brown mare belong
ing to Lieut.. Lip. Stanton of his escort,
from NatcheZ, Miss. This mare was
killed - or leo yards from the works.
Young Brandon, of Mississippi, a mem
Der of Cleburne's escort, dism0unted and
offered his horse to him. While ClebuTne
was in the act of mounting this horse was
shot dead by many bullets. Then Gle.
burne rushed on foot for the works. He
must have been killed between where his
about where Mr.. McQuad says he found
his body ext morning.
The morning after the battle infOrma
ton came &c our headquarters that Gle
burne's body was found. l Immediately
went in search OF it, and found it laid out
on the gallery Of the McGayoOk brIcl
/ households, pCcket-bOOk, diary anO
swOrd-belt gone. l afterwards found the
latter on a soldier who claimed to have
found it. His Gen. C.'s) face was Gov
cred with a fine embroidered lady's hand
kerchief.
Gen. CIeburne received but one WOUND
"a minnie ball through his body. pro
cured collins for Gems. Cleburne auC
Cranberry and Col. Young, OF the Tenth
Texas, and carried their remains to Co
| lumbia, TeLn., for interment, sent a cOu
rier ahead TO have three graves dug in
some suitable place there-reached Co
Iumbia late in the evening. The remains
of these heroes lay during that night in
the parlOr of Mrs. Mary Il. Polk. While
the body of ClebuTne was lying in Mrs.
Folks paTlOr the following verses were
| placed on his coffin, written by the tai
ented and accomplished Miss Naomi Hays
niece of ex-PTesIdent James X. Polk
who afterwards married the late lamenteC
Maj. W. +. Moore, chief cOmmissary o.
the army Of Tennessee:
Fare the well, departed chieftain!
Erin's land sends forth a wall.
And, oh! my country sad laments thee,
Passed so late through deaths dark vale.
Blow We breezes, softly Ger him,
! Fan his brow with gentlest breath:
Disturb Ye not the peaceful slumbercr-
ClebIrne sleeps the sleep OF death.
Rest thee, Cleburne! tears of sadness
Flow from hearts thOu'st nObly won;
Mem'ry ne'er VIII cease 20 cherish
Dee S Of glory thou hast done.
Funeral rites were performed by Bishop
Quintard. Their bodies were borne to the
cemetery and placed in graves beside
Gen. Strahl and Lieut.. Marsh of his staff
After the burial discovered that these
gallant men were buried in that portion
of the cemetery known as the Potter:
Field" between row of negroes anC
Federal soldiers. Gen. Lucius j. Polk
brother to Gen. and Bishop LeOnidas Polk
kindly offered me a lot in the AshwOOC
Cemetery, which kind and generous Offel
! most thankfully accepted. Five graves
were dug in row, where L buried these
five noble and gallant soldiers. Upon my
return to the division around Nashville
/ stated TO Gen. Cleburne'S staff where
had buried our General. Capt. Hill, Gle
burne's ordnance officer, related what
CIeburne had said to him while riding
through AshwOOd Cemetery, about which
so much has been said and written. Com
menting upon the beauty of the grounds
he said: cit would not be hard to die, il
one could be buried in such a beautiful
spot" He never expressed himself as
kAlr. Roberts said in the Philadelphia
Times: eff fall in the coming fight, bury
me here at AshwOOd."
No monument has ever been placed
over Cleburne's grave. The only marks
that show his grave are the marble head
and foot stones brought with his remains
from AshwOod CtO Helena, Ark, where
they were placed by the ladies Of that
neighbOrhOOd with this inscription: 'Maj
Gen. z. Z. Cleburne, of the Con federatt
I army Born IN Comfy Cork Ireland