The National tribune., 1884-08-07
LEMmoN, LIST Sergeant, Co. D, 5th Iowa Cav,
FRANKLIN.
An Illinois soldiers Experience.

An Illinois Soldiers Experience.
To THE EDITOR: In The NATIONAL TRrB-
uNE of July 10 saw letter from J. ID. Rem
lngton, Co. !, I'D H., in which he refers to the
death of Brig. Gen. Opdycke and the part taken
by him and our brigade at Franklin, Tenn
As he says in his letter. we all loved the Gen
eral as commander, and / was deeply grieved
to hear Of his death and the manner in which
1t came. i have good reason TO remember that
eyentful evening of Nov 80, 1864, and well
remember seeing our troops who were holding
the works ia front of US falling back in con-
fusion before the charge of the rebels: then
hearing our Major (kfotherspaw, not Mothers
pam give the order TO the 73d to charge to the
front; then of the confused mass of our retreat
ing men we tried in vain to check right in front
of Carriers house, they rushing 10 the rear pell-
nell through the gaps in the picket-fence, and
we IN as big a hurry TO get TO the front TO
salute the Johnnies When we got TO the in
side line of works the rebels had full posses
sion of the outer line and many were between
the two. Our fire, given as fast as we got into
position, soon checked their advance and sent
them to grass or 10 the rear.
Some few Of our men had failed to make
good their retreat TO the rear from their posi-
ton behind the outer works and were crouched
close down, not seeing any way TO get out of
bad fix. One rebel, noticed in particular, was
on the works above the head of one of our men
and / suppose, having fired his gum had raised
1t IN the act of clubbing the man below. i
quickly brought my gun to bear on him about
his waist-belt and fired, and the last / saw of
him he was falling backward with his hands in
the air. He might have received other shots
than mine, but as he was not over 100 feet
from me / could have wagered he carried my
first shot of the battle with him | never
knew just what hour the fight ended, but at
about o'clock, as near as / should judge, for
had fired nearly go rounds. j received a shot
In my left shoulder, which Barring accidents)
will carry TO my grave, striking me on the
point of collar-bone and coming out at the
backbone near the bottom of the shoulder blade
AT the time, and for three or four days, till sup
puration setin and the pieces Of cloth came cut
OF the wound, was not certain but what had
been accidentally shot by some of our men in
rear OF me. The blood rushed from nv mouth
in astream and thought my last hour was near,
but after a short time the inward bleeding
stopped and i took courage. A lull in the
firing taking place shortly after, l managed to
get TO the rear, behind Carter's house, where l
lay down for an hour or more, when / heard
some one inquire if there were any of the I'D
there / answered "here," and three or four
of our regiment came to me and carried me
into town and left me in the brick church on
the cast of the turnpike, with about 100 Others
of our severely wounded. Having been on
rear-guard all day from there to Franklin, l
was worn out, So / fell into a troubled sleep.
and about midnight Weakened TO find we were
prisoners. There were 100 of our wounded
taken there. and at the end OF IL days, at the
recapture of Franklin, we were reduced TO 40
One Surgeon staid with US, and with the as
sistance of one or two resident physicians
cared for our wounds Had it not been for the
kindness of some of the ladies of Franklin do
not know how we would have Jared, as what
little rations of -four and poor beef was issued
10 US had to be cooked and no one to do il but
them. One old lady and her daughter named
Courtney, we viii never forget, for although
they had son and brother who was Lieuten-
ant in the rebel service. yet they waited on US
just as well as they could have done if we had
belonged 10 the other side. Our Major tMothers-
paw was shot in the groin, and / saw him clap
his hand to the wound, but had too much to
attend 10 in my front TO see more. He was on
has horse close to the turnpike and near where
Cieburne was killed He died December 1s in
Nashville, one day after we were recaptured by
our forces. As brave an officer as we ever had
IN the regiment, kind and considerate to his
men and loved by all. He was formerly Cap
tain of Co. D, and commanded the regiment, as
our Lieutenant Colonel was on service in Nash
vile, and Col. Jas. 4. Jacques was in Washing
ton, having been called there by President
Lincoln TO 60 TO Richmond in May preceding.
There were only two others. of my regiment
among the wounded left in Franklin besides
myself-Serg't Allison, Co. c. and young man
Of Co. d. have forgotten his name. Allison
was shot in the small Of the back and died Dec
10, 1864 the other man lived long enough to
reach the station seven miles from his home. on
the Wabash Railroad, east of Springfield, Ill,
and died there. He was shot through the neck
and both collar bones broken. should like
some OF his friends to let me know what his
name was. l received my discharge Feb 10,
1866. from gunshot wound of left shoulder
bat after reaching home it proved to be an in |
jury 10 the left lung also, and for nearly 30 |
months the wound in my back remained open. |
Sc i could blow by breath through the opening. |
l am suffering more or less all the time from /
IT, and am at present drawing SIP per month |
pension. The loss of the rebels at Franklin |
must have been greatly understated in their |
oflieial report. for more than one of their men |
told me while prisoners that their loss was 600
Killed, and l know when our men reeaptured |
the town there were 1900 or more rebel !
wounded there.-STUART z. HosKINsoN, Co. |
9, 73d H., Seattle King Co., w. T.