The National tribune., 1885-06-11
SPRING HILLAM ND FRA NKLIN
Two More Comrades Relate Their Experience.


Two More Comrades Relate Their Experience.
To THE EDITOR: Ia anrecent issue, Thomas
Mcfarland of Co. h, 115th Ohio, says that
three miles from Spring HILL the night of Nov.
80, 1864, they passedrebcls in camp close to the
pike on which theytwers' marching On this
same day, Nov 80, while OIL the retreat toward
Franklin, about p. ;oour brigade, Third,
of Second Division, Fourth Corpse when about
one mile from Spring Hill suddenly filed to
right of the pike, formedin line of battle, our
lett resting in timber aud our right in an open
field. The line was hardly formed when the
Gath Ohio was ordered for,skrmishers. We at
once deployed. advanced through the timber
into cornteld crossed the creek, moved on
through the corn into q cottontield, and halted
in a lane, with good eight-rail fence in front
and behind us. Here We fired into a cornfield
SO thick we could see nothing. In the lane
Go. ID man, named Drake, was instantly killed,
being shot through the heart. This was i'll the
fence corner next to my left. The comrade
who was with him took charge of his watch
and pocketbook About this time we observed
that our right was climbing for the rear, and
we also skipped, but ran only short distance
when our Major rode up and ordered us back.
just as we climbed the fence into the lane the
| rebel line of battle came into view, marching
up the hill in the cornfield in front. We i'm
mediately wheeled about, jumped the fence and
skipped for dear life Just as we turned to run
the rebels fired q v0lley which made our hair
stand on end, and away we went helter-skel-
ter and never formed until on the other side OF
the creek. This time We did not wait to cross
on the foot-log, though only rod or two away,
but plunged knee deep into the water. On the
other side we made stand, fired a few rounds,
then fell back to the timber, where we again
halted for few minutes and then fell back to
the brigade, which by this time had carried
rails enough to make very respectable works.
We were ordered to the right to support the
42d ILL.,, they being on the right wing of our
line. When the rebels came we opened fire,
but were soon fankcd and again skipped for
the rear. While at these rail-works drafted
man by the name of Lewis, in our company,
never kneeled to load, but seemed to pick his
man while loading taking as deliberate aim
and firing with as much GOODNESS as though
shooting squirrels. We warned him not to ex-
pose himself in that way, but there he stood,
as brave soldier as ever carried musket,
until pierced by rebel bullet. He fell over
on his comrade (Johnsonl corpse. johnson
hurriedly took his valuables out of his pockets,
which was not more than done when the rebels
swung around our flank and away We went.
In the edge OF Spring Hill we made stand, but
as night was near at hand no farther advance
| was made by the rebs There we lay until late
| at night then steathily stole away and took
the pike for Franklin,
Now, the rebels referred to by Comrade McFar
land undoubtedly were these rebel troops which
We fought on that day, and could not have been
more than q mile from Spring Hill instead OF
three. as he states. Again, Mr.. Mcfarland says
he and his cOmrade erawled into the brush
about 8 a. m. of the Both, were aroused by
Opdyckes men and told to git" arriving at
Spring Hill about 9 p. IN. The battle of Frank
lin opened Nov. 80 between 3 and S o'clock p.
m. Near 2 o'clock the rebels began forming
their lines on a range of hills about two miles
out of Franklin. From this hill they marched
with five lines of battle. Certainly Mcfarland
could not have been in Spring Hill at 2 o'clock
| on this day, not prisoner, and taken part in
| the fight at Franklin Spring Hill must be six
| or eight miles from Franklin, and to be there
at 2 and get to franklin before the rebels
would have made him '.whoop it up" If he
| was near the pike at Franklin he will remem-
Der the division in front of the cotton-gin and
the works. belonged to that command, being
Second Division, Fourth Corps, and was one of
the boys who ran the ganflet through that open
| field, and never before did lead seem to come so
thick. "I'll give my life for five cents passed
through my mind Ikea flash. When westarted to
run had just taken my ramrod out after load
ing. Taking it and my gun in my left hand,
l unlocked my knapsack to tighten my load,
and then did not have moment to spare in
getting on the inside of the works.
| About half way from where our division was
| formed and the main works in our rear was q
low piece of ground and small ditch washed
by water Robert White, Sergeant of our COM
pany. calling me by iis,ne, said Let US lie in
this ditch, for we wiPbe killed going the rest
| OF the way to the works" ! saw him lie down
in the ditch but kept on and came through
safely, while he was made prisoner, taken
South, exchanged during the following Winter,
and in April, 1865, on his way north lost his
life on a Mississippi River steamboat that was
loaded with exchanged prisoners and blew up
near Memphis. Our company had five men on
that boat taken prisoner At Spring Hill and
Frank lin. and but one David Eddleman, was
saved.-F. Z. HOOVER, Co. /, Gath Ohio, Downs,
Kan.