The National tribune., 1885-05-21
FIGHTING THEM OVER.
What 0nr Veterans Have to Say About
Their Old Campaigns.
DE GRASSES BATTERY.
q Spirited Account OF the Engagement Before
Atlanta. Jaly 81. 1854.

Atlanta. JaIy 81. 1854.
To THE EDITOR: We were somewhat sur
prised last July TO learn after the lapse of 20
years that DE Grasses battery was recaptured
BY the Second Division of the Sixteenth Corps.
And now comes an Ohio Captain with his brave,
long legged Orderly Sergeant, with nothing but
the First Division Of the Fifteenth Corps as
his support, and pushes the Second Division of
the Fifteenth Corps aside, or tIamples them
down, and recaptureS the battery second time.
He must have been as brave as the Lieutenant
Colonel of the SD Ind, who got on drunk at
Dallas and wanted Corporal and six men TO
support him whilst he captured the rebel works
in front.
Now, Mr.. Editor, with your permission. 1 will
give your readers an account OF the part the
1Ilth lii. took in that action, aud will expect
the comrades of the Second Division, Fifteenth
Corps, to come to the front and We will have
this thing settled; but as / had the honor of
carrying a knapsack and musket, with its &C
comPanying 30 rounds and 20 in my haversack,
YOU wall not expect me to speak for each regi-
ment in that division.
On The morning of the 22d of July the Eff
teenth Corps pulled out from their old works
by the right flank and started iii the direction
of Atlanta. We lad gone but short distance
when we came to halt. One of our boys
left the ranks and started off. Some one called
to know where he was going. He was gwine,"
The report was that Atlanta had been evacuated.
but as the different regiments moved up and
halted in an open field found out diff
ferently. Here the rebels commenced Smelling
rs. Our regiment was ordered out to support
the skirmishers with orders to fortify and hold
our works. We moved about half mile down
the railroad and passed q lumber yard and
formed line OF battle, the right OF Co. A resting
on the railroad, facing west. After throwing
up strong eartbwoTkS we rested till about
p. No., when we heard heavy firing on oar left,
and soon we could see the Johnnies forming in
our front. Our Major (Mabryl, who was in
command of tho regiment, sent word back to
Morgan l.. Smith, our division commander,
what was going on in front. Gen. Smith sent
back word 10 hold our works. Finally, between
2 and : O'Clock, we could see heavy column
massing in our front and their SIX irmshers
moving toward us. The Major again sent word
to Gen. Smith and asked what to DO in case of
a charge. Smiths reply was: Il know that
regiment is out there and the orders arc for
them to hold their works." Soon the rebel
column commenced advancing. On they came
in double column as far as VIC could see. Away
off TO our left We could see their battle-fags
and in our front we could hear the command of
the officers.
About this time two pieces of De Grasses
battery pulled in little to our rear and got
ready for action. Now our skirmishers COM
menced falling back, and Capt. Bob Short, who
was in command, crossed our works and
marked to us as he passed that We would be all
gob5led up if we didn't get out of that pretty
quick; but our Major was mad at receiving
such orders ami concluded to do his best. The
rebels were now in easy range Of our muskets,
and the order to fire was given; and then
pandemonium broke loose We had only time
to fire about three rounds before the Johnnles
were climbing over our works aud coming in
on both TANKS. The Color Sergeant is shot
down; Capt Mcclure is killed and his First
Lieutenant taken prisoner; Co. F's Captain
and First Lieutenant surrender. The Major
commenced to hallco TO retreat.
Our company was il command of a borrowed
Lieutenant Morris) of Co. L, a good officer and
brave man, who had his revolver out and was
shooting ard cursing the rebs, and did not
hear the command. John Dickey, private of
our company, saw the reg iment give way and
called TO me. / ran down 10 the left of the COM
psny and called to the boys TO retreat and
then got back to the right in time to start to
the rear with Lieut. Morris. We ran direct for
Q deep cut in the railroad. Here rebel ball
struck the hiIt of Lieut.. Morris's sword and
knocked ii out of the scabbard. 1t passed be-
tween my legs and threw me down the embank-
ment. Then We had lively race down the track,
the Johnnies shooting after us and halloing
Surrender" Just before we reached the lum-
Der yard the Major tried ito stop the regiment
and have them form in a little ravine, but the
Johnnies were too close, and he got bullet
through his arm, and again started Tor the rear.
When we ran round the lumber the bullets
sounded like a heavy hail storm On q shingle
root. Some Of the boys stopped here to take
shelter from the mercle,s leaden hail, and were
captured here. | left the railroad and ran in a
southeast direction and crossed the works near
the left OF the Second Division walked back to
the right, passed gap in the line, and learned
that two of our regiments had been sent to the
support of the Seventeenth Corps. j found the
remainder of our regiment forming just to the
left of the railroad, and could see the Twenty
third Corps just across to our right. The john
mics are again upon us, and the order from Col.
Martin, who was in command of the First Bril-
gade, was: " Up, boys and at them!" So you see
the enemy who captured De Grasses battery
came directly from cur front and went back the
same way. That We were re enforced late in the
evening We do not deny; that some of the Six
teenth Corps. aud, perhaps, part of the First
Division of the Fifteenth Corps assisted in
the recapture of the battery We do not deny.
What we object to is any one regiment
claiming the honor without once mention
ing the troops that had done the heavy part
of the fighting, and had lost part of their
battery through bad generalship with no fault
of their own. The casualties of the 1l1th were
las, and we buried $50 dead rebels in front of
our works. Now, comrades of the Second Di-
vision, don't be afraid to speak right out in
open meeting and give US your views on the
position we occupied on that day; or let Gen.
James S. Martin come to the front and tell what
he knows. But / shall insist that the Second
Division Fifteenth Corps, WAS on the extreme
right of the Army of the Tennessee, and that
the order for the recapture of that battery came
from Gen. John A. Logan.-S. l.. COULTER,
Capt, Co. b, 11lth H., Oakdale, Ill.