The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1885-09-10
DE GRASSES BATTERY.
What Comrade Saw Around the Howard HOuS
To EnIrnp The disraute in rnnard I


DE GRASSES BATTERY.
What a Comrade Saw Around the Howard House.
To THE EDITOR: The dispute in regard to
the recapturc of De Grasses battery, July %
1864, has been occupying your columns for
long time, and / am surprised that some officer
of the little Second Division, Fifteenth Corps
has not given your readers correct version of
the affair A great many letters have been
written by comrades who were there that day,
but most of them are lacking in some very ma
terial facts. The impression has been made by
your many correspondents that the Second
Division was easily driven from its position
Such is not the case, and if you will allow me
! will try and tell you what / saw on that day.
On July 81 the Fifteenth Corps was in posi-
tion on both sides of the Augusta Railroad, fac
ing Atlanta, the Seventeenth and Sixteenth
Corps to the left and rear. That night Hood
Withdrew from his line to a new line nearer
Atlanta thus shortening his lines. Shortly
after daylight the Fifteenth Corps advanced
and occupied the deserted rebel works-First
Division ON the right, joining the Twenty third
Corps, Second Division next on the left, one
brigade on each side of the railroad 1--WE had
but two brigades at that time), and the Fourth
Division On the left connecting with the Sew
enteenth Corps. There was no Third Division
in our corps at that time. De Grasses Battery
was on the extreme right of our Division,
dDOuI lou yaTua W tne IlSuG tue hoWdTu
House, two and half story brick that stood
a few yards back of our line; the Both Ohio in
the space between the battery and the house,
the 37th Ohio in front of the house and to the
left, half way to railroad cut; the 55th Ill.
on the skrmish-line, which, in case of an attack,
was to take position on the right of our bat
terry. Our First Brigade had one regiment on
our side of the railroad for awhile but was all
finally moved ON the left side One regiment
from each brigade was left back in the morning
to take care of our wagOn-trains The 10th
Ill. was on the skirmish-Iine in front Of the
First Brigade, and not the 111th ILL.,, as Com
rade jeff" has it, (No 111th Ill. in our divis-
ion then.) This was the position the Second
Division occupied as near as can recollect,
when the fighting began on our left and rear.
In short space of time two regiments were
taken out of our line near the railroad cut to
support part of the Seventeenth Corps line,
who were being hard pressed, thus leaving
space of 100 yards on each side of the railroad
without troops, into which battery of brass
12-pounders were placed. We had no second
line; no supports of any kind Four reg ments
and two batteries were occupying the entire
line of the division when Hardee made his at
tack at 4 p m.
The writer of this was on the roof of the
Howard House, and could see the rebel infantry
as they formed in front of their works in our
front. Our men were informed of the fact, (Our
body seemed prepared to give the rebels hot
reception. The men of the 30th Ohio took out
their cartridges and ramrods, laid them upon
the works in front of them to facilitate loading,
never dreaming they would be compelled to
leave them behind in few minutes. Our Off
GERS were upon the works peering through the
timber in our front, cautioning the men not to
fire until the last skirmisher was in. 1t was
some time before the first line of rebels ap-
peared, the 10th and 55th ILL., having made
strong resistance. When they did appear two
volleys sutficed to drive them out of sight. The
boys mounted the works, looking over the tops
of the bushes, wondering why they did not
come back.
Just then the 37th came pell-mell through
the space between the works and the Howard
House, and before the Both Ohio could change
front the rebels came swarming around the
house at trail arms, yelling like many devils.
There was no time to think or act; it was every
man for himself and we were no time at all
getting out of there. -
/ can remember some of our men calling to
the men of the 37th as they ran towards us to
stay at the works. We could see no rebels-the
brick house shut out our view, nor could we
see what had happened near the railroad.
When Hardees men were rolled back from
our front they changed direction to their right
and came through the railroad cut, and were in
the rear of the 37th Ohio before they were
U.
Brigade were rolled hack upon our Fourth Di-
vision; the Second Brigade fell back into the
timber, keeping up desultOry skirmish with
the rebels. 1t was about this time the 9th Mo.
and 127th ILL., appeared upon the scene. l
recollect seeing two regimental colors through
the tops of the bushes to our left. Some one
called out that it was our First Brigade. Mai.
Townsend of the 30th, saw them. He called
to all the men in sight to follow him. About
200 or more answered his call and in we went,
keeping the two flags in sight. When we ar
rived in the opening in front of the rebel works
we were met by such severe fire that it was
useless to attempt to 60 any farther until we
had more men.
/ saw De Grasses four guns iust as they were
left. The rebels had not turned them around.
/ saw the First Division change front, one bril-
gade moving towards US, and their batteries
raking the rebel line, killing all the horses of
De Grasses battery that had been left behind.
l heard yelling to our left, and before / was
aware of it our men were coming with q
rush around the Howard House, down the
rebel line. The First Division was coming in
at our right, and in we went again, each party
striving to get to the battery first The brigade
of the Sixteenth Corps which came down from
the brick house had the shortest route but
they had lost their formation coming through
the brush, and when they reached the guns
our men and some of De Grasses men were
with them.
Our First Division did more execution to the
rebel line, being in better position. Advancing
more cautiously, as they did not know the ex-
tent of the disaster, their regiments came up
beautifully, firing by volleys as they advanced,
completely Kidding the rebel line, which fled in
disorder, leaving about $50 prisoners in our
hands
! saw one of De Grasses men put his arms
around one of his guns and hug it affectionately.
and / saw the men load and fire the guns after
the fleeing rebels. A double charge of cannis-
ter got fouled in one of the guns; it was fired
of, nevertheless, bursting the gun and throwing
the breech high in the air, but fortunately
hurting no one, although five or six men were
brought to their knees by the fearful concus-
sion. 1t was scarcely an hour from the time
the first gun was fred in our front until the
whole racket was over, our brigade occupying
their original positions, and the Both Ohio sort
ing out their ramrods, which had been left just
where they were put by the men before the
fight began.-A. B. CRUMMEL, 3Oth Ohio, King
ston, Ohio.
Big Bethel, Va.
Vv7o nn