Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1885-11-20
Gen. HAZEN'S BOOK.


Narrative 81 AIilitary service MI own rs.
perisnoes Followed by VAluabls l1ilitary
.s'agssstions--Eq uip,ne e and Movements
B OF Armies. " III b. VI s5i
Gen. ". B. Hazen has been the sub
.ject OF so much controversy that q
book from his pen on the main events
Of his career might be expected to ex-
hibit some warmth Of feeling and ex-
preston. But one would search long
for g more even tempered book than
the large one that has just appeared
with the title IA Narrative Of Military
Service General Hazen undertakes
in this volume to describe the war
operations in which he was an actor,
and to summarize his views as an Of
hcer OF long experience in regard to
the best equipment and movement Of
our armies when next called to the
field. This object is fully accomplish
ed, and with unusual ability The
tone Of the narrative is pleasant and
moderate throughout, and, histori-
cally, it is an important contribution.
Re- After graduating in1s55 at West
Point, to which he was appointed
from Northern Ohio, General Hazen
served against the Indians in the west
and was promoted for gallantry in
Texas skirmishes in 1859. Earl Y in
1861 he was still suffering from q
wound received in Indian warfare.
When the war began he was assistant
instructor OF infantry tactics at West
Point. In September. 1861, he was
commissioned Colonel OF the Forty
first Ohio, organized at Cleveland,
with J. A. Garfield as Lieutenant Col
onel. Before Hazen took command
Garfield was made Colonel of the For
ty-second Ohio. Colonel Hazen was
with the Forty-tirst Ohio long enough
to make his mark upon it's discipline.
1t was in most OF the great battles OF
the West, and he says it was never
surprised or assailed at disadvant-
age, nor failed to repay fully any pun
ishment received. It was easily man
euvered, and it's steady volley firing
WAS heard above the din of battle.
General Hazen lays great stress upon
the advantages Of fire by volleys in
stead Of the ordinary desultory fire
OF infantry.
Early in 1862 General Hazen was
placed in command of brigade, and
he was in the first division of Buell's
army that reached Shiloh. His enc
mics have said that he showed coward
ice in that battle. The charge is not
in keeping with General Hazen's con-
splcuous part in many battles, and
might be dismissed as absurd, but he
is at pains to record his movements
at Shiloh enthusiastically. His bri-
gade made an impetuous charge upon
the Confederate right center, pushing
ahead so far that it captured a bat
terry The enemy sent q heavy force
to retake the battery, and Hazen' bri-
gade, the formation of which had been
much confused by i'll charge over a
mile OF ground, Was driven back
through the dense forest and under
growth. General Hazen on his way
back was accompanied by Captain
Emerson Opdycke, of the Forty-frst
Ohio, afterwards one of the heroes OF
the battle OF Franklin. The brigade
did not get together again until the
afternoon, and it was so scattered
that it's commander did not find it's
main body for several hours. The
loss of the brigade was 800 men killed
and wounded, one-ffth OF the entire
loss in Buell's army at Shiloh. The
real charge to be brought against Ha-
zen's brigade at Shiloh is a too discon-
nected rush upon the Confederates,
causing an undue loss of life, and the
breaking up OF the brigade line into
that drifted apart when
forced to retreat by the enemy's rein
forcements. These wild rushes have
proved so fatal to organized action
in battle that the new tactics contem-
plate constant regimental reserve
on which retiring troops can join their
colors instantly, and so again become
affectives without the loss of mo-
mert. General Hazen's conduct at
Shiloh showed more headlong courage
than strategic caution, and the same
can be said of most of the brigade and
/ SSeA1AAC1lCSt4 IcAAtAC1JAClo W C1lItU Chilly
stage Of the struggle. Long after the
var General Opdycke wrote of Shiloh:
II saw Hazen on horseback riding
along the line, encouraging his men by
words and example during the whole
OF the fight and charge, and while re-
firing we were together in constant
endeavor to rally the remnants of
his command. -,
General Hazen' most brilliant work
during the rebellion is popularity be-
lieved to be the storIning of Fort Nc
Allister, but he thinks otherwise, and
gives good reasons for his opinion.
1.-THE best service rendered by my COM
mand during the war;" he says, .'was
at the battle of Stone River" After
the Confederates began to drive back
the Union right wing Rosecrans with
drew troops from tho left until Hazen's
brigade held the extreme left of the
Union army. 1t was the only Union
brigade that kept it's position through
out the day, and it achieved this by
fighting. OF course, if Rose
Grams left had given way, as we'll as
his right, the center. would have been
between two fires, and a rout must
have ensued. Hazen's brigade sus-
tanned the first heavy assault unaided.
Later some small reinforcements were
sent to it, and at nightfall the brigade
still maintained it's vital position,
though three brigades OF the enemy
had been sent against it. A monu-
ment is erected on that part of the
field, inscribed, 'Hazen's brigade.
To the memory of it's soldiers who fell
at Stone River, December 81, 1862.
Their faces toward. heaven. their feet
to the foe. - ....s :. n <-
General Hazen sees at Chickamauga
several bad mistakes in the maneuver-
ing of thearmy by Rosec rams and some
of his subordinates. Bragg had fallen