The National tribune., 1885-07-09
MORE "LASTI BATTLES"
A Strong Claim Filed in Behalf Of Wilson's Cav

os!ry.o
To THE EDITOR, i see in late number of
THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE letter from VIM.
Becker, Co. C, Sthu Me-, Sioux Falls, OAK,
headed, Absolutely the Last Fight Of the War"
He says the battle of Farmville was fought on
the 7th of April, and, that his regiment became
engaged and fought the next day what un-
doubtedly was the " last battle of the war"
wonder if your correspondent ever knew there
was Western army that did some little fight
ing during the late unpleasantness, and that
there was such General as Sherman; that he
marched to the sea about the close of the re-
bellion; that he had a cavalry General named
Wilson, who with a cavalry command of about
1900 men, left Chickasaw Bluffs, near East
port. Miss, on the morning of the 22d of March
and successfully captured Selma and Mont
gomery, Ala, and Columbus and Macon, Ga.
My memory does not serve me we'll enough to
name the regiments and brigades, but the First
Division was commanded by Brig. Gen. Ed.
McCook; the Second Division by Brig. Gen.
Long, and the Fourth by Brevet Maj Gen.
Upton.
After successfully capturing Selma April 2,
Montgomery April 12-four days later than
the comrades last ight"-on Sunday, April
16, we took eur position for the battle of Co.
lumbus, Ga, on the hill overlooking the town.
Just in our front lay the town of Girard, Ala.
Between it and Columbus ran the Chattahoo-
chez River, and on the Georgia side was the
city of Columbus. Between us and the town
of Girard were the rebel Notifications, occupied
by from 1900 to 10000 rebels, under Gen. Won
Bronkon, a Prussian officer of some note. The
battle was opened at about II o'clock a. m. and
kept up all the afternoon neither side making
any advance, but both satisfied to keep their
positions. The whole command, l think, with
the exception of Croxton's Brigade, which was
away on other duty, was engaged.
The rebels held a naturally strong position.
l,oxx 1,nl Co. hof1, rsUI$ or1 laTtA plc
and Notifications extending around the town
in circle from one fort to the other, and the
whole bristling with artillery. We held our
position until after dark, when order1ies rode
along the line with orders for a general ad-
vance. About 8 o'clock p. m. we moved down
the hill as silently as line of battle could un-
der the circumstances. Not an order was given
above a whisper, and not a sound broke the
silence until their skirmishers were reached
when, as if by magic, the whole line opened,
and for over q mile there were two unbrOken
sheets of fire and lead. Charge" was sounded,
and soon the two sheets of flame met over the
works. There was one long, loud huzzah, and
Columbus was ours We captured 4S pieces OF
artillery in position and $500 prisoners, two
large arsenals filled with small-arms, artillery
and ammunition, railroad depots, 16 locomo-
tives and over 200 cars, Quartermaster stores in
abundance, one gunboat $50 feet long, mount
ing eight 10-inch guns, with much other ma
terial of war.
McCook also captured the same day place
lying north of Columbus, called West Point,
with 25 locomotives, 200 cars. o number of
pieces of artillery and small and 700 pris-
Oners. l think l am mistaken about the Second
Division. believe they were not engaged, and
the glory of this fight undoubtedly the last of
the war, belongs to the command of Gen. Up
ton-the 4th Cav. Div. This battle was fought
nine days after the fall of Fort Fisher, eight
days after our comrades last fight, and seven
days after Lee had surrendered. The reason of
it was this: We were on a raid, away from all
communications, and did not know the end had
come until the 2lst, when we appeared before
Macon where we were met by flag of truce
from Gen. Howell Cobb. informing US that the
war was over; Lee had surrendered, Lincoln
was assassinated, and JEFF Davis and his Cabi-
net were fugitives from justice.
/ wish l could remember the various regi-
ments that took part in the raid, but will give
them so far as my memory serves me: The Sd.
4th and 5th Iowa Cav, 1st and 7th Ohio Cav, 4th
Mich, 4th Regulars, 10th NO., 18th Ind. Mt'd
Inf. The latter belonged to Longs Division,
which was composed almost wholly of mounted
infantry, armed with the Spencer rifle, and was
one of the best divisions in the army. We claim
the last battle of the war, and there are several
thousand men living yet that will bear me wit
ness as to what have written. i have an old
diary before me now, giving notes taken on the
Dubuque Times, for which paper was acting as
occasional orrespondent.-OsCAR M. REECE,
Co. L, 5th Iowa Cav, Oceanside, San Diego Co.,