The National tribune., 1886-07-22
DEATH OF COL. ROGERS.
Tie Rebel Charge on Battery RobInett.

AilF AtNtA NhhfEF on hhAtHfa Abbihttl-
To TnE EDITOR: In Tar NATIONAL TRIB-
UEE OF April ~ I" Private" Of the slst Ohio,
quotes Chap. Benjamin 81. James Fry, Capt H.
r. Gilmore Co A, aud John Hirn, Co. B, all Of
The 63d Ohio, in reference 20 what each says as
10 the manner in which Col. Rogers advanced
at the head Of the attacking column, aud where
he fell III front ui the fort ] think that i can
correct some errors IN regard 10 Col. Rogers,
and also give some details of interest 10 the
general reader Ia connection with the memoir
able battle Of C0rinih. Oct. <. 1862.
At that time ] was an Acting Assistant Sur
Rc0n. ~. =. a.. and arrived az COrinth on the
second day OF the battle in company with the
Feiuf0rcGmeuts Of Z 600 men under command Of
tue noble and laucuted Gen. Mcpherson, hay
ing madc a forced march Of % miles from
Bethci. on tho Mobile e Ohio Railroad. arriving
a short time after the retreat Of the rebels, and
while oar boys were still maintaining their
positions in iine Of battle and loudly hurrahing
over Old -ir glorious victory. We marched over
the battlefield on the Purdy road. and imme-
diatc.g went 10 battery RObinett, where ] saw
and c1nVcfsed with my friend and fellow
t0wnsman, Lieut.. Aisbit Comfy, Adjutant Of
thc G3d Ohio. who himself had q hand-to-h hand
fight with Texan. Ills autagonistscized him
by The hair with bis left hand, and with bis right
rLEeG q an ilc ID slay him. The Adjutant graspcd
the appraised right arm with his left hand throw
Ing his revolver round 10 the back OF bis
encmy's head, DC pulled the trigger with his
thumb the ball crashed through the brain Of
the foe, aud both fell together.
Battery Roh.Hctt was principally supported
BY INC Ohio Brigade, composed of the ed, esd,
2lth and 5Bth ONO commanded by Gen John
W. Fuller That Col. Rogers acting Brigadicr-
General or any other General or field officer,
mounted under the accurate and whitening
bre OF tho Western shafpsho0iers aud the direct
IRE ni Batteries kpbiuctt aud Williams and the
enhlading fire OF the various other batteries.
should be able 10 approach as near 10 Battery
RObiuett as whore the brave Rogers r. said 10
have fallen, without horse aud rider both being
killed, Ia simply prepOsterOus Therefore i
aver that the dead horse lying near where Col
Rogers fcli was not bis horse but rather that IL
wal either Col Kirby Smiths or AdTt Heyl's
horse, both Of the l3d Ohio the former having
been mOrially wounded and the latter killed
Furthermore is would have been a lasting dis
grace 10 Gen. stanieys whole division 20 have
allowed any mounted rebel 10 approach that
near 70 Battery Robi nett without being killed
before he bad gone one-fORrth the distance
from the woods 10 the fort
After the battle was on duty in the General
Hospital at lorlnth until the latter part Of
November, when the hospitals were removed
10 I.a Grange, Tenn. ] had every opportunity
Of Obtaining accurate knowledge as 10 where
Col. Rogers fell, and know exactly 10 the inch
the spot whore he was buried
Chap. Fry, ian his letter 10 Private" men.
tions photograph aud says: "The body lying
10 The left Of the horse-in the photograph
~ or Ib feet from the ditch, IA that OF Col
Rogcrs. The footprints showed that
the horse had reached the very edge OF tho
ditch, but staggered backward aE he fell. ]
saw the charge plainly"
have 10 my possession two photographs, six
by eight inches, taken by an entorprising pho
t0erpher on sunday morning the day after
the battle. One ID a view taking IN the bat
tory and the ground Tor about 100 feet imme.
ciatey In front aud about the same distance
10 the right Of the battery as you look al the
picture. IL shows i've dead bodies aud the
dead hone which tile Chaplain mentions Tie
horse lies on his left side, head towards the
fort, and ] should jHdge at least 30 feet from
the edge Of the ditch. About 10 feet 10 the
left %. the horse ID large stump, from which
che ialian tree hac been cut This stump ia