The National tribune., 1886-07-22
STONE RIVER.
COmrade Bird Says the Rebels Drank whisky and
GnnpOuder.

To THE EDITOR: In your issue of March Is
appears a communication in defense Of Maj
Gen. McCook at Perryviile and Stone River.
The undersigned was in Davis's Division Of
McCook's Corps at Stone River, and being
wounded and captured in the onslaughtWednes-
day morning had ample opportunity to see the
makeup Of the rebel lines and their condition,
and can vouch for the statement that Bragg
had massed his troops in front of our right
flank, and had fired them up with whisky, gun
powder and, last but not least, Lincoln's Eman-
eipation Proclamation. / was captured in an
open field with a splendid view of their line,
which lacked the enehantment distance would
have given it, and saw three we'll formed lines
pass rapidly over the ground we had lost. They
were in high gee, and when, later in the day,
being compelled to hobble into Murfreesboro, 1
was suffering from my wound and extreme
thirst, / reached for dead rebels canteen
number of times and invariably found whisky
tinctured with gunpowder. In addition to this,
the rank and file of the rebel army were terri
bly, exasperated that day of all others, owing to
the fact that on the morrow the Emancipation
Proclamation was to take effect. We were
tainted and sneered at as "nigger-lOving YAM
KEGS -" (some old soldier fiji up the blank
pleased at almost every step OF that three mile
tramp to town, and when we reached there
found the streets lined with female rebels who
had turned out en- mass to make WY faces at
repeatedly did. That Johns0n's Division was
not in the shape it should have been cannot be
doubted, nor can doubt but that the result Of
that onslaught would have been the same had
he been standing to arms as we were on his
left.
With the experience of 1864, we would have
fortified our position Tuesday night and doubt
less ayerted the disaster Of Wednesday. A rebel
Lieutenant said 10 me, We knew who COM
manded your right division, and made no mis-
take in striking him." / was a guest % Of
Gen. Brown, the rebel commandment of Muir
freesboro, until Monday, Jan. >, and had a
pressing invitation or Saturday night to ex-
tend my travels farther into Dixie and for
| fear i declined the invitation, an escort was
sent to accompany me; but in the great con-
| fusiOn-ROSecranS was then dropping some
shells into town. forgot my name, and no
argument could convince me that it was still
| Bird. My uniform coat was turned inside out
and used for pillow, thus hiding the insignia
that might have betrayed me; and as my escort
had barely time " to make the train" they left
me to the tender mercies Of the Yanks.
| During my brief sojourn within the rebel
| lines / saw and heard enough to convince NE
| that the threatened emancipation Of the slave
/ had very much to do with their determined
| efforts to break our lines that morning, and
| that McCook had something to contend with
| even worse than the powder in their whisky.
| / cannot close without paying a tribute to
| the brave, loyal and truehearted women whom
| our old War GovernOrs-Yates OF Illinois, and
| Morton, of Indiana-sent so quickly TO the
front to care for and minister to our wants
Scarcely had the smoke cleared away until
they were there. passing quietly among the
wounded aud dying, ministering TO their
wants in the most tender manner, patiently
watching over them and anticipating their
every want. God bless them IS. w. BIRD
| Adiutant 35th H. Ashland, Wis