The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-06-24
THE 10th ILLINOIS.
oomrade Insists that & sIung Some Gore.


To THE EDITOR: have read the article of
&C. c." of Co. B, 10th HI, OF Jan. z, 1856,
about the regiment that slung no gore. have
also read with much interest the replies by
Comrades Brow, Angels, aud Clerihan, and as
had the honor of serving nearly four years in
that regiment, / would like TO add my testi-
mOny by saying the boys have all told the
truth, and yet they have all left part of the
truth untold. &C g." is right when he says
the regiment was never in a regular stand-up-
and-shoot fight for two hours, as regiment,
during the war, aud yet he does not say that
any company or number of companies were not
so engaged.
The following arc few engagements partici-
pated in by tho writer while in the ranks OF
the 10th H.: New Madrid, Mo-; Tiptonville,
Tenn; Corinth Miss; Mission Ridge, Ga, aud
Tunnel Hill, Buzzard Roost, Resaca, Rome,
Dallas, Kenesaw Mountain, Atlanta, Jonesboro,
Snake Creek Gap, march to the sea, and Savan-
nah, Ca, Rivers Bridge and Columbia, s. q.
These were all participated in to some extent
by the 10th H., but in every case the majority
of the firing was done by the enemy. And now.
Mr. Editor. word, please, in regard to some of
the heartrending, blood curdling engage
ments Of NJ. J. Clerihan. / will say his
coloring is such as 10 deceive many, many
readers who were not there. Yes, we were in
the rear OF Columbus, KY, in January, 1862
but if the 10th received or fred shot did not
hear il, and / was there in the snow and rain.
YES we drove JEFF Thompson to the wall, but
we did not shoot at him. Yes, we lay
under the fire Of "a pieces Of artillery at New
Madrid, and lost one Captain killed and four
men wounded. aud marched into New Madrid
without firing shot as a regiment. Yes, we
marched hard all day and captured Tiptonville
after it had been evacuated by the enemy, with
out firing shot.
Yes, the 10th and 10th stood guard on land
and two iron-clad gunb0ats guarded on the
river, aud while it is true only the 10th and
10th were there when McCali's $500 men sur
rendered there were two more regiments only
a few miles from Us, aud il was not the " spill
ing of gore By the 10th that caused the sur
render Of McCall's forces, but il was the pres
ence of the gunboats that had chased away the
Confederate transports and left Mccall water
bound by the deep water in the swamps on the
east Of them and the Mississippi River on the
three sides Of them.
Yes. comrades, was there and was at Farm
ington, and that terrible charge on the Tigers
by the 10th was awful lame" III Comrade
Clerihan will examine the records he will find
the number of killed in the 10th that day has
never been recorded, and the wounded was less
than six. oh, yes, comrades, the 10th was
there, obedient and willing at all times, aud
participated in many bard marches and en-
dured much privation they made many noble
charges, and IN every case were very fortunates
as the enemy generally gave way and left the
10th the victory without having to spill much
"goah."
And now. Mr.. Editor, / see in your issue of
May some indication Of Comrade Clerihan re-
pentng as in that article he admits virtually
that the 10th was never in two hours battle;
and now i wish TO know where AllatOona Pass
is. j know that the 9th of June. 1864, the 10th
was very much interested in the vicinity of the
south side of Kenesaw Mountain.-E. NJ
DOWNING, Co. b, 10th Ill, Spangle, Wash. Ter