The National tribune., 1886-11-18


below Nashville, on the river They made a
stand beyond the creek, and planted a bat
terry 50 a. 10 command the bridge spanning
IT, The 9TH at once dismOunted and COM
menecd skirmishing with them. While on
this charge the 7th ran over four pieces of
artillery sticking in the mud in the cornfeld
near the river After skirmlshing while
Col Garrard came 10 the writer and said:
captain. ] will give you Co. i to add TO
your battalion, and / want you to take that
battery j will send Capt Hall with three
companies 20 cross the creek at Its mouth,
and when You have got fairly to work Capt
EylOr VIII charge over the bridge with two
companies"
oar left bower" the old 5ih Iowa, had
not yet come mp, and ] said 10 the Colonel /:
Isn't that a little premature? Would IT
not be well 10 wait till the 9Th Iowa comes
mp, and then make the charger"
The Colonel replied in a low, stern voice
Captain, j want you to make the charge"
lacked the nerve TO dis0bey aud at once
ordered the men 10 horse. The five COM
panies who were 10 charge in front OF the
guns were soon formed and moved out from
behind a ridge by f0urs and as soon ms the
column was all out the command was given,
" The right Of squadrons, fours right!" by
this tipe the shot and shell were coming
thick and fast. The boys raised shout and
dashed down the hill, over the fence, across
the creek, over narrow ridge across another
small stream, and on TO within 30 PAGES Of
the guns, when my attention was called 10
The fact that Capt. Eylor had been repulsed
on the bridge and that Capt. Hall had failed
20 cross the creek at iis mouth, and as some
of my companies were weak, having been
reduced to but 16 or 16 men, fell back and
rccroSsed the creek. As soon as we were
sufficiently out of the way, the gunboats,
which were near our right, sent two shots up
the creek. One would have been sufficient,
for from the way the rebels limbered up and
struck out I was satisfied they wanted no
more OF that Darkness coming on we rested
for the night where we were
On The morning of the 10th we were on
the move 10y aylight, the 5th Iowa in the
advance After marching some four miles
we came to the abandoned camp of the
enemy. Here they lett the pike taking a
mud road. We followed about two miles
when we came 10 another gun left
STUCK IN THE MUD.
a halt was made, and the writer's battalion
was sent across the country with orders, if
possible, 10 reach the Harding pike. Upon
accomplishing the work assigned TO me, ]
sent ti,e following dispatch back:
C0ou,l Z hold the Harding pike at the brick
church. Ohamers's Division passed this point this
forenoon, tuling the Franklin road. They loft
some wagons here.
AS soon ms the command could be brought
up our pursuit was continued the 9th Iowa
IN advance. Skirmishing soon commenced.
The Iowa boys "whooped them mp" pretty
lively the remainder of the day and captured
great many prisoners. Night coming on
we went into camp.
The next morning lI7th) the 7th Ohio took
the advance and the pursuit was vigorous. We
were soon al work on the enemy's rear. and the
Excitement ran high. We crossed the Harpeth
River some miles below Franklin, and skir-
mishing became very lively, hut we steadily
pushed them back until we arrived la full view
Of the town, when j was ordered 10 take my
battalion and move out to the right and oc-
cupy some buildings in the suburbs. Upon
reaching the position assigned me ] saw the
Ecbel infantry moving OF in three lines ] sent
AZ Orderly back 10 inform the Colonel, who
ordered a charge at once. l charged 10 the
right of the town while the two other battal- /
Aons charged through the town, capturing the
rebel hospital aud driving the enemy before |
them. We were soon upon their rear, where
we captured them by the hundreds
Their lrout line, on reaching the wooded hill !
one and Z half miles beyond Franklin, faced
about and opened lre They planted battery
on the road and commenced shelling us. We
continued our charge until we reached a stone
fence near the foot of-Uhe hill My battalion |
charging to the right Of the town. met with no |
obstruction, and was some distance Ia advance |
before tisc other battall0ns cot through the /
town. When bad got 300 yards beyond Frank /
lin the rebels ran out train of cars past my |
battalion. ] was far enough past TO have torn 1
mp the track aud captured the train had |
known il WAS behind nae.
fnsl n.
toned ihc ilh u s. battery, which belonged 10
our brigade. took position at the houses where |
my battalion had begun to charge before aud |
opsned lrC on us One of their shots came
very Bear striking the Chaplain of the 5th
Iowa Cav, who was with me- lie was in the
habit Of
STAYING on THE FRONT LINE.
His name was Ellis or Elliott To get from
nnder thC Gre OF the battery was compelled |
g. move 70 the left OF the Columbia road. where |
j Joined the other battalion OF the 9TH. We
took position bobind the stone fence aud were
engaging the enemy, when battery belonging
TO kniPl Division was run into a fort on the |
opposite side of the river from Franklin. COM |
menoed Smelling us, and continued 10 do so |
nntil a messenger was sent 10 stop IT,
UptO this time none OF our troops had PASSED |
beyond Franklin The Jth Iowa soon took
position an our left. and while we were holding |
The enemy llatchs Division came in from the |
left and struck the rebels in the flank captur-
1ng battery aud about 1900 prisoners This |
was the irst sight we Of the extreme right had |
0i that splendid lighting division, and j know
u was doing It's whole duty wherever IL NAV
have been on the line. Up 20 this time we had |
not seen a rebel cayalryman. but had been
hEhilnR Infantry from the start When Hatch's |
Dlsision came up the rebels took 60 their heels |
Col. Harrison congratulated Col. Garrard
upon what the 7th Ohio had done and said:
Aou have done enough for one dav: Won
may iali 10 the rear, and j will throw the 5th
Iowa ia advance"
The enemy was driven back some two miles
farther nnd we went into camp This ended
the third days lighting. The 5th Iowa was
sent FARTHER out with orders % get in their
froni while batch was pressing their rear.
Prom the 18TH 10 The 18th nothing Of interest
secured beyond continued skirmishing and /
gathering OF siTaggers from a badly whipped
aud Tetfoating army.
On the 25th, Christmas Dav. our brisade |
took the advance, and the 9th Iowa the ad- |
vance Of the brigade. We were soon upon their |
rear, and skirnishing was lively, the 9TH Iowa |
doing the work handsomely On rraching
PULASKI tie 9th Iowa made a gallant charge
driving the enemy through the town one
battalion 0l the 9Th charged the bridge over
kichiaud Creek, beyond Pulaski but was re-
pulsed leaving a First Sergeant killed az the
onitance OF the bridge. The rebels fired the
bnaEc pa several places aud had run three cars /
loaded Nith arms aud fixed ammunition close
mp 20 the bridge aud
cHr arrr Fras ...y .srpp