The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-02-18
MISSION RIDGE.
WHY THEY CHARGED WITHOUT oRDE

| To THE EDITOR: 1t is amusing as well as in
teresting at this day to note what is being said
| about who was first here or first there, etc. In
your issue of Dec. 81 Serg't-Ma. J. M. Adair,
of the Seth Ind, sets forth the claim of his and
| the 10Th Ind. to that proud distinction, and
may be entitled to it, l do not intend to dis
pute it with him. l did not get there at all.
having been wounded and left in the rear,
| about two or three rods from the summit of
| the Ridge. l wish, however, to mention one
or two points he brings out. He says the
| S6th and 18th did not halt or waver from the
| time they charged the lower line of works from
| the edge of the timber until reaching the sum-
NIT, except moment at the lower line of
works. and that they were the two regiments
| that initiated that forward movement, against
orders | would ask him if no halt was made,
| what they were doing on the Ridge by them
| selves during the time that interviewed until
| the rest of the army got there, as it was one
hour and five minutes from the firing OF the
| signal from Bridges battery, on Orchard
Knob until our line perched itself on the
Ridge. That forward movement without Or
ders for such it was, at least if the order was
given it reached the ditch after we left it, was
| a simultaneous movement. Not soldier in all
| that splendid line but knows why we tarried
| there so short time and left without orders.
| 1t was the terrible pounding of the SO guns
minute and the leaden hail that was raining
down on us from the Ridge, that told rs all in
| one breath to move out and We took the rough
| and rugged road up the mountain. AS to whose
flag was first upon the battlement of Mission
Ridge, it has well been said: Bright Honors
self may be proud to lead-lead nay proud to
follow-the hindmost. w. BIRD, Ad-
jutant, 35th ILL.,, Ashland, Wis.
DON'T KNOW WHO WAS THERE FIRST.
To THE EDITOR: have just read in your
issue of Dec 81 the statement of j. NJ. Adair as
to 1.-THE First on Mission Ridge" He says
| that he was there and knows exactly how it
was. / want to defend history by stating that
| was there too and that Comrade Adair is o
little off" when he states that the 10Th and
| Seth Ind. were the first on the crest of Mission
Ridge.
| l was in the 9th Ohio, Hazen's Brigade,
| Woods Division. Hazen's Brigade contained
the 1st, 9th, 41st, 93d and 12ith Ohio, 9Th, 9th
and Odd Ky, and 9th Ind.-nine in all. Our
| position in line of battle brought US directly
| facing the low gap in the center of the crescent
or concave curve formed by the ridge where
| the enemy had road running over the ridge
| obliquely from our right to left passing down
| on the other side in the same direction. In
making the road the upper side had been dug
down. making an embankment from four to
six feet high, which made good protection to
us from the grape and canister used against us
from the rebel batteries off to our right, whose
| fire became now effective on the lines in their
| front; as they could not depreSs them on ac-
| count of the steepness of the ridge, SO they
turned them and raked the ridge face length
wise. Willich's Brigade on our immediate
left fully occupied the attention of the enemy
| in its front, that we had almost perfect i'm
munity from danger while ascending the ridge
in the road, which opportunity we improved
| for all it was worth.
| When we arrived at the summit in the gap
We met considerable resistance from Blythes
Brigade of Mississippians, many of them stand
| ing their ground until the last. A member of
this brigade shot Lieut.-Col. Langdon, of the
LIST Ohio through the head, but he (Col. L.
| would not "stay dead" but up and at 'em
again, directing us all to shoot the artillery
swing horses down as they came gallopping to-
| ward the road from their stations along the
crest to our right trying to escape. After we
had shot the horses and captured 10 pieces,
some one of our mob" cried out, Boys, turn
your fire on the enemy's flank here on our
| left" which, soon as we did, caused them
| to break and run; and thus ended the charge
| of Mission Ridge as far as Hazens Brigade was
| concerned.
Now, don't know whether it was the list or
| 9th or 41st regiments col0rs which were plant
ed first on the summit, as we were pretty thor
oughly mixed up by the time gained the
summit, but some one of the regiments COM
| posing Hazen's Brigade can rightly claim the
! honor. / would appeal 10 the Generals to de-
eide the matter, if l thcnght they, or any one
| of them, competent authority; but none of
them were there at this critical juncture, or il
SO, they could not be seen-with the naked eye
until after quiet was restored on the summit.
| But Lieut.-COl. LangdOn, lst Ohio; Lieut.-COl.
A. c. Christopher, 9th Ohio, or Col. Berry, 9th
| KY, if yet alive, conld decide ito. G. BOWEN,
Co. E. 9th Ohio, Millers o.