The National tribune., 1888-09-27
II.

II.
A few days after Maj Taylors tea with Mrs.
Colby, the Army Of the Cumberland, under
Gen. w. :. Rosecraus, was put in motion, and
opened a campaign the consequences of which
were of the greatest moment to both North and
South.
Gen. Braxton Bragg, with his veteran rebel
army, held Chattanooga, the Gateway of the
South" Rosecrsns must cross the mountains
and find footing in the valley TO the south.
The mountains were crossed; Bragg retreated
to the Valley Of the Chickamauga, and with
Longstreets veterans added to his columns, he
turned at bay and awaited the coming of Rose
Grams.
Oh, Chickamauga, thy hills and wales wit
messed one of the most desperate struggles en-
acted on any field in modern times!
Napoleon had his Bluchcr at Waterloo, Nc
Dowel had his Johnston at Bull Run, RosecFans
had his LoDgstreet at Chickamauga; but nei-
ther Napoleon nor Mcdowell had a Thomas
glorious old Pap" Thomas! When the moro
favored political Generals, whose names and
fame were backed aud blazoned by the whole
power of the press shall be forgotten, yours
viii still have pe2Ds of praise for your one
service Of gathering up the remnants of that
broken army and planting them on Snodgrass
Hill, and there for hours defying the continued
assaults Of an more than half victorious army.
field, the one Virginian whose love of country
and fag was greater than your States claim,
your fame viii live forever!
Grants Memoirs ignore your service; the
war historian, in the mountain of matter he
has 10 select from, may touch lightly on your
record; but a grateful people viii not forget
1 Mil Spring Chickamauga, Peach Tree Creek
and Nashville.
Maj TayIor's brigade was stationed in Chat
tanooga, and when the prisoners from the bat
tlefeld began to come in Taylor was placed in
| command and ordered TO bivouac them in the
railroad depot. With his detachment he was
kept busy guarding the captured but still de-
/ faut Confederates. IN his rounds among them
! he heard deep groan or sigh. He stopped by
I the erouchiug form Of a man and kindly
inquired II be was hurt. The prisoner, looking
( Taylor in the face, said Yes, ! am wounded
! here" pointing to his shoulder. Instantly
/ Taylor recognized the face as that of Col Colby
! from splendid portrait be had seen at his
/ house, and calling TO a couple of prisoners be
ordered them to help the Colonel TO room
near by where he imProvised comfortable
bed, and then gave hin such attention as he
/ could with the little means at hand After ap-
/ plic2tion Of cold water TO his fevered wound,
10 his face and hands, his nervous system re-
/ laxed and he dropped OF into much-needed
| sleep. IN few hours Taylor went to see how
[ his patient was getting on, and found him
said:
Well, Col. Colby, how do you feel? BE still,
! and keep quiet, until your wound can be
/ dressed by some doctor Let me raise your
head and place this pillow under it. There,
you will now lie better"
THANK you, sir As 4 prisoner hardly ex-
pected such kind treatment from the hands of
my captors; but"-then suddenly remem-
bering the contents of letter he had lately
received from his wife, he looked the Major in
the face for minute, and associating the Ma
jor's kindness with the contents Of the letter,
he said: Is this Maj. Tsylor?"
"Yes, Col. Colby, 1 am Maj. Taylor, and if
you have had word from home lately you will
know how came by this ring" az he took Mrs
Colby's ring from his pocket and placed it in
the hand Of Colby.
"Yes, Major, my wife has written me Of your
kindness 10 her, and told me of the ring. Keep
it, sir, as from her and myself, for it seems that
fate has ruled that you are to be the good Sa
naritan who viii not pass US by; and | pledge
you, sir NV best Offices in case of your need ,
"All right, Col. Colby. None can tell what
the fortunes Of war have in store. But, le
good or evil come, all should act, that whatso
ever the ordeal may be, we can face it, con
scious that we have done the best We could
: Bot Colonel have orders TO parole all prison
ers and send them north Of the river"
Very well, sir, / will give my parole. anC
hope may be permitted to find my way home
70 remain until / am exchanged"
- don't know about that, Colonel, but a
t you are wounded it may be that twill be 81
: ordered"
t That night the prisoners were sent acros
e the river, and the next day were pushed unde
: guard over the mountain in the direction o
? / Nashville. Maj, Taylor was put in charge 0
2 the escort, and furnished Col. Colby horse fo
=, the march. The route took the column vi
i the Scquatchie Valley, Tracy City and the Pei
9 ham road, through Smiths Cove, within sigh
), Of Col. Coiby's house. Darkness coming o.
Just as they went into the Cove, the colum
+; was halted and bivouacked for the night. Tn
early dawn of day found them on the marc
d again and after fatiguing march of severe
days Maj Taylor reported his prisoners to th
Il commaudant OF the post Of Nashville. In yer
II flying the rolls it was found that Col Cobb
y was missing, but as he had given his paro
d not much was thought Of it, and no effort fC
his recapture was made. What Mai. TaylC
is could have told would have given a cew TO b
,e whereabouts probably; but as there were
questions asked there were none TO answer an
j. he was glad when be was ordered to report h
le command for transportation back 10 the from
r. When the column stopped for the night
ic Smiths Cove, Col. Colby had wandered out
ie sight before the guards were stationed, an
" that night found him at home where be stage
le until he was regularly exchanged the Wint
ii following.
a The defeat OF R0secrans's army on the field
ve Cbickamauga was heraldcd over both Mort
re and South as a great Confederate victory, an
ID yet, gagged by all military rules, the victor
Us was with the Federals; for Chattanooga, Il
e. objective point Of the campaign, was left
e. possession of the Federals, and so remaint
ge throughout the war.
e Nothing Of moment befell our characters
ty this story until we again introduce them
sh the Spring campaign of 1864, when Gen She
s. man marshaled that grand veteran army th
struck Gen. Johnston at Dalton, and for I20 da