The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-09-13
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What Our Veterans Have TO Say About
Their Old Campaigns
175th OHIO AT FRANKLIN.

A hnutN 10 ANAeEse AEtitCAhmH
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: ] certainly do
not wish TO keep up a controversy IN your val
liable paper simply for the purpose of making
myself conspicuous, nor to claim undue honors
for the 175th OhiO-the regiment to which l
belonged-and the part we took in the battle OF
Franklin For what we did on that memo
rable occasion, and for nothing more, are we
entitled to credit. The point, however, in dis
pute is the position we occupied during the
engagement IN my previous articles / stated
that we were the first in reserve behind our
works, with the right of the regiment resting
on or near the Columbia pike, with the left
extending toward or near to the cOttOn-gln.
In this statement i am correct Were to re-
main silent now, after what has positively
been asserted TO the contrary by others, would
virtually acknowledge myself in error, and be
completely driven from my position, leaving
those that have c0ntrOverted what / have said
victors. Had not Comrade Pumpelley, Of the
10th Ky, come forward with his late article
should have said no more What occurred on
that memorable occasion cannot now, after the
lapse Of nearly quarter of a century, be
changed. The facts, like the everlasting hills,
remain. For any one officer TO have grasped
every particular Of the engagement-the posi-
ton that each regiment occupied, the daring
deeds performed by each regiment or brigade
would have required a military mind OF super
human powers. Yet il is expected that the
officers of each company, regiment or brigade
would know at least in what part Of the en-
gagement they participated Before the battle
] had q few hours to look over the field, and
the following Christmas night slept in the cot
tOn-gin. The next morning / carefully exam
ined the points which had particularly attract
ed my attention during the battle.
After the fight, and soon after we arrived at
Nashville, 1 had noted down in my diary many
items which I am now able to refer to; there
,---1,st I 1ls vafa
thoseinterested to Whitelaw Reid's Ohio in the
War; He says: The 175th Ohio was tempo
Tarily assigned to the Third Brigade, Third
Division, Twenty-third Corps, and was placed
on the left of the center IN reserve etc; cor
roborating in every particular all that have
claimed as TO position. i am correct, and can
not admit mere assertions. j give other writers
credit for sincerity in thinking that they were
correct. Yet the 10th Ohio was where l
stated it was, and did her share in hurting
back the rebel hOTdes that were pouring over
the works, euthused with the idea Of q sudden
victory. All ] know about the 10th and 18th
XIV. being in our rear learned at the time
they took position, few minutes before we
were ordered to the works. and the claims made
by others since, besides the accounts given Of
the battle giving the reserves and where they
took position. At the time our regiment was
ordered forward I suppose those IN our rear
were ordered up too. There was a big contract
Cn hand too big for any one regiment, and the
regiment that has heretofore claimed the credit
Of meeting the rebel army that were pouring
over our works at the gap abandoned TO let
Wagner IN, and hurting it back, and changing
defeat into victory, has just as much right to
such claim as the old man had TO say that
" Betsy and ] killed the bear" The 10th Ohio
did not 20 up 10 the rescue alone. If the 10th KY
fought behind that particular part Of the works,
so did the I75th Ohio. Then, In late issue Of
TIE NATIONAL TRIBUNE COmrade Raines, of
the 18TH KY, IN q short article, says there is
where his regiment fought. l do not dispute
ii. At least four strangers fell 10 rise no more
until the last trump shall sound, quite close to
ne. During the latter part Of the engagement
] distributed ammunition, and saw many brave
men who were not members OF our regiment. l
an satisfied that the 10th Ky. and the 175th
Ohio fought side by side, and are entitled TO
equal h0nors. If ComTade Raines is correct
about has regiment being with the 104th Ohio
he was on the left Of the cotton gin, and not
where the works were abandoned. No, Com
Tadc Pumpeliey, the I75th Ohio did not pass on
10 some other block-hOuse, as you were pleased
70 say, but remained IN front the works until
a late hour my diary says II o'clock at night.
We did not get 70 Nashville until about 2
o'clock p n. the next day. The 10th Ohio did
her duty, as did the other regiments engaged.
We cast no reflections, and claim for ourselves
only what we are justly entitled to.-W. 2.
MOLF, Co. @, I75th Ohio.