Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1888-01-19
EZRA CHAPEL.
How Gen, Howard Impressed Troops
in Battle.

How Gen, Howard Impressed Troops
in Battle.
I'm q recent issue appears an article
from ] b. Ridenour, Captain, Co. A.
55tn ELL, in regard to the battle of Ezra
Chapel. While l must commend the
action of the gallant Second Division OF
the 15th Corps, / wish the Captain to
bear in mind that the Fourth Division
OF bis Corps, commanded by Gen. Har-
row. was thee also and to0k very act~
i've part in dispensing Lincoln pills to-
the Johnaics that day, with very good
results The Captain is right when he
says the Second Division was ON the ex-
t,eme right flank. The Fourth Division
Joined on tine left OF the Second, aRd
formed the center OF the Fifteenth Corps.
But beg leave to differ with the eom>
rade when he says that G62 dead rebels
we're counted in front of the Fifteenth
Corps. principally in front OF the Sec
oud Division Gen. Logan, in his Of
fetal account of that battle. says: '565
| dead rebels have been buried and there
are vet 200 uuburied. The worst of the
| lighting occurred in front of Gems. Bar..
rows and Morgan l.. Smiths Divisions,
which formed the centre and right OF
the Corps, and Gen. Harrow's D.vis-
ion (the FoNrth) captured five battle
flags The query now with me is, how
the Fourth Division, being on the teft
of the Second Division both being IN
the Irout line OF battle, The Second Di-
vision, as the Captain says in his article,
did the principle part of the lighting,
while the Fourth Division captured i've
| battle-hags. Now. Captain, don't say
the Fourth Division did all the fighting
ttat was done that day. but ell l ask is
credit for whot justly belongs toit- The
.Dohnnies were not in the habit OF mak~
ing presents of their flags TO the Yam
KEGS in those days, but ere more like
little Joe Foraker, of Ohio, was last
! Fall when Grover wanted those same
flags. The Third Brigade of the Fourth
Division was commanded by j. NJ.
Oliver, of the 10th Mich. was compos-
ed Of the 4sth and Goth ILL.,, 99th Ind,
| 18th Mich. and roth Ohio, and was
| posted in piece of woods on q narrow
fridge. The undergrowlh in front OF
the 10th Ohio was very dense, and the
view was so obstructed that we could
not the enemy until very close to us.
Near noon their FIRST charge was made,
The battle lasted until p. m. and in
trat time six different charges were
made by the rebels. and SIX times as gal
lan'ly repulsed by the Third Brigade.
wit great loss to the enemy. Eighty
dead rebels were buried in front o.
me roth hio. The colors Of the 3lsI
La. were shot down and captur, d in thi
place. The rest of the brigade wer'
also engaged, and did all that was re
quired Of them. Six days before thi
the brave and chivalIous young com
mand or of the Army of tn
Tennessee gave up his lif
on the bloody battlefield Of Atlant
and Gen. Howard, from the Easter
army, was assigned to command tn
my Of the Tennessee. This was hi
first battle after taking command, an
he passed along the line just before dart
congratulaling the troops on their vic
ory. This being the first time we ha
seen him. lis soIdie1y bearing impresse
the soldiers tn I old "Uncle Billy Pc
! made no mistake in giving him cSu
nand OF the Army of the Tennessee,
, though we would rather have had II
!, idolized commander Of the FlfteeA'
Corps, John A. Logan.