The National tribune., 1889-02-28
THE 2sth MICH,
And their Great Battle at Tebbs's Bend, Ky.

.
tribute an extract from its history. The regl-
ment was commanded by Col o. II. Moore as
brave a man as wore the Union blue, as the
following circumstance viii illustrate:
About July I, 1868, Col. Moore was stationed
with five companies of his regiment on the
north side of Green River 10 miles north OF
Columbia, on the road running from Columbia
to Lebanon, KY, and on the I'd OF July was
advised of the fact that the rebel General John
| II. Morgan was about crossing the Cumberland
| River to invade the State with cavalry force
| of from 5000 to 1000 men. Being left to ex-
! ercise his own discretion, and there being no
! Union troops nearer than at post 80 miles dis
tant, COL Moore felt it to be his duty to retard
the progress of the great raider, if but for
! few hours, as they might prove precious hours
to the country. He might have retreated with
entire success, but from patriotic motives chose
to fight when he could scarcely entertain the
hope that be and many Others would ever 1--we
to tell the story of that terrible battle. After
surveying the surrounding country, he selected
a strong position for q battle-ground on the
| south side of Green River about two miles
| from the encampment in horseshoe bend OF
| the river through which the road ran on which
! the rebel forces were advancing This chosen
| battle-ground which was at the narrows enter
| ing the bend of the river, afforded high bluff
banks, which protected the tanks of the COM
mand and also compelled the enemy to tight
| him upon his own 'front.'
| On the evening of July 3 Gen. Morgan en-
| camped with his entire command about i've
miles south Of Green River, and Col. Moore,
after dark, advanced with his command of FIVE
companies, numbering less than 800 men, about
two miles toward the enemy, leaving the river
IN his rear and occupied the ground which he
! had previously selected and prepared for the
| battle. The defense, which had been completed
that night, consisted of some feled trees on the
! battle-Aue which, was in the rear of an open
field, and was intended more particularly as an
! obstruction to the advance Of cavalry; while
to the front about 100 hundred yards, in the
! open field was thrown up temporary earth
! work, which was intended to check the adj
| vance Of the enemy, and more especially to
command position where he would evidently
! plant battery.
| This work was not intended to be held
| against charges of a superior force, on account
/ OF the TANKS not being strong, and was occu-
/ pied by only IS men, who were instructed that
| when it became necessary to abandon the work
it should be done by thanking to the right and
! lett from the center, so as to unmask the re-
serve force on the battle-lne and expose the
enemy to their fire. This work was located,
in anticipation of its capture by the rebels, lit
tie down the slope of the field, so that when 1t
was in possession of the enemy it would be
useless, and leave him exposed to deadly fire.
At the gray of the morning the fire of the
|
! the woods, and the entire rebel division under
! Morgan was pressing upon our front. The fire
was returned with spirit as the picketS retired
! TO the breastwork, where they joined about rs
/ of their comrades already in the advance work /;
and there, with their united fire, as sharpshoot-
! ers they held the enemy in check, without ex-
| hibiting their numbers and the real object of
| the work.
The rebel artillery of four pieces had gained
the anticipated position, and at once opened
| fire with some effect, when Morgan suspended
| firing, and, under flag of truce, demanded an
| immediate and unconditional surrender of the
entire force and stockade. Col. Moore replied
| to the demand: Present my compliments to
| Gen. Morgan, and say to him that this being
the 4th of July. cannot entertain the PROPOSE
ton to surrender"
! Col. Allston, Morgan's Chief of staff, said:
| hope you will not consider me as dictatorial on
this occasion. / will be frank. You see the
| breach we have made upon your work with
| our battery; you cannot expect to repulse Gen.
Morgan's whole division with your little COM
mand you have resisted US CALAMITY and de-
serve credit for it, and now / hope you Will
save useless bloodshed by reconsidering your
reply TO Gen. Morgan"
To this Col. Moore replied: Sir, when you
assume to know my strength, you assume too
much. l have duty to perform to my coun-
try. and therefore cannot reconsider my reply
| to Gen. Morgan"
The rebel officer, seemingly moved by these
remarks, extended his hand and said: Good
| by, Col. Moore; God only knows which of US
may fall first"
They turned their horses and galloped in
! opposite directions, and at once renewed the
| conflict. No sooner had the rebel battery re-
| opened fire than Col. Moore commanded the
force to rise up and pick off those gunners at
the battery" At the word, deliberate and
! " Nv IaIi ,iof,s o.;
fenced the battery.
Col. Johnson's Brigade then charged the
work, and the little command abandoned it as
| previously instructed; and when the rebels
reached it they found that it aYailed them
nothing against the deadly fire which was
poured into them from the main force on the
battle-line in the timber. The foe with hid
eous yells, charged across the open field num-
Der of times in the face of terrific fire, which
repulsed them on each occasion with severe
| loss. The conflict was almost hand -to-hand
struggle with nothing but line of felled trees
separating the combatants. At the same time
the rebels were engaged in cutting out gorge
leading through the precipitous bluff into the
river bottom, which had been INSTRUCTED with
feled timber The entrance was finally effect
ed, and a regiment commanded by Col Che
nault opened fire on the right flank of the line
| of Union troops. This was a most critical and
trying moment. The enemy had gained an
| important point; to defeat it was of the ut
most Importance. a company had been held
in reserve for any emergency which might
arise during the battle, and it was now brought
forward, deployed as skirmishers across the
river bottom, with the right flank extending
beyond the rebel line, and presented the ap-
pearance of being the advance line of reinforce
ments. The strength of Col. Moore's command
was matter of doubt with the enemy. rem
dered more SO by his instructions to his men
to keep quiet and pour in as rapid and deadly
a fire as possible. As cheering was suppressed
nothing but the efficacy of the firing afforded
ground for estimating their strength, and when
Col. Moore brought forward and manuvered
the reserve company with the shrill notes of
his bugle it had the desired effect of impressinp
the rebels with the idea that reinforcements OF
cavalry or artillery were advancing: and by
the bold front and deliberate firing of the
line of skirmishers the rebel command in the
river bottom was routed, its Colonel killed, and
it was driven back through the gorge through
which they had entered, disheartened aud de-
feated.
New courage inspired the heroic little band.
who had sustained eight determined charges
upon their front when the attack upon their
right flank was defeated. The enemy. having
met with heavy loss, after battle of four
| hours DURATION retreated, leaving number OF
| killed and wounded on the field greater than
the entire number of the patriotic little band
that opposed them. Among the number of
| killed and wounded were % commissioned off