The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-12-26
BATTLE OF FRANKLIN.
How the 10Th Ohio Got the Rebel Flags.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: / have read
with much interest the correspondence con-
corning the battle of Franklin. published from
time TO time in your paper, and contributed an
item myself about two years ago. The re-
sponses by CoMrades Williams of the oath Mo-,
and Rice of the l25th Ohio, have moved me to
offer a narrative of tho battle as i saw and
heard it.
Our regiment lthe 65th H. belonged to Case
ment's Brigade, Cox's Division, Twenty third
Corps. We were the second regiment from the
right of the brigade which rested on battery,
or rather part of a battery, just TO the left of
the Columbia pike. i have always believed
that the Tooth Ohio covered the pike, aud that
the l0ith Ohio came next on the right OF the
Tooth. Our brigade headquarters was at the
cotton gin, though during the battle Col. Case
ment was Mt all times conspicuous on the top of
our rifle-pits encouraging aud directing the
men of his command. Our position, as L re-
member il, was little higher than where the
works crossed the Columbia pille-thc ritle-pit
which had been constructed for our company
co by others 1--WE having been left on the
skirmish-line at Columbia, and did not arrive
at the battlefield until the works had been
completed and not long before the battle be.
gam. There was not room for the whole COM
pany i'm the space allotted to us The non
commissioned officers and. of course, the com
missioned officers stood up in the rear OF the
pits and fired over the heads of the men in
| line. / was a Sergeant, and was one of those
who thus fought over the line. Ispeak of this 10
| explain why my facilities for observation were
better than the average. From where | stood
i saw the advance line occupied by Wagner's
| Division. saw the enemy when he first mado
| his appearance. aud watched his lines as they
swept on toward US; saw them approach Wag-
ner's Division, and saw that division open fire,
which they continued TO deliver for short
time. and then saw IL streaming to the rear;
H. 41,,
with the rebels m close pursuit; saw that they
had stampeded the men on that part of the
line when they came over the works, which
men j Immediately learned belonged to the
10th Ohio.
will not discuss the merits or dement's in
this action of the 104th Ohio. / think / knew
then, and believe now, that that regiment, for
some reason, LETT its position at a very critical
moment. i saw staff officer with the colors
of that regiment returning TO the works, aud
as lie so returning those whom he was
rallying seemed To me TO be formed in two
! lines. making letter a as though laid hOri-
zOntaly, the staff officer, with the flags of the
4 regiment, being IN advance and of course, at
/ the point of the V. ] heard atterwaTd that
this officer was Lieut.. Conklin of Gen. Cox's
! staff, and that he was killed while thus rally
/ ing these troops. j remember also of feeling
much grieycd upon hearing Of his death, as he
/ had full " won my respect and admiration a few
moments before by riding down the line of the
Third Division, just IN rear of the riilepits, at
/ fall galop. with drawn sword shouting as he
/ rode, Men, stand 10 your works to-day! thus
/ giving us TO know that the battle was almost
/ on, and that il was 10 be a terrible one.
My readers may wonder how had the leisure
( to note these things at such time. Old sol
/ diers know how in battle the situation ram
/ often be comprehended in an instant; but it
/ happened that when the division of Gen. Way
4 els Il
\ position the enemy in our immediate front had
not come up out of the valley ravine through
which they approached u.s. When, however,
/ they did make their appearance they were
within 200 yards of our line. perhaps more and
4 the fact that they were so near before q shot
could be fired at them, and also the fact that in
Il our front they would be exposed TO our fire for
| q shorter distance before reaching US, ] think
/ invited a belief that the line occupied by Case
/ ments Brigade could be most easily broken,
and accounts for the terrific slaughter of rebels
! ia front Of that brigade which in n previous
| letter !, quoting from Southern Journal
stated 10 have been greater than that caused by
any like number OF men IN any other battle Of
/ the war.
] Comrade Rice thinks Comrade Perrins is
mistaken about skirmish-line having been
/ thrown out in front Of the works after the
/ battle. / saw Co j Of our regiment Ito which
company Comrade Perrin belonged) mount
/ the works aud deplOy as skirmishers after the
battle, and in this connection j Will first cor
rect a statement OF history. aud then explain
how il MAS that regiment heretofore men.
I TONED achieved great honors by having been
! put on the skirmish- line after the battle Gen
! Cox In his history March 10 the Sca-Frank-
t lin and Nashville" says that Gen. Adams WAS
/ killed while riding up TO the works. and that
/ his body was pitched headlong among the men
I inside the works. This reads we'll but is not
I fFua He EfAied rphen
/ from our lines, Immediately in front of the
/ company TO which / belonged, and after the
i battle, when Co. ! went out as skirmishers
| Lieut.. Brown aud Corp'l Frampton took up the
| body, brought il over the works, aud delivered
/ d into the keeping OF Lieut-Col. Stewart, com
fuanding our regiment, aud company be-
| ing the color company, Col Stewart was immc-
/ diately behind US Col. Stewart called me TO
! him and directed me 10 report 10 Col. Case
ment that he lStewart) had possession Of the
| body Of Gen. Adams, and would be Obliged for
| orders as 10 how il should be disposed Of"
| delivered the message, aud Col. Easement had
| il removed TO his headquarters and tendcrly
cared for. Afterward. while at Nashville, the
/ watch belonging 20 the dead General, which
had been retained by Lieut.. Brown, and a seal
| ring taken by COrp'l Frampton, were returned
1 b the officers Of the rebel army, ut their re-
/ quest, under flag OF truce.
Nov, as 10 the other regiment which was put
/ on Tue bkifiulhH-llnc altcf the BaItle. IL was
| the understanding in our brigade that the I0ath
/ Ohio or part Of il, were sent out rs skirmish-
I eTs after the battle, and that upon advancing
/ from the works they picked up number Of
I rebel fags,-23, think, was the number,
4 that some Of them were awarded medals Of
+ honor for capturing" these flags. These
/ fags, have always understood, were thrown
/ down by the rebels who surrendered and came
over the works during the fight. Ny letter is
I already TOO long 1 have stated fbe facts as I
understand them. II am wrong. let me be
corrected by SOMEONE having better knowl-
edge Of them than / haye.-OLIyEE w. CASE,
/ Go. Z. Goth Ill, St. Louis, No.
Read Better than Pension on page s.
TRIALS OF A SOLDIER.