The National tribune., 1890-07-03
CHICK A M AUGA.
The Part Taken by the Goth Ohio and MCC0Ok's
DriRade.


EDITOR NATIONAL tribune: Nearly all the
accounts have seen of the battle of Chicka-
manga say McCook's Brigade burnt Reeds
Bridge the day before the battle, and cut Off
rebel brigade. Now let us see about that part
of it. / belonged to Co. G., Goth Ohio, and we
had taken a train of 450 wagons from Cowan
Station to Bridgeport, Ala. There we received
orders to leave the train and hurry on to Chat
tanooga, which we did, arriving there on Sun
day night about 12 o'clock. We camped there
until Monday afternoon, when we moved out
TO Rossville, where we went into camp, Sept.
Ia. Here we found Gen. Granger trying to SEQ
how many of Steedman's Division he could tic
up to lot of old apple trees in front of the old
Ross Mansion, for taking little honey and
pork from the rebs ] think from what saw
about the old spring there was going to be
trouble if the men wero to remain tied mp until
after dark, but through the intorcession of
Steedman the men were released after standing
in the hot sun NIL afternoon. am satisfied tho
old house would have been burnt that night
had the men not been released.
On Friday evening abou $50 o clock the 69th
received orders to march out on tho Lafayette
road. WesuppOsed we were going to our Brigade
of Neglcy's Division, but on arriving Mt the
head of the Reeds Bridge road we turned, going
down it about half mile. There we stopped
and faced to the left or west, and three com
panes deployed out into the timber as pickets
four PAGES apart and lay down. Shortly after
rebel brass band aud drum corps marched into
our line. They wanted to know how we got be-
hind their brigade, rs they had como up tho
road from Reeds Bridge only an hour before,
and went into tho timber. They said moro
troops were coming for the same place. Every
little while one would walk in and say, Well
I'll be -! where did you fellows come from =;
and this continued until about IL o'clock, when
n lot of officers rode up to tho line, and when
halted wanted TO know why those other COM
mands were not hurried up into position.
When ordered TO dismount they wheeled their
horses and galoped away in the darkness,
about 20 shots heing fired aftor them. About
2 o'clock we were ordered out on tho road TO
the regiment, and here was the first time saw
Col. Dan McCook. He asked Col. Brigham II
he would try to burn Reeds Bridge, which was
three and One-half miles down the road ke'
member, the 6gth had about 20 prisoners up to
this time. We went for the bridge, and about
q mile before reaching IL we left the road,
turning off TO the left and passed over the nil
down through an old deadening. Wesaw nun
dreds of smodering fires. which told that there
had been a large body of troops there only n
short time before We slipped down to the
bridge Just as il was beginning to show llght
in the east. There is n fence running from
the bridge northwest to piece of timber.
Along this fence part of the 69th were stationed,
the reserve being out in the field, while detail
was piling up plank to set the bridge on fire.
The boys had hard work to get it to burn.
Along this fence / found a soldier who had
been shot the evening before. His watch was
still running. ! think IL was 5:3O. lie be-
longed TO the 4th Mich. Cav. One OF our COM
pany, named Geo. Belt, took his watch, pocket
book and other things, and gave them 60 a
Captain of that regiment. Belt lives IN Port
land, Ind.
We discovered cavalry coming mp the creek,
and they charged right up 10 the fence, but we
sent them back in hurry. In the edge OF the
timber along this fence two soldiers were found
sleeping They told US they belonged 10 Long
streets command and had come over the
bridge about 10 o'clock. They had left their
guns in stack, their command having moved
since they lay down. These two men were
taken back to Col. Brigham by Sergt Tilton.
who is still alive, and lives in Dayton. o. The
Colonel ordered us out of there III quick time.
We rctrcatcd back through the dcadening up
into the woods, and there we found McCook s
Brigade. We stacked arms, and detail was
made 20 10 after water, two men from each
company To take the canteens That was tho
last we saw Of them for six months. as they
walked straight into Longstreeps command
so they told US when they were exchanged aud
came back 10 the regiment. Two Of them
made their escape from Dnnyille, Va.
The rebels were anxious to fluid out where
VIC came from and what command wo belonged
TO, aud when told that IL was only the 69th
Ohio and McCook's Brigade, they came for US.
The old deadening which we had retrcgted
through "A while before was swarmng with
rebels, and our orders were to retreat double.
quick but il was a grand run, aud nothing
ever saved McCook's Brigade and tho Goth but
their legs II was o'clock when this retreat
commenced, aud We had nearly three miles 10
20 before reaching Thomas's line Tho seth
Ill. and part of the Goth Ohio covered the re-
treat, and firing while on the run was kept up
nearly all the way. ] think there was over
I50 men wounded aud captured on this retreat.
The rebels threw their shells very accurately
into our column. The bridge fire was put out
by the rebs and more plank was hauled from
Reeds barn aud the bridge repaired and the
rebs kept on crossing. This We learned from our
prisoners when they came back TO the TeRi-
ment. When We reached Thomass line. in
going up a small hill we passed through q
battery, / think the 4th Mich. We lled 10 the
| right in behind regiment that was support
| ing IT, Here VIC rested little. The Teb5 had
stopped and things were quiet Tor while. A
heavy body of rebel troops seemed TO be on the
! left OF the road as we came up from the bridge
aud the battle was soon started, While wt
| were standing here we received orders from
| Gen. Negley TO go back and get our wagon
| train, and that we had no business in there
| McCo0k'g Brigade was ordered back TO the Ro
serve Corps, where il belonged. This will All.
swer some writer's question that they could
/ not understand why so many troops were going
| back so early in the action; also the reason
some Of Negley's command were running to
ward Rossviile Saturday morning while Tn,
| battle was going on We went double.quick
| and met the train coming up Lookout Valley
and took ii 10 Chattanooga, across the river, anC
| parked il there. Then for fear some of the
| stragglers that were coming back on Sunday
would 20 over TO that side of the river, tive
| bonts were taken out Of the pOntoon bridge
| thus leaving the ammunition train on one side
| and tho army on the other, and five miles from
| IL.
We were then ordered to Lookout Mountain
where we formed line 10 stop stragglers. W.
remained there till Monday noon, then wer,
| ordered out TO RoBsville, and went into position
| on the hill TO the left Of the gap, where we re
| mained I'LL Tuesday morning at daylight, wher
| we were ordered 10 retreat the llth Mich. pass
| ing out with u.s. Col. St0ught0n commanding
| and the cavalry under Gen Rousseau took ou
| places. We arrived at Chattanooga about
o'clock and took position OH the right of tn,
road and helped build Fort Negley. This il
| the last We saw of RosecrRns.
The 6gth don't ask much, but we do want
| little credit. We know this that we kept tht
rebels from getting into position at the head o
| the Reeds Bridge road, before ThOmas's com
mand arrived. That 4th Mich. soldier foun,
along the fence was buried by Reed. q Con feder
ate, and also another one that died at Reed
house, not far from the bridge. Reed IL still
living there, and says both soldiers have beer
| taken TO Chattanooga Cemetery. ] would lik
e. tl.E A. N