The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-07-31
BATTLE OF RESACA.
Who Captured the Four.gun Batteryi

| VINO captured the FOnr-gun BATTERY
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: have been q
subscriber to your paper for many years, and
| it comes to us each week | like to read the
Fighting Them Over" columns, and l. for
one cannot call the friendly chats the boys
| have in them by the harsh name of disputes.
! We used TO have them around the campfire in
war days, and even now at Reunions old sol
| diers are won't TO tell of their reCollections rs
| of old
In your issue of Dec. 10 Comrade c. NJ Rose.
| of tho 10Th Mich, gives his version of that
bloody day at Rcsaca, which no one who was
! there will ever forget. j am not writing for
the purpose of disputng his claims in any way.
| My memory, like his, is reinforced with a
diary, which / kept all through my term of
| service.
| 1t was Sunday morning, May 15 1864. Tho
| battle OF Resaca had already ragged for two
days. and our division Ohio Third of the
Twentieth Corps had in some way become
separated from tho other divisions of tho corps,
| and had been formed on the right of tho Four
teenth Corps. We were now moved around to
the left of the Fourteenth Corps. We moved
at q n. m, and arrived in front of the battery,
or ms some of the rebel prisoners called it, Fort
Cobb. AT little past 10 o'clock we were
formed in column by regiment right in front,
closed Ell masse. Col Ben. Harrison, with the
10th Ind, was ahead, and then came the 1921
H., 10th Ohio, 129th and 105th Ill. We were
ordered TO fix bayonets and unsling knapsacks;
Gems. Hooker and Buttertield, commanding
corps and division, were on horseback near
the right OF the column. We were in deep
ravinc, and in front of us was a steep and long
hill, the sides of which were covered with Cau-
non and men. Hero Gen. Hooker sent an Aid
with Gen. Ward, commanding our brigade off
to the right, where Gen. Ward could from an
elevation see the ground over which we had TO
move. / remember hearing Gen. Butterield
tell Col. Harrison to move the brigade to near
the top of the hill, from which the charge was
to begin We moved few rods and halted,
and then / heard Col. Harrison call back TO
Gen. Butter6eld and say: There are no skir-
mishers in front. DO you desire any2" and
Bnttcrfeld answered: No; you don't need
any"
1t would seem from this short confab that our
brigade was in front. We moved up TO near
the top of the hill and were brought 10 halt.
On looking back to where we had left our
knapsacks, | saw Col. John Coburn coming into
the ravine that we had just left with his Sec
ond Brigade tof our diyisiOn) only. They were
forming TO the left of where we were formed
first. At 1880 Gen. Ward returned. We were
brought to an "attention" and then TO n
"right-shoulder shift and the forward move
ment began, and as soon rs we came in sight
we were treated to n liberal supply OF lead and
canister. We went down the incline at brisk
run, everyone uttering prolonged war yell,
while the men were dropping on every side.
Crossing the Dalton d Rome Road and on up
through what seemed 10 be an orchard of some
kind to rail fence, we caught up to the 10th
Ind. Here some of the other regiments came
up TO US. We then moved up toward the fort
through dense tbicket of young pines a solid
wall Of humanity 20 men deep. We went on
and into the fort, aud don't think one Of the
gunners escaped; all were either killed or
captured.
The fort contained four brass feldpieces, 10
Founders, with limber-chests. The oarthwork
was only salient in front of their main line.
and we only stayed for q few seconds and then
moved back. Just outside of tho works, but
commanding the guns, wo were ordered to lie
down, rs no one could live for an instant inside
the fort The enemy soon made an attempt
to retakc the guns, but they got back out Of the
fort ms quickly as we had.
This attempt was repeated two or three times
in the course of the afternoon, and was each
time successfully resisted. We heard cheers
in our rear, and someone said we were being
reinforced. About 4 p. m. ! was helping a
wounded comTadc back TO the fence above re.
ferred 10, and as we got back about five rods
from the fort we came To a line Of men lying
down among the pines facing the fort. / asked.
What regiment, b0ys7" Nineteenth Mich.
For Gods sake lie down ] was answered by
see the point Of his advice. for the enemy had
their range perfectly. At that moment one of
tue poor fellows jumped up and started for the
rear with bullet in some part Of his body.
Some time In tho afternoon all of our brigade
that could be got together were moved, without
the knowledge Of those who stayed ut the fort
back aud farther to the left. We were relieved
by whom know not, but think by some Of
Gen. Geary's Division, about 10 p. IN.
Yea ComTade Rose the 10Th Mich was fitcra
and did good service; but you did not take that
battery, but You helped 20 hold il, as We all
know. Yon say you lost is men killed and GO
wounded. Our regiment lost Is killed aud &c
wounded, eight OF whom died that night and
the next day. Ffty-one OF our brigade were
laid at rest under the waving pines along tho
slope OF that side hill, the enemy having left
during tho night. ] only wish to add one moro
item 10 our side Of the case. That is the order
that Gen. BGtterleld issued 10 us the next day
on the battlefield while We were busy in bury
ing our dead:
HEADq'Rs THIRD DIVISION, TWENTIETH CoRPs,1
NEAR itisAcA, Ga, May 10. 1854. !
General Orders No. T.
The General commanding feels IL a duty as well
az pleasure, 10 congratulate the division upon It's
achievements yesterday. The gallant assault aud
charge OF iic First Brigade capturing four guns la
the epefnys fort the brave support Of the assault
by portion Of the Second Brigade on the left with
the glorious TcpulHe IL gave twice it's force proves
the division worthy high name aud fame Let
everyone endcavof by attention 10 duty, obedience
to orders. devotion and courage. to make record
ia the future, as in the past, such that the army
and the country will ever be proud Of as.
BY command Of Mai Gen. DANIEL BUITERFlELp.
JoHH 5FEED, Captain aud Assistant Adutant-
General. -
j have Out little more 10 add. Our whole
division, including Col. Coburn and the Second
Brigade were there. There was glory enough
TO 20 around on that eventful day. In fact
that article was flying around loose all that
afternoon, aud could have been had for the
taking, and the job was open to all alike. Gen.
Butterhcid's order ought TO be conclusive OH
that mootcd point as 10 who first captured the
guns. The General still lives, and If / have
not quoted his order correctly, hope he will
speak for himsef-CnAs. M. CASTLE, Corporal,
Co. d. 1929 ILL., Page Center Iowa