The National tribune., 1890-10-09
KENEsAW MOUNTAIN.
What Troops Made tho Gallant Charge June G7


/
| EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Fighting them
over around our Reunion campfrcs, il is sur
prising 10 me how many of our old comrades
are readers of THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE. 1t
proves another thing, that the old soldier is
ever watchful Of the part he took, and ever
! jealous that whatever credit at that time estab-
1ished may not be detracted from. 1t often
happens that comrades, in their zeal and par
| tlaiIty for the old regiment, inadvertently
| question the yalOr that rightfully belongs to
! others. That letter of Comrade John Moore
published in your columns some time since
calling in question statements made by Com
rado Shcllenbcrger concerning the battle Of
! kcnesaw Mountain June %, 1864, and the
death of Gen. Harker, is an instance of the
! kind in mind, which should have been cor
rectcd long since.
Past experience leads me to enter your field
/ OF correspondents shyly-a volunteer target
! for comrades TO practice upon, one feels his inn
pCrtance sadly on tho wane; but at the urgent
/ request of comrades who were there, l again
/ have the temerity to offer my version of the
affair. Again, by this letter of COmTade Moore,
| the renown of our gallant Harker suffers by
| has comparisons, which any member of that
old brigade will sternly resent. In fact the
! reader of that letter would find nothing to as
sure him Of the fact that Gen. Harker was
killed in battle. BY careful perusal OF what
our comrado OF the Fourteenth Corps has TO
say, / am in doubt whether he knows any
thing Of what he attempts 10 describe. Quot
ing his language: We moved out at a. IN.
and charged at p M
That the reader may havo n correct under
standing of what we claim, il is necessary that
the details he given, and as here described by
me eau be verified by hundreds yet living.
Whilst tho tactics of Gen. Sherman IN his
manner of dislodging and driving the enemy
were sufficiently vigorous to satisfy the soldier
on the front line, yet there was a camor at tho
North that he bring matters to a focus-bring
on general engagement, which, owing to our
superior numbers, could not fail of success to
MS. This might have been good reasoning
helds less rugged than those which surrounded
impregnable kencsaw Mountain.
Going back TO those days, il was said at the
time that a general council was held, the ulti-
matum of which was that an attempt should
be made TO break that line, and, if successful,
a general assault could be made with some de-
gree of certainty.
The next question, where how, and by whom
this charge TO be made was answered by
Gen. Charles q. Harker, commanding n bri-
gade in the Second Division, Fourth Corps 1t
Is said he volunteered TO make tho trial and
chose the ground in front of tho Fourteenth
Corps for the place. On tho morning of the
9th of June we broke camp about A. M, and
in light order marched about three miles to
our right. We arrived here about sunrise, but
a heavy fog envelopel all, and hid alike both
friend and foe. The morning rays of that
Southern sun soon cleared the atmosphere
and revealed to US ground in our front which
will be ever memorable in the minds of the
l25th Ohio. We were leading the brigade, and
as the time set for the trying moment drew
near the officers OF the regiment were assem-
bled aud received instructions aud orders.
As stimulus 10 great exertions, we were
told that the Tigers" had been selected,
forlorn hope, 10 throw ourselves inside the
rebel works and make as much confusion as
possible. veteran remarked, This means
death or captivity 20 US" YES; but, then, the
honor and glory Of the sacrifice"
Going TO the position assigned me, that on the
extreme left Of the line was inquired Of by
an old Captain in a regiment occupying the
works, what we were going to do? On being
told he replied, impossible; no troops can live
a minute in that open field. One cannot
hold his hand up here without getting a
ball through it," In answer 10 my question he
said that regiment belonged to the Fourteenth
Corps. remember making the request of him
70 take note Of the last man Of our command
over the works when the bugle should sound
forward"
We crossed that field in a line of skirmishers
covering the front Of the brigade. We reached
the first line and captured il, taking more pris.
oners than we had men in line. This line was
not gopher holes" as mentioned by Comrade !
Moore. The main line OF the enemy was a
few yards farther up the hill. and Immediately
on our occupancy OF the first line they rolled
over this main line such an abatis IA no men
provided only with muskets could possibly
get through in any reasonable length of time
Our loss up 10 this time was fearful, and our
humane Colonel decided TO await the support
Of the brigade, and not until reasonably GER
tain that the balance could cross 10 US would
he order US farther. Three Intellectual attempts
IL. 81 1
up continuous fire with our muskets at short
range, but the concentrated fire Of shot and
shell from isolated batteries drove them back |
Zen. Harker witnessed all this, and in his des- |
peration, as If choosing death rather than re.
porting failure, he jumped his horse over the |
WORKS, and with few members OF his staff |
came across that field with horses under full |
run. he reached our line near the center and
with " Come on, bOys," be rode to his death at |
the muzzles of the rebel guns With him fell |
every member Of that staT, killed or wounded |
That Come on, boys" cost US the lives of |
Lieuts. Burnham and Dillcy, who allowed no |
man 10 get between them aud the enemy We |
remained there until about 10 a. m, aud dur |
ing this time saw the lines Of the enemy re. |
enforced by troops coming from the right of |
US, which would not have been likely had the |
assault mentioned by this comrade been going 1
on. But the most noticeable discrepancy occurs |
IN the time. We were through and relieved |
long before noon.
Gen. Harker was mortally wounded and lived |
70 be borne from the field. / have always |
thought that even the impetuous Opdycke did |
not sanction this charge. lie commanded a /
seml-bnRade at the time, but gave orders to |
have the old flag left behind, as if anticipating |
the result that the regiment might be lost, he |
would preserve their flag.
have always supposed that the front Of our |
regiment was the eztensivencss of that assault. |
am sure there were no troops engaged with
Us on our left and never heard, until repeated |
by Comrade Moore, that there were others en-
gagged with as on our right on that day. do |
not refer 10 these things with any c0mpunc. |
tons Of uncertainty, but as here narrated !
they have been constantly in mind through |
al the years intervening-R G. RICE, Captain, |
l25th Ohio.
Read Better than Pension on page s.