The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-09-18
Read Better than Pension " on page 6.
STONE RIVER.
A Terrible Blundcr on Somebody's Part.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Tho writer
being private Ia Gen. Posts Brigade ut the
battle Of Stone River Dec 29~3l, 1862 and
Jan. !, 1863, thought then, and believes now,
that there was an nexcusablo bluuder per-
petrated at the opening Of the battle on
the morning of December 81. The previous
day the Cumberland Army had assumed POI
stion close in front Of Brnsgs forces Mt MUIR
freesboTo, having considerable skrms hing
TO obtain proper alignment. Gen. Critteu-
den occupying position on the left, Gen.
Thomas in the center aud Gen. McCook John
sons Diyision] being the extreme right of our
line. Gen. Kinks Brigade joined the right of
Dayiss Division, whose alignment was COM
pleted about the middle Of tho afternoon amidst
a sharp welcome from rebel infantry, causing
IL TO fall back some yards into couccalment in
the uuderbrnsh until nirhtfall, when it as
gumed the FIRST position. Those not on duty
gathered pine boughs, made beds, and froze
fast to the ground before morning; arising
very early aud moving about theoretically To
start the sluggish blood on its mission of warm
ing chilled limbs, fires on tho immediate front
being impractcable.
As dawn merged into daylight rebel troops
within easy Runshot were seen marching in
double column NJ shoulder arms by brigades 10
their loft evidently missing their forces on
our right flank. impatient soldiers in Posts
Brigade nOw aud then stepping 10 the front with
tHclE guns ~ an ann. HeTc CuHpGliGu 10 ueSlst
from firing under threat of arrest. Capt. Nor
gan, OF Kinks Brigade who was in command
of the piclets, frequently during the night of
the 3Oth sent word to his commander that he
believed tho rebs were massiug their forces on
our right flank, but was IA frequently told 10
| quiet his fears, AZ the division commander was
| posted as 10 what was transporting on his front.
Bat the Captains fears would not down, so he
personally went 10 see Gen. Kirk, who caught
/ fhn (uutain's iugrfratiAu fhTu iu ftrnni f,au
johnson who, yet 10th TO believe was rnthlessly
compelled before breakfast to accept the fact,
as the rebel yell and screech OF artillery en-
| phaticAlly announced il. The right of Nc
Cooks Corps was disgracofully surprised and
on the retreat before sunrise, firing off the old
| year Of 1862 at exutant rebels.
In the light Of that branch OF war lessons,
experience, the question of the wisdom aud
| thoroughness of military training Mt West
| Point embarasscs the mind, blunts the respect
IL was wont TO inspire in the unintlatcd, indei-
| bly, imprcssing 10 with the conviction that the
aevercst training and discipline only develops.
| IN the absence of genius, pednntlc military
! dudes that only disaster can ripen into com
monnlace commanders, and probably is to-day
! the key 10 the question Why SO many descr-
| tions from the Army?p Else why have a large
army in front of its foe lain down TO sleep
and freeze fast TO the ground, when pick, shovel
! aud AK in their hands would have built works
| OF defense defying the most alert rebel General
| to take by surprise or otherwise.
In the confusion of retreat soldiers became
separated from their commands, earnest ones
would rally ut every opportunity to resist the
rebel hosts firing and loading IN retreat. Sey-
eral being closely pressed by cavalry took shell
| ter under the stump of huge fallen tree, and
with loaded guns took deliberate aim and fired
at their pursuers, unsaddng two Tebs, then
hid their guns underneath the tree, and were
soon after captured. serving a short term in
Libby prison. Here, as at Chickamauga, Gen
ThOmas's center was tho Rock of Gibraltar
JoHE w. SnEAFFER, Sterling, Ill.