The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-03-06
SPRING HILL.
criticism Of shellcnbcrger BY a 1854 Ohio Mar

NrittClSm OF cheitenbtFger bt n lV3a hhl0 MAN.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: In your issue
OF Jan. 30 appeared an article by Comrade John
*. Sheilenberger, Of the 9th Ohio, headed
Nashville Campaign" wherein the writer
seems % make a fight against Maj Gen. Scho-
field, Brighten. Cox and Capt. Levi +. Scho-
field; and, in fact. he tries 10 down the whole
IWenfv-third Corps and especially does he try
10 beittle the I03d Ohio. / have no battles to
fight with comrades AZ this late day; but Com
rade SbellenberEer seems TO feel very bad be-
cause the l03d happened along g he terms
t. In time TO see the racket az Spring Hill. As
] was a member Of that regiment, and present
On that occasion, j will, IN a humble manner,
try defend the good name gained honestly by
The dear old boys Of the lg.5d In the first place,
VIC did not happen along" but came there do
ing our duty in the capacity Of headquarters
train guards
BY the aid Of my diary, which is before me,
will try 10 give true and impartial dcscrip-
tion OF the part taken by the l03d Ohio in the
Spring Hill affair aud also the operations by
the gallant men OF the Second Division Fourth
Corps batteries. etc, far as was able 10 see
with ny own eyes, aud such other information
a. ] could gain by inquiry Al tie time
On the morning Of Nov. %, 1864. our regi-
ment started from near Columbia. Tenn,
marching ia rear Of the WagOn-train. Ip0n
arriving near the village OF Spring Hill, per
haps two miles out, il became evident that the
enemy were iB the timber of to our night.
Mai. H. 5. Pickauds, who was IN command Of
our regiment ordered Us TO load our pieces.
lie then dep.oyed the regiment on the flank Of
the train next toward the Geid intervening be-
tween tie pike and the timber marching in
this manner with one eye the Johnnies
over IN the woods. and the other on orr wagon
train No shots were exchanged. We felt
a considerably relieved when we arrived abreast
OF a brigade Of the Second Division OF the
Fourth Corps. which lay ia line Of battle in an
open field Of to our right. They appeared to
D. covered by lair line Of rail breasLwOrks,
facing - the east Or southeast, and al right an
giles with the PIKE. A little nearer toward the
village, and on the south side # tie pike aud
IN the edge Of the woods, stood battery ready
for action. j saw no Infantry IN support Of IT,
yet there may have been. We continued our
maEch tai We crossed a small creek al the east
edge Of the village Here we were ordered to
unsFng EBapaacRs, and piled them at the eide
OF the pike. We than fled head 81 column to
the right, marching ia that direction perhaps
az rods u where battery stood n position. II
lave forgotten the name 81 the battery Oar
regiment. about 300 strong, formed I'D line on
the right aud left Of the battery, along the
crest 81 the high ground, which descended
10 the creek fate. Ia great haste We
proceeded 10 build rail barbados for orr
protection. We lad, however, barely time 10
complete our works when the ball opened
GIcDurHc's Division Of tile ConfedcTatcs max
woods iu fine II battle, arms al riglt-ahgulder
SHIFT aud bearing down upon tie aforesaid
brigade u tie Fourth C0rp- all Of which was
IN p.aIa view from tie position occupied BY
cur regiment. on came those brave G9ufelef-
ates lE q perfect line and without wayer
hith great anxiety we u0w watched our
friends o. the Fourth Corps behind the rail
bTeaatWSrEs. There DID not seem to be mach
firing ~ either friend or Zoe. The C0aieicf-
ate line MAS longer than that Of The Fcdcrtls.
Their HANKS OFeflapped the ends Of the breast
works which had already been vacated by the
Fe.erais, except BY Roody number who still
crOuclcd behind them Those Of the Jolunils
Who swung around On the TANKS fred ieB2tL-
wise. evidently a. the men who set remained
behind the works. Doubtless those men were
taken prisoners The Confederate line contIn-
ned n move forward IN as perfect order ~
though On dress parade, their front facing
sqnafely in the direction where our regiment
aud our battery stood. As Soon as the Fourth
Corp brigade had arrived on the low ground
ln our front the battery on the south side Of
the pike opened Oh the rebel line aud 81 about
The same Tine our battery opened also. Aud
now came our time, and with q few we'll
nlfeciea Kplicys from our EH1eldE together
with Tie splendid work II the two batteries
caused the rebel lines 10 break, aud they on a
dead run changed their course 0bliqurIv 10
their let, aud halting ia a low depression IN
the field 70 our right front, where they wofc
ND~'--t~@ AAN+- DAA RlAMH hAEH AAE ming
ceased.
do not wish 70 say anything unkind Of the
men Of that brigade 81 the Fourth C0rps They
did, however. come back ia a very scattered
manner. The most If them passed around Ia
our left, following the creek flats few
passed around cur right flank. / distinctly
remember seeing gallant Color-Scrgeant be-
longing 10 one Of the regiments Of that brigade
trying 10 rally his comrades Just ia our front
oH the low ground u the creek fats. Perhans
aozeu brave fellows clustered around their
e0iors, but they, too, soon moved 10 the rear /
remember fnelooking young soldier who
Will lew others, had passed around our right
HANK. lie stopped al nay request, and stood at
my right side, saying to me- Sergeant, will
stand by y0n while ! have life.D
just al TINS critical moment, for we expected
20 sec the rebels renew their attack at any mo-
Inent Gen. Stanley rode up aud halted moi
more than 10 feet behind where stood. He
seemed 10 be greatly surprised at the turn
things bad taken. The first words he spoke in