The National tribune., 1890-02-06

loss was sustained in fighting to recover and
hold the breastworbs. There is manifest
error in the figures of Col. Conrad's report
giving tho loss of bis brigade probably
clerical error in copying the figures for the
report they do not agree with the other
reports, including those of his rogimCnta com
manders. 1t is necessary, therefore. to seek
elsewhere for correct statement of the loss OF
tho Third Brigade BY dcducting tho COM
bned losses of the First and Second Brigades,
rs reported by Opdyckc and Lane, from the
entire loss of the Second Division, rs reported
by Wagner, we learn that the loss of the Third
Brigade was 6l2 men, subject to deduction of
any men attached to division headquarters who
were killed or wounded, if any such there were.
Three regmental commanders of COnrads I'ri-
gado-of the 42d and 5lst H., and the 9th
Ohio-made written reports, which are on file.
These three regiments, according to these re-
ports sustained an aggregate loss OF 80 men,
which would only leave 2i2 men for the loss of
the other three regiments which composed tho
brigade, and were in the same exposure, to
make up the aggregate Of 6i2 mon claimed rs
the loss of tho Third Brigade. The brigades
of Lane and Conrad then sustained a total loss
Of ! 03l mon. Five brigadcs of the Twenty
third Corps were engaged, and these five report
an aggregate loss of / ,01G men. But in this ag-
gregatc is included the loss of the 72d Ill and
the dith Mo, two regiments of A. }. Smiths
command, the first 10 arrive at Nashville and
which had been sent out by Gen. Thomas to
strengthen Schofcld. These two regiments
cannot be claimed rs IA part of the Twenty
third Corps. The itth and 72d were in the
midst of the break hut did not run away.
Their loss was very heavy. The iith reports
81 killed, 81 wounded and % missing. The
72d reports 10 killed, 6G wounded and Is miss
ing, total for the two regiments OF 3li men.
Dedncting this number from tho 1.0l6 and wo
have a loss Of 702 men for the livo brigades OF
the Twenty. third Corps.
IL is vain work to attempt to reconcile the
warm claims of the Twenty-third Corps with
these cold official figures. At Spring Hill
Bradley's Brigade, in its unequal contest with
Clebnrne's Division,
WAS OUTFLANKEp AND DRIVEN BACK,
having lost according TO the official returns,
1913 men. The 103d Ohio "A regiment of tho
Twenty third Corps, which happened to be
present guarding the Commanding Generals
baggage, then iuterposcd and rcpulsed tho same
division without the loss of single man! AT
Frankli two brigadcs of the Second Division
ran away without fighting, except Sergeant
and 20 men, or perhaps few more, who went
into tho reserve line of the Twenty third
Corps, wherever that may have been; yet tho
official reports show that these two brigades
lost 800 men moro than the five brigades OF the
Twenty third Corps, which did all the fighting!
How much Of truth, how much OF fairness to
tho comrades who actually bore the hard bTunt
of tho campaign how much that is credtablo
to tho authors themselves do such claims cX-
hbit?
Stilcss Brigade reports a loss Of 10 killed,
IL wounded, u missing Easements Brigade
three killed. lG wounded, three missing; a
total for the two brigades of 100 men. These
two brigadcs were on the left Of the Twenty
third Corps outside tho field of the disaster.
They repuIsed every attack made on their front,
with terrible loss TO the rebels, who never snc-
ccedod in reaching the breastworks. II we take
the loss of these two brigadcs as a basis Of cacu
lation, on tho supposition that IL the brgadcs OF
Lane and Conrad had not been exposed, IL is no
oxaggerhtiou to declare that that hlundcr III
GonorHlship cost Us more than 1000 mon. The
mistake made by Con. Schodod ia halting two
briFades In advance of his main body TO re-
tard the onemy's advance; his extraordinary
indifference and neglect 30 rectity his mistake
when the reports of both Cox and Wagner
pointed out 70 him tho faulty position Of tho
two brigades. actually cost us the loss OF tho
battle. IL was restored by the charge of OPP
dycke's Brigade. supplemented by the fighting
aud staying qualities displayed by tho broken
bTigadcs OF Lane and Conrad
We have one more nugget extracted from
this rich nino OF 0ileinl reports, and it is a
precious one
HDQz SECOND DiytsIoy. FouRTH CoErs. }
NAHHVIiI.E, TESN.. Dec. ., lS6f.
MAJOR. In ompliance with circular from corps
fags, etc. captured Ia tho recent engagement. as
fgllDwH.