The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1890-10-16
BISHOP POLK's DEATH.
Gen. Joseph e. Johnston Describes
How he was Killed.

General Joseph E. Johnston
writes his account OF the death OF
Bishop Polk, on Pine Knob, near
Marietta, during the late war. His
letter is dated September 18th, 1890,
and he says:
| have seen lately what purport-
ed to be an account of Gen. Folks
death, probably that to which you
refer, for it is an invention from
beginning to emu,
''Bates' division, Of Hardee's
corps, occupied the summit OF Pine
Mount as an outpost. AS 1t was
nearly mile in front Of our line
General Hardee thought it exposed
and agreed to ride to it with him
and decide the question on the
ground. General Polk joined US. We
reached the hill directly from the
rear and dismCunted sixty yards
from the summit. On reaching 1T
we found that the best view was
from little parapet some thirty or
forty feet down the slope and occu-
pied it. The Federal line was in
full view, and field battery 800
or 400 yards in our front. In few
minutes it was decided that the risk
of holding the position was much
created than any advantage 1t could
give us, and General Hardee was
desired to withdraw his troops from
it soon after nightfall.
"As we were closing our field
glasses, preparatory to moving, a
shot from the battery in front OF us
struck tree a little above our
heaas. We moved around the lit
tie summit horizontally, General
Polk and to the right, General
Hardee to the left. In few min
uees another shot came flying over
our heads, General Polk still with
me. Very son after, when | was
trying to ascertain if any part OF our
lines were visable, another shot
came-the third. | Immediately
looked around to assure myself OF
General Folks safety, when a
young officer called to me that he
had fallen by the last shot. Look
ing to the crowd of the little summit
saw him lying at full length upon
it-dead. Fastening up l found
that the bolt IRON field piece had
passed left to right thu ough the
middle of his chest. In few min
utes rapid discharge OF shells into
the woods around was begun.
eve had no signal stations then,
nor ambulances at Marietta. This
disposes Of the table of the discipher-
ing OF Confederate signal by a fed
eral officer"
To Gen. Johnston's letter, Mr..
Peters adds: Bishop Folks re-
mains were buried outside the chan
eel roll of Christ church, Augusta,
Ga. A large and ornate mural.tab-
let in his memory, was erectedin the
church near the chancel. The in
scription is in letters of gold ON
black marble. After stating his
services in the church as bishop of
two dioceses, his rank of lieutenant
general in the army and dates OF
birth and death, it concludes with
this quotation from the Book of
Job:
Behold my witness is in heaven,
My record is GU high.
"Leonidas Polk, having graduated
at the United States Military
Academy, West Point, subsequent,
ly entered the holy ministry, Eand
was bishop of Louisiana at the. sout
break of the war. His devotion t;
the cause of the Confederacy ilnpell
ed him to apply his military talent;
in it's service and temporarily t.
leave his diocese to some other Dish
OPP. He won promotion il the fel(
and at his death he held the mex
highest rank in the Confederate ar
my. Gen. Polk was one Of the three
Confederate heutenants- generals
killed or MORALLY wounded in bat