The National tribune., 1890-01-30

/ i
fields beyond Bradley's right. and there met
with no opposition. II marched steadily to-
ward the pike until it came nearly abreast the
position of the I2d ILL.,, when that regiment
opened an enfilade FIRE upon it. At the same
time the battery at the pike opened, its fire
crossing that of the 42d H., and the 6lth Ohio,
running forward, poured in its fire. Tho con-
duct of Cleburne's men under these trying cir
cumstances was in every way worthy of their
high renown. They could see in the open
ground just what we had. When they felt the
fire in flank they pulled the rims of their hats
down over their eyes,
BOWED THEIR HEADS TO THE STORM OF
MISSILES
pouring upon them, changed direction to their
right on the dOublc-quick in beautiful man
ner. and few moments later a swarm of them
came pouring through the open intervals on
either hand and began wheeling around the
base Of the hill TO surround and capture tho
42d and Gath. At the last moment the Colonel
of the 42d, the senior officer present, gave the
reluctant order TO fall back.
Here occurred tho episode of the 103d Ohio,
OF which so much has been made. It was
guarding the headquarters wagons, and was the
sole regiment of the Twenty Corps pres
ent at Spring Hill. Capt. Scofeld has related
/ in a comparatively modest way, the claim of
his regiment that TO its extraordinary valOr
aud staying qualities the Tepulsc of Cleburne's
! DIVISION was due. Inc same story WAS iur-
/ niShed Nhitolaw Reid for his sketch OF the
103d in his a" Ohie in the War;" aud as it is
there briefly and explicitly given, Will quote
/ from hishccouut:
AT Spring Hill the regiment had another
opportunity TO show its pluck. a division that
had been sent forward in charge of the trains
/ was drawn Mp TO resist any attack the rebels
! might make, while the regiment being with the
/ headquarters train was ordered to support bat
terry so placed as 10 sweep an open field in front
! OF the troops. The enemy. emerging from the
! woods, marched steadily up TO the National
! lines, when the entire division broke and run,
leaving the l03d and the battery TO resist the
attack. Fixing bayOnets the meu awaited the
onset. As soon as the enemy came within
range, they poured well-drected fire into
their ranks. which, being seconded by the bat
terry. caused them TO wayer. Portions of the
Tetreatiug division having rallied, the rebels
were compelled to betake themselves To the
woods"
Since Sampson slaughtered the PhiIistnes
at close quarters with the iaw-bone of
an ASS, that implement has been frequently
used as successful weapon by a certain class
OF iOng-range warriors but 1t is rather sur
prising that a man of Whiteaw Reds expert
ence should become the victim of one Of these
jaw-bone soldiers.
What really occurred was this Tho I03d
was placed in support of the battery at the
in the manner already described, as their line
wheeled into the interval between the 42d and
the pike, its extreme left flank swept by within
range of the l03d Ohio, and that regiment
opened fire. The amount of strain to which its
staying qualities were subjected is best shown
by its casualty list. The l03d was not covered
by breastwOTks, and it had no casualties at
Spring Hill; not one. None are given in any
report eXtant, and the Chief Clerk in the Adju-
tant-GeneraFs office in Columbus is my author
ity that mono are given on the rolls of the I03d.
1t was not in the pathway, but on the flank of
Cleburne's charge. and therefore sustained not
one particle of the direct shock of those for
midable veterans. It's position on the flank
contributed to the result, because its presence
there helped to create in the minds Of the rebel
Generals the deluslou that they were confronted
by line longer and stronger than their own.
so tar AS the actual fighting was concerned,
the whole story is p0iutedly and impartially
told in the lOsses-Bradley's Brigade, 1873 men
l03d Ohio, none. Capt. Scofed has accented
the stories he has heard concerning the gallant
conduct Of the I03d Ohio; for he was not him.
self present with his regiment ct Spring Hill.
! he description he gives of the cowaTdly man
Der in which the men of Waguer's Division ran
past the I03d. on either hand in spite OF the
efforts Of the latter TO stop them, and his ac-
count Of how the officers of tho lO3d tainted
the fleeing officers with the bad example they
Bradley's Brigade brigade whose deeds are
recorded on the proudest pages in the history
Of the Army Of the Cumberland; whose in
trepid battalons had stemmed the tide Of dis
aster At Stone River; had stood with Thomas
on the Horseshoe Ridge at CbckAmauga had
climbed with Sheridan the bulet-combed
slopes Of Missionary Ridge az CHATTANOOGA; had
lost in the advance on Atlanta their brilliant
young leader, the gallant Harker, on the i'm
pregnablc breastwOrks of Kenesaw, and had
marked their progress on that campaign by a
trail Of their blood which stretched for more
than 100 miles across the mountains aud plains
Of northern Georgia, from Tunnel Hill to Love
joys Station. Ii had never met the enemy
with dishonorr and at Spring hill maintained
the
GLORIOUS TRADITIONS OF ITS FORMER HIS
TORY.
The fact that Bradley's Brigade was separated
from tue lOjd Ohio by interval into which
the rebel battle-Iine had passed, and that all
eOmmu nicatIoB between the two commands
was thus cut of. would seem 10 be a sufficient
refutatiOn Of this gFatuitous sIander, which
has no foundation except in the vivid imRgina-
tion OF the men who can discover display Of
extraordinary fortitude by themselves in an
encounter in which not one of them was hurt
When the Colonel Of the 42d Ill gave the
order TO fall back, that regiment aud the 6ith
Ohio rushed down the rear slope of the hill on
the ocau rum IDr u haG become q question OF
legs 20 escape capture. On our right the con-
tact was 80 close that as our men ran past the
rebels called out 10 them 10 halt and surrender
When they did not obey, some were shot down
with the Inuzzles of the muskets almost touch.
ing their bodies. When we reached the low
ground at the foot Of the hill, one OF our bat
teries posted on the high ground near the viii
lage opened on the pursuing rebels with shrap-
mel shell, firing over our heads. When the
rebels felt this fire, they halted and drew back
cut Of range, our men at the Same time quit
running and walked back to the battery, where
they fell into line at the place pointed out 10
them without any trouble or confusion what
ever.
One Of Clcburnes Brigades was now on the
right rear Of Bradley's four regiments posted
ia the woods, aud as they already had their
hands full with the enemy In their front their
position was no longer tenable. The 65th Ohio
on the right, was quickly assailed in front,
Hank and rear a. the same time and the regi-
ment was eXtricated with great difficulty
When II rallied on the new alignment near the
village, IL was found that the senior officer left
1T was a boy OF IS years-First Lieutenant and
/ Adpt Brewer Smith. When his line was fall
Ing back Gen. Bradley was disabled by mus
ketball, which broke bis arm, and the COM
mand Of his brigade passed to Col. Joseph
| Conrad, Of the 18th No. The rebels followed
after Bradley's retiring line until they came
abreast of the right regiment Of Lanes Bri-
gade, which wheeled around and poured an
enhlade into their right flank
The batteries near the village also opened An
effective FIRE and Cleburne then drew back out
Of range. There WaG Ves q cousidarahIa n..iod