The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-11-13
@TgrchiH's Brigade Cut Their Way Through the
HsbsI6."

EDIToE NATIONAL TRIBUNE: VIII you allow
Ese space ia your valuable paper 70 correct 3
false impression which C0mgade B00tl Las iu-
aGgefteBay perhaps. made IN his interesting
articles On tie battle Of ChIckanauga, when he
.yeters 70 " TgTchin's Brigade cutting their way
~hnough tic rebelsG" Tie reads~s Of YOUR pa
per aho saay not know the facts will likely
cTsw the conclusion from Comrade Booths
weil-wTitten articles that Turchin's famous
brigade alSHe made that brilliant charge.
We Caa readily excuse the mistake Of Serg't
Booth, because be was with his regiment ia the
charge and Was not supposed 10 have personal
knowledge 81 what other troops were doing at
tie time. But If be should be under the i'm
preston tbat bis brigade alone made this charge,
be bas DOUBTLESS gotten his information either
from some unreliable OF biased source.
The charge 10 which COmrade Booth refers
in IBE AATIOSAL TRIBUNE Of Oct. I6 was
tie last tragic act 10 the great drama Of the
battle. II was made ia the rear Of the left
wing Of the National army, to open the road
FOR tie movement Of the army from the field
10 E0=sFliIe. Tie right wing Of the army had
been routed, bot the left was yet in position,
cDniroatef by the enemy, who bad sent a con-
siderable force Of infantry around the left flank
Of our left, as far Is tie Chattanooga road.
This daring force Of Coulederateg. under Brig
Gen. LlG1eI. WIS moving down the road in the
rear Of OR leit wing. To hold this road was
Chattanooga. To lose possession Of il now
after fighting desperately lor two days 10 hold
n, would be national calamity. Therefore
i must be held al ali hazards 50 that our dc
Yleied aud deeimaLed army could withdraw
from the Geld 70 Chattanooga.
AOU, ] ask, is 10 at all likely that Gen
Thomas, - skilled aud careful q soldier as b,
Was. would intrUst such an important move
Enent 10 small brigade Of four regiments wheI
be had tWo brigades Of q division Il hand viii
which % c1ccuteitf
Gen. Thomas the commander Of the cOrus
IN person directed Gen. Reynolds 10 depIoy bi
clglssOu Tor tie assault. The division wa
properly composed Of three brIgades, but ia,
First, under Col. John 7. Wilder was mounted
aud vac not with the division but On detache,
duty, acting with the cavalry during the bat
lie, Tie second Brigade, under the c0mnau,
q Col. J.. 4. King, aud the Third, commando,
By BT.g Gen. TuTchin were under the imme
c!ate command Of Maj Gen. Josep J. Reynolds
The assault FOR which Gen. Reynolds was or
oered by the CORPS commander 10 deploy hi
division, WIS made some time after the crash q
the right wing, when BraHnau's Division, o
The right Of Reynolds Second Brigade undo
King ComTade Booth it Ia error when be say
that IlrcAiH's Brigade Wa next TO the diYisi0
81 BfaBuanl, had 6Wuag around and take
position On Horseshoe Ridge, carrying with
tie two right regiments ol tic Second Brigade
the G5ia aud I0ist Ind. The other two reg
IneBts Of this brig4de-the 18th Ind. aud al
10Jth OA.g-TemaiDed with Reynolds IN la,
under Gsi. KiaR, wbO lost his life by Z mini,
bal sent crashing through his brain Just who
tie command iOF the assault was given Hcnc
il the charge the Second Brigade had only Tvs
regiments. which were under a new con
susDoeT Col. 81. s. Robinson, Of the 10Th lud
Just - the sun was sinking behind the hil
Of Missionary Ridge tie signal came for N
advance, and tie two brigades Of tie division
LED By Geu. Reynolds IN person, who was sec
everywhere, Tallying and encouraging his me
leaped 70 heir feet, changed front aud charge
the advancing column Of Lidden The diyisic
moved 10 tie assault with the ACCURACY IA
precision Of ala evenings dress parade. n
attack wac eminenty successful. The COME
crates were driven away and captured and q
road was opened for the withdrawal Of Il
array. Among the captiyes were Col Scales,
tie Both Alss., and Lieut.. Mcdonald, of Sweti
bliss. battery. The results Of the charge we.
80 satisfactory 10 the commander Of the arm
Gen. Rosecrans, that he complimented ii
division and not Turchin's Brigade only.
his official report in these concise words: "Tl
troops Of Reynolds were faced by the rear ran
and mgyed With The bsyOnet st double quic