Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1890-12-20
WAR "REMINISCENCES.
FOUGHT AT FRANKLIN.

battle in history" 1t Is recorded that
Grant in ono hour lost 10, 900 killed and
wounded at Cold Harbor, but he had
nearly 100, 900 to lose that number from
10 per cent. in sixty minutes. General
Hood, just before sunset, November 80,
1864, moved about IL, 900 Confederates.
all told, against the strong breast-works
at Franklin, Tenn, where his casualties
were reported 0,S00-or about 80 per
cent in twenty-five minutes.
AT Franklin the Union soldiers under
General Schofield were intrenched to
the chin A half-dozen forts belched
their thunder from as many hill-tops-
long lines of abbatis and cheveauX de
srise impeded every assault-all round
the works shrapnel and grape swept
down the Confederates from fiery en-.
brasures as our rapidly thinning lines
advanced through an open field ut shoul-
der arms.
The casualties of this little army may
be estimated when it is stated that the
Confederates lost thirteen Generals,
killed, wounded and missing Down
this red valley of death rode no Drawer
soldier than General George w. Gordon
the youngest Brigadier in our western
army. We can see him in fancy now, as
we saw him then for the first time,
mounted on fiery steed, his long hair
swept backward by the breath of battle,
as he rode into the maelstrom of iron
hail. He went over the works and was
captured. There fell, his noble breast
pierced through, the invincible Pat Gle
burne, the idol of his division as of his
State. General John Adams and his
horse fell dead together across the
enemy's breast-works General Thomas
M. Scott was unhorsed by the explosion
of shell.
The readers will pardon the egotism
Tor the we-gotism) if the writer states
that just twenty years afterwards (No-
vember, 1884 he revisited tho field of
Franklin. There on the right still stood
the old gin where gathered the central
whirlwind Of that November storm.
Across the open fields leading from the
McGavock residence our doomed battal-
ions marched. Along that line of fence
beyond his house the brave ranks were
formed. We looked backward across
the tide of twenty faithful years. recall
ing the then light heart and thoughtless
words of youthful ardor as we moved
into the fight. We saw through mist
of unbidden tears the unreturnlng brave
who, in the face of that leaden doom,
with dauntless tread passed "over the
perilous edge of battle to the harvest
home of death"--swept in the twinl1ling
of an eye from our sight forever into the
shoreless gulf We wondered as we sat
there and recalled that terrible day how
we could have been SO thoughtless and
unconcerned. AS we formed in line 20
move upon the foe youthful eyes flashed
fire and downy cheeks flushed with the
rapture of the coming fight All, as we
looked upon loved ones then for the last
time, knowing that death lurled just
over the hill, why did we not stop long
enough to clasp one another in long
embrace?
Revisiting the sweeping plateaus
which we had seen for the first twenty
years before, and only for few minutes
in the stormy charge, we could almost
nccall every spot passed over in the
6ght, rs one gathers up the fragments
Sf broken dream. Surely yonder is
the spot where the writer fell. Here,
without doubt, beneath this friendly
cak the mimic was cut from the flesh
where ''our friends, the enemy" had
embedded it, We know this surgeons
rendezvous" full well-for along this
pathway we passed to the friendly shell
ter of Colonel John McGaYock's house.
There it stands as it stood then--twen-
ty years ago! How dear to the old
rebel" heart is the name OF Colonel
John McGavocl and his family! How
many torn and bleeding bodies were
borne into his asylum. Through all the
long night the good man, assisted by his
wife and daughters, bent like minis
tering angels above the dying and the
dead.
Every thing they had God bless
them) was devoted to their thousand
deeds of mercy. But words lose their
native force as in memory we go back
to that night of their ceaseless minis
trations.
In this room died Colonel Nelson, of
the Twentieth Louisiana. Both legs
were crushed by cannon ball and his
low! Such agony for several hours few
HIGH cfer cHuureu. Ilts eyes, UnrOuBn
exhaustion caused by pain, sank deep
back into his head before death came to
his relief.
''dive me forty grains of morphine"
he called out all through the night,
give me forty grains of morphine and
let me die. Oh can't die? Is it so l
can not die? My poor wife and child
my poor wife and childr
Hard soldier as the writer then was,
he went down the steps and far out be-
meath the stars to escape the prayers of
the dying officer.
But to return. Over fifty per cent of
casualties in twenty-five minutes.
Franklin was, indeed, the bloodiest bat
tie of modern or ancient history.
Those who now talk so flippantly Of
another war; perhaps had no experience
of the first st-Jacksonville (Fla.) Stand
ard.
a FORTUNATE ACCIDENT.