The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-04-17
CHICKAMAUGA,
Who Saved the Nations Life In the Great II

that time is still Tes0undlng in my ears.
Tho voluntary action taken by Steedman and
the service rendered by his men in that strife
entitled them to the gratitude of the Nation.
But Comrade Dolton in his buglo blast OF Feb.
- seems to overlook tho fact that there were
other commands in that engagement who did
their duty, aud could with the Same proprioty
claim that they saved tho Nation. According
10 statements made by Southern papers at the
time, Braggs loss in that battle was over $4,000
in killed and wounded
Now concedng that Battery NJ with the
assistance Of Whtaker's and Mitchelfs Bri-
gades of Infantry caused 1000 of this loss, and
for so doing should have the credit of saving
tho Nation, and 10 should DO so inscribed on
their monument, what should be the portion OF
the other Union troops who placed "hors de
combat" the $4,000, aud had stood wall of
steel between tho rebel hosts aud the Nations
life for almost two whole days before the re-
serves came into actiou2 What should these
other commands have inscribed on thor monu-
mcnts2 If Battery NJ saved the Nations life,
why erect monuments on that field, or in fact
elsewhere save the one to that cOmmand2
With Comrade bottoms view of the case there
certainly would 10 no call for any other. But
it is my opinion that his late comrades of the
Army of the Cumberland do not see the matter
from his standpoint.
believe that's NIL the survivors Of Rosecrans's
army will say that it is Just and right for Bat
terry NJ TO have an appropriate monument on
that hill, | will 20 farther aud say that ! be-
lieye the members of my old brigade, who were
among the first TO euter the conflict and the
last to leave the field, and who throughout tho
whole engagement were under fire Of the enemy
almost continuously, and never yielded an inch,
but conquered every forco that opposed them
yes, knowing as | do the generous natures of
the brave boys of my old regiment and the
other regiments of my brigade, ! will say that
Ill. nG fl,NFsH In
willing that Battery NJ should have shaft
erected on that field equal TO their own, but
would object to Battery nj having tho only
monument there.
Comrade BOLTON coming onto the field late
in the day. aud taking part in nero fraction
of that terrible conflict and being present only
at its closing scenes might naturally fall into
error i'm regard To events which TRANSFERRED in
the earlier part of the action, but why ha should
accuse Sheridan aud his brave old division OF
fleeing back to Chattanooga before Lougstroet
with such celebrity that Longstreet could not
see their coat tails for the dust. is beyond my
comprehension. the rebel line the morning of
the Doth from right to left was rs follows:
Longstreet, johnson floods column Walker,
Buckucr aud Polk.
Shsridan's Division was on the extreme right
of our line near Leo and Gordons Mill, aud
opposite to Polk When our limo was broken
by the withdrawal of Woods Division, Sheri-
dan moved TO the left TO support Davis, and
came ia contact with Walkers troops, and was
forced back by superior numbers toward Craw
fish Springs, and in the opposite direction from
Chattanooga. At this time Sheridan was OPP
posed by four full rebel divisions, none Of which
belogned TO Bongstreets command.
But will let the brave Sheridan speak for
himself The following IL an extract from his
report:
Amer a stubborn resistance the enemy
V1gF FINesf Ia ali
tauce OF about 30 yards, At this point the men
again rallied, Drove the enemy back with terrible
slaughter. aud regnined tho limo of the ridge on
which Col. Iaibolt q. e.. one of Shefidaus Br-
gades) had originally been posted Ip this charge
we took number nj prisoners. and tie 5lnt H.
captured tile colors of the 2ith Ala. Here. un-
fortunately, the enemy had strong supports, whiie
| ! had none to relieve my exhausted men, aud
nay troops were Rgain driven back TO the i.atay-
cite road. after gallant resistance Ia thss en-
gagemcut had the misfortune t0 lose Grn Lyle,
commanding my First Brigade. and many Of the
! best aud braveHt officers Of my command.
! Sheridau being thus cut oG from tho Union
| lines, with tie whole rebel army between him
aud Chattanooga, and hemmod in by mountains.
/ would have been iustifabla la snrrendorng.
Did he do soY No. Butaftcr tedious a ght march
/ Of II or - miles. coming directly through tho
/ enemy lines, the iuvucblo Sheridan reported
| TO Gen. Thomas tho next morning Sept. 81 j,
/ at Rossvie. with more men aud more guns
/ (arlillery) than ho took into the fight, having
/ and number of batteries taken from u4 during
/ thecontest. besides bringing In several hundred
/ Of the enemy as prisoners the most Of whom
| he had captured during his night march.
Now. these arc the facts, ~ remember them,
| in regard to Sheridan and his men ut Chlcka-
manga. If ] have mis5tated them, l kindly
ask the members Of that gallant old division
/ TO correct me-
| wish now to say n few words as TO the
/ charge against that stubborn old fighter from
Pennsylvania. Gen. James A. Negley. In the
FIRST place will call the readers attention to
the following extract from the report made by
| Col WIN. j.. StoughtOn. of the llth Mich;
] commanded the second Brigade Of the
Second Division. Fourteenth Corps. the only brit
/ gBds Of NegIey' Division actively engaged.
Mp brigade participated la the hottest part Of the
/ nggii under Gen. Thomas, holding dangerous
aud opposed position until after dark aud oue
OF the last II not the very last. that left tie field
On ihc night Of tho 10Th fell back to Ross
At 8 O'Clock the next morning, Sept 81 I took
up position lea front Of Rossvilie, covering the APP
lfoAch 10 the battlefield, and beid ths position
during the day. The night of tho 2lst our whole
army retired 10 Chattanooga, and WAS ordered q
send back my artillery md three regiments Of my
brigade, aud To- remain and cover the movement
. ! remained with the G5lh Ohio JItl lad.
18th KY aud llth Mich regiments all i:iO . clock
next morning when / successfully Withdrew ms
| picllrts and made "a forced march 10 Chattanooga
without the loss Of mau ] received my
finai orders from Gen Thomas aud knsw that Inc
/ n
aud las ufterward cUnpiimentcd me personally OF
! my success.
From the foregoing IL would appear that tho
troops Of Ncgley's Division who were engaged
did their duty. As TO the part that Gen. Neg
ley himself took In that battle know nothing
as ! did not see him once during the whole
engagement. but understood that he, with twt
of mis- brigndes was on special guard duty a
the rear One thing | do know Is that tht
man who held Nashville during Buell's rotrca
into Kentucky In 1862, and who at the battle
OF Stone River stood by Sheridan on the 3is
dag OF December 1862 is not the man 10 iguO
miniousy desert his comrades OH the field.
During that afternoon Commanding
, General, with the assistance OF Garfield Rose
cranas Chief Of Staff and his own corps of stat
, officers, watched every part of our line, and i
would be singular indeed IL any portion of i
was Withdrawn without the knowledge an,
, consent OF Gen. Thomas.
r Tho comrades description Of LOngstreet'
troops sounds like the reports made by some O
our three-monLlis men ia regard 10 the Blaal
. Horse Cavalry at Bull Run. From their ac
counts one would infer that these command
, were "hoiy terrors" when, in fact, thoi
superior proves existed only in tho imagina
, tions Of the individuals rendering tho report.
During tho battle OF Chickamauga my bri
/ gade being on the left Of our line, ircqucntl,
Z came ia contact with Lougstreet's troops. II
the morning OF tho Goth we charged them AM
! drove back "a division ID. III. HIPS aud capt