The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1891-09-10
CHICKAMAUGA.
How the I2Ith Ohio Manurered to Get Into the
Big Battle,

EDITOR NATIONAL tribune: Comrade Dol
ton, Battery NJ, LIST III. J.. A., Is SJ< Main
street, st. Louis No, makes n very good sug-
gestion for each cOmrade TO give all that he has
in the way OF facts in regard 10 the battle Of
Chickamauga. i have one or two memoran-
dums that have been treasuring very highly.
wondering whether they would ever be Of any
account, and, If 50, Of what amount, and who
would ] give them 70 to bring them out. /
have concluded 20 send them 10 The NATIONAL
TRIBUNE. j will not send the Original for l
prize them too highly, but / will give true
copies.
Before begin I will say, without comment,
that l was always an admirer Of Gen. L. j..
Grittcnden. Of the Twenty-frst Corps.
Just prior 20 the battle OF Chickamauea, will
say, the Twenty-GTst Corps, lying in camp
at Manchester, Tenn, received marching orders
10 cross the Cumberland Mountains, and also 10
cross the Tennessee River, which we did at a
point about 10 miles above Chattanooga, at
Harrison. We marched from there down
through the latter place; from there 10 Ring
gold; halted there for day or two, then again
took the road 10 Lee q Gordon's MIL in the
State Of Georgia. where we stayed over night.
This was the afternoon and night Of Sept. l6,
l563. The morning Of the 18th we went away
down IN the cove past Crawiish Springs, and
camped on the bank of ChckamauEa Creek.
Across the creek was large cornfeld. Gen.
HaZcns tent was he closest TO this cornfed.
Early la the morning OF the 18th squad Of
rebel cavalry attacked our camp firing voley
into our tents before we had got M. Three
shots struck Gen. Hazen's tent. We were not
long in getting up aud ready for business, hut
when we got ready there was no enemy 10 fight,
but two OF the rebs, more bold than the rest,
rode up 10 the bank OF the creek and fired at
Gen. HaZCn, who was then standing Just out
SIDE has tent The two rcbs were just across
the creek from him. Immediately there was a
hundred muskets raised ready TO fire at them,
but Gen. llazen drew his sword, saying, Don't
fire" lie also said he admired bravery where
ever be saw il. Those two men were all alone.
We went across the river aud secuted through
and around the cornfcld, hut the Johnnies
had disappeared. Co. / Of the l2iih Ohio
was detailed in the evening for picket duty
We were marched down in our front and put
on post. The post ] was on was by a ford, OPP
posite which was a sweet potato field. There
was firing across the creek all day. There
were rs men PIT on this post two other posts
were al we had 10 guard. Az 10 o'clock that
night we were called i'm of picket aud ordered
TO march, which we did, and that night we
marched seven or eight miles back TO Lee *
Gordon's Mill All the way along that line Of
march the fences on both sides Of the road
were lit up with bright, beautiful fires, making
IL almost as light as day. ] shall never forget
AhaA hA-hbH AlafNu a. lbNR ~ 4 lAANs we
reached our destination about o'clock in the
morning OF Sept. 10 That march proved tho
last for a great many good aud brave men. IL
they were c0lee-cOolors and scalawags let tho
men who call the soldiers IN that line aud all
other lines during the whole war experience
the same hardships that they did, aud they
would sing different tune from what they do
now; especially the New York Herald. But
must cut this letter short. We at last lay
down aud went 10 sleep. To some Of US IL was
our last sleep. About o'clock we got mp aud
cooked our break fast Of bareback and SOW
belly. There was then heavy firing close to
Us when we FIRST woke M. Soon one Of Hazen's
Orderlies rgme to Col. Payues quarters The
Colonel arose Immediately and gave the order
10 fall in, and we marched out and relieved the
first line Of our brigade just in time 10 receive
a charge from the enemy. which wc met and
repulscd Almost at the first FIRE Col. Payne
WAS wounded in the thigh, and our Orderly
Sergeant WAS killed, as we're three or four pri-
yates. We were then moved off TO the left to
tho support Of battery, which We did ia fine
Style receiving the commentator Of Gen. la
zen and Old Pap Palmer.-SAM'L KEERAS, Co.
], l24th Ohio, 50 Pine street, Newark, o.