The National tribune., 1891-12-31

1
10 have the location of his regiment at aud be-
fore its capture definitely fixed. Not being
able 10 visit the field himself. he requested me,
at the appointed meeting OF May 20. l69O and
at other times when have been on the Held,
] Go visit the grounds described by him, and see
! il ] could find certain land marks which he
very infinitely parteularized. lie called spe-
! cial attention to a certain depression on the
summit Of the ridge, TO two large trees stand
! ing al tho east edge of the same, giving their
size, distance apart and directions from each
other; also to n small tree standing below them
on the north side OF the ridge. This tree stands
al an angle OF about sJo near a little ravine rum
ming down the ridge. lie gave the size, posi-
ton the tree leaned. and its distance from the
two large trees. lie also called attention TO
fallen tree on the south side of the ridge and
| hole in the ground made by the roots Of the
tree when it was blown over, and gave the To-
cation Of that from the two large trees.
Maj. Cusac, Of his regiment, was with me on
| May 20. We found all the trees and the hole
exactly as described by the Colonel, though tho
Colonel never told me why he had these four
! points SO indelibly fixed iu,his mind. only that
he assured mo they were very important TO
him. as they would prove the correctness or in
| accuracy Of a statement which he might some
! day wish 90 make.
Arriving in Detroit in the forenoon Of Aug
/ 3. 1891. with T.. J. Bevan, late Of the 2lst Ohio
and one Of my sous, and Comrade Bevan being
| very anxious 10 visit the Colonel, who lived at
! Toledo, wedecided 60 20 there thatafternoOn and
see him. We arrived at his residence al about
dusk. In answer 10 the summons at the door
his daughter informed us that the Colonel had
already retired; but sho ,pld the Colonel that
there were some soldiers there who wished to
see him. He told her 10 admit them immedi-
ately If they were soldiers, aud TO conduct us
4 into his bedroom. We made ourselves known
10 him. and remained with him until quite late
ia the evening. During that time. in the pres
ence o. the three Of Us, he made the following
/ statement.
During our interview the Colonel was sitting
up ia bed portion Of the time, aud par OF
the time reclining on pillows. He said he had
been more or less confined 20 the house for
some time, but was then rapidly gaining, and
WIS that day assured by his physicians that lie
would speedily recover. lie appeared 10 he ia
very good spirits, and his mind TO be very clear.
| j questioned him very minutely regarding
/ many points connected with the battle with
which ] was familiar, and / found, rs | had
during our correspondence that he had q re-
\ maTkable memory for its accuracy ms 10 detail.
A few days after my return from the Detroit
meeting, ] received a marked newspaper from
| Toledo announcing the death OF the Colonel on
the ith Of August aud giving quite lengthy
account Of the incidents Of his life.
The following Is the statement az made by
| him in tho presence Of myself L. J. Beyan, OF
/ 81. Louis, Mo, nnd my son, s. A. Dolton:
On the morning Of Sept. 20 1862 rs his Tegi-
! mcnt was moving TO the north along tho cast
! edge Of n field toward Sn0dgrass Ridge. he saw
| through the open fields 10 the south the retreat
Of the Union forces, followed up by the rebels
aud IL WAS the grandest scene that he wit
| messed throughout the war; that there was no
haliing, but = constant rush to the north Invest
! ward across the fields.
That he first formed his regiment along
SnOdgrass Ridge, a little 10 the south OF the
Snodgrass House. that the troops running
from Snodgrass House eastward 10 the woods,
| 50 long rs he was in that position did no
fighting, and had no enemy confronting them;
that orders were given 10 Col. StonRhtOn. Of
his regiment, 90 move 10 the west into the first
| depression; that by some misunderstanding
the Colonel went down the depression aud par.
italy up the first rise in that direction; that
they there met the rebels ia force, who drove
them back, aud as lie supposed, into the same
| depression, where they fought during the after
noon, being charged several times by Kershaw,
aud aiteTward by Oracle and others.
That Ia the charge down tho depression Col.
St0ughton was wounded that while he was
lying IN the depression after the retreat Stecd
mans men formed on his right none Of them
being on his left; that late in the afternoon
the pa MINI. came np in his rear and lay down,
aud later the Both Ohio came up and lay Ia the
rear Of the "a Mimi; that toward night, being
out Of ammunition, his men, having stood "a
many charges Of the enemy. were becoming
| very shaky, rs was no himself; that be went
10 the Colonel Of the "a MINI. and requested
him 10 move his regiment 20 tho position then
occupied 10y the 2lst Ohio which extended
somewhat % the right of the "a Mimi; that
the Colonel refused 20 DO So
He then returned 20 his regiment and re-
ported the same 10 (afterwardb Mai. Cusac and
requested the Major 90 70 over aud see the Col
onel aud CndeavOr 10 persuade him 10 rclicv,
them which he finally did; that his mer
, then fell back about halfway down tho hill
, and lac there managed 60 form them. Befor,
that they were in a very disorganized shape on
the ridge.
That while looking around. he discovered
. a small tree in his rear. standing i'm a very pc
culiar, slanting position; that looking up OF
the ridge 20 his left front. he saw two largl
trees behind which were two officers OF
/ horseback; that shortly after he had foFme,
b / his men. one Of these officers came 10 him ant
ordered him 10 move his regiment TO the RICH
OF the troops then on the crest Of the ridge a
G 4 his right front; that he refused Ia do So say
0 ing that hIs men were not in condition 10 z,
0 into battle again, they having no ammunition
I aud being very much disorganized on accoun
70 Of tle many attacks they had withstOod tina
: | the officer returned 10 the other one aud con
4 ( suited with him, aud Immediately came bacl
70 aud again ordered him 10 move 10 the right
! He asked by whose authority the order wa
given. aud was informed that IL was by the or
! der of Gen. Van DcrveeT, the other officer b,
r the trees The officer who gave him the orde
r was a tall. slim man, wearing large glasses o
4 goggles. He then ordered his bugler 10 SCUM,
Il the advance" aud that his men would no
4 move. lie ordered the Forward sounded
4, second time. Still his men would not move
:, Io then ordered them TO fix bayonets an
/. move 10 the charge in that direction. That OF
Is der many Of his men Obcycd, but quite mum
Il Der Of them remained in their then position
20 with Maj. Cusac.
"A That he reported 10 Col. Carlton Of the s9t1
e. Ohio then on the crest OF the ridge and aske
as where he was 20 take his men. The Colon,
a. told him 20 form them on his right, down owe
g. the crest, and 10 the west; that he did So an
is Just nj that moment column Of rebels cum
"a upon them aud demanded their surrender
IN that without orders his men fired upon thci
~ aud the rebels fell back in disorder. 1t WI
10 then near dusk, but shortly after that eolum
NJ OF the rebels came upon them from the rear,
at nOrthward, up the ridge, when the surrend,
n took place.
" He further stated that 10 his certain know
ledge the 3Jlh Ohio was not engaged from d
time IL came ON the ridge and halted in a
rear Of the I'd Mimi, until his regiment move
10 the right Of the S9th Ohio; that lie remeu
he hers the hole ia the ground near the root OF a
r. fallen tree, about which lac bad previously wri
be ten TO q. T.. Dolton, from the fact that one OF b
Nv officers lay ia that hollow aud was making col
- "A -. a.. n. 81