The National tribune., 1892-08-11

| mounted men, any one of which outnumbered
my command Gen. Wheelers and Gen. Bed
ford's Brigades formed two lines directly in my
| front, and Gen. Wharton's line at an angle of
| % degrees across my left-front.
Gen. Stanley, returning from Gen. Rose
crans's headquarters at this moment came on
the field. After hearing what had been DONE
and our then exact situation, he said Y on
look after those fellows in front aud will take
care of this force" pointing to Whartons line
Stanley took two companies from the left OF
the 4th Mich and was about to charge Whar-
ton when, suddenly haulting, he said to the
officer in command "Wait here and / will
bring you assistance" and galloping across the
field to the 18th Pa. ordered that regiment to
follow him.
/ must here explain. The 18th Pa. was a
new regiment; its Colonel and Lieutenant
Colonel were not with that portion then OIL the
field. Two days before in an ill-judged dash,
it had lost several officers killed, including
two gallant young Majors-Ward and Rosen-
garten-and the men were somewhat be-
wildered.
There was hesitation in obeying Gen. STAN
ley's order, and l then witnessed one of the
most heroic scenes of the war. Stanley, stand
ing in his stirrups, his sodierly figure erect,
his saber raised straight above his head. in
voice distinctly heard above the noise of bat
tie, exclaimed, 1.-THE man who does not follow
me is - coward" and wheeling his horse
dashed back to the two companies OF the 18th
Mich. The 18th followed the 4th, and with
ringing cheer this little band of heroes, led by
the gallant Stanley, charged home into the
center of Wharton's Brigade and drove it from
the field, Sergeant of the 18th Pa. bringing
out stand of colors.
l sent the battalion of the 9TH Pa. to support
Stanley, but he did the work without them.
charged the first line i'm trout of me with the
remaining four companies Of the 4th Mich,
supported by the 9Th Tenn, but the Confed-
crates, not waiting to receive us, broke and left
the field on the gallop. Hastily correcting my
formation charged the second line (Buford's),
but, following the example OF Hheelers men.
they also declined the rencontre and retired at
the gallop.
Atthis time the 4th Mich. Cav. was armed with
Colts revolving rifles, aud did not carry sabers,
for which, have no doubt, the enemy IL the
dusk mistook the bright barrels of eur rifles
Van Horne, in the History of the Army of
the Cumberland" Vol. i, page 245. after giving
a short sketch of the operations of the cav
airy under Coils. Kenneth and Zahn, says:
" Finally there was concentration of cavalry,
under Gen. ID. S. Stanley, near Oyerall's Creek,
where successful resistance was offered supe-
rior force"
l picketed well to the front and right, and
held the Eeld that night.
On Jan. /, 1863 Col. Cook, with the Sd Tenn.
Cav, reported TO me; ana on the "a Coi. Iit-
kins reported to me with the 4th Tenn. With
two regiments OH the picket-iine held the
ground on Jan. ], 2 and B.
JAM advanced to Wilkinson's turnpike,
and drove the enemy's cavalry beyond the
position occupied by MeCook on the morning
of Dec. 81.
Jan. passed through Murfreesboro, and
pushed Bragg's rear-guard, consisting of cav
airy, infantry and artillery, six miles beyond,
on the Manchester pike; and thus ended the
battle of Stone River.
The casualties in the brigade we're six officers
and 1873 men killed and wounded. We also
lost I26 horses killed. We captured and turned
over 1872 prisoners.
Vale, in "Minty and the Cavalry" page JIG,
after describing our fighting in front of the
right wing on Dec. 81, says: "In these engage
ments the rebels lost out of their cavalry SO
killed and los wounded.-R II. g. MINTY,
Brevet Major-General U. S. Vols, Ogden, Utah.