The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1892-05-05
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a7- 80 g,


echoed over village and plain, beckon-
ing hot tempered youth to the lists. 1t
goes without saying that the men of the
First Tennessee made haste to rattle the
powder horns and Turkish the shotguns
which old time daddies had slung over the
mantels against time of need. And, by the
way, there was q rush to capture the honor
Of being No. |, and two regiments in Con-
federate service bore that title through
the war-Mancy's First and Turney's First,
after their earliest colonies. Turney's was
also distinguished as First Confederate.
Maney's was raised in central Tennessee
Nashville, Franklin, Columbia, Murfrees-
boro and Pulaslli-draining the best blood
of five counties.
Nashville had five companies-three
known as the Rock City Guards, one of Ger
mans, called Tennessee Rihemen, and one
of Railroad boys. Maury county, around
Columbia, gave the Maury Grays and the
Brown Guards; Murfreesboro, Rutherford
county, the Rutherford Rifles; Pulaski,
Giles county, the Martin Guards, and
Franklin, Williamson county, the Will
Hanson Guards. These titles alone show
that their bearers were among the pioneer
cohorts of Secessia. The men carried their
ideas of being among the ''elect' so far
that some Of the rough and ready fellows
from the hills dubbed the First the kid
Glove Regiment.' This nickname had
force until the men who bore it got a
chance to charge Il battery or two and then
was played out.
The chance was a long time coming, not
until Oct s. 1862, at Perryville, Ky, a Ten
nessee fight in a sense.
At Perryyille Col. George Nancy led a
brigade composed of five regiments-four
from Tennessee and one from Georgia. It
was in Cheatham's division. Cheatham's
men were halted while the front line Skin
mished and got the bearings of the Union
forces, and then let loose. The Union ar
tlllery and infantry, warned and in wait
ing, received the assailants with showers
of bullets and shells. Ahead of the Ten
nesseeans, on an eminence with an open
field in front, stood Capt. G.. G. Parsons
S-gun battery of Napoleons The assail-
ants advanced obliquely and Parsons turn
ed six pieces upon them, with canister at
ninety PAGES. A glazing sun almost blind
ed the Confederates, but they advanced,
firing, and quickly shot down Gen. James
S. jackson, who was helping Parsons.
The infantry supporting Parsons coolly
awaited until the charging column came
within 100 yards, then opened, and the Ten
nesseeans began to fall. Parsons wheeled
his seventh gun into position, but before he
could get a shot the enemy was among his
pieces, and he was hauled away in person
by the main strength of some of his com
rades. Il couldn't help it!'' he cried; ''it
was not my fault" And sure enough,
that was Tennessee day.
But they hadn't finished it, There was
q md Tr,fN 1.-Two Iol,.x Ill
and there Stones and Bush's Kentucky
and Indiana batteries, two in number, with
twelve guns, were by their generals COM
mand lying low for close work; that is,
grape at q few PAGES They were half a
mile from Parsons battery and upon hill
sloplng sharply toward the Confederate
line and commanding a corn field throu 9 b
which the assailants had to march. The
IWenty-first Wisconsin infantry took shell
ter IN the corn and peppered the Tennes-
seeans bitterly, gradually retiring toward
the batteries. Stones guns were crushing
the right Of Maney's brigade and Col H
II. Field, OF the First, asked the honor OF
taking care of them with his "Kid Gloye''
boys. 1t was granted, and the men de-
ployed III well closed ranks and advanced
hrng, shooting down thirty-fve of Stones
horses and many Of the gunners The guns
were abandoned and the Tennesseans took
charge, but the battery supports rallied
and drove them out.
Lieut.. Col John Patterson, of the First
ana about fifty others fell in that single
charge. Retiring down the steep before
superior forces, Col. Field rallied his mer
IN the slope and turned and charged again,
Again they reached the guns and made 2
stand to hold them in face Of CALLING fire
lntil supports should come to their aid
None came, and Field gave the order to re-
tire. Only ninety-live muslzets gathered
around him at the foot of the hill out of $50
that had entered the fight. The killed out.
right were 10, the heaviest Confederate loss
on the field: the killed and wounded 17o