The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-07-10

Northern invasion, and had he failed at
either Of these critical periods no power
could have stopped the Southerners short
of the Ohio river. There is one picture of
General Thomas in my mind which |
should like very much to see on canvas.
1t was placed there by old, fighting Jim
Steedman, of Ohio, who, some years after
the war; told me of his meeting with Gem
eral Thomas on the field of Chickarnauga.
Steedman, with his command, was sta
toned at Red House church some ten
miles from Chickamauga in accord
ance with that wonderful policy of
General Rosecrans which strung out
his army twenty-five miles through
the mountains of Tennessee while
waiting for an attack. Steedman had
been on accommodating expedition in
Ringold, and had seen Longstreet's corps
disbark at the railway station and march
toward Rosecrans' left. He realized the
movement of concentration on the part of
the enemy, and when the battle of Chicka-
manga opened on Sunday morning he de-
termlned to go there. His orders were to
hold the bridge in his front across little
stream. When he heard the guns he called
his officers together in the church, read
them his order to hold the bridge, an
and march to the battlefield. What a great
man Lew Wallace would have been if he
had done this at Shiloh! Steedman's Off
GERS protested, but the old fighter had
his way. He burnt the bridge,
and started on the most direct
route to the sound of the
battle. 1t was some time in the afternoon
when he came upon the field by the flank.
Our troops were being soreiy pressed. He
asked 10 see General Thomas, and one of
his aides took him to where the general
was standing opposite an old dead tree.
Steedman described him thus:
HE stood as immovable rs man of
bronze. His eyes were fixed upon ridge
in his front from which our troops had
been driven and upon which the enemy
poured in great force. | never saw such
an expression upon mans face as upon
his. 1t was calmness, determination, and
wlthal, bitter tierceness in his eye. As
| rode up and dismounted from my horse
traVel-stained, he gave me single glance,
then reached out his hand without taking
his eyes from the terrible scene which con-
fronted him, he said: General Steed-
man, have always been glad to see you,
but never half so glad as now
Il held his hand for an instant and said:
Where shall put my men general?' He
pointed to the ridge which now seemed to
be in full possession OF the enemy and
hold that ridge. presume somebody has
given him orders to go away; certainlydid
not. He has gone. l want you to put
your division there and take that ridge
and hold it at all hazards
AT this instant" said General Steed-
man. =. round shot struck the dead tree
near which Thomas was standing, not
more than five feet from his head. | con-
TESS that lodged when | heard the ball
coming and shuddered when 1t struck the
tree. But | Will take my oath that Gene
raj Thomas was no more moved by that
cannon ball than if he had been made of
bronze. There was not the slightest tremor
nor change of color on his part. A drawer
man never lived"
Steedman did as commanded and won
his major-generalship. The feature that
amused him in his heroic encounter was
the calm comment of General Thomas on
the conduct of General Negley. ANY other
soldier would have characterized it differ
entity. But even in the bitterness of his
soul, in the heat of that terrible battle he
could not reflect upon brother nor say an
unk1nd word which, repeated, might cause
bitterness | sincerely hone that somebody
will be found TO complete Colonel
Piaft's History of General Thomas and
HIS services 10 the union cause. Colonel
Mcclure in his recent work on Lincoln
and Men OF the War Times" paws a
splendid tribute to General Thomas and
touches upon that sad phase Of neglect
which must have filed his latter days with
sorrow. lie speaks OF him as one of the
deserving but unrequlted heroes of our
civil war Let us hope that this forthcom-
ing history will. in a measure, make
amends for the cruel neglect ana n
difference shown TO General Thomas when
alive. JOHN A. Cock ERILL.