The National tribune., 1892-09-22

fsntry from Trune to Murfreesboro. After
Davis's Division had passed l followed, and
arrived at Murfreesboro after dark, having
been absent from camp Ia days and having
marched nearly 800 miles.
We brought into Murfreesboro with Us 20a
prisoners, "a of whom were officers; making
total of "a officers and 262 men.
Vale, in Minty and the Cavalry" page l3O,
speaking of this expedition, says:
This scout of Is days was the most severe 1t
is possible to conceive. The weather was con-
slant succession of rain, snow, and sieet, alter
mated with the most intense cold; the roads
were knee-deep with mud and slush, varied at
times with a crust of two or three inches OF
ice and frozen ground on top. not hard enough
to carry horse, but enough to make marching
difficult and dangerous. The cavalry moved
without tents or baggage, and the suffering was
very great. Many of the men had their hands
and feet frostbitten and all felt the effects for
weeks aud months after. There are few OF the
survivors either OF the National or rebel forces,
who would again voluntarily pass through the
experience of that terrible fortnight"
On the morning after our return to Murfrees-
boro directed my Quartermaster to procure a
grindstone for each regiment in the brigade.
He secured supply the same day from the
surrounding plantations, and / ordered all
sabers to be ground two-thirds of their length
from the point.
During our absence on this scout the regular
picket duty of the brigade had to be performed
by the men who were left in camp and those
who were on picket when we marched.
A Lieutenant and 40 men of the 4th Mich.
were picketing the Manchester pike about a
mile in advance of the infantry pickets. The
post was attacked by considerable force OF
rebel cavalry, and without making much of q
fight the Lieutenant fell back behind the infan-
try pickets When near the infantry, Corp'l
Ketchum, of Co. A, fell out OF the ranks. and
calling to few Of his comrades said :" When
the Colonel hears of this he won't like it; let
Us go back and not disgrace ourselves" and
back they went five men in all, drove the
enemy and took possession of their old post and
held it for couple of hours, when the Lieuten-
ant and his other 30 men returned.
This of course, came to my knowledge on
my return to camp. ] sent for the officer, and
on questioning him found the facts to be as
stated / said to him: Lieutenant, you have
disgraced yourself and your presence in the
4tb Mich. Cav.-a regiment of brave men-is
disgrace to il. II / DO not receive your resigna-
tion within an hour, I shall place you under
arrest and prefer charges against you for cow
srdice in the face of the enemy" Half an
hour later the resignation was in my hands.
Corp'l Ketchum was promoted to Sergeant
On the 10th Gen. Rosecrans received under
flag of truce dispatch from Gen. Bragg, in
which he stated that he had been informed
that the Federal cavalry were grinding
their sabers; that he considered such action
barbarous in the extreme. and he desired to
enter his most solemn protest against it. Gen.
Rosecrans sent for his Chief of Cavalry, Gen.
ID. S. Stanley and asked him what it meant.
Stanley said he knew nothing about it, but
supposed it was some of Minty's work, and sent
for me. On my arrival at Headquarters, Gen.
Rosecrans said "Minty, what is all this about
grinding ssbers?" I told him that / had pro-
cured grindstone for each of my regiments
and had ordered all sabers sharpened; that in
charge made couple of weeks before
amongst the prisoners taken we had 13 men
with chips knocked out of their skulls by the
CHANGING of our blunt sabers; that l considered
this very poor work, and did not want to see
any more of il. Both Generals laughed
Stanley said: "Tbat's right" Gen. Rosecrans
then told me of Bragg's protest, and added:
"You are quite right; make your sabers as
sharp as you please-the sharper the better for
such troopers as yours. who know how to use
them"
A few days later Gen. Stanley told me that
Gen. Rosecrans, in replying to Bragg's protest,
said: Sabers are given to the cavalry as
offensive weapons, and the more effective they
can be made the better they will answer their
purpose; sharp sabers are much more effective
than blunt ones; that he considered it much
more barbarous to mutilste an enemy with .
blunt weapon than to wound or kill him with
q sharp one; and that he fully and unequivo-
cslly approved of the sabers of his cavalry be-
ing ground.
believe that several letters passed between
the commanding Generals on this subject. But
one thing / do know: / never heard Of chip
being taken out of q skull again. When Q
ssber struck it did not glance it penetrated
K H. G. MINTY, Brevet Maior-General. United
States Volunteers Ogden, Utah.