The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1893-05-30
BATTLE OF FRANKLIN.
Robert Bonner, Of Sedaiia, Was
One of the Heroes Of
That Bloody Day.

SdpldiH DoNSc, VI ~. Aoui|, :"
noted ex-Confederate, relates the fol-
lowing thrilling experience at the
battle of Franklin, Tennessee, in
1864:
about 4 o'clock the corps of Lee
and Cheatham were ready for the
grand assault. The sun was going
down behind bank of dark clouds as
if to hide from the sight of the i'm
pending slaughter. His slanting rays
threw a crimson light over the field
and intrenchments prophetic of our
fate. Our brigade was in the rear,
and past experience had taught us
that it was no child's play, this charg-
ing of those western veterans when
well intrenched. We had learned this
at Allatoona. Gen. Cockrell gave
orders to march straight for the pO-
sition in quick time and not to fire a
shot until we gained the top Of the
works. Then, when the decisive mo-
ment arrived, in clear ringing tones
we heard his command: shoulder
arms! right shoulder shift, arms! bri-
gade forward! guide center! music
quick time! march," and this array of
hardened veterans, every eye straightto
the front, in actual perfection of drill
and discipline, moved forward to our
last and bIOodiest charge. Our brass
band, the finest in the army, went up
with us, starting off with the Bonnie
Blue Flag changing to Dixie a
we neared the front. The Union
troops naturally opened heavily with
musketry and artillery in front, and
an enfilading fire from battery on
our right on the other side OF Harpeth
river, which was deliberate and dead
". as we fired not shot in return.
They commenced dropping fast from
the start. The distance we marched
from cur position where we first
formed in line of battle to the enemy's
work was about 900 yards. In that
space our flag fell three times. Joseph
II. Donovan, ensign, of ST. Louis, was
the first to fall. struck down and bad
" hurt by a fragment of shell. Two
other members of the RECOMMENDATIONS
:. Harris and Robt. Bentley-were
killed within few minutes while car
rving it. Scrgt. Denny Callahan wa
the last bearer, and this brave Irish
lad carried it TO the works, where he
planted it, and was then wounded anu
captured. Poor DENNY He was one
of the bravest men ever knew. He
Jared death hundred times, only 10
meet it years after in drunken brawi
in little Alabama town.
"The flag fell into the hands OF the
Federals after we were forced to re-
tire. Advancing in eschelon (stair
step order, our long, swinging step
soon brought us breast of Cleburnes
division. Just to the right of the
Franklin pike, and with that superb
command we crossed the enemys adj
vanced line of rife-pits, raised the
glorious old yell, and rushed upon the
main works frantic, maddened body
of devils, every sense lost in the de-
lirium of the charge except the one
overpowering desire to reach the enc
nv and kill, murder and destroy. On
and on we went right up t, the muir
derous parapet, delivered one smash
ing voliey as Gen. Cockreil had di-
rected, and the line rolled over the
works with empty guns, the bayonei
now the only trust, | should say, OF
what was left of the line, for the ground
in our rear was thickly strewn with
our comrades.
GAS we crossed the riiiepits our line
was delayed second or two, and I'M
consciously / had got several wards in
advance, but Lieut.. \. b. Barnett,
who was killed moment later, Dick
Salisbury, Robert Bonner, who isnow
resident of Sedalia. and Denny
Callahan, caught up with me, and
without intending to do so, we led the
line over the last few steps up the
ditch. where we all went down To-
gether. | felt my legs give way and
fell on the top OF the works, my sword
falling out of my hand. In another
second our men were on top OF the
parapet, the firing Of the Union troops
ceased abruptly, recovered my sword
ana finding that | could walk, started
toward the rear for surgeon. The
enemy gave way and we made another
successful assault. 1t may sound
boastful, but never during the entire
war did our Missouri command fail to
carry line we were ordered to take,
and never did the enemy sue
ceee in breaking our line. This
Il,