The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1894-03-15
FIGHTING THEM OVER,
What0ur Veterans Have to Say About
Their Old Campaigns
FAMOUS FOR CHARGING.
More About Old Town Creek and the Battle
of Nashville.


EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: The ar
ticle by s. C. Miles, 8ih Wis, on the battle
of Tupelo. Miss, July IA, 1864, in your issue
of Dc 81 was interesting in many respects ;
but when one battalion, composed of REM
uants Of the Sth Wis. and 5th MIMI, ismade
to fight and win the bloodness battle OF Old
Town Creek the next day, ] demur.
For a list of the killed and wounded at
Old Town Creek, Miss, l would refer the
comrade to the reports of Gen. Mower; OF
Col. McMilen, commanding the ONO Brl-
gade, and the officers commanding the ia
and 95;h Ohio, 93d ILL.,. 114lh H., and 10Th
Mlnp., which composed that brigade. (See
Rebellion Records.)
These regiments, after letting our fleeing
cavalry squads of led-hOrses and dis
mounted rear-guaId pass through, charged
in line from the banks of Old Town Creek,
driving the enemy for mile, and Furnishing
him TO such an extent that he made no other
attack.
In this charge the gallant Maj. Rawson,
commanding the I'D Ohio, received wound
in his face, of which he died in a few days
McMillens Brigade travelled more than
1900 miles on foot, thousands by car and
vessel; went through the sieges of Vicks-
burg and Jackson, Miss, and Spanish Fort,
AID, WIS All many pSOtNlOhcs ShiI
and hard-fought hattles, and took promi-
nent part in each. The shortest siege, that
of Jackson, Miss, lasted seven days and the
brigade participated in advances and charges
in each siege.
The brigade had n famous record for
charging. II was Mem liens Brigade, of
McATthur's Division, Sixteenth Corps, that
stormed and carried the salient angle of the
enemys works at Nashville on the after
noon Of Dec 10, 1864. This WIS in front
of the left of the Twenty third Corps,
while that corps and the rest of the army,
excepting the artillery, remained in line in
silent solici ude awaiting the result.
In ttis charge the brigade captured on
Bald II II 1.400 prisoners and eight pieces
of artillery. The I'D Ohio that night took
these prisoners to Nashville.
Thai charge affords the only instance in
the Amy of the Tenne- see, perhaps in the
whole army, where, for the specific purpose
OF such charge, a small brigade of about 300
muskeis was taken from its place in the line
of its own corps and marched in front of the
rift-pits of an adjoining corps; where, at
the very line of four corps, one brigade
stacked arms, unslung knapsacks and strip
ped for a lone charge against a point in the
opposing FORTH Hne f an enemy extend
ing miles in length; where the Union line,
IN plain view OF the charge, waited in anx-
iOus suspense the passage Of single brigade
from that line to the enemy; where one br.-
.sade, IN a single charge, without any con-
siderable halt, covered the entire distance
between lines of such magnitude, broke the
enemy's position for the first time that day,
and, rs a signal for the main line to charge
swept the chief hill and fort; where the
enemys line, strongly posted behind breast
every attempt at dislodgment, was assaulted,
carried, and utterly routed at the chief point
of it's strength by the charge of single bri-
gade, and where the Union line, having
waited until that brigade had routed the
enemy at that point of attack, moved i'm
medlately in general and successful assault
McMlllen's attack was triumph of skill,
dash, and bravery over superior numbers
and position. The enemy's ridge was spur
Of about 100 feet in altitude, and, consisting
of cleared ground across the end and rear.
was called Bald Hill" Through the valley,
On the east, at right angle to this spur and
near it, ran the Granny White turnpike. The
rebel line followed the brow of this spur, ran
down the end slope eastwardly and crossing
the Granny White pike, the valley and
plateau and the Franklin pike, had its right
securely lodged in the Overton range of hills
~-extreme western spurs of the Cumberland
range Of mountains-about five miles south
Of Nashville.
Bald Hill being accessible by the Granny
White pike, afforded convenient shelter
for the enemy's reserves He not only had
eight pieces Of artillery on the hill and his
tife-pits there filed with men, but he also
had at about 200 feet from the works a sec
eDd line Of about 1900 infantry stretched
across the rear slope
Prom early morning three regiments of
McMillen's Brigade had lain in line in the
valley, confronting a stone fence behind
which the enemy was posted, and had been
engaged there in diminishing.
At about 3:30 p. N. the charge against
overton Hill, on the east of Franklin pike
1.-THE enemy's right, by the joint force of
Posts and Streights Brigades, of the Fourth
(WOod's) Corps, and MOrgsn's Brigade of
oolored troops, having, after getting within
20 steps Of the works, been disastrously re-
pulsed, McMillen's Brigade was replaced in
the valley by other regiments, and marched
up the end of Schofelds Ridge in front of
the rifie-pits Of the Twenty-third Corps.
Here the brigade was formed for charge in
two lines, the 114th III. on the right, the 93d
Ind. IN the center, and the 10th Mimi. on the
left Of the first line; the I'D and 95i Ohio
IN the second line, in close order; arms were
stacked knapsacks unslung and piled: each
man was told what must he done; orders
were given that the artillery lombard the
bill until the brigade reached the crest
that, until the brigade carried the hill. ali
the forces refrain from cheering and demon
stration; that the brigade charge in silence.
at trail arms with fixed bsyOnets. on the
donbie-quick, reserving its fire until within
the Entertainments; that as soon as the bri-
gade captured the hill, the Union line should
charge. Sharpshooters, und, Capt. FernaId
t12d Ohio, brigade picket officer, were sent
out l. AID the artillery in keeping the enemy
under cover, and great precaution was taken
for quick and determined assault.
On reaching the base of the breastworlIs
the line partly because he last shells were
still bursting within the works. voluntarily
halted Tor moment, and appeared, to those
watching US, 10 waveT We were afterward
told OF the deep anxiety felt by the watch
ing troops at this apparent hesitation Men
Of the 93d and 1l4lh during this halt began
TO shoot. The AojUiant Of the 93d ordered
them 10 cease firing; to charge over the works
A man near the coloTs, paying no attention
the command, raised MS gun and began 10
take aim at the fort. The Adiutant slapped
him acT0s the shoulder with the fat of his
sword, and commanded, "Cease-Charge
over!" InstantaneOusly these regiments
mounted the n1Tenchments.
!