The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1894-08-30
THAT NIGHT MARCH.
Grim Determination, Not Trepidation, Xvi
denced from Columbia to Spring Hill.

c. 45th Ohio has an article in which he gives
a description of the retreat from Columbia
to Spring Hill as lie remembers 1t, and also
ofthe battle of Franklin. AS his recollection
of some of the occurrences is different from
mine, desire to give it as l and some others
saw it. / do not wish Comrade Pond to
regard this as a criticism. but as correction.
In the first place, he asserts that Comrade
Chever is incorrect in the statement that
Stanley moved with Wagner's and Kim
balls Division at s a. M. Nov. %, be-
cause he Pond has distinct recollection
that his brigade (Wbitakers) was still IN
the rife-pits on the south side of the river at
Columbia, where it remained till dark on
the evening of the Doth, when it quietly
Withdrew and cautiously crossed the pom
toons as quickly as possible; and he pro-
poses to forestall criticism by letter written
by himself at the time or soon after.
Now, Comrade Pond, have no such letter
with which to fortify my memory or fore
stall criticism; yet, am sure you are wrong,
and that there were no Union troops on the
south side at Columbia on the 29th, unless
they were prisoners and l am also sure
there were no pOntOons TO cross on.
Our division (the Third Of the Twenty
third COrps) held the north side of the river
on the 2Sth under a heavy artillery fire from
the Confederate batteries on the south side.
The enemy held Columbia, and the railroad
bridge was partly destroyed, and the pom
toons entirely so.
In his March to the Sea, Franklin and
Nashville" Gen. Cox says on page 90: The
indications of Hoods purpose were now so
plain that Schofeld could no longer delay.
He moved the whole of his command to the
north side of the river in the night of the
27th." Now 1 wish to quote the following
dispatch on file in Washington:
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE OHIO,
NEAR COLUMBIA TENN, Nov. 26 1864, $40 a. m
MAJ-GEN. THOMAS. Nashville.
GENERAL: My TROOPS and material are all on the
north side of Duck River. The withdrawal was
completed ct daylight this morning without serious
difficulty Cox holds the ford in front of Columbia,
and Ringer the railroad bridge which ] partially
destroyed. Stanley Is going into position "a short
distance in rear of Cox. think can now stop
Hoods advance by any line rear this, and meet in
time any distant movement to turn my position.
] regret extremely the necessity of Withdrawing
from Columbia, but believe it was absolute.
will explain fully in time. Reinforcements will
have to march from Spring Hill or Thompson's
Station.
CSigned) J. NJ. ScHoFIELD,
Major-General
Cox says, on page 20, that on the Doth at
6 a. NJ. Stanley was ordered with two d.
visions of his corps to Spring Hill, leaving
Wood in support of Posts reconnaissance
a
ordered to hold stubbornly the crossing at
Columbia and the tongue Of land in the
bend of the river.
AS we were the very last division to leave
Columbia and the first to reach Franklin,
you will admit that we had pretty good
opportunity to see the position of the rest
OF SchOfeld's army during the night We
started about 10 p. M, leaving the 18th and
10th KY. in the skirmish-pits near the river,
with orders to follow about midnight
We marched left in front so that halt
and front would bring us into line-of-battle
facing east. We were prepared for an attack
on the march. We did not, however, notice
any of the feeling of terribleness you speak
of, but grim determination was apparent
In the ranks, and think if Hood had made
al attack during the night, it would have
been IS disastrous to him as it was the next
day at Franklin.
SchOfelds whole army was in line from
Spring Hill TO Columbia on the night of the
29th, and was drawn in from the right by
divisions, marching left in front, while at
Franklin on the Both one half OF the Fourth
Corps was out Of the fight, one division being
across the river.
On leaving Columbia we thought lead and
steel, rather than heels, were likely to be
trumps before morning but we did not re-
gard the situation half so desperate as that
in which we found ourselves about year
previously at Knoxville.
In passing Woods Division near Ruther-
ford Creek we could see the same grim de-
termination that have said was apparent
in our ranks. They tod US to march along
quietly and be ready for business and we
noticed the same feeling in Kimbalis Divis-
ion, which we passed little farther north.
Cox says Woods Division followed Ours as
soon as we had passed, and Kimball followed
Wood, and Ruger followed Kimball, and so
on.
Comrade, you wonder why the Confed-
crates did not swing around and give you a
"swipe" On the extreme right of the line at
Franklin. The reason is plain. Hood
hurled all his infantry at the Second and
Third Divisions Of the Twenty third Corps
and the left wing of Kimball's Division
of the Fourth Corps, and consequently
had nothing but Forests dismouDted cav
airy for you. They were expected TO attack
your part Of the line, but they seem to have
disapproved of the reception we gave the
infantry over on our part Of the line, and
concluded they would not intrude on you.
Ii, however Gen. Whitaker had got the
permission you say he asked for, to swing
out to the front and left, you would no
doubt have had a chance to exchange
"swipes with them, and they would prob
ably have swung in along the river and ex-
changed positions with you, too, in which
case the battle OF Franklin might have proved
as disastrous TO our army as 1t was TO Hoods
In conclusion, conlrade, did you really 20
through the whole of that campaign without
noticing that any part Of the Twenty-Five
Corps was there? You speak Of two or three
places where your brigade passed our lines
but IN each instance you say You think il
was Woods or some other division of the
Fourth Corps. We made a good deal o.
noise along the lines at times, and the rebel.
knew We were there. They left % battle
flags in the hands of our division at Frank
lin, five brigade commanders, and quite
number Of field and line officers in front O
our little brigade.
Opdyckes Brigade, Of Wagner's Division
also covered itself with gore and glory at th,
Salient, and took 10 battlefags
There were no pontOOns at Franklin. W,
OF the left and center crossed on the railroa,
bridge, and Gen. Cox says Kimball's Diyis
ion crossed on the wagon bridge
However, we will not quarrel over uninl
portant details, but above all, let us avoi,
quarIeling with historical facts which hay
been proven beyond dispute.-WILLIAM \
BRowN, Co. L, 65th ILL.,, Rockwell City
Iowa.
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