The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1894-10-11
SHERWOOD REJOINS
Anent the Criticism of His Statements Re-
garding the Death of Col Mervin Clarke.


Corporal Spohr denying the exactness OF
nv account of the death of Lieut.-COl. Mer-
win Clarke on the battlefield of Franklin,
Nov. so. 1864 As my original statement is
correct, feel called upon to reply to Cor
poral Spohr and 10 submit some evidence
bearing upon the question
l said that LIeut.-COl. Mervin Clarke
was killed in the rear of the battle-lIne OF
the 11Ith Ohio. Corporal Spohr denies this
and claims Col. Clarke fell on the parapet,
in the front line, and that his regiment did
not fall back, and that he Corporal Spohr)
carried him off the field.
have now a number of valuable Wit
nesses, all of whom participated in the
battle of Franklin, and who are now promi-
nent citizens in their respective sections.
My first witness is Capt. Wesley s. Thurs
ton. of Toledo, a veteran of the war,
prominent member of the Grand Army and
the LOYAL Legion, and one of the best known
and most prominent citizens of Toledo, o.,
well known to the Editor of The NATIONAL
TRIBUNE. l quote from Capt. Thurston's
letter, dated Toledo Sept. u, 1894:
1.-The 163d Ohio was placed on the left of
our line at Franklin, and fell back with the
balance of the center, where Capt. Bowling
of the brigade staff, brought them up behind
the 111th Ohio to reOccupy the abandoned
works. The moment he lett them they
went fat on their faces and there remained
until the firing ceased. l personally called
on those nearest to US to pass up their car
tridges and some of their guns with which
to supply the loss by our men (11lth Ohlo)
of guns broken in the hand-tO-hand conflict
over the works. Lieut.. Bennett, of Co. q,
111th Ohio, was killed while standing at the
flank of the 1S3d regiment, exhOrting the
men to come forward to the works, as was
theirow Lieutenant-COlonel, Mervin Clarke
] saw them both fall at the same time.
"In the official war records Col. Orlando
II. Morris's report, as commander OF the Sec
ond Brigade, Second Division, Twenty-thlrd
Corps, made eight days after the tight, says
he put a company of the 1S3d in line to fill
gap between the 23d Mich. and 10th
Ind, and that this company ran away, while
all the rest of his brigade remained in place.
He says that his brigade never finched, al
though the 111th OHIO was fianked by the
rebels, driving out OF line the troops to their
left.
"Col. Spaulding, who commanded the 23d
Mich, Of the same brigade, says, in his Off
cial report, the 183d Ohio retrealed from his
line, and thai he filed the gap with two
companies of the S0th Ind. (See Vol. 40,
Part ], pages SIS and $50, Official War Rec
ords)
Col Strickland, commanding the brigade
of which the 1S3d formed a part, in a report
made seven days after the battle, shows that
the 50th Ohio and the I'D III. formed his
front line-of-b battle, and the 183d Ohio and
the 44th Mo. his rear line, or reserve Col.
Strickland admits that his front line gave
way.
"Col. E. /. Hayes, of the Tooth Ohio, who
-. q, roI
In his official report: The troops on my right
fell back and the enemy occupied that part
Of the line. / was exposed to a murdereus
enflading fire from our works on the right
Of the road FRANKLIN pike which was held
by the enemy
have the 183d down in history as the
regiment which should have gone in on our
left, but which threw itself on the ground
Immediately in our rear and did not 20 into
the main line, first or last or any other time,
TO the extent OF a single man. The 1S3d, now
represented by Corporal, is probably try
ing to build itself monument, forgetting
that, though many OF the actors are dead,
the records and orders and reports made
al the time, are immortal. Yours respect
fully, w. $. THURsToN."
1t will be seen from the above that Corp1
Spohr's statement that Lieut.-C0l. Meryin
Clarke fell on the paTapet cannot be true, as
his regiment at no time during the battle
was on the front line. The official report of
Col. Strickland, who commanded the bri-
gade, shows this, and the same official report
shows that his lines were broken, so that
Corp1 Spohr's statement that they were not
cannot be true.
The statement of Corpl Spohr that Lieut.
Col. Clarke was shot on the parapet behind
which his regiment was fighting is an i'm
probable statement Even standing with
out contradiction, because this would place
him between the guns Of his own men and
that OF the enemy.
But there are other and uncalled-for state
ments in Corpl Spohr's contribution that
are not only untrue, but they reflect upon
the veterans who fought successfully the
terrific battle of Franklin, and do rank in
Justice TO many of the living soldiers OF
that conflict.
1t is now 80 years since the battle OF
Franklin was fought, and as the present
generation are not familiar with the strug-
gle / will submit a few authentic state
ments and official documents that will show
how much Corpl Spohr is mistaken. As the
battle of Franklin was the fercest and
deadliest contest of the entire war, these
documents may have interest and value to
the student of war history.
Franklin and Nashville were the last
great battles fought west of the Allegany
Mountains, and as the fight at Franklin
decimated Hoods army and made the vic
tory OF Nashville comparatively easy, Frank
lin has tremendous interest.
Corp1 SpObr says be never heard of Col
Sherwood during the battle Of Franklin
and that his regiment, the 11lth Ohio, were
not located where the fighting was the
thickest and most desperate, but that be
(Corp'l SpOhr) was where the fighting was
the feTcest. He also says that Col. Sher-
wood did not command a brigade, as he wa!
only Lieutenant-Co Colonel.
he also says that his command, the 1886
Ohio, did not fall back, and that theil
battle-line was not broken. Without words
let The official records speak on these vita
points.
In Whitelaw Reids history of "Ohio il
the War" page S39, in discussing the gallan
Col. Opdycke at Franklin, the historian says
The rebels massed in front Of Carter
Hill, and In the afternoon they captured tin
Notifications. As soon as the Colonel (Op
dycke) saw this, be shouted with all hi
power, First Brigade, forward to the works
The regiment charged grandly. The con
test was short; the rebels were driven back
eight cannon were retaken; 400 rebels an,
10 flags were captured. The rebel Ger
Garter fell, MORALLY wounded, and Ger
GlHhurna fall dead hia harca resfi,1 ~