The National tribune., 1894-05-10
DOES NOT AGREE.
Criticism of Comrade Behring'S Fort Dom
elson Story.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Permit me
to notice the article of B. F. Boring, Co. d.
30th ILL.,, in your issue of March Is, entitled
From Cairo to Donelson." So manifestly
untrue are his statements that am inclined
to believe he was not with the regiment.
The first statement that will notice is
where he tells of Commodore FOote being
on the transport with one regiment, and
running up close enough to Fort Henry to
draw their fire. The transports were stopped
nine miles below until Grant had gone for
ward on gunboat and drew the fire of the
fort in order to determine where he could
land. The camp of the 30th Ill. at Fort
Henry was half mile from the river, so if
he dumped the two shells they had been
using for androns into the river they had
to carry them that far to do So which was
not at all likely.
Our regiment was in Oglesby's Brigade, of
McClernand's Division. The brigade was
composed of the Sh, Doth, 30th, and 31st ILL.,,
and, think, the 18th Ill. and Capt. Dressers
battery. The division received marching
orders on the afternoon of the 18th Tuesday J,
and started about shutdown; marched about
four miles and encamped for the night. We
did not have any tents but we made our
selves as comfortable as possible, though the
night being cold we got little sleep. Not a
shot was fired within our hearing during
the night. On Wednesday, the 18th,
we resumed the march about 730. We
march slowly and deliberately. There was
not solitary cavalryman in advance of us
on our road the advance-guard was detail
of infantry, and ] remember very distinctly
that one of the guard was from my company.
| The advance did not encounter any of the
enemy until within two miles of Fort Donel-
son, and then only a small outpost which
was easily driven in. This was perhaps
2 or o'clock in the afternoon. We formed
in line-ofbattle, but did not advance in line,
and soon moved by the flank.
About p. m. we stacked our knapsacks
in a deep gulch which runs north into
| Hickman Creek, and within one mile of
their outer line of works, formed line-of-
battle facing east, and advanced up the side
of a very steep, timbered ridge until near
the top, where we were halted and remained
| some time
Capt. Dresser, by going farther south, was
able to bring up his battery. He took
position above us and fired few shots into
the enemy's lines. This was the first artil-
lery firing on our road that day, and it was
then after o'clock.
We soon moved by the right flank short
distance, when we came in plain sight Of
the enemy's Notifications and camps. We
remained here until about dark, and if
Comrade Boring did not see any signs of life
within the enemys lines, he certainly did
not look in that direction, as we could see
regiments in line-of battle, with plenty of
mounted officers riding about Could also
see battery of light artillery. Will men,
ton one incident that may refresh Comrade
Behring'S memory, if he was with the regi-
ment
One of the Jessie Scouts" mounted on
Gen. McClernand's little gray stallion, was
in piece of timber about half mile south
of us, and very near the enemy's works. He
was armed with a rifle, and was trying to
pick off some of their officers. We had seen
him fire three or four shots, when the battery
/ have mentioned opened On him. Just at
that time | saw him run a few steps away
from his horse, to the right, stop and fire.
/ think either the third or fourth shot from
the battery struck the horse fair in the
breast and went through him.
While in hospital at st. Louis after the
battle, my "leit-hand man" was Capt.
Bunting, of the 10th Tenn. Confederate.
He asked me if we did not have General
officer killed On Wednesday evening on a
gray horse. / related to him the facts as
given in this article, when he said he saw
the horse killed, and supposed the rider,
whoever he was, was still mounted.
Our brigade began moving slowly to the
right, about dark, along road which ap-
peared to run about parallel with the
enemys intrenchments. We had advanced
about three-quarters of a mile, with fire.
quent stops, when the stampede described
by Comrade Boring took place, but not in
the Both Ill. The stampede took place in
the 29th ILL.,, the next regiment to our right.
/ remember very well there was a rail fence
on the left of the road and a heavy growth
of young timber on the right. When the
29th began firing | was sitting with my back
to the fence. Our company (A) rushed into
the road to form in line, when some horses
supposed to have belonged to some Of the
mounted officers on our right dashed into
us. 1 was knocked 10 or 90 feet, and my
first impressions were that we were being
charged by cavalry.
But the regiment was quickly in line-of-
battle, and we moved by the right flank and
took the place of the goth. That regiment
reformed few steps in the rear Of the Both.
The 29ih lost four killed and IL wounded.
Members of that regiment claimed that
the firing was precipitated by party of the
enemy crawling up within easy range and
firing into them. That may have been the
case, as no pickets had been posted Not
long after this, however, volunteers were
called for to go on picket. / remember that
VIM. Ashbaugh, of Co. A, was one of the
first to 60. / never heard that anyone in
our regiment was wounded that night until
/ read Comrade Behring'S article. But if the
comIade was with his company, then we are
willing to concede that possibly a member
of Co. ID was shot. But we want it distinctly
understood that no considerable number of
shots were fired by members of the Both, and
nothing approaching stampede occurred.
No fatigue party of rebels came out dur
ing the night and slashed down the timber
in front of their works, as described by Com
rade Boring. That had been done some
time before our arrival. After the STAN
pede mentioned above, everything was re-
markably quiet for the rest of the night. 1t
was cold, chilly night, and as we had
neither overcOats nor blankets, and could
not have any fires, we suffered severely. On
Thursday morning, the 18th, we moved still
farther to the right, and supported Dresser's
and Swartz's batteries until noon or after.
j remember very distinctly that while
one brigade of our division-composed, /
think, of the 18th, 18th, and 49th Ill.-on
our left were trying to capture, or silence,
battery in their front, Battery Swartz came
into battery just to the right of our COM
pany.
We still continued moving to move to the
right. and at one time in the afternoon xyas