The National tribune., 1894-08-02
A HERO OF FRANKLIN.
Something About the Death of Col. Mervin
X. Clark.

something ABOUT the Death Oh COL merVin
X. Clark.
The Cleveland Ledder, in its special edi-
ton connected with the unvailing of the
Soldiers Monument in that city, had a de-
scription of the monument Commenting
on the medallion of Col. Mervin Clark, of
the SD Ohio, the Leader said he fell into the
arms of brother officer while ascending the
parapet.
This has brought out Il tier from Gen.
Isaac r. Sherwood, who commanded bri-
gade at Franklin, including his own regi-
ment, the 111th Ohio of which he was then
Colonel, giving an important bit of history
in connection with that battle and the death
of Col. Clark, and calling attention to the
fact that there was no parapet or other forth
fcations where they fought.
The 111th Ohio was the last regiment to ar
rive on the march to Franklin, and they
went at once into action in an open field.
Gen. SherwoOd's horse was shot under him
at the first onset, hence he was dismounted
when he met Col. Clark on the battle-line.
In his letter to the Lsader he says:
81 was deeply interested in reading the
story of the death of Col. Mervin Clark in
the souvenir edition Of the Leader of July
4. As l was the officer into whose arms the
gallant Col. Mervin Clark fell, on the
battlefield Of Franklin, Nov. 80, 1864, few
words of explanation may be ofinterest to his
surviving friends and the comrades of that
terrible conflict.
AT the momentof Col Clark's death was
yelling into his ears to go to the rear and
rally his regiment, as was holding my line
of-battle intact. 1t was amid tornado of
crashing cannon and blistering bullets, so
deafenpg that I was compelled to yell into
his ears. When the rebel battalions charged
our lines, some five or six lines deep, as it
seemed to me, just in front of the Franklin
pike, where the left of my command rested,
the new troops gave way.
at is due to those new soldiers, that had
never before been under fire, to say that no
new troops however bravely commanded,
ever did or ever will stand such charge
1t is due to those living to say that the battle
of Franklin was the fiercest combat of the
war; and that more men were killed in that
battle, in proportion to the number engaged,
than in any battle ever fought on either
side of the Atlantic since the invention of
gunpowder.
THAT the troops under my immediate
command-the 111th Ohio, the Oath Mo-,
and the 10th Ill. Col Lowry, of the 10th,
having been killed in the first onset were
able to hold that line was because they were
all veterans that had been schooed in the
school of actual waron 80 battlefelds.
"When / first saw Col. Mervin Clark he
was approaching my line-ofbattle rapidly
from the left in the immediate rear of the
position from which his command was driven
by the rebel charge. Capt. p Fl. Bowling,
of my regiment, the 111th Ohio, who was
serving that day on the brigade staff, had
just ridden up the line and ordered me to
take the Oath Mo-, in the immediate rear of
the 111th, and make an effort to retake the
position.
"Dowling with that gallantry for which
he was noted, sought to aid the movement,
but was instantly shot, and had to leave the
field. Lieut.. Fernando Bennett, also of my
regiment, was instantly killed as he jumped
to my side as volunteer. 1t was at this
moment that / first saw Col. Mervin Clark,
with his sword in hand, and, as / remember,
in a bright new uniform, march down the
line to the right, when l rushed to his side
to tell him what L have already written.
"There was no fort or parapet where we
stood. 1t was in the open field, Just in front
at the right of the Franklin pike.
"His bOyish face was all af1ame, and he
seemed the only man of his entire command,
officer or private, who had stood firm and
undanted amid the awful ordeal.
amid all the memories of the war, many
now dim after the lapse of so many busy
years, shall always wildly remember the
gallant bearing of the boy Colonel on the
battlefield of Franklin. He is worthy of
cOmmemoration in marble"