The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-12-26

The Loyal legion Of Indiana banqueted
Wednesday night in the club house Of the
SOcialer turnverein. The piece de resistance
Of the evening was paper by Gen. Fred
KnefIler Of this city upon the battle Of Mis-
sion Ridge and the campaign Immediately
before and after that memorable conflict
II was thare that the gallant Fourth corps
Of the army made such grand record. and
its officers. who comprise a large part OF
the Indiana loyal legion. still resent any
aspersions upon the gallantry or memory
of Gen. Thomas. The address Of Gen.
Knefler was a defense Of Thomas, and
based as it was upon facts known to SO
many present It ELECTED the warmest ap-
plause. Sherman, with his seventeen
brigades. was repulsed by Hood with but
nine and Gen. Knaffler showed that it was
no. in any way the fault Of Thomas. He
did the most Of the fighting and bore the
brunt Of the battle
Previous to the banquet a business meet
ing Of the legion was held and the old and
much veXed question Of the salary Of The
recorder came up for consideration. A
warm contest was sprung during the discus
sion. and it was not until an hour afterward
that the matter was finally disposed Of
much TO the relief of all
Gen. Lew Wallace presided at the meet
ing as well as at the banquet, and on either
side Of him sat the honored guests Of The
evening. Maj.-Gen. D. s. Stanley Of the
United States army. win headquarters at
Washington, D. c.. and Naj.-Gen. Thomas
J. Wood. retired. with headquarters at Day
ton. O. Gen. Stanley was the commander
Of the Fourth corps at the battle OF Mission
Ridge while Gen. Wood was the division
commander Of Gen. Knefiler.
With the lighting Of the cigars Gen.
Wallace introduced Gen. Stanley, and the
brave old general was received with pro-
longed shouts. All arose and the cheers
were repeated again and again. The short
address of Gen. Stanley was a defense OF
himself as against the miss tatementS
which had crept into history regarding the
battle of Spring Hill, in which the Fourth
corps was opposed TO the entire army or
Hood for hours. Gen. Stanley was es-
pecially bitter against the author Of The
March to the Sea- whose Veraclty and
motives he impugned.
He also accused William H Wherritt,
commanding at Fl. Thomas, KY, with be-
ing the author Of an anonymous letter
printed in a New York paper rejecting
upon Gen. Thomas and which caused the
death Of that commander. In THE March to
the Sea" the author stated that Gen. Stan
lev had been wounded and had retired
from the field early in the day, leaving
him in command of the Fourth corps.
This Gen. Stanley bitterly denounced as
false True, he had been wounded, but
had been compelled to retire for but few
minutes in order TO have his wound
dressed and secure a horse as a substitute
for the one that had been snot from under
him.
In introducing Gen. Wood Gen. Wallace
referred to him as the man who had
mustered in nearly every Indiana soldier,
and this statement was concurred in by
all present. Gen. Wood made US all"
was the general shout that went up. Gen.
Wood spoke but briefly. expressing in
happy words his pleasure at being once
more among the soldiers of Indiana, and
was followed by Gen. Kneffier.