The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1895-11-07
MADE NO MISTAKES.
Cant, Rankin Answers Some Recent Com
munications.

munications.
EprToR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: / have
been very much interested in sketches writ
ten from time to time by comrades OIL the
18th III. Cav. / am always most interested
in communications that know most about.
As the 14th Ill. and the 9TH Ohio Cav
served in the same brigade OF DIVISION III
Kentucky, East Tennessee, and Georgia, 1t
is but natural that should be familiar with
scenes written about.
In all of their articles that / have seen
! published the 14th Ill. Cav boys ignore
other organizations A few years ago they
wrote an account of their taking in Thomass
Legion of Indians in North Carolina, but
never let the readers of The NATIONAL
| TRIBUNE know that Col. Garrard, with two
| battalions of the eth Ohio Cav, was their
support, and that the writer of this was sent
with the other battalion to go through
Frockaleecha and Mear's Coves. and through
gap in the mountains, coming out at the
Indian reservation, and prevented the Ind
ians from making their escape north INTO
| East Tennessee.
Next we hear is glowing description OF
the SLOVENIAN raid to Macon, Ga. Stone
mans Division was organized in Kentucky
| in the Spring of 1864, and was composed OF
three brigades, commanded as follows: Col.
Garrard. of the 9Th Ohio Cav; Col. Capron,
of the 18th ILL.,; Col. Adams of the LIST Ky.
| Cav.
On July 25 Gen. Stoneman left our lines
| for a raid in the rear of the enemy to destroy
| their communications by burning bridges,
tearing up and destroying their railroad,
burning depots, storehouses, etc, and, II ne
deemed it advisable, TO release the prisoners
1 at Andersonville. / will say here that
through some mismovement of Lieut. Col.
Miner. commanding the 18th, he failed to
Join Col Garrard until it was too late Tor
that officer to make connection with zen.
Stoneman and the other two brlgades, VIZ,
Capron and Adams, so we were " not IN III,
save Co. ID, who was Stoneman's escort.
This raid was a grand failure, not from
| anv fault of the brigade or regimental COM
| manders or the gallant men under them,
but for want of confidence In Gen. stone
| man.
| In a communication written some years
ago by Col Graham, of the 9Th Ind. Cav, be
saws there was not an officer in the division
who had any confidence in Stoneman.
1t will be remembered that Gen. Stone
| man turned over to the Confederates large
number of men and property while com
manding a similar expedition in the Eastern
army, and he would have repeated it on
this occasion had the brigade commanders
submitted TO il. All honor to Coils Adam:
and Capron. Col. Adams said, Gen. Stone
man. You can surrender if you want to
but / am going 10 take my men out o
here" and, according to Col. Grahaml
, statement Adams returned to our line
without the loss of a man.
. In all probability COL Capron could hav'
done the same had he continued his march
Be this as it may, Col. Capron returned t.
! our lines with the ma or part of his com
mand.
E Col. Graham further said that when Stone
!, man surrendered he (Graham) went t
Stoneman and said: "Gen. Stoneman,
D YOU will take your place in the center o
S nv regiment will take you ont of here"
: stopeman's reply was: II will do no sucl
f thing. / have surrendered and so have you
e and you will remain where you are.
e There being no alternative, he surrendere'
{ his regiment. BY this act one of my sons
d in-law served the remainder of his term il
o Andersonville Co. ID of our regiment 9TH
:. 7th Ohio Cav served the remainder of thei
= time in Andersonvlle and Charleston, S. G
where they were placed under the fire @
our own guns.
When we of the Wilson raid went throug
D Alabama, Georgia, and rounded up at Macor
! Ca, we were told by citizens of that plac
II that Stoneman surrendered to but handle
Is of men, This statement was corroborate
IL by an ex-Confederate who was passengt
q on a steamer with me on my way to Loui
'e vile to attend the National Encampmen
is He said he was in command of the part
d. that took Gen. StOneman in, and that thel
were but 81 men OF his party. This e,
&c johnny lives in Cincinnati, o., and can
Al found.
n Twill now say word i'm regard to the Duo
rs River affair. My driving brigade of Tex;
Cav. from Col. Caprons rear brings no r
proach upon Col. Capron nor the men OF b
command There was not man of Capron
Brigade who knew / was there with the II
Ohio Cav. other than Col. Capron and Adj
tant. Maj. Connolly, j believe, of the 18th III
who says that they (Capron) fought till nigh
This statement is correct; but when he sa,
that our forces on the right gave way, Il
Major is "off" There were none of our fore
4 on Capron's right. In proof of this, Wi
N copy the order handed me at Spring Hi
81 1t is as follows:
y "Capt. Rankin, commanding 9TH Oh
Cav: You will flake left hand road at SpriI
- | Hill, and move with all possible speed
Hardison's Mill, on Hardson's Ford, TO su
port Col. Capron, who is with his briga'
fighting across Duck River"
= This indicates there were no troops the
but Capron's Brigade. When L reach
Caprons rear il was near SHUTDOWN. hi
marched "A miles that day. / halted {
ri- column in the road and rode over TO whe
.et Col Capron was sitting on his horse in
". piece of woods, accompanied by bis Adjutal
i said:
ne, "Col Capron, the 18th Ohio Cav. is at 20
service"
ct. He directed me to form the regiment ba