The National tribune., 1895-12-19
THAT EX-JOHNNY.
Beware, Capt. Rankin! He is Pooling
Thee" says Comrade Sanford.

DGAdIes taDts lie Is fOOlnE
Thee" says Comrade Sanford.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: In youl
issue of Nov. / find an article under the
heading :" No Mistakes" by Capt Rankin
9TH Ohio Cav. 1t was a criticism upon arti.
cles of Maj. II. c. Connolly and myself Ia
whom he refers as comrades of the 14tll
III. Cay.n
j am well convinced that the Captain was
better fighter than writer Of military
operations, else be would never have been
trusted 10 command such splendid fighting
regiment as the 7ih Ohio Cav. proved them
selves to be. That regiment, with the 14th
! I'LL. Cav. and the seven other regiments. in
all a fighting force that day of perhaps less
4 than 5000 at Bean Station, East Tennessee.
/ Dec. il, 1863, for half day resisted ali
! Longstreets infantry, more than five times
our number. Longstreet in his report ac-
knowledges his intention to surround and
capture our force, using for this purpose his
entire army of $4,000.
The Captains first mistake is this: "As
the 18th III. and the 18th Ohio served in the
same brigade or division in Kentucky, East
Tennessee and Georgia, ii is but natural
that should be familiar with scenes written
about"
This is incorrect, as i can prove by refer
ence to official reports, if necessary. These
two regiments never served in the same bri-
gade, as he states. In Kentucky they were
not even in the same division. In the be-
ginning of the East Tennessee campaign
there was but one division of cavalry in
Burnslde's army. After more were organ
Ized these regiments were in separate di-
visions. Even at Bean Station they were
IN separate divisions, although for the time
they were all under Shackelford. In Georgia
thay both belonged 10 Stoneman's Division.
but were not together in any one battle.
Even IN his criticism of my account Of
the Stoneman raid he owns that Col. Gar
rard's Brigade was mot in it," Garrard,s
report, on page 923, of Serial No 20, Vol. 3s.
Part Z, Official Reports, also shows it, as well
as other official reports. Capt Rankin's
next error is in mentioning but two brigades
OF Stonemans Division,-viz, Adams's and
Capron s,-whereas there was also the Indi-
ana brigade, commanded by Col Biddle, of
the 9th Ind Cav How he could get Col.
Graham as present without his regiment, the
9Th Ind. Cav, cannot conceive. 1t is vet
more uncomfortable how be could get Col.
Graham present with Gen. Stoneman TO fell
ham, IL you Will take your place in the
center Of my regiment will take YOU ont
oil here" when it is a well-known fact
that Col. Graham had not been in the service
for about six months.
But suppose il was the ex-Johnny who
llYes ia Cincinnati who informed the Can
Jam OF TINS conversation that never was |
held; this ex-Johnny who corroborated the
information received by the Captain from
other e1-Johnnies at Macon that "Stoneman
surrendered TO but handful of men % the |
corroborator stating that there were but 81 |
men Of the Johnnies.
Captain, it will be long day before You
can get anyone who knew Col Graham 10 |
believe that he who SO ably and so well |
commanded our brigade on its most impor |
tant service; he who commanded us at Bean |
Station and also at Walkers Ford, where.
with LOSS men and officers we for one long |
day resisted six brigades of the enemy, five |
or SIX times our number, and foiled their |
weli-Iaid plans TO capture us;-yes, il will |
be long and cold day before we will be- |
lieve that Col Graham, with his excellent |
regiment, the 9th Ind. Cav, would have |