The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-12-04

morale, justified the characteristic
compliment of the old soldier.
BATTLES.
We inscribed upon our regimental
banners many bright names. among
them Dalton, Rocky Face Ridge, Res
aca, Allatoona. Pumpkin Vine Greek,
Dallas, New Hope Church Kennesaw
(where the lamented Harker and gal
liant Dan McCook met their glorious
fate) Peach Tree Creek, Chattahoochie,
Atlanta, Jonesboro, Lovejoy's Station.
TERRIFIC LOSSES BY CoNTENDING
ARMIES.
1t was over one hundred days ofcon-
stant fighting, in which Sherman,s
loss was, killed ,423, wounded 22,822,
missing 4,442, total 3l,6S7. The
confederate loss was 3,044 killed. 1897
wounded, captured 1888. total "a ,979.
These suggestive figures show the
desperate character of the campaign
One of its wonders to me was the
manner in which our long line OF
communication with the point. OF
supply was sustained. Five hundred
miles of railroad to the Ohio river and
vet the welcome shrek of the locomo.,
tive followed us with the move OF
every day. -.
Says Carlyle: IAN army, like a ser.
pent, goes upon its belly" and that
great army of 100. 900 men was seldom
hungry on the movement to Atlanta.
We captured fifty pieces of cannon,
many of them siege guns, 5000 stand
of arms, a vast amount of war male
rial impossible for the confederacy TO
replace, occupied more territory and
opened the gate for that "march to the
sea - which served to stamp out the
expiring embers of the rebellion.
TRIBUTE TO HOODS ARMY.
Men of the Cumberland were of that
famous march, tut their duty was
Measure jaunt compared with the
work of their comrades who remained
to resist and fight the army of Hood.
alert. vigorous and experienced. would
that time would permit me to tell OF
Franklin, with the splendid exhibition
of manly courage from Stanley and
Opdyke, and of glorious Nashville, the
last signal victory and the final and
decisive battle of the west.
December, 1864, saw the end, when
the disheartened remnant OF Hood's
army was driven for the last time
across the Tennessee.
AS Gen. Thomas expressed 1t in his
congratulatory order-tit had been
| finally sent flying, dismayed and dis
ordered, from whence it came, impeil
ed by the instincts of self-preserva
tion." -,
Stating to his victorious troops thu
result of their phenominal campaign
he said: o.,
"You have diminished the force OF th'
rebel army since it crossed the Tennes
see river to invade the State, OF the
least estimate, fifteen thousand men
among whom were-kiIled, wounded
and captured eighteen general ON
GERS. Your captures from the enemy
30 far as reported, amont to slxty-elgnl
pieces of artillery. ten thousand pris
oners, as many stand of small arms
several thousand of which have been
gathered In, and the remainder streW
The route Of the enemy's retreat, ,-ano
between thirty and forty flags beside:
mpelling him to destroy much am
munition and abandon many wagons. .
cH1cKAMAUaA's LOSS NOT A LESS PEI
CENT. THAN AT WATERLOO.
Col. Fox in his valuable work on the
"L losses in the American Civil War
says that battles are considered great II
proportion to the loss of life resulting
from them and that the history OF
battle should always be studied in con
nection with the figures that show thu
losses. The suggestion is founded ir
truth and tried by that standard The
importance of the great battles fOugh
by the Army of the Cumberland are
airead shown. The later guage, o.
measure, of importance is usually com
parison with the loss sustained a
Waterloo, or Gettysburg, the creates
fields of the present century. Com
pared whith them and taking the per
centage of loss to the numbers engaged
many battles entirely fought or par
ticipated in by the Cumberland are a
no disadvantage, It is true Of Shiloh
Perryville, Stone River and Chicka
mauga and the perceD tage of loss to
the troops engaged in the battles abou
Atlanta and at Mission Ridge is nearly
as great.
The desperate and deadly character
of the fighting of Americans from
North or South is shown by consulting
the very interesting figures given bJ
Colonel Fox and gathered also by tina
dashing cavalryman, so pestiferously
annoying at times in our rear, Gen
eral Joseph Wheeler, late of the Con
federate, now of the United States.
PER cENTAGE OF LOSSES IN GREAT
BATTLES.
At Waterloo while the loss to tn,
French Army was much in excess, ant
unobtainable with accuracy, yelling
toms loss was but II per cent. A
Gettysburg the Federal loss was Is pc
cent and the Confederate 80 per cent
At Shiloh the loss to the Army o
Grant and that of his enemy proper
tionately equaled Gettysburg and a
Chickanauga the total loss was owe
25 per cent of the entire force of boil
armies and of the troops actually en-
gagged both days 1t exceeds 35 per cent
Iougstreet's division lost the secont
day "A per cent and Steedman lost A
per cent in tour hours of heroic fight
ing. Bates brigade, of theirs, lost near
ly 46 per cent and Vandeveers' brigade
Of ours, fraction less than 80 per cent
Regimental losses were at times terri
bly severe. 1 may be pardoned the
statement that my own regiment al
| Staaota Riuar Lost nuar 40 nar cent.