The National tribune., 1895-04-11

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8. Alb Mich ana LIST battalion, 9TH Pa.
O. zth Z. S.
S. Lieut.. GrifIin's guns.
6. 18th Ind first position.
2. l7th and I'D Iud. and I22d Ill.
words: "Gen. o. O. Howard was once the
commander Of the Army Of the Tennessee,
and what he says goes'n
And yet Capt Elliott positively contradicts
Gen. O. o. Howard in a very material point.
Gen. Howard, in speaking Of the Leggett-
Force-Elliott battery, says: "T'his, with the
speediest action from the hilltop poured in
upon the enemy's horsemen yolley after VOL
ley"
Capt. Elliott says: "we fired from full
battery siHgle shots from right TO left sue
cessively, with an interval Of perhaps three
seconds, and with the regularity Of the toll
ing Of bell"
Which statement goes? ! say Capt.
Elliotts, because he was speaking of that of
which he has personal knowledge, and Gen.
Howard was not.
i inclOse rough but absolutely correct
and accurate pencil sketch of the field.
Compare this with the official map issued
by the War Department, and with my &C
count OF the battle published March /, 1894,
and my rely 10 Gen. Howard in your issue
Of Jan. 81, 1895.
Cox says: Leggett noticed hill TO the
LETT Of his line Of march. He sent the gall
liant Force with his brigade 10 occupy that
hill.n
That hill is shown on the official maps as
being a fraction over four miles from Noon
day Church. Had Capt. Elliott's guns a
range of four miles? Daring the entire
fighting, which lasted about four hours, my
brigade was directly between the Leggett-
Force-Eliott battery and the enemy, and
during three-lourths of that time we were
in close contact with the enemy.
Admitting for q moment that the guns of
this battery had a range Of four miles, and
that they were fired at the enemy at Noon
day Church; il is self-evident that on this
occasion they could not reach over about
one-fourth Of the distance, for Capt. Elliott
says that he I" fired (use-shell cut to abont
1900 yards" which would have caused their
explosion in or about the camp of Gen. Ken
ner Garrard. (See map
j ask If there was possibility Of the
missiles from this battery reaching Noon
day Church? Was there an artillery officer in
the entire Army Of the Tennessee who would
dare 10 fire at the enemy at that point,
with the absolute certainty Of doing us more
injury than the enemy staring him in the
face? Or, was there General in our entire
army who, under the circumstances, would
order battery TO open fire?
Gen. Garrard with the remainder Of our
division was over mile nearer 10 us than
was Gen. Forces Brigade, and with it were
two sections Of our battery, second TO none
in the army but those two sections dare
not fire al an enemy whom they could reach
only through their own gallant comrades.
Capt. Elliott, in speaking OF his own pro-
jectiles further says, And we could dis
tinguish their explosions with equal regu-
larity, until we received orders TO cease
firing consequently he ceased firing before
dark.
Tie last assault, made by the great mass
of Wheeler's force, and which was so sig
nally repulsed, was made and repulsed when
it was so dark that / dare not order our
battery TO open fire until after the enemy
had opened on us, fearing that 1 might be
firing into our own men.
think have demonstrated the impossi-
bility of the -Force-Eiliott battery
having had any act or part in the battle
OF MONDAY Church as claimed.
j viii now endeavor TO show what force
Capt. Elliott was firing at.
The two battalions of the 18th Pa which
sent TO the crossing of the Big Sbanty and
Marietta roads met at that point consider
able force Of Confederate cavalry, which in
a spirited sl1irmish they dislodged. What
this force was i do not certainly know, bu,
think il probable that it was part of Hume's
Division, which did not take part in the
battle
The entire Of this division may have beer
between Brush Mountain and the MARKETS.
road, and south Of the Big Shanty road; and
If SO, the fire from Capt. Elliott's battery
may have prevented their advance against
me. III SO, this battery did US good service
which would have been duly acknowledged