The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1895-05-09
MONDAY CHURCH.

--
Gen. Minty Clears up Some Misapprehen-
sions.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Comrade
McGinley's article in your issue of April a,
calls for few more words from me on the
battle of MONDAY Church.
In criticising me for falling to remember
the assistance given by Capt. EIliott's bat
terry on June 90, 1864, d. Z. Mckinley I'M
Willingly sustains me. He POLITICALLY says
at was q beautiful June morning; ma
ture had donned her loveliest dress; the air
was clear and bracing, and officers and men
were in excellent spirits. The scenes of
that day are as fresh in my memory as
though they transpred but yesterday.
The battle of MONDAY Church did not
begin until after o'clock in the afternoon,
and none of our cavalry was across Noon
day in the forenoon except the 7th Pa,
which regiment had sharp fight with
and dislodged the enemy's cavalry at and
near the crossing of the Big Shanty and
Marietta roads.
Capt Elliott and D. E. Mckinley agree as
to the position of the battery and its sup
ports. quote from the latter:
Entering the clearing our lines wheeled
to the right so as to face south.
But soon sharp firing was heard about q
mile to our left, and the battery limbered
up and trotted back down the HILL followed
by our regiment, still in line-of-battle.
Reaching the foot of the hill, we made q
right-wheel that brought US to position
facing the east, and we then marched up
another hill, the top of which was timber
covered. OF the top of this hill we formed
our battery in position and lay down in its
rear"
If you will follow these movements you
will note that the battery and its supports
are now facing the position occupied by
the 7th Pa Cav. at the junction or crossing
of the Big Shanty and Canton and Marietta
roads.
Comrade Mckinley then describes the
cavalry fight which took place "tO the east
of our position"
MONDAY Church was a little east Of
north, and distant over four miles.
l have not and do not for one moment
question the fact that Forces Brigade and
Elliott's battery did good work near Brush
Mountain on June 90, 1864. But l insist
that i'll the battle of MONDAY Church, which
was fought and won over four miles north
from the position which they occupied, and
ragged increasingly from a little after o'clock
in the afternoon until s o'clock in the even
ing, / received neither protection" as stated
by Gen. Howard, nor assistance" as claimed
by Comrades Elliott and Mckinley, from
either Forces Brigade or Elliott's battery.
1t was part of my command which Com
rade Mckinley saw charge that day, and l
was and am proud of it. 1t was with the
saber we gained our proud title of THE
Saber Brigade" and with the saber We held
our title clear. The gallant 18th Pa. never
lost an opportunity of using their saEers
after they were ground at Murfreesboro in
February, 1863.
The estimate of "a brigade or more"
made by d. L. Mckinley is not at all sur
prising. A regiment of cavalry covers as
much ground as ordinary division of in
iantry, and even cavalrymen are apt to over
estimate.
Brush, or Brushy, Mountain is a great
mass of mountain. The part shown in the
lower left hand corner of the map in your
issue of April II is only ons of its many
spurs. The first hill which Mckinley
speaks of, and where Col. McCook was the
shining target for the rebel volley, was prob
ably the western portion of this spur.
II. G. MINTY, Brevet Major General, U. S.
"