The National tribune., 1895-12-12
BATTLING WITH HOOD.
One of Cox's Men Corroborates Comrade
Lacock's Story.


One of Cox's Men Corroborates Comradt
Lacock's Story.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: have read
with much interest the story by John w
Lacock, of the 93d Ind. under The head o.
Battling with Hood,n and having been OF
the ground, as IL were, can verify much o
what he has said. / feel like thanking hiR
for the kind things lie has SAID about those o
us who were participants in the battle Of
Franklin.
HIS description of the charge on Shy's
! Hill, or, as he calls it, Honey Hill, at the
battle of Nashville, Dec. ID and 10, 1864, is
excellent 1t happens that was in posi-
tion to see that charge, perhaps even, letter
man Comrade Lscock did. About the ri ght
| of their line which charged, the enemy's
works turned almost at right angle. Our
brigade was in position at some ltIle dis
lance from the foot of the hill, in front OF
nat part of the enemy's line which, if the
Sixteenth Corps brigade charged up from
the north, faced west, almost ia front of this
angle, and in such position as 10 give US a
perfect view Of the ground over which the
First Brigade charged. We distinctly saw
them form at the foUt of the hill, and i re-
member yividly the opening of the artillery
some distance in the rear, and how we watch
ed the bursting of the shells at the enemy's
parapet. We saw how this continuous ariil-
lsry firing prevented the enemy from firing
upon the charging column.
1t was a steep climb, and the gallant boys
in blue who were in the charge were CEN
siderably scattered by the time they reached
tie enemy's works and those Of us who were
looking on, not being engaged, were almost
OF so small column attacking such heavy
works. We felt as though We would like 10
hug those artillery fellows TOR their magnif-
cent firing When we saw Comrade Lacock's
brigade mount the works and take possession
OF them, and realized that they would be able
to hold what they had gained, we could con-
tain ourselves no longer and broke into
loud and continuous cheer which, joined to
the yells given by the charging brigade, was
what, as ] imagined, enabled the troops to
the right and lett OF US 10 know that a vic
tory had been gained at that point.
And now j am going TO help Comrade
Lacock to a little information which, added
TO that be has given, will somewhat COM
Plete the picture. He says: No diversion
in our favor seemed TO have been made on
any part Of the line TO attract attention
away from u.s." Therefore, it will be new
information TO him TO know that the FIRST
Brigade OF Cox's Division, to which / be-
longed, charged at the same time that Com
rade Lacock's brigade did, and succeeded in
bursting through the rebel lines on our
right So that, as it happened, our brigade
standing fast, the First Brigade ON our
right charging through the line of the
enemy, and the First Brigade OF the Six
teen Corps charging on our left, resulted
in tie capture of the enemy's line which we
were confronting.
Col. Doolittle, swinging the First Brigade
of the Twenty-thiId Corps with right
wheel after charging through the line, en-
yeloped the enemy IN this part Of the line
10 which i have referred, and they were
soon alter marched as prisoners across our
r1e-pits. At the point in the line where
the company 10 which | belonged was sta
toned, as they came over our rife-pits.
there was some chatting OF them on the part
OF our men. / remember that one of my
comrades shouted to Them:
is this the way you are going to take
Nashyille?"
And enc stalwart rebel, looking at me as
though he thought it was i who had made
the remark, shouted:
You give us Sherman and Won take
Hood and wen whup you," evidently under
the misapprehensiOn that Sherman was in |
command Of the National forces instead of
Thomas.
probably should not have been tempted |
to write this letter, except 10 show Comrade |
Lacock that the First Brigade of the Six |
teenth Corps was not alone in destroying |
Hoods army at Nashville, and that the |
Fist Brigade of the Third Division of the |
Iweniy-third Corps Of which / was not a |
member, but whose fighting can testify to, |
has a record IN regard 10 that fight which |
entities II TO at least an even division of the |
victory. As matter Of fact, the First Bri |
gade OF Co1's Division was more exposed |
10 the lire Of the enemy and / think LOST |
more heavily than Comrade Lacock's bri. |
gade did in that fight
Col. Doollttle, think, is still living. and |
VIII bear me out in the statement / have
mace with regard to the charge made by his |
brigade on that occasion. His address when
last heard from him, was Toledo, o.
My remembrance agrees with that of
Comrade Lacock, that soon after these works |
Were taken Hoods army was in demoralizrd
retreat, being pursued from all points of onr |
w. CASE, 65th H.. Sec
ond Brigade, Third Division, Twenty-third
Corps, St. Louis, Mo.