The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1895-08-15

in tho military Annals Of Tennessee"
opens with that bold declaration from
the pen Of the author, who was an Off
Ger in that command throughout its
four years Of fighting, Or from Belmont
to Bentonville. No effort was required
to make good the claim. The sketch in
troduces the reader to good company
under both flags, but chiefly tells how
the Irishmen in gray bore the battle on
the hottest fields of the west. The title
Fifth Confederates' was q unique ono
given to regiment formed by consoi-
dation Of two Tennessee regiments after
the original regiments were nearly all
Irishmen from Memphis, and we must
suppose that they were the very ones
who had plenty of the fighting spirit
left. The consolidation produced but
eight companies, scant ones at that,
mastering about 500 or 600 effective
soldiers, although but 800 engaged in
the next battle, and the author naively
remarks that the Union blockade inter-
fered with southern immigration; hence
there was no chance to get recruits. A
trained soldier was placed at the head
of the new commando. A. Smith.
Nothing more seemed necessary for the
environment Of these Memphis braves
but a brigadier Of their own elk and
stamp" an event that came about when
they joined forces with Pat Cleburne's
Arkansans.
Cleburne was an enthusiastic young
rishman from Little Rock, who led out
a regiment Of his countrymen in 1861
and gained a star for good work hitting
heads at Shiloh. Strangely enough, the
new regiment received it's baptism Of
fire in close contest with Irishmen in
blue, the Tenth Ohio, also called the
Montgomery regiment" in honor Of the
gallant American Revolutionary
hero, who fell at Quebec. Lytle, the
poet-soldier, author Of the famous lines
beginning
an dying, Egypt, dying,
was the father Of the Tenth.
The historian Of the Fifth Confederate
is sparing of red ink, enivening his
narrative instead with personal Incl
dents, but official descriptions of the bat
ties of the regiment fill in the dark side
Of the page.
The battle between the Ohioans and
Tennesseeans was fought On Kentucky
soil, at Perryville. Perryville might be
compared to Donnybrook in more re-
spects than one. The heads to be hit
were in masses, as, for instance, the bat
teries, battalions and regiments lying
around loose. Things were heller SHELTER
on both sides Of the line. When the
Fifth marched to the front, charmed by
the sounds Of the fighting, it seemed
like a chase after rainbow. The smoke
and roar Of battle receded as it dashed
ahead. All at once while the regiment
was perfectly screened, as it appeared te
the men, by a stone wall about 80 rods
away, hundreds Of rifles opened on then
with terrific crash. Lytle's Irishme1
were behind the convenient wall rsins
it to screen their own heads. The line Of
Tennesseeans swayed, and as one mai
drew back. A glance at the former pc
sition showed a goodly rank Of prostrat'
men, cut down in files as they marched
With fierce yell, not stopping for or
ders, the Tennesseeans dashed for tn
wall, leaping over the dead and dyin;
in the mad charge. Lytle's men, alon
and without ammunition, gave way, bu
they had the pluck Of their race and re
treated only few rods. Every reques
Of Lytle's for aid brought the reply tina
there was none to send him, but tia
his position must be held at any cost
At last he saw that he would be force
to yield the ground after sacrificing a.
his men. Forming bare skirmish lin
from his old regiment, the Tenth Iris
he commanded a brigade at the tim
he charged toward the wall TT
slender line was wiped out and it's ga
liant leader left for dead on the field. I
falling back the remainder Of the Tent
ran the gantlet Of tho Confederate Iris
rifles, and the pathway was marked wit
rows of dead So far the account W.
even.
Lytle became prisoner to his countr,
men, who gave timely aid and save
his life. Other Union regiments took I
the fight at the stone wall and the FIT
Confederate barely escaped annihilatio
Cleburne rescued it by heading de
perate charge with fresh troops. TT
Tenth Ohio lost half Of it's men kill,
and wounded. Its Irish antagonists su
fered loss of about one-third. Viii
the Memphians were marching mort
ward on the disastrous Kentucky "a
their thoughts had been upon the re
licking times they promised themselv
beyond the Ohio, especially in Cinci
natl, river town where they won
find congenial pleasures. But, alas Ci
cinnati meant other things for the
than good times, and, moreover, h
met them half way. Lyle hailed frc
Cincinnati and had recruited his Ten
Ohio in the Queen City.
Stone River followed Perryville
closely that fighting blood hadn't til
to cool off. The very men who b
fought Perryville opened the fight, HI
dee's Confederates once more swoopi