The National tribune., 1896-01-09

The old "Zollicoffer building so well re-
membered by thousands, is now the Maxwell
House. No. "9n General Hospital on Sum-
mer street, is but little changed, and so of
No. "S' General Hospital, on Church street.
How many will remember Ward No. of the
latter? In both these buildings / lay and
suffered many months in the Winter of
1S63J6i.
The National Cemetery is eight miles north
of the city. We passed through on the train.
In it sleep 1888 honored dead OF the Ma
tion's servants. This is the second largest
National Cemetery in the country. The one
at Vicksburg, Miss. contains 16,615 soldier
dead.
"On Fame's eternal camping groun'
Their silent tents spread.
And glory guards with solemn rouno
The bvouac Of the dead"
Our party left Nashville for Chattanooga
Sept. IA, and places of interest crowd upon
us thick and fast. As we neared Lavergne,
Tenn, a comrade, who was member of Col.
Innis's 1st Mich. Eng, was anxious to see
the place where he and his comrades re-
pulsed Gen. Wheeler's attack Jan. ], 1863;
and related that he there saw Confederate
soldier in Wheeler's command in the charge
held by the Engineers; that the Confederate
was mounted on white horse, seemed to
be in citizens clothes, and to have two guns,
but did not fire either of them, and that
several of our men fired at him without
hitting him. Well, strange 10 say, we stopped
ut the home of Mr.. w. M. Alexander, on
High street, Chattanooga, who was Con-
federate soldier in Wheeler's troopers, and in
The attack on Lavergne, New Years day,
1863. HIS fathers home was on the road
from Murfrees boro, Tenn, to Shelbyville,
Tenn; that when his mother heard the roar
of battle on the 27th and 29th of December,
1862, she sent her husband up to take care
of their SON. that he (the father was with
Wheeer Jan. !, 1868; that when the first
attack was made and repulsed, he took two
guns and went in to kill at least two Yankees;
that his horse Ia white one) became un-
manageable and carried its rider up to and
past he flank of the Union forces, and that
he did not fire either gun, and had no more
desire to try 10 iniure Yankee. Young
Mr. Alexander said he would be glad to
meet the comrade from Michigan.
Soon we reach and pass by the Stone
River National Cemetery, where rest IN
peace the remains of 6, 145 men who fell
wearing the honored blue.
mo rumor of the foes advance
Now swells upon tie wind
No troubled thought at midnight haunts
OF loved ones left behind"
But little was seen Of Murfreesboro or
Stones River battlefield The town has
been rebuilt, and nearly all is now changed.
Wartrace, Tullahoma, Elk River, Duck
River, Estell Springs, Dechard, Cowan, down
the steep grade to Anderson Stevenson,
Ala, where Gen. Rosecrans's Headquarters
were for some time; Bridgeport, where we
cross the Tennessee River, and there we
pass Shell Mound; NickajaCk Cave; Wau-
hatchie; Lookout Mountain; Chattanooga
what vast volume of thrilling incidents
and stirring events each name calls up!
Here regiments, divisions, corps, and even
armies encamped. Here a fight, here n
night attack was made or repelled, and how
often here battle was fought; and how
much oltener a comrade fell, and with his
life-blood Redeemed the soil! Thirty years
and more have not dimmed the recollection
of the events that made up soldiers life
along this historic route.
When / first made this trip down 10
Chattanooga / was an Orderly at Gen. Rose
cranss Headquarters, and saw and knew
much of the movements of the Army of the
Cumberland. The duties of an Orderly
were responsible, and at times difficult and
dangerous. He must be ready aud equipped
at all hours, day and might, to go and
deliver orders and dispatches, and to return
with the proper receipt from the proper
person, and on exact schedule time This
work brought us in constant contact with
all the prominent officers of the entire army,
and gave us information known to no other
enlisted men; and while we had this prOmi-
nence, at times it cast us dearly to obtain it.
/ cannot but recall one notable ride. On
the 4 h of September, 1863, Gen. Rosecrans,
staff and Orderlies crossed the Tennessee
River at Bridgeport, Ala, on combination
trestle and pontoon bridge, and that night
camped at Cave Springs. The 5th was hot
morning.
Zone man wanted, with a good horse and
three days rations," came the order.
/ was ready, and soon ut the tent of Gen.
Rosecrans, and from the hands of that Gen
eral and Gen. Garfield received important
dispatches for Gen. Stanley, who was told,
was south from Trenton, Ca, with the cav
airy.