The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1896-01-23

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the hill on it's south face, the 10Th and SSH
were formed facing the enemy east at RICH
angles, with the ODD in reserve; a few strag
rlers. when the odd Wis. received the frs
charge, moving off by the left flank and join
ing the retreating cavalry and artillery.
The four regiments had hardly formed il
line. living down behind the crest of the hill
when Armstrong; Brigade charged from thu
east and the Texans from the south. Thu
fighting was now terrific. Our fire was re
served until the enemy were within 80 PAGES
| Three times they calamity charged up thu
hill from the east, and thrice were the,
| forced back. In one of their charges thu
10Th Mich captured the colors of the 4tl
Miss. and four prisoners, and the contendlns
parties were so near each other that one maj
was shot by the soldiers of the S5th from thu
window of schoolhouse as he was trying Il
get in at the door.
During this time one battery was throw
ing shells into our lines and, having go
| possession of the hill on the east of the road
the enemy hurled grape and canister like
hail. The battle ragged furiously; still, II
was hopeless struggle. Defeat was only 6
question of time. The ammunition was fast
giving out, and Forrest, being between us
and Franklin, was closing in from the north
But officers and soldiers did their duty.
A new line was formed with all four oil
the regiments facing north to meet the new
foe about 300 yards farther to the west and
| about the same distance to the north. Here
Forrest was met and held in check until the
last round of ammunition was fired. The
brave little force fixed bayonets to charge
and break the enemy's line and try to es-
cape. But just as they were about to charge
it was discovered that Forrest had still
another line in reserve, and a battery began
10 open and form a new position. Escape
was hopeless, and, 10 avoid useless sacrifice
of life the command surrendered.
Gen. Coburn during the trying engage
ment was calm and collected, displaying
great energy and bravery. He made the
best fight he could, and only yielded when
further strife would have been madness. Of
officers and men, ,306 were made prisoners
and were sent South. The cavalry were
not engaged, and, with the artillery, escaped
with little, if any, loss. The 124th Ohio
were not engaged, being with the wagon
train, which was large. The enemy were
all cavalry and mounted infantry, but all
fought on foot, every fourth man holding
four horses; and the force consisted of six
brigades, under Lieut.-Gen. Van Dorm, Maj
Gen. Forrest, Brig-Gens French, Arm
strong, Crosby, Martin, Wharton, and Jack
son. The infantry had no chance Of escape
after the fight once began.
Somebody evidently blundered in the
planning of the expedition, as Van Dorn's
whole force had been at Spring Hill for three
days before Gen. Coburn left Franklin, and,
not knowing that the brigade had left Brent
wood, were preparing to attack Franklin,
1,1l I'd 81, lnrv 1.aF 1,afr
pose. 1t was said the rebels had $4,000 men
within striking distance. Other men, with
the writer, were detailed by the rebel Col.
Gordon, of the 4th Miss, to carry our
wounded from the battlefield. The main
body of our men were double-quicked from
the field, and then the tug-of-war began.
After our task was done, we were rushed off
with all speed, for fear of recapture.
As we proceeded along the pike, we saw
brigade after brigade of rebels hurrying to
the front. Our destination was Tullahoma,
Gen. Bragg's Headquarters, some 40 miles
away. Meantime, we were marched and
corraled in swamps and out-of- the-way
places, without food, shelter, or fire. AT last
we arrived at Bragg's Headquarters, only to
be robbed of the last comfort we possessed.
We were marched in front of Bragg's Head
quarters in columns of regiments, and forci-
bly, robbed of our last remaining blankets
and our overcoats. The writer had hard
tussle with a rough Texan TO save what
little money he had, and only an appeal to
an officer saved him. Twas threatened with
death for putting stone for pillow under
the head of 10Th Mich. man badly wounded
it being all i could find.
Then on to Richmond we went by filthy
cattle cars, full of holes. We stopped at
Lynchburg, Va, one day and night. The
rebs showed us one day in line in the princi-
pal street of the city, then drove US TO the
fair ground, turned Us into the cattle sheds,
open in front, no floors, with the excrement
for a bed; thence we went to Libby Prison !;
spent one night in the streets of Richmond
in the snow We had been nearly four days
now without food Of any kind. About eight
o'clock that morning we received some
thing.
The daily ration per man was one pint
cup of the water the meat was boiled in, with
one teaspocnful Of rice in the water Of each
cup; one and one-balf ounces of black, bad
bread for breakfast; for supper, one and one
half ounces of poor meat, and like amount
Of poor, black, stale bread.
The discipline in prison was brutal. If a
young boy was sick and could not fall in at
roll-call quick enough for the rebel officer
he was brutality kicked by a small, impor-
tant rebel. And so it went on from day 10
day, until death or exchange relieved us one
by one.-M. w. CHAPMAN, 22d Wis, Sharon,
Wis