The sun., 1897-12-05
THE AEIerHKExrUcKY At NASHVILLE
Ht Captured Battery Fully Armed. Not Aban-
doncd. n. Gen. Boynton Thought.

h"ucu. uh
To TIE EDITOR OF THE suN-Sir In n recent
letter to THE Sun Gen. Boynton whilo criticis-
ing the military service Of Gen. J. d. Cox in the
battle OF Nashville does an injustice to regt-
mcnt in Gen. CoN's command.
The Twelfth Kentucky Veteran Infantry WAS
In Gen. Doolittlc's brigade of Gen. Cox's d.
vision In that BATTLE Both these officers in their
reports. which are copied in Con- Boyntons let
ter. make honorable mention OF tho service Of
the Twelfth Kentucky In capturing battery.
But Gen. Boynton offers nm explanation" Of
this capture to tho effect that probably" the
Twelfth Kentucky took possession Of somo guns
which had been abandoned by the enemy owing
to the movements Of some troops other than
Gen. Cox's command. believe l can In brief
space give an interesting account Of this cap
ture The details have never been given in any
account heretofore written.
Al the close OF the first days fighting at Nash.
Vile dec. 49, 1864. Doolittlcs brigade OF Cox's
division held ground just 400 yards from tho
enomy's fortified line. Il say 400 yards because
after the final charge the next afternoon !. in
company with Capt. W. c. Grocer Of the Twelfth
Kentucky, won't back to the position we had
hold and stepped the dstance.)
Tho ground held by Doolittle's brigade. MS
stated. WIS a blue grass pasture containing
trees. During tho night Of the 18th the men
threw up brcnstworks Of logs and stones. Early
next morning n battery directly In front opened
Several shells tore through the trees and OK.
ploded, but the firing Immediately ceased. and
the battery remained quiet during all the rest
of the day. Why was this
will give the reason The Twelfth Kentucky
was Immediately in its front. The soldiers of
this regiment were not only veterans but marks
men. They had been used to rife shooting be-
hn nd fhav md tn octl loo
with mnskets in 1861. In the battle Of Mill
Snrings thcy had been we'll reported by Gen.
| Thomas They hnd served under Cons. Buell.,
| Rosccrnns. and sherman. and had learned how
| TO net when In dangerous place. Company G,
tho color company. under Cant Grocer, was
upon that battery. Tho first discharge
Ct shells gavo warning. .nd instantly
If @ns
| The other, comr,ncs Of the regiment followed
tho example OF Crozer's and nll tina It day, m t.
reloaded after, their mrs. discharge. was thu
present. and personally know that there ne
| abandonment of the posifiOn before us that dny
Of 400 wards. but tho battery was not allowed tt
| play unon our hastily thrown:up shelter. Tho
cncmy's line Of works In our front was manned
| NIL day. and when the final charge WAS made the
hurst Of musketrv which greeted our mer
showed tho enemy to 10 in strong force.
over its low shelter md dashed forward with
such n rush It received only the fro from th'
mmskets then loaded. That fire was delivered
wildly and few were struck H"nce our los
was small. In n moment rho 400 yards wer,
traycrsod. and the cnemv's works were bin,
| with Union soldiers. I well remember Croze
leading his men directly against the battery.
saw him leap over cannon and his men wen
| over with him. As we carried the position IN,
encmy broke from It and hurried hack over tn,
hill and out OF sight. They abandoned The place
then. but not before. Some prisoners wcr
taken. The Twelfth Kentucky took fifty anc
cant 'ured the bnttrrv.
The work NJ the Twelfth Kcntucky Mt Nash
Vile was truly reported bv fits mmanders
and Il IL nninful now to find Gen. Bovnton seek
ing to pluck away its laurels hy inferrinQ he
cause its loss was small that. therefore the No
sition IT carried had hecn ahondOned Its los
was small because It stood IN to its work nj
that day with 1.-Two. quick intelligence. siIeno
ing the bntterv. md then rushing upon IT. witt
such spirit and dash thnt It was prevented fror
moving down its men with crane.
| Col. laurence ". Rousse1n. who led tn
Twelfth Kentucky. now resides at Somerset
Nv. Capt. w. G. t'rozcr now resides ut Kno,
| VILE Tenn. civil engineer. THOMAS SPEED.
LOUISVILLE. Nov. 49,