The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-16
Gen. Cox,s Book ON Franklin.


In your issue of Nov. Is under the head
of "a Decisive Battle" occurs the follow
ing sentence 1.-THE federal loss was insig-
nificant. but the Confederate loss was
greater than that Of the Federals at Fred
ericksburg or at the battle of Chicka-
manga" This statement is grossly erron-
eous and the writer is as badly off as
Miss TarDell in her review in McClure's
Magazine of the Dana article, where she
speaks of "Rosecrans's demoralized army"
because five brigades were cut off through
accident and went to the rear. 1t does not
follow that the army of Rosecrans was de-
moralized, for nine-tenths of that army
stood it's ground erd held it's position
against three times it's own number. With
this portion, however, which was cut off
five brigades) 1t may not be amiss to say
that when they were driven to the rear
they had the company Of the following gen.
erals: Rosecrans, James A. Garfield, Crit
tenden, McCook, Phil Sheridan, Negley
jeff c. Davis and last, but not least. Mr.
G. A. Dana, who never stopped
until he got to Chattanooga and wired STAN
ton that "all is lost If he had remained
on the field with that portion of the army
under Thomas he would not, perhaps have
thought all was lost, nor that Rosecrans's
army was demoralized. If any one was bad
ly demoraliZed that day it was none other
than Mr.. Charles A. Dana.
AS ito the battle of Franklin. Schofield
claims lit, and he also claims the battle
ofIN Nashville. General Schotield commanded
the department of the Ohio which con-
sisted or the Twenty third Army Corps In
this corps on the Atlanta campaign and
also at the battle of Franklin, were two
SINAI! divisions, one of them being the
division of Gen. ]. d. Cox 1t is a fact that
at this battle of Franklin General Schof1eld
was on the north side of the Harpeth river
and took in the fight through a field glass
IL Is a fact that in this battle the two
DIVISIONS of the Twenty-third Army Corps
under Cox, were on the right of the line
1t IS fact that the Fourth Corps, Army
or the Cumberland, under General Stanley.
5lau lne leIt OF the line. Now General Stan
ley ranked General Cox, and the grand old
Fourth Corps was three times the size in
NUMBERS OF the fragment of the Twenty
When c0F fRs rebel It is CHARGE fact nt that
our line on the left, Major General Stanley,
q corps commander, took a reserve brigade
actually led, this brigade in ' Counter
charge, driving the rebels back over our
works and recovering the line, which was
afterward held until the fight was ended
In this charge General Stanley was serious
~ wounded and the rebel general, Pat Gle
burne, was killed on the works. Here is
an instance Of a general commanding a
corps leading brigade on foot in a desper-
ate charge, thereby saving the day and the
loss or the TWentythird and Fourth
Army Corps. l may say, in passing. that it
is the only instance known to my four
years of service.
The night before this hard-fought battle
this same General Stanley, with the most
consummate judgment and Skill passed the
entire wagon train, artillery, ambulances
and the whole of the Fourth Army Corps
under cover of darkness, past the right
flank of Hoods sleeping army and within
a stones throw of Hoods Sentries, getting
into Franklin in safety and in time to resist
the advance of Hood. Without this cele-
brated night march General Cox could not
have written a very glowing story of the
battle of Franklin. 1t is a fact that Gen
Schofeld never fought an Independent bat
tie, and it is certain that the credit of the
the rebels broke our line in their celebrated
charge General Cox was on the extreme
right and did not know. of it, until after
1t was over. 1t is quite time the Army of
the Cumberland stood up for their rights
and displayed their record. Schofield, who
never fought a battle, the man whom
Grover Cleveland and his man Friday Dan
LamonD and a Democratic Congress made
lieutenant general to fill the shoes of Grant
Sherman and Sheridan simply because he
was good bourbon Democrat, need not
claim he fought the Battle of Franklin
nor need Gen. J. d. Cox, for every soldier
knows that had it not been for Stanley the
entire command would have been lost, ex-
cepting Schofield, who was safe on the north
side of the Harpeth.
ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND.