The National tribune., 1899-10-26
THE TAKING OF A BATTERY.
Explaining Away ouest.oa as to a Capture
at Champions Hills

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: I had
thought for some time that the part taken
by the 32d Ohio in the very important en-
gagement OF May 16 1863. fought at Cham
pion's Hills, Miss. had been finally settled
beyond quibblc; but, like the ghost Shaks-
pere conurcd to disturb the young man
Hamlet, IL seems this question will nos
down. After quietly sleeping for several
years, Comrade Mitchell. in his struggle
at Champlon'S Hills" awakcnS it again.
l would not take your space nor occupy
my time in an attempt to explain the vexcd
question involved but that COmradc Mitch
ellis manner of expression couvcys TO ths
uninformed the impression that the 32d
Ohio was claiming the capture of the 9Th
Miss. battery when in fact ii did not capture
any battery at all.
1t is indeed true that the 32d Ohio was to
the right Of Hovey's Division. Indeed.
the brigade of which the 32d Ohio was q
part constituted the right brigade of Grants
army, the 32d in the center Logan's
Division came into lire on the left of Quinn
by's by file right, and when in position the
Third Brigade was confronting the ex-
treme left of Pemberton's position.
Ii was but q short time after we reached
our place in line that the forward move
ment was made. What troops on the ex-
trcme right Comrade Mitchell refers to as
| having been drawn back to support our
weakened lines" | do not know How
ever, | do know that Logans (Third) Di-
vision was not drawn back at any time on
that hotly-cOntested field.
AS we moved forward the brigade stcadi-
ly wheeled to the left, bringing the left
flank of the 32d Ohio in front Of the ex-
tremc left battery of the rebel army. On
reaching the crest of the rather steep ascent
up which we had been charging, We halted,
and when but "a few yards from this bat
terry, delivered welldrcctcd vOlley. and
then charged through the battery, captur-
| ing every gun. The charge was a mag
nificent one, for which we were commended
on the field by Gen. Logan, who turned
the battery over to Co. + of the sd Ohio.
and it became known as the 26th Ind'p't
| battery, Ohio L. A.
! The 32d Ohio, Sth Wis, and 18th ILL.,,
| three of the four regiments which con-
| stituted the Third Brigade, Third Division.
| Seventeenth Corps, went down one hill
and up another, took this battery, turned
| the rebel left, and practically won the
! fight of Champions Hills, when COmrade
Mitchcll's language would have led one
| to believe that Gen. Logan. with the Goth
and SD Ohio, We're loafing around away
! off the valley to the right, while some other
regiments and divisions were winning a
victory and capturing cannon for which
| they are not getting credit
| COmrade Mitchell may content himself.
| This was the 1St Miss battery. He can
| have that 9th Miss. battery. The probable
reason why we did not capture it is because
it was not in front of us. Comrade Condor,
Goth Ohio. is mistaken only in the numher
OF the battery captured by the 32d, and Z
am glad to know that he IS able, as an
observer of some of the important hap
penings on that field, to bear witness to
! the work we did, and in behalf of the 32d
I thank Comrade Condon.-E. Il. HAYS,
32d Ohio.