The National tribune., 1899-03-02
FIGHTING THEM LOVER.
What the Veterans Have to Say
About Their Campaigns.
A LITTLE CONTROVERSY.
Comrade W. r. Hopkins Dissects Capt. Ran
kin's Duck River story.

n LII lnE OVNlkUxEkSY.
comrade ". r. Hopkins Dissects Capt. Ran
kin's Duck River story.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: am sorry
to see my respected and venerable comrade,
Capt. K. C. Rankin, throwing himself into
the breach and endeavoring to rescue Capt.
Allen from the position, in which he placed
himself will again call attention to the
article of Capt. Allen in your issue Of Oct.
| 13, 1898, and quote some of the language
thereof:
1--WE had been resisting Hoods advance
into Tennessee just prior to the battles OF
Franklin and Nashville. Our cav
airy division had been holding the line OF
Duck River. l was posted with
my company of 60 Spencer carbines to cover
the retreat Of our forces over rocky ford"
One not familiar with the facts from per-
sonal knowledge or the history Of the particu-
lar events, would at once grasp the idea that
Capt Allen and his immediate command was
the whole thing u down there at that time
My article in your issue of Dec 22, 1893.
was simply for the purpose of showing, in
my poor way, that there were others taking
at least small part. Capt. Rankin come
forward, in order, as he says to explain some
luluSS III Iuy dItNlC, tslN W Ulstiiu ObuCiS So
false l simply take the official reports as |
10 have the force and effect of prima-iacie
evidence, good until refuted by competent
testimony.
Now, the main question has assumed a
different phase. In the first instance, Capt.
Allen would seem to assume that he and his
command were down there all the time.
Capt. Allen then drops out, and Capt Ran
kin appears on the Stage, and asserts that
they did get there ON the last day, in the
evening. Now, 1 claim the latter assertion
is not proved, even by Capt. Rankin's own
statement, taken as a whole, aside from the
otner evidence. He says in his article, Jan.
49, that he reached Spring Hill, with the 7th
Ohio, on the evening OF the 2ath. He says
in effect that the statements Of Gen. Ross
Confederate are correct. He does qualify
this by saying that it was two or three COM
panies of the 7th Ohio that whipped the Sd
Tex.
Let us compare notes. Cap. Rankin and
the 7th Ohio were at Spring Hill on the
evening of the 2otl. (See his article. Ross
says land Rankin indorses his statements):
Crossing Duck River the next morning
(2Sth) at the mill nine miles above Column
bia, we were directed thence to the right, or
the Shelbyyilic road, and when near the
Lewisburg and Franklin pike, again ell
countered the Federal cavalry" (Serl, Vol.
SO, p 100, Records Rcbellion). He then
describes the mix-up i'll which the 7th Ohio
had a part.
The Shelbyvile road runs almost east and
west. and from three to four miles from
Duck River; the Lewisburg and Franklin
pike, running almost north and south, crosses
Duck River just about at Huey's Mill, some
nine miles almost east of Columbia. The
junction of these two roads Is some three
or four miles from the river and at or near
this junction is where Ross engaged the 1th.
Neither Ross nor Rankin states what time IN
the day this took place. We have the state
ment Of Ross that he, with his command,
was across the river ON the morning OF the
2Sth. We have the statement of Rankin
that he was Mt Spring Hill on the evening OF
the 2Sth, with the 9TH Ohio.
We will turn to the report of Gen. Wilson,
as found on page 538 OF book above cited,
where he says: Atnoon of Nov. % the pickets
of Croxton's and c pron's Brigades gave
notice OF the appearance of the rebel cavalry
at the various iorls between Columbia and
the Lewisburg pike, particularly at Huey's
Mill, eight miles above Columbia. in such
tions. The pickets in the vicinity of Huey's
Mill were soon driven, and the rebels i'm
mediately began crossing. At 9 p. m.
sent dispatch to Maj. Gen. Schofeld, notify
ing him of the enemy's movements, and in
| forming him that L should endeavor to con-
centrate my force at Hurts Crossroads"
You will here note this was 2 O'Clock in the
afternoon Of the 2sth. Capt. Rankin says he
| reached Spring Hill on the evening of the
| 2oth with the 7th Ohio At Spring Hill he
was IL miles from Duck River by any road
he could travel. Hurts Crossroads, where
| Wilson was endeayoring to concentrate alter
| the rebels were across the river, is almost
| north and about four or five miles from
where Ross evidently met the 7th Ohio.
| Gen. Wilson, continuing his report, says
By p. m. the entire force was concentrated
al Hurts Crossroads"
| Taking these statements together, the only
reasonable inference that can he drawn is
that Capt. Rankin, marching from Spring
| Hill in the direction of Duck River en-
countered Ross at or near the junction Of the
Shelbyville road with the Lewisburg and
| Frank lin pike some miles distant from the
foid at Huey's Mill. and after the encounter
his various companies joined the main body
at or near Hurts Crossroads sometime dur
ing the night. He certainly did not march
to the Duck River fords, then turn about
and meet Ross on his return he would not
have had time to do that; besides, fr III Gen.
Wilson's statements these fords were practi-
cally abandoned shortly after 2 p. M, and it
is not reasonable to suppose that Rankin,
alter his contest with Ross, pursued his way
| to the Duck River fords, and then returned.
| l make no claim based on personal
knowledge that the 7th was not there A
soldier in the ranks had little opportunity to
know what troops or regiments were taking
part in such extended operations as were on
loot at that time in that locality. The ex-
planation of Capt Rankin relative to the
loss of the colors of the 7th is, no doubt,
honestly made, and l am not questioning the
truthfulness of it. / simply remark that it
was an exception to the rule to send man
alone, in the night time, charged with a
perilous mission, with the regimental colors
in his possession.-W. X. HOPKINS, Garden
City, Kans. ~ y
/ =