The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-03-16

progress. Wilders brigade changed their
position dismounted. while the brIGades of
Minty and Long moved on the TANKS, driV-
ing the enemy from the field. We camped
about two miles from Rome. on Oct. -,
1864. Longs brigade took the advance. and,
after going about eight miles, ran up
against the rebel brigades of Harrison and
Armstrong, strongly posted behind rail
breastworks on a ridge which ran across
| lance from Coosavile. Wilders brigade
was ordered up dismounted the Ninety
Illinois and Seventy-second Indiana on the
right hand side OF the road, and the Seven
teenth Indiana (Which was as large. as the
other three regiments) on the left side and
| rear OF Wilder'S. The line moved steadily
| forward, but the Seventeenth Indiana
pushed rapidly to the banks of the creek
| which was here skirted with bushes until
| they were within three hundred yards of the
| two rebel guns. which were in little grove
| 10 the right of the road, from which they
| were firing, mostly towards our right. Col
| Vail halted the Seventeenth Indiana, and
| having in view the capture OF the guns, sent
word 10 Colonel Miller that he could clean
| up everything around the guns now In front
| of him If some cavalry were sent forward
| as he advanced to secure them. Colonel
| Miller halted the other regiments, and see
| ing that cavalry could be brought around
| the road. which was fringed with bushes;
| battery unobServed, sent request TO Gen.
Garrard to send forward some cavalry TO
at ns e a sat led i herse s Could di proba
| bly, be captured. Soon the head Of the
| Seventh Pennsylvania Cavalry was seen
coming, around the bend Of the road, fol-
| lowed by the Fourth United States and
| Fourth Michigan Cavalry of Minty's
brigade which was commanded l. by a, MAJOR
| and when the bugles sounded the charge
Wilders men men, sprang to thelr Leet 4, a tha
rebel line. At the same time Wilders
scouts. pistol in hand, moved along the
| road like a cannon ball, followed by Mintys
| six hundred troopers with sabers waving
| wildly in the air. the hoarse shouts OF the
| cavalry mingling with the yels OF Wilder 8
men and the rattle of the deadly Spencer.
| Indiana poured deadly volleys among the
rebel artillery men, and killed the artillery
| mules. until ii was dangerous TO fire more,
| our scouts and the head of Minty's brigade
| being now at the guns, which they captured
| The whole line having advanced rapidly at
| the same time the rebel line of battle was
| soon in full retreat for their horses. Then
joyful cheer went up, for We felt certain
| that Minty's men would charge on and get
| the led horses as we'll as the guns, the
| rebel brigades being broken TO pieces. But
| in the pursuit they took the left hand, or
| river road, picking up a good many prison.
| ers, but did not get the horses, for the
rebels. rallying again: turned r on Minty
| Indiana horses being brought up they
| pushed forward on the right hand road to-
| wards Guntersville, Captain Weller tactlng
| major) leading the advance. The road was
| strewn with hats, coats. guns, blankets ana
other articles cast away by the flying John
| a part of Armstrong; brigade and opened
| fire on them, and they commenced rapidly
dispensing. The color-beaTer Of the Eighth
side dt was in an oil-cloth cover to keep II
from being seen as he. he gatope ped b In tse
in the JAM but as matters got too hot for
him he dropped his flag and sped away
across the fields great many prisoners prisoners
| while Mintys brigade picked up good
many more. l believe the man who cap
tured the flag was Corpora! Reinhard Stra s.
Captain Weller who brought 1t TO Colonel
Vail. The flag is about four feet square, OF
is a White satin disk about a foot in
diameter, in the center of which Is red
silk cross; above this is inssr5ed; S sTa
Rangers" The original Colonel Terry was
killed in a fight with the Thirty-second In
diana at n RGwetts S SfaSn belonged 10
Chattanooga battery. the captain of which
was killed at his guns. These guns were
| Armstrong Ito whose brigade they were at
| tached) told me, since the war, were better
able to stand battery service IN roug b,s fac
| see an old hero of the Seventy-s second
indiana claims TO have shot down the bat
terry horses, He could not have got near 1es 7
| Seventeenth Indiana lost First Sergt.
George G. Lord, of Company A, ana corp
" c.. Allen. OF Company II, killed, and sew
eral wounded; the other regiments OF tne
| brigade suffered no loss. Mintys br1gade
| lest one man killed anu WE'VE Wouiucu;;
| The Confederates had about hundred
| killed and wounded.
| | think this ought to settle the question
that the flag was legitimately captured In
| action. but i cannot understand who the
| LEGISLATURE of Indiana are going 10 return
it to- l think 1t would be perfectly rlgh'
If these captured Confederate hags are re-
| turned TO erase all the names OF battles
from the old flags of the Indiana regiments
| IN the Statehouse: and. while sending back
| the flags why not send back all captured
| guns? There is beautiful two-pound brass
| hreech-loading cannon In the Statehouse,
| made at Macon Ga. for use by captain
| Travis of Forests command, to shoot the
| pilots out of the pilot houses on Mississippi
| Steamboats,. That ought certainly 10 be sent
| back with apology. 1t was captured In
| Macon, Ga, when the seventeenth INDIANA
| took that city / have never heard a South
| ern orator yet who did not claim that the
South was in the right, and OF course IL
| this is acknowledged make the honorable
! amende and send back the flags and guns.
WILLIAM T.. DOYLE,
| Late Adjutant Seventeenth Indiana.
| SteVensburg. Va, March IL