The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-01-14
A Plain Statement Of Facts.

5. O. Young. Adjutant General, Texas (
Division. United Confederate Veterans,
Galveston, Texas.
Rusk, Texas, January 6.-Dear Sit The
following statement OF facts IS written
for the benefit OF comrades who do not
remember incidents Of the war very clear
ly;
The battle Of Thompson station. nine
miles south Of Franklin, Tenn. was
fought March ;. 1868 beginning about 10
A. m. and ending about p. m The Fed
ersl troops were commanded by Colonel
John Coburn OF the Thirty third Indiana
volunteers. and consisted Of nearly 5000
men, infantry, cavalry and about six pieces
Of artillery, Our troops. commanded by
General Earl Van Dorm. consisted Of four
brlgades OF cavalry and Missouri battery
OF four guns. There was Forests brigade
OF four regiments and a battalion. Mar
Tins brigade Of two regiments, Arm
strong's brigade OF two regiments. one
battalion and a squadron, and General
Whithelds brigade OF four Texas regi-
Twenty being usually called
Whithelds legion, as 1t was composed of
twelve companies and was organized and
commanded by Colonel Whitfield until he
was promoted.
Owing to the positions occupied b. ths
different commands the brunt Of me battle
fell upon Whitheld's brigaIF and Arm
slronss brigade .espeslS y Third Ar Ar.
losses IN the exfagement will corroborate
me In th, .yNhiield lost no men, Arm
strong ll<Forreat O. and Martin g.
GsgSSyS1 Forrest With two OF his reg-
sYsseHts was ordered 10 make a detour to
the right or east of the Franklin pike and
gain the enemy's rear, which he succeed
ed in doing When General Forres; opened
FIRE on their rear they displayed a white
flag, threw down their guns and surren-
dered-that Is. those remaining OH the
field Their artillery, cavalry and one
regiment Of infantry had left the field.
Their loss was reported at As killed, 9i7
wounded and 1851 captured OF the cap
tured were seventyhve officers, among
them Colonel Coburn, the commander, and
Major W. r. Shafter OF the Nineteenth
Michigan regiment. now major general
and one of the heroes of the Spanish
American war
Among our killed was s g. Earle the
brave colonel OF the Third Arkansas cav
airy. The gallant Joe Wheeler was no.
where near the scene of this action at that
time In the latter part of the summer OF
Il 1853, after we had returned TO Mississippi
General Whitfield. owing to falling health
left us and returned to Texas, In the au-
tumn of the same year Colonel l.. s. Ross
Of the Sixth Texas was promoted to briga-
der general aud ever afterwards COM
manded the brigade composed OF the same
regiments,
In the Georgia campaign OF 1864 Gen
: eral W, II. Jacksons cavalry division,
composed OF Ross brigade and Arm
! strongs brigade, then composed OF fom
. Mississippi regiments and part OF the time
General Fergusons brigade of Alabama
and Mississippi troops, guarded the ex-
/ treme left flank Of General Joe Johnston
army, while General Wheeler with his
command guarded The extreme right flank
miles and miles away from us
i General Wheeler never commanded
Ross brigade, unless Il was for about two
days in July 1854 Stoneman came around
our right MoCook around the left. stimuli
taneously. intending to meet at Lovejoy
and destroy our communications in rear OF
Atlante, General Wheeler made short
work of Sioneman aud came across tn,
2 railroad with one Of his brigades and as
, sisted Jackson's In driving MoCouk bacl
= to Newman, where his command was near
! ly demolished, In this AFFAIR Genera
r Wheeler was the ranking officer. Respect
4 fully, S. r. Barron.
Company c, Third Texas Cavalry, Ross
a Brigade