The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1900-11-29
AGAINST TERRIBLE ODDS.
The Story of One of Kinks Brigade at Stone
River


EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: In regard
to the battle of Stone River, Capt. Henry
A. Castle, 73d ILL.,, says that Gen. John
sons Division was unprepared for the at
tack, and that many of the officers and
men were asleep and the artillery horses
being watered at distant spring and the
division commanders at their tents, hall
mile in the rear.
My regiment, the Doth Ind, belonged tc
Gen. Il. n. Kinks Brigade, Johnson's Di
vision, and by 3 o'clock a. m. of the morn
ing of Dec. 81 the commanders were astir
Capt. 10. Z. Edsall and Lieut.. A. T. Bald
win, of Kinks staff, visited the line of out
posts and found everything quiet in front
and at the same time Lieut.-Col. Jones
39th Ind, patroled the woods 600 yards il
front of his pickets. Co. 3 executed this
perilOus night mission, but no indications
of the presence or purposes of the foe Were
discovered.
At o'clock in the morning the division
was quietly called to arms, and thus W,
awaited daylight. Just as day dawned
there being no indications of the enemy
advancing, the order was issued to prepare
breakfast. The meal was frugal and soOI
ended. OF course about one-third of the
artillery horses was taken to water, which
was near by, the remainder standing ready
to hitch to the pieces on the first sign Of
danger.
At precisely % minutes past 6 o'clock
and not 10 minutes after dawn, the rebel:
came upon Gen. Kinks lines in four heav!
columns, battalion front, four battalion!
deep, with Il strong reserve in mass. Ed
cartons battery could not at first distin
guish the enemy, but threw few shells il
the direction of their fire. and when they
came in sight he opened with canister. Th'
rebels opened on him, and at the first fire
killed and wounded 10 horses, which en-
tirely unnamed the guns.
Gen. johnson was informed of the ap
proach of Gen. Hardees Corps, anC
that the center of the rebel army
was opposite his extreme rigft, anC
Gen. McCOok had told him that prob
ably he would be attacked by the Who'll;
rebel army in the morning, and his predic
ton proved nearly true. The rebel column
rushed upon Edgarton's guns. He told his
men to save themselves, while he anC
Lieut.. Burwick loaded and discharged {
gun into the column as it closed upon him
moving huge roadway through it, unit
he fell across the trail of the piece, wound
ed, and in this position received bayone
thrust in the breast and was left for dead
The 34th Ill. had already lost five color
bearers in quick succession.
This is just an outline of the battle OF
Stone River Dec. 81, 1862. What troops
could withstand such odds as were thrown
against them that morning?
Johnson's Division lost in the battle OF
Stone River: Officers, killed, 8; wounded
81. NOn-commissioned officers, killed, IS
wounded, 169. Privates, killed, 173
wounded, 762. Total, killed, 239; wound
ed, 962; aggregate, 1,201.
Will some of the Second Brigade, Sec
ond Division, Twentieth Corps, Army OF
the Cumberland, more competent than l.
write whether we were unprepared or not
The writer was knocked out by two
mimic balls early in the fight, but was in
it long enough to know that, as Gen. Sher-
man said, War is h-ll."
The night of Dec. 30 we of the 10Th
Ind. lay in line of battle on the advanced
line all night, and that without any fire
and damp, stony ground.-J. V. PowNALL
First Sergeant, Co. e, Doth Ind, Fulton
Ind