The National tribune., 1900-04-19
FIGHTING THEM OVER.
What the Veterans Have TO Say
About Their Campaigns.
IN STIRRING MOMENTS.
Incidents of the Day and Night Before
franklin.

Incidents of the Day and Night Before
franklin.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: For Il
number of days brisk skirmishing had
been going on in and about Columbia,
Tenn, between the advancing rebel forces
under Hood. and those of the Union army
under Schofic!d On the morning of Nov.
%, 1864, Schoficld found that his SitlIa-
ton was no longer tenablc, owing to the
superior force of the enemy and the lay OF
the country. and decided it was best to fall
back toward Nashville, which was done
with care and as rapidly as possible.
Four miles east of Columbia there is Il
large stream called Rutherford Creek, a
branch of Duck River. Not far from its
junction with Duck River, in order TO get
an outlet into that stream. it winds around
and alongside the hills, and forms n double
mn, and in the distance of about a half
mile the Tennessee and Alabama Rail
road crosses the creek four times. At
each crossing there was a blockhouse-
Nos. 9. 10, II and 10. | was in com
mand Of No IL, and the other three were
under LieutenantS, members OF the 10th
Ohio. About 3 o'clock on the afternoon
of Nov. % the Major Of the 50th Ohio, as
rccolect, rode up and said to me that the
111th Ohio was all the force that We now
had between us and the rebel army. 1t
was trying to hold the enemy in check
until our wagon-train got out of the way.
when that regiment comes along" he
said, you and those at the other three block
houses fall in and come on until you over
take your regiment"
The 111th Ohio failed to come by. About
dark, Gen. Johnson, who was in command
of the railroad dcfcnScS, sent q courier
instructing me to burn the four block
houses, and with the four squads come as
quickly as possible and join my regiment
at Spring Hill, some eight mile; ahead.
We soon had the blockhouscs, which
provisions, on fire, and started for the point
designated. We followed the railroad to
within some two miles of Spring Hill,
when decided to oblique to the right across
the fields TO the turnpike that ran parallel
with the railroad.
Nearing the turnpike, we saw Il long
row Of campfires some 200 yards parallel
with and TO the right Of the pike. From a
colOrcd man who was passing from barn
to the house nearby al the time we learned
that the rebels had come in after dark. he
also said they were expecting y big fight In
the morning, as the Union army lay Just
cast Of the town. called a halt, and
stepped TO one side with the Lieutenantsfor
consultation. They said:
You are the ranking officer, and will be
held responsible for the safety of these
men"
in the morning the rebels will be expecting
the balance Of their forces up from Column
bia during the night, and if we follow the
pike they will mistake US for their men"
They objected to this; but said: Bring
on your men, and be careful what answers
you give if interogated-
We passed safely. The Lieutenant
with the rear squad concluded that it was
not rebel camp; filed off into the first
street in the town, and came near being
captured, but succeeded in getting away,
and overlook lis some two miles ahead,
when we had stopped near the Union camp
Not finding our regiment. | had the men
lay down and rest in the front yard of a
farmhouse. | went out by the roadside to
watch events. After remaining there for
probably &n hour and half, found that
our army was OH the move, falling back
toward Nashville. | called to an officer
passing on horseback for information, and
brought up from the railroad defenses,
and wanted information as to what was
best for me 10 do.
He replied: Get your men on the move,
or they will be captured"
/ at once awoke them and got started.
They were tired and sleepy, and seemed to
think | was needlesSly alarmed. The
Lieutenants begged for the men, and urged
me to camp, as they felt there was no danger.
At this time we were marching alongside of
our wagon-train.
About o'clock n the morning the rebel
IL v
The boys at once began to step lively.
Just as the firing commenced we came 10
nice skirt Of woods on our right.
AS my time had come, | called TO the
LicutenantS to know if we should camp.
Just Us | spoke the cavalry fired into the
train about 30 yards in our front, and soon
had six of our wagons on fire. On our
left was stone fence. We at once got
over and came up opposite to the cavalry,
and fired Il volley into them, which caused
them to get away III 4 hurry, leaving two
of Their comrades wounded. After this
there was no more clamoring to camp.
We arrived at Franklin about 10 o'clock
a. m. on the morning of the Both, where we
joined our regiment cooked and ate our
dinners, and rested until near p. m,
when the rebels with Il heavy force struck
our lines.
We had been placed some 200 yards in
the rear of our works, in reserve. At the
first charge from the enemy the regiment
in our front gave way in utter confusion,
and we were at once ordered up. We had
only been organized about a month and Il
half. and drilled but few times, and never
on battalion drill. The regiment went
forward and met the rebels hand to hand,
and drove them back over the works
Charge after charge was repeled until the
rebels retired, willing to give up the struggle
for the night. We do not claim that we did
all this unsupported. The 10th and 18th
KY. were in our rear, and supposed that
they were on our fianks. The result Of the
battle is a matter or history, and need not
be detailed here. After the rebels had re-
tired, we started for Nashville, where, tired,
the next day.-W p. WO F, Captain, Co.
G, 175ih Obi Wilmington, o.
I'D THE RJDGE