The National tribune., 1900-02-15
PICKET SHOTS
From Alert Comrades Along the Whole
Line.
AT FRANKLIN.


D. Nichols. 23d Ind Battery. Brandon,
Mimi. relative toJ. II. Merrifield s criticism
of A. j. Jones's statements as to Reilly's
Brigade at Franklin, says the comrade
would better study COxs Battle of Frank
lin" He does not desire to minimize the
doings OF Opdycke's Brigade in its gallant
advance to restore the broken lines OF
Strickland's Brigade, but the truth of
history will bear out Jones's statement
as to the important part Reilly'S Brigade
took. When the two outlying brigadeS of
Wagner's Division of the Fourth Corps were
driven in confusion and the JOhnnies came
in with them to Reilly'S and Strickland's
Brigades, Opdycke's Brigade made gal
liant charge to Strickland'S aid, and one
of OpdyckeS regimentS-the 44th ILL.,
came up on the left of the pike among the
guns of the Kentucky battery; the I'D I'LL.
SSth I'LL. and 74th Ill. next to the right, the
remainder of the brigade coming up farther
still to the right. After a fierce hand-to-
hand fight the lines were restored, but that
Strickland'S men made gallant rally and
stoutly aided them is shown by the losses
of the brigade, which were 53 killed, some
200 wounded. and 300 missing, while the
losses in Opdyckes, stronger brigade,
were only Is killed; the wounded estimate
the writer has never seen. Meantime
Reilly's Brigade, which had been formed
with only two regiments on the front line;M
Tenn. and 18th and 18th KY. in reserve
We're also engaged in desperate close
quarters conflict to restore their lines.
which they did On no other part OF the
field were the rebel losses 50 great. Reilly's
men held the key to the position. and had
they not held their line the bridge endan-
gered would have been taken and the
army south of the Harpeth probably routed.
1t is equally true that but for Opdycke's
men the break in Strickland's front would
have been disastrous.
NELSON'S MEN AT SHILOH.
Benjamin V. Carey. oath Ohio. Robinson.
Ill. says G. p. Beach is right about Nelson's
men being at Shiloh on Sunday afternoon.
and being in the action. The 36th Ind.
gade of Nelson's Division, and the oath
Ohio was next. We left Savannah. 10
miles below Pittsburg Landing, at clock
Sunday. April s, and marched up the
Tennessee with Nelson and Ammen and the
body-gInard in front; We waded right
first. and afoot. and we did take part in the
battle of Sunday. We stacked arms oppo-
site the battle-ground. waiting for two little
transports that took the 36th and 24th
across.
Serg't Addington. 4th ILL.,. Hot Springs,
s. D., noticed the statement by Comrade
Beach as TO Nelson's men crossing the
river at Shiloh before Sundown. The
writer was at Shiloh when the first gun
was fired. and the last, and knows for GER
tain. he says, that Nelson's men did cross
the river before sundown. and were under
fire. Nelson rode up TO Sherman and
asked if he could hold the rebels while
longer, until he could form across the
river. Sherman's answer was that he
could hold them until Sundown.
FLoGGING IN THE ARMY.
F. d. Smith, Co. d. I'd Wis. Cav, Glen
coe, n. d., tells of a fogging in the army
under Clusters orders. The I'd Wis. Cav,
1st Iowa Cav. 4th, 5th, and 9TH Ill. Cav,
and others We're in Louisiana and Texas in
1865, hunting Kirby Smith, and while in
Texas Custer, he says. had three men
stripped to the waists, gagged, tied up by the
thumbs. and lashed with mule-whip so
strokes each. They were from IS to 20
years old. One teamSter about 80 years
old was whipped. and the letter 'R" branded
with red-hot iron on his cheek. The
younger men We're whipped for foraging.
Custer had put the men on quarter rationS,
he says, and Andersonville rations at that,
and 1t was forage or nothing.
CAPTURING THE Sd GA. CAV.
N. S. Heskin. Co. A. 2d Ind. Cav. Gales
burg, Kan, referring to the article of j. p.
Leagan 1st KY. Cav. in which he says that
Ga. Cav. at New Haven. KY, writes: The
1st XIV Cav. one battalion of the Sd Ky.
Cav, and the I'd Ind. Cav. We're sent from
KY. to New Haven to take
Cav being in the advance. After crossing
Salt River. and going through the town,
the 1st went to the left, and the Sd to the
right to surround the rebel camp and the
I'd right up the pike into the rebel camp.
Col. Crawford. commanding the Sd Ca.
to Col Stewart, of the I'd Ind.
Cav
SCATTERING
Charles o. Dreher. Erie. Pa, wants
to hear something from survivors of the
old Seventh Corps.
John w. Tritsch. Secretary, Goth Ohio,
Logan, o., is anxious to learn the address
Of Abednego Bowers, Co. E, Goth Ohio.
Twelve years ago he was at Portland, Ore.
NJ l.. Hoagland, Navarro, o., says that
j ames Rogers, of Navarro. has silver
25-cent piece with the name on it of John
Foley, Co. K, 57th Ill.