The National tribune., 1900-11-22
FIGHTING THEM OVER.
What the Veterans Have TO Say
About Their Campaigns.
IN FRONT OF A1BATTERY.
A Lively Period iof Con.u3ed Fighting In
volved by Rebel Ofticer's Trick.


volved by Rebel oficer's Trick.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: In the af-
ternoon of Dee. II, 1864, while Hoods
army was retreating between Franklin and
Spring Hill, Gen. Wilson had sent Gen.
Hatch's cavalry Division well forward
on the flank to intercept the enemy on
their line of retreat, and by making Il de-
tour through woods and corniields the
movement was successfully made, the ad-
vance of Hatch striking the rebel column
nearly mile in advance of their rear
guard.
When our men fired on the rebels they
shouted back that we were firing on our
own men, and pressed the argument SO
strongly as to raise Il doubt i'll HatchS
mind. All the time the Johnnies We're
gallOping down the road III columns of
tours, and soon passed. This hesitation
on the part of Hatch gave Il Confederate
officer, whom L have reason to believe WAS
Gen. 5. ID. Lee, time to plant battery on
the pike and bring Il considerable force in
to line, their left protected by deep STOP
ing hollow and Il column of cavalry or
mounted infantry.
This was the situation when Coon's Bri-
gade crossed the pike and charged up Il
high clearing The south side of the hill,
though more sloping, was rugged and
rocky, interspcrscd with timber and fallen
trees. and in our wild ride | had forged
somewhat to the front, when Maj. Forbes,
commanding the 18th Ill. Cav, dashed for
ward, and cspying the Confederate bat
terry, shouted:
Take that battery"
A few OF us near him passed through q
fence thrown down by the rebels and start
ed in the direction of the battery.
And now after 30 years | find myself in
almost as embarrassing a position trying
to tell it as | was then, but allow ME to
say that Maj. Forbes and the great mass
of Union cavalry did not go through the
fence, but passed farther to the south, a
rushing, roaring, uncomfortable mass,
making q sound resembling n mighty
storm, the shells from the enemy's guns
furnishing the thunder and lightning.
When | had ridden out among the corn
stalks, Il Confederate officer, sitting on his
horse, between the battery and infantry,
and just behind the cavalry, motioned the
battery to fire. One of the guns made
squishing sound and found myself in the
midst of a shower of grapeshot, and when
had fired two shots at the officer and he
had sent two showers of grape shot, /
reined my horse to the protection of q
large beech tree to load. But the General
anticipated me, and, pointing to the tree,
ordered the cavalry TO charge instantly.
The whole line darted forward, and was
soon lost to sight in the depth of the hol-
grape and shell over their heads.
| waited until | heard the Catering
hoofs and blowing breath of the horses,
then turned to go. | had hardly turned
when Confederate trooper commenced
firing at me with n revolver, and had fired
three shots when my horse leaped the
fence. Fighting up in my saddle, L looked
back and saw my adversary sitting on his
horse at the fence. Another trooper dashed
past ahead of me, and some distance farth-
er on engaged ina handto-hand struggle
with a soldier that | have since learned
belonged to the I'd Iowa Cav.
He had hardly passed when l saw n
Confederate flag floating directly in front
of me. The very instant | saw it plucky
Union trooper wrenched the flag from the
rebel bearers hand, and lowering the flag
and bending low in the saddle made a blue
streak through the woods. / closed il be-
tween him and the flag-bearer and fol-
lowed him out at no less rate of speed.
About 10 yards back | met a line of dis
mounted men moving up slowly and ''Or-
dered' an officer to double-quick n com
pany up and help our boys ont; but he
only stared at me, and / fell in behind the
line for meditation.
At this time the roar of musketry was
incessant, and the sound of battle seemed
to be passing southwark. Not wishing to
be a slsnkcr, | went forward and rode
along with the dismOunted men, who were
now marching in column at the creek An
officer received the sword of Il Confederate
officer and passing it back to me told me
to keep it for him, but withdrew it when
told that | did not belong to his company.
Hearing a racket at the bridge down or
up the creek, | started in that direction
On the way | was joined by another mem
Der Of the regiment, who was also under
the impression that the regiment had gone
south. Together we crossed the bridge,
passed the battery abandoned by the rcb-
els (said to be Warehouses; Battery cap
turcd from Sturgis by Forrest at Gun
town, and rode about 30 yards south,
when the blaze of about half dozen guns
shot out of the brush, warning us of the
presence of the enemy.
We had hardly recrossed the bridge
when the woods were fringed with fire,
the rebels opening out and driving our
men away who were trying to get the bat
terry back. The dismouDted men that |
had just left opened fire on the rebels, and
they exchanged volleys until late in the
night. We went back up the road, and
found the regiment in camp.
The next morning we were in the sad
die at early daylight, and while galloping
out on the flank to engage some rebels
who had made a stand at creek my horse
began to reel and stagger and lay down
and died; at least, | thought he died. but
after reading Col. Brackets Renaissance
have often thought he might have been
one Of those trick horses taken from the
circus at Nashville, and played it on me-
w. w. BooTON. Co. ID, 7th Ill. Cav,
London Mills, III.