The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1901-10-24
WINNING A MEDAL.
Lieut.. searss Account Of tbs Part Taken by
the llth Ohio Battery at Iuka.


EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: In The
National Tribune, In column From Alert
Comrades Along the Whole Line" under
caption "Corinth and Iuka," L. d. Immel,
st. Louis, Mo-, writes: Lieut.. Henry NJ.
Neil was In command Of the 18th Ohio
Battery, l.. A. lat the battle Of Iuka). In
addition, az a matter of fact, the 18th Ohio
Battery casualties at the battle of Iuka
were the largest Of battery in any single
battle in the history of warfare"
The last clause of the above quotation is
unquestionably true, and, doubtless, would
have been true las the official reports,
both Union and Confederate, abundantly
show, if its writer had added to it the
words following, to wit: And it then and
there inflicted punishment upon the enemy,
in full pressed down, and overfowing
measure of its own losses.
On Oct. /, 1892, a little over 80 years
after this battle, when there had been
ample time to gather the ripened facts
on the subject, George l.. Kilmer a dis
interested and able writer, in an article
published in all the papers of the Ameri-
can Press Association, pronounced the
11th Ohio Battcry's Iuka fight the blood
lest single tield-battery contest on record"
Col. Fox. in his Rcgincntal Losses, page
4G3, based upon official records, gives a
long list OF the batteries that sustained the
highest casualties in single battle of the
civil war.
The nth Ohio heads this list with high
est of the high, as follows:
Sands's 11th Ohio Battery, at Iuka,
killed. Ii; wounded 80; missing, 3; aggre-
gate, ~. Seeley's. X, 4th u. s., at Chan
cellorsvile, killed, {; wounded, IS; missing,
o; aggregate, 40. Campbell's Il. 4th L. s,
ut Antietam, killed, 8; wounded, 81: miss
ing, 0; aggregate, 40. Cushing's \. 4th U.
s. at Gettysburg, killed, g; wounded, 81;
missing, q; aggregate, 80. Burnham's IL,
4th u. s.. at Chickamauga. killed, 10;
wounded. IS; missing, u; aggregate, A.
Yes, the second clause quoted above is
undoubtedly true-even with the amend
ment suggested. / even believe Mr.. Kill
mer's assertion that lit was the blOodiest
single hcld-battery contest on record will
stand, and notwithstanding the nterven.
ton of the Spanish war. Therefore, to
have commanded that battery according
to the fitness of things at that battle,
think should be considered no ordinary
honor, but one worth contending for and
defending against all Corners. That honor
| claim. In support Of this claim, l cite
the various official reports of that battle,
in War of the Rebellion. Records of the
Union and Confederate armies. Series |,
Vol. XVII, Part /, Reports" wherein
every superior commanding officer and
many Others-give me full credit for hav
there. From Gen. Rosecranss order Up.
76, abOvel | quote as follows: "Sands's
18th Ohio Battery, under Lieut.. Sears,
was served with unequaled bravery under
circumstances of danger and exposure
such as rarely, perhaps never. has fallen
to the lot of a single battery" And the
reports of the division commander Gen.
c. 5. Hamilton, PIP. 50 and 93y. and bri-
gade commander Col Sanborn, p. 81, are
no less Snecific and Hatterine
Moreover, late Gen. y. =. Buford,
West Pointer, had long been in command
Of the brigade to which this battery then
belonged. He returned to this command
from temporary absence a day or two
after this battle. From him, 1 now have
a letter dated Oct. 6. 1862, to late Gov
ernor Todd, of Ohio. from which l quote:
1T has been Capt. Sands's Capt. of 18th
Ohio Battery, misfortune to be absent
most of the time the 18th Ohio Battery
has been in my brigade-nOw about six
months. When on duty he was good and
faithful officer; but to Lieut.. Sears is due
the discipline and efficiency of the battery,
and the glory of Iuka."
Finally, in the line of evidence, | have
been awarded a Medal of Honor by
Congress for distinguished bravery at the
battle of Iuka. In (crcular) Medals of
Honor issued by the War Department up
to and including Oct. 81, 1897, p. 10S, the
reason for that award is stated as fol-
lows: Although severely wounded, fought
his battery until the cannoneers and horses
were nearly all killed or wounded" (S4
horses were killed or disabled: ~ killed.)
Upon this evidence, though | have
plenty more. submit that Lieut.. Henry
NJ. Neil, did not command the 18th Ohio
Battery at Iuka. He was my junior in
rank, and commanded only section of
the battery there. He did that well; yes,
his prowess, as shown there, was fully
commensurate with that of his comrades
which should be praise enough.-CYRUs
SEARS, Harpster, o.