The National tribune., 1901-10-31
FIGHTING THEM OVER.
What the Veterans Have TO Say
About Their Campaigns.
THE WIDOW GLENN'S.
THE NfDVV UI-LININ ,.
Reports of oficers Whose Commands Took
Part in the Engsgement Around the House.

| sertiOns have little weight, and it becomes
necessary to back them up with the cold
facts from official reports of the cOmman-
ders of regiments that were engaged on
Sept. 20, 1868, on the extreme right of
army.
Report of Col. Thomas ]. Harrison,
39th Ind. Official Record of the Rebellion
| (Serial No. 30. page 54I:
"On Sunday, the Goth, we were again
assigned to the extreme right of the In
| fantry; diSmounting, we moved our horses
to secure position in the rear. At II
n. III. we moved forward, meeting an ad-
vancing enemy. Col. LaibOldt'S Brigade
was on our left; Col Wilder's mounted in
fantry on our right. The enemy met us
ut the top of a high ridge, and neither
| party discovered the other until within
/ 80 PAGES: the struggle was brief but des-
perate, yet the enemy was unable to with
stand our Spencer rifles and gave way,
running in disorder before Col. Wilders
and my commands, at the same time Col.
Laiboldts command was driven back, en-
| tirely changing the direction of our line
and bringing the enemy directly between
us and our army, entirely cutting Col.
Wilder and myself off. At this juncture
we were ordered to take a train which was
also cut off and make our way in the
direction of Lookout Mountain and thence
to Chattanooga. which we did, reaching
the ncighborhood of Chattanooga at dark"
| Col. Walworth. commanding Third Bri-
| gade of Shcridan's Division. X. X. (Serial
! No 20. page Ji9), after explaining his
position on reserve on the Goth, says:
"Soon after we were ordered to replace
LaidbOldt's Brigade which accounts for
the error of Col. Harrison when he says:
"Laiboldts Brigade was on our left"
| Walworth says further on in his report
''The 9th III. was posted to the right of
the 42d ILL.,, and suffered but little. as the
! force of the attack was more to the left
and they were protected somewhat by
buildings"
Report of Col. Jonathan r. Miles, 9th
Ill. r. r. Serial No. 30, page 596J, says:
THE right of the regiment rested at a
log house near which was posted three
guns of Battery G, 1st Mo. l.. A. In
front of the six right companies was an
| open field. and the left four companies
were in thick woods and underbrush.
| About 80 p. m. the regiment having
held its original position In spite of many
desperate onslaughts Though no longer
pressedl. was retired to the summit of n
| hill one-eiGhth of a mile on the rear, where
! it was reformed. and in company with
Col. Wider's Mounted Infantry Ia portion
of whom it should be stated had dis
mounted and formed on our right near the
said house and assisted i'll repellng the as
/ sault of the enemy, Immediately started
| to effect a junction with our main force"
The house mentioned by Coils. Wal
worth and Miles was the widow Glenns
| This house stood on the highest part of
Glenn Hill. which sloped off in every
direction, and was covered with woods on
the north, west and south, while the east
| ern slope was cleared grOnnd and COM
prised the little farm.
The descent of the ground and the wood
to the south hid that part Of the line and
caused Miles to think that only "a portion
of Wilder's Brigade assisted him." 1t
will be seen by the extracts quoted above
that Miles gives due credit TO the troops
that fought on his right.
Harrison mentions the troops both TO
his right and left, giving them their full
share of honor, the courtesy due from one
officer to another and courtesy that Col.
Wilder failed TO extend.
Report of Lieut.-Col. Ketchell, 9Sth III.
r. r. (Serial No. 80, page 45S):
"On the morning OF the Goth instant
moved back and took position on the right
of Sheridan's Division on the edge of a
piece of timber.
"At l. n. IN. we were ordered to move by
the left flank to the support of Sheridan,
who was hotly engaging the enemy. hr-
irving on the ground formerly held by
Sheridan's right. we moved forward by the
right flank, driving the enemys skirmish-
ers before us across an open field to a
strip OF timber. where we met the enemy
in force, charged him. and drove him
back. During this charge Col. Funk
hOuser was severely wounded and com
| PEELED to leave the field, leaving the regi-
ment under my command. | was then
ordered to fall back TO a hill formerly oc-
cupied by battery on Sheridan's right,
in order TO check the enemy who was com
| ing up in the rear. | Immediately opened
a hot fire upon him and drove him back.
| | remained in this position until ordered
to return 10 my horses, which | did. and
then moved to within four miles of Chat
tanooga and went into camp"
1t will be seen that the 9Sth Ill. took
no guns or prisoners and was not on Glenn
Hill.
Report Of Col. James Monroe, COM
manding 123d III. r. II. (Serial No. 80,
page 400:
"Took position on the right of Sheri-
dams Division on the crest of ridge,
with open fields to the front. The battle
| opened at 10 a. m, the enemy, feeling
| along our lines, arrived in front of Gen.
Sheridan, who moved his division forward
down the slope and was soon fiercely en-
gagged. The enemy flanking him, we were
| ordered to charge, and, headed by Col.
| Wilder, our men went in with a shout,
driving and breaking the enemy's lines at
once, this regiment taking 80 prisoners.
| w DlIe pressing vigorously lOIWHGu we
found that the enemy had broken through
| ShcridanS lines, and an entire brigade Of
rebels was passing to our left and rear.
| We were at once withdrawn, and after
waiting two hours TO bring up stragglers,
were ordered by Gen. McCoOk to move to
| the rear and into the Chattanooga Valley,
seven miles south of Chattanooga"
So the 123d H. captured no rebel cannon
or recaptured any of our own, and took 80
prisoners.
Report of Maj. William T. Jones. 18th
Ind. X. X. (Serial No. 80, pages 459-461):
"At this time the command was given
to charge the enemy. | followed the 123d
Ill. from our position and formed on its
right. The men moved forward in good
order, cheering and firing rapidly as they
| advanced; the enemy was driven back
about three-quarters of a mile, with con-
siderable loss, and the command was still
moving forward when the order of recall
was received. My command took some
prisoners but, as they were sent to the
rear and consigned TO other commands,
cannot give the number. Retiring my
command in good order to the crest of n
hill in our rear, / remained there until
the order was given to move to our horses,
one and half miles further to the rear.
When the brigade mounted | was ordered
to move on the flank and protect the
train. Disposing of my command as re-
quired by this order, | reached a point in
Chattanooga Valley about four miles
from town at p. M"
AS this report shows no capture or re-
-