The National tribune., 1901-07-18
Uhe end.)
PEACH TREE CREEK.
The Fierce Fighting Described by a 7stf
Ohio Veteran

The Fierce Fighting Described by 18th
Ohio Veteran.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: / have
read with interest the statements of Gen.
Coburn and Lieut.. Bachman in The Ma
tional Tribune regarding the battle of
Peach Tree Greek, the afternoon of July
20, 1864, and l believe that / can throw
some light on the operations of the Third
Division, Twentieth Corps, that day. 1
enlisted in August, 1862, and was dis
charged in June, 1865. l kept daily
record of events coming under my obser-
vation.
On July 10 the Third Division was in
camp in the woods some six or eight
miles from Peach Tree Greek, and on the
morning Of the Doth was moved forward
for that point. / was ordered by Capt
Thompson, Provost of the division to take
a Corporal and 20 men of Co. /, 10Th
Ohio, and march in the rear of the divi-
sion, to gather up all stragglers. l was
to follow in the rear of three bat
teries of the division, which, with the
ammunition train, were in the rear of
the marching column. The line of march
was for three or four miles in woods,
when point was reached where the am
munition train and batteries could follow
the line of march of the division no far
ther, and had to strike off to the left for
the purpose of reaching a regular road
AS my orders were to bring forward all
the men who might fall out by the way,
and could not do so by leaving the route
by which the division had marched l fol-
lowed that line, and saw no more of the
batteries or ammunition wagons that day.
The day was hot and we picked I'D many
men as we advanced. 1t was after /
O'Clock p. N. when we came in sight of
the valley of Peach Tree Creek, and look
ing across to the hills ON the opposite side
I fEa L
sltlOn. L crossed over nearly to where
they were before | learned that it was the
right flank of the Fourth Corps. There
was cornfeld along the creek that i'm
! peded the view in that direction, and as
we were all tired and hungry we rested
in the shade of trees, and made coffee.
L walked up ON an adjoining hill and
saw our division headquarters flag about
half mile down the valley, and we i'm
mediately advanced to that point, and the
90 men that we had brought forward were
| sent TO their companies. AT that time
about p. m.-there was quite u rapid
skirmish fire i'll our front, and the division
was standing in line of battle at the base
| of ridge.
was ordered to take some 20 prisoners
/ back over the creek ont of range of buI-
lets. A large tree had fallen across the
creek short distance in our rear. and
We moved toward it. As my men and
the prisoners were very anxious to get
out Of range, told them they might 90
on the run to the top of the ridge across
the creek, but / did not feel like run
ming. soldier ran past me, little to
my left, with gun, knapsack, and all of
his equipments, and just before he
reached the log pitched forward on his
face. A bullet had struck him In the
back of the neck and, came out through
his chin, killing him instantly.
| About that time the line of battle ad-
yanced up the hill to meet the Johnnies.
and the fight was on la earnest ON
reaching the hill opposite I sent NV mes
with the Corporal and prisoners into a
ravine in the edge of the woods. where
the bullets could not reach them. and
stood on the brow of the hill viewing the
contest on the opposite ridge. While