The National tribune., 1901-11-07
GEN. JOHN B. TURCHIN.
Scouts Recollections Of the General and
| His Wife.


EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: 1 had the
honor to make my reports to Gen. John
b. Turchin of various information per-
tanning to the location of the enemy and
the approximate number of the enemy
from time to time, from January, 1862,
to the latter part of April, 1862, when
on the retreat from Tuscumbia, Ala.) of
Turchin's Brigade; having in charge all
| the wagons, loaded with provisions for
Gen. o. NJ. MitcheIs command. On this
retreat Turchin, with two regiments,
marched on all night to Jonesboro to save
the bridge over Townsend River. His
other two regiments, with Edgert0n's In
diana Battery, were in the rear of the
long wagon train, made up mostly Of
wagons pressed into the service.
The provisions in our charge were
brought up to the Tennessee River on
transports conveyed by the gunboats Lex
irgtOn and Tyler, to foot of Muscle
Shoals. Gen. Mitchell was at Huntsville
with his main command, except detach-
lnents posted out at different points,
among them some at Athens, Ala.
On this retreat the Confederate cav
alry-Texas Rangers and part of Scott's
Louisiana-attacked the head of our wag-
On-train very early in the morning, trying
| to kill our horses and mules, and thereby
keep us from getting away with the pro-
visions. There were just 16 of the 4th
Ohio Cav. near the head of the wagon
train. We charged about % Confederate
cavalry, putting them to flight; but down
| the road whittier they retreated were
| about 80 rebels drawn up in line, and
| they gave Us a very warm reception, and
in turn we went back helter-skelter; but
the onslaught of our little band had been
the means of notifying the Colonel of the
| 24th ILL.,, who came up dOuble-quIck,
bringing along the battery, which opened
on the enemy. The wagon train was
saved, and Gen. Mitchel'S command had
ratiOns.
OF the 16 of the 4th Ohio Cav. fully
one-half were either killed, wounded or
| taken prisoner, the writer being among
| the severely wounded.
| Turchin's command was next sent to
Athens, whose Citizens Committee few
days prior had begged from Gen. Mitchell
| 4 part of the very provisions Turchln $
| command had so ZealouSly guarded from
the foot of the Muscle Shoals, on the plea
| that the Confederate cavalry had looted
| the citizens of Athens and surrounding
country, and that they were starving.
Gen. Turchin arriving near Athens
found part of the 18th Ohio falling back,
driven by the 1st La. and Texas Rangers.
These rebel regiments had possessed them
| selves of the several wagOn-loadS of ra-
tions sent by Gen. Mitchell in humanity
| 10 the ClllZbUS Oh AlUtUS. L
! that this sO-called Citizens Committee"
begging the rations had been doing it at
the behest of Confederate Col. Scott, of
the 1st La. Cav.
The infantry of Turchin swept the Con-
federate cavalry out of the way, and part
| of the 4th Ohio Cav. coming up pursued
them and drove them over Elk River.
Gen. Turchin having secured unques-
rionable evidence that the rebels had
played the ruse to obtain our rations, said
| that he would shut his eyes for two hours,
and sat down on the Court House steps.
| Our men looted citizens of provisions hid
den away, and even took some clothing
| from stores.
For this Gen. Turchin was reported to
Gen. Buell. by Col. j. S. Norton, of the
| 2lst Ohio. Turchin was court-martialed
by order of Gen. ID. G. Buell., but in the
meantime was ordered to Washington and
appointed full Brigadier-G General of Vol
unteers by President Lincoln.
Gen. Turchin's wife (who Evans says
cannot be granted a pension) was near
| her husband; in fact, accompanying him
/ on the danger line almost during the en-
tire war. This grand woman also nursed
Il number of the wounded, the writer in
| cluded, and | have not forgotten the Cruel
| she fed me at Huntsville, Ala, when |
was too weak from loss of blood to feed
! myself, having been shot through the right
lung while doing what l could to save the
wagon train of prOvisions-and it was
! saved
| The troops commanded by Gen. Turchin
at any time will testify one and all to
| his very valuable services. His old regi-
ment, the 10Th ILL.,, sometimes called the
| Prairie Boys, gnye an excellent account
of themselves from start to finish
Gen. Turchin was as a brigade or divi-
sion commander what Gen. Thomas was
as Il corps or department commander.
| know that all of my old comrades who
are acquainted with the service of Gen.
John b. Turchin, and the good deeds of
charity performed by his wife, will bear
me out in all here stated.
The widow of Turchin was and is a
queen, not of the nobility, but of the hui
manity kind, and for the Union cause.
| America needs more women like Mrs.
| Turchin.-S-C-o-U-T,F Fort Wayne, Ind.