The National tribune., 1902-06-19
PICKET SHOTS
From Alert Comrades Along the Whole
Line.

HAND TO HAND FiGHliNG Al FhANhLiN.
w. P. Wolf, Captain, Co. G, 18th
Ohio, replying to an article in The Ma
tional Tribune of May by Capt. W. G..
Rice, 125th Ohio, says: 81 also command
ed company at Franklin, and having
participated in the center and at the
point where Capt. Rice says a new regi-
ment was placed by mistake and gave
way, l know whereof l speak when l say
no such mistake was made. There was
no new regiment placed at the works,
but all old ones. All the confusion was
caused by Gen. Wagner not Obeying posi-
tive orders given him. Wagner was plac-
ed as Gen. Cox says. about a half mile
in front of the principal line, with posi-
tive orders to remain in observation only
till Hood should show a disposition to
advance in force; and then to retire with
in the line to Opdycke's position and act
rs q general reserve. Wagner was at the
Garter House when the message came to
him that Hood was forming in line Of
battle. In moment of excitement, for
getting himself and his orders. he sent
back word to his men to fight The re-
suit was. his two brigades We're at once
overwhelmed by superior force, and
caused confusion along the whole front.
This is Il fact well authenticated. Gen.
Cox says that when Wagner, with his
force was expected in. to the amaZement
Of the thousands who were watching
them, Wagncr's infantry opened fire. The
result. as stated, was that the rebels
rushed upon them. All became confusion,
ard a rush by both friend and foe for the
works. Orders were ut once given to
withhold the fire at the center till our
men got in. At the same time, Opdycke
was warned to be ready to rush to the
center if the line should give way. which
it did. Gen. Cox further says, q few mo-
ments later the mass came swarmlng over
the works, and all reserves ordered to
charge: that the men in the trenches. CON
fused by the crowd trampIng over them,
and hearing Wagner's officers trying to
rally their men, We're carried away by
the surginS mass. and for the length of
Il regiment on the left and more than
that on the right, fell away from the
works. l can account for the new regi-
ment mentioned by Capt Rice. The new
regiment was the 10th Ohio. Instead of
being placed Mt the works. we were sta
toned some 200 yards in rear. in reserve,
with the 18th and 18th Ky. in our rear.
Amid the confusion, we were ordered up
to the works, where we met the enemy
hand to hand. and fought with fixed bayo-
nets and dubbed guns as best we could.
Whitelaw Reid, in his history Of Ohio in
175th Ohio was temporarily assigned to
the Third Brigade, Third Division, Tween
ty-third Corps, and placed on the left, in
the center, in reserve. and that in one of
the enemy's charges the first veteran
regiment gave way in the confusion, anu
though the 175th had never been under
fire. and never on battalion drill, they
fixed bayonets, advanced rapidly over an
open field, drove the rebels back, gained
a. 4 A.. Il,
after charge This is strictly correct in
regard to the new regiment. Our position
from the commencement to the close was
in the center, extending from the old cot
ton gin across the Columbia Pike.
CAPTURE OF COLUMBUS.
J. o. Vanarsdol, First Lieutenant, 4th
Iowa Cav. Springfield. Colo, writes: Il
was very much interested in Lieut.. D. j.
Vance's account of the capture of Column
bus as l WAS in that battle from start
to finish and in command of my company
0l), 4th Iowa Cav. My company took a
conspicuous part in the action. We were
in advance dismounted. ON Broad Axe
St. and came upon the guns on that
street, opposite the bridge. We had Or
ders to take no prisoners. but to save
the bridge. We drove the COnfeder-
ates from their guns. capturing their
flag. and charged into the west end
of the covered bridge. Capt. Abraham.
commanding the 1st battalion. came up at
this time, and ordered me to form my men
at the mouth of the bridge and let the Sd
battalion, mounted. pass through. This
we did. Accounts of the action state that
member of Go. X. with dubbed car
bine. knocked down the rebel soldier who
was in the act of firing the bridge. This
Co. X man was Jacob Wolff. The in
cident occurred Mt the west end of the
bridge. Wolff is still living. The mount
ed men. under command of Maj. Dee,
found the west end of the bridge already
in the hands of Co. X, and Dee's mounted
men did not fire single shot at the west
end of the bridge. AS these mounted men
came up, Gen. Winslow ordered Capt.
Abraham to send stOrming party to the
fort. Capt. Abraham ordered me to take
Co. X and go to the fort. l promptly
obeyed. On my arrival at the fort, the
Captain in command surrendered to me.
After guards had been placed over the
fort, guns and prisoners, / sent word to
Gen. Winslow that I would like to be re-
lieved from guard duty. / was soon re-
lieved and reported to Gen. WinslOw at
the east end Of the bridge, where he was
sitting on one of the captured guns"
EXECUTION OF SPY AT PINE BLUFF.
VIM. H. Atkerson, Noble, 0. T., reply
ing to an inquiry of Hiram +. Lyke. First
Lieutenant. Co. r. 2Sth Wis, Oconomo-
voc, Wis, says that Capt. Whiteman. of
the 18th Mo. Cav, captured the rebel spy,
William Hicks COmrade AtkersOn fur
Their says: Hicks came to our post at
Pine Bluff some time during the Summer
Of 1864, and, as / remember, opened a
barber shop. He gained the confidence of
many of the officers and men. Capt
Whiteman, Officer of the Day, was out
side of the infantry picket guards, and
between these guards and the cavalry out
posts. He had dismounted at house and
was standing in the yard, when he saw a
man attempting to steal his horse. The
Captain opened fire: Hicks ran some little
distance: fell full on the ground, evidently
him killed. Capt. Whiteman approached
the PROSTATE man and told him to sur
render. When searched. Hicks was found
the defenses at Pine Bluff. with the num-
Der OF officers and men at Little Rock. l
delivered to Lieut.. Lyke the order to take
Hicks before the Court Martial, where he
was sentenced to death. / also delivered
to the Lieutenant the order to take the
prisoner to the gallows. One of the Ser
geants of the 2Sth Wis. was hangman.
At the time l was Orderly for Capt. Ar
cher d. Montieth, 2Sth Wis, who was
ProvostMarshal of the post. l was pri-
vate in Co. D, 9Th Kan Cav"
JEFF DAvISs FRIED CHICKEN.
Geo. #. Hanel, Co. b, 9Th Iowa Cav,
TIniOnviIIe Mo writas. az was with Cen