Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-12-28
IN ERROR CORRECTED
GENERAL STEPHEN D. LEE on BAT
Tie OF FRANKLIN.
REPLY TO CAPTAIN DINKENs.
IN Unfortunate omis.ion-ruIl1ne
History Straight A Remarkable
Night Chnrgc-Arpcnls to the Re-
eord-somc One Committed Blum
eer-other Confederate Matter.

eord-Some One Committed a Blum
ser-othcr Confederate Matter.
In the daily issue Of the Picayune Of
November 80. 1902, page 2 tsecohd part,
Is a most thrilling and interesting ac-
copnt of the battle Of Franklin. written
by Captain James Dinkins. All the praise
he gives to the gallant troops of Stewards
and Cheathanh's Corps, viz. the divisions
of Loring. French. and Waitl1all, in Stew
arts Corps. and Chelburne's Bates; and
Browns. in Cheathan's Corps. Is de-
served. and words could not be found to
EXPRESS their heroic conduct which would
be too strong. These troops merit every
possible praise and honor.
CAPTAIN Di,lkins. however. has made
8 most remarkable omission, and In so
doing he has naarred the historic value
OF his paper. and done great Injustice TO
a division of Lees Corps, composed of
Mississippians. Alabamians. and South
Carolinians, who made the night charge
over the bloody field west of Columbia
Pike, and who, under orders, made the
charge without firing a gun. They We're
informed before moving, that the troops
of Browns and Bates Divisions Of Cheat
hams Corps were engaged in the trench
es, and il they fired they would fire into
these splendid divisions.
The omission Of my friend. Captain
Dinlins. is the more remarkable, as the
official reports OF both armies In the
battle of Franklin is found in series l,
volume 49, part !, serial No. 5. of the
United and Confederate armies. From
this and the other volumes carefully pre-
pared by the government history must
be written. and while survivors OF the
war may give their memories Of events,
these can only color OF bring out light on
doubtful record. The facts are potent in
the official record. and must have right cl
way, and no soldier Of the great war can
AFFORD to write at this late day what pur-
ports TO be history without consulting
these records.
Captain DinA.ns, in his paper referred
70. says:
1.-THE Confederates actually engaged at
Franklin were as follows: Stewards
Corps: Loring's Division. 3,575: Frencf's
Division, 1898; WaIthalls Division, 1894;
total. 1871 Cheatham's Corps: Cleburne's
Division. 1862; Bates Division. 2,l0s;
Browns Division, Sis; total. 9,fsS, or u
grand total OIL 1898 lilldAliS, AIlio
less than 5000 cavalry. S. D. Lees Corps
Of 1852 men in reserve, with 2.4O5 artil-
lerists'' He further says: THE charge
of the I'VE divisions Of Brown. Cleburne,
French Waltllsll. and LorillG, etc.
Il is not my purpose TO discuss the pa
per Of Captain Dinkins, except SO far as
to bring out his unfortunate omission ana
straighten out his incorrect history, Tor.
If unchanenged, his version VIII go down
eyoy,oo ri
does in so great a paper as the Picayune.
Now let US refer to the official report OF
Iiertent-GeneraI S. D. Lee He says:
NV corps, including Johnson's Division,
followed Immediately after Cheathams $,
towards Franklin. arrived near Franklin
about P. NJ. The commanding general
was Just about alta king the enemy VIII
Stewards and Cheathaln's Corps, and ne
directed me to place Johnsons
ana IA directed me to place Johnson's
Division, and afterwards Claytcn's. in po-
sition to support the attack: Johnson
moved il. the rear Of Cheatham's Corps,
and finding that the battle was STUD
born, General Hood instructed me 10 90
forward IN person TO communicate Win
General >Cheatham. and If necessary. 70
nut Johnson-s Division IN the nshE
met General Chatham about DARK. ana
/. was informed by him that assistance was
,esdes 1t once. johnson was at
once removed to the attack, puI
owing to the darkness and want
of Information as TO locality, ms ms
attack was not felt by the enemy tii
atol,t one hour after dark. This division
moved against the enemys oreast"ol s.'
under a heavy fire of artillery ana m
kerry, gallantly driving the enemy l It'l.
porl4ons OF his line. me DI,saueS ~ ~
sharp and BraTtly- (1iississ;pplans), anu
Of Deas (1AlaLamians), particularly DIS
tines,ishad themselves. Their dead were
rnostly in the trenches and on the WORKS
of the enemy. where they nooiy len ~ l5. q
desnera 10 ta:ad-to-hand conflict Genera
sharp captured three stands OF coiors.
Branfly was exposed to severe eii a.
IRE. These noble brigades never .ai, ss'
In this terrible night struggle, on, $50. 49,
1 =. esa;oral1t. commanding brigade
- aIsnan,ians and South Carolinians was
sa,.eraIy wounded in this engagement
-rb,la rallantly leading his troops 70
.ha i,oft and OF his two successors ~
con,ynand Colonel Shaw was kilieo a s
Co,oneI Davis wounded. have nsVel
saen greater evidences OF gailanIry t ll
was displayed by this division unoeI .a,
Rand OF that admirable and Saaianl SOL
s,ar Asaior-General Ed. Johnson. t1ene-
. asi rIaaS IN lis report, page 65s serial
~ sayg. "Johnson's Division OF Lees
rs.,,s also became engaged on the leit
during the engagement, etc. ....,.
There were few night charges d ,,s ,s
.ha uar and this was a refnarhaIcie
one one The circnms ances surrounding - y
arc these: General Lee. with two : OF
his divisions stephenson ana Laay .,a,.
s We. while General Hood. with Stew
s-t.s and cheat:,am,s Corps, and john
800 ,5.yision OF Lees Corps made the
esn , movement aroung schofe,d.s army
~ ~ n his front all day. November
sa,,, md one division till after dark. the
enemy left his front north @ Ha1pe Tga
,iasrs nj colunbtao. about midnight. Hs
~ - -, s,,,rsued and arrived 1T Spring Hill
ss1cy. s miles Distant. 1t q a. n. on NO.
u ,rl 3oth, expecting to attack me 2
.nenv ia the reaI. vhile General HOO 3
Was aghtins hin "a ffent. On srIIvai. s
ms found the enemy had made nlss - 80