The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-02-12
PICKET SHOTS
From Alert Comrades Along the Whele
Line.
THE FIRST SHOT AT FRANKLIN.

THE FIRST SHOT AT FRANKLIN.
In The National Tribune of JAN 8,
COmrade John Coffman, Mardock, Okla,
claimed to have fred the first shot at
Franklin, Nov. 30, 1864. Apropos to this
claim, Manson Wolfe, First Sergeant Co.
B, LIST Tenn Cav, Lebanon, Tex, writes:
Il have no doubt that Comrade Coffman
fired the first shot from the breastworks
but many shots were fired before the Con-
federates came within range of the men
behind these works. My regiment was in
the fight from start to finish. My Cap
tain was detailed to supply ammunition
on the field, and there being no other
commissioned officer with the company, 1,
as First Sergeant. was in command.
About daylight on the morning of the
toward Columbia. About two miles out
we encountered regiments of Confederate
cavalry marching in the direction of our
camp, but shielded from view by q high
ridge. The object of this Confederate
party seemed to he to cut us off from
camp. We fell back to the pike, near the
foot of the ridge. 1 ordered Private
David Mason to the top of the hill to re-
connOiter. As he reached the crest of the
hill | saw him aim and fire. His shot
was answered by vOlley. | know that
Private Mason fired the first shot on Nov.
81, 1854, at Franklin. Immediately we
fell back to the woods where we engaged
in lighting, more or less severe, during the
day. Late in the afternoon Mai. Thorn.
burg ordered me to take Co. B, and form
on the right of the I'd Mich. Cav, COM
manded by Maj. Johnson. Here we lost
several men, killed and wounded When
our ammunition was exhausted, we fell
back to the breastworks. The hardest
fighting occurred late in the afternoon.
when the rebels advanced in solid columns
against the breastworks. This charge re-.
pulsed, l was ordered to cross the Har-
peth. River with my company and report
to the regiment, which was fighting on the
left So, about dark, we fired the part
ing shots across the river, and during the
night fell back toward Nashville"
COL. II. s. PUTNAM. 7TH Nh.
ii. F. w. Little. Histo ian, 9TH N. H.. and
Secretary, 18th N. Fl. Vet. Assn, Manches-
ter, N. H., writes: 'In issue of Dec. 2j.
l9O2, in the War Memories of Chaplain
which have read with much interest. tha
good Chaplain of the 10th Conn. Vols, H.
Clay Trumbull, than whom there was no
better who served IN that capacity and
rank IN the Department of the South, is
little mixed on the disnosition of the
body of Col: II. S. Putnam, 7th N. H..
who was killed in the assault on Fort
wagner, on Morris Island, s. c.. on the
evening of July IS, 1868. The facts in
the case are that flag of truce was sent
out OF our lines the next forenoon, after
the assault, which occurred on Saturday
evening evening; for the purpose of obtaining the
Coionefs body. The Confederates
brought body to our men, which thew
sald had been identified as the body Of
Coi. Putnam by some of the Union pxis.
oners taken at that tine, but which. upon
being carried into our lines and washed nm.
was found to be not that of our Colonel
put 1t was then too late to rectify the mis-.
take, as the remaining dead had all been
Durled: SO there is no probability that the
body of Col. Putnam was ever recover.I
ana ne was never buried in Beaufort. q.
-, unless it was after the evacuation Of
MOTIFS Island, when no particular body
could then be identified. As was in that
assault myself and was on duty with ths
regiment during all of its service on Nor.
rs Island, l write this from personal
knowledge, and as Historian of tbe Tn
N. H., l have gathered all information re-
galdine the matter from Confederate as
Wen as Federal accounts of the affair. he
side my own personal knowledge of the
whole matter"
BROTHERS IN co. I, 142D OHIO.
John NJ: Cline, Martinsburg, O., REPORTS
II pairs of brothers in Co. l, 1929 Ohio as
follows: David B. and John M, Cline.
frank and Henry Green, William and
Daniel Henry, William and Leonard Her
rngton, Alex and John Kerr, David and
Robert Huston, Oliver and Lewis Murphy
James and William Russell. John and
William Sims, William and Hamp. a.
Ihornhlli, Robert and Edward WEIGH:
also, Amos Wright, father William
Wright, son. and Phineas Wright, cousin.
This company was recruited almost en-.
tlrely from Clay and Morgan counties.
SCATTERING.
VIM. Carver, Co. E, 10th Iowa, is living
in Diagonal, Ringgold Co., Iowa.
| Robert Simmons, Adjutant, Post IS, G.
A. r., Eskridge, Kan, is DESTROYS of Sc
curing for the Post Hall two pictures:
Midnight Race on the Mississippi" be-
tween the Steamboats, Robert E. Lee and
Natchez and "Andersonville Prison." both
in colors. Any comrade having these pic
lures is requested to correspond with Adjt.
Simmons.
| Jos. Louis, Broadcreek, Va, wishes to
correspond with some comrade having
| knowledge when the Southern troops left
Gloucester Point, Va.
James N. Coulter, Co. G, 10th Iowa,
1ndianOla, Iowa, writes that he was in 10
| battles and was six times wounded. He
will be % his next birthday.
T. L. Mairs, Argyle, N. Y, has the dis
charge of VIM. E. Webb, Co. B, 1st N. Y.
M't'd Rifles.
]. E. Dilliner, IS W. Main street, I'm
iontown. Pa, wishes to learn the brigade
and division to which the S5th Pa. be.
longed from 1861 to 1868.
Joseph W. Potter, Sparta, Wis, wants
to know what has become of ali the New
England boys who were prisoners in Sal
isbury the Winter Of '64-'65, and whether
any of them remember that Wisconsin boy
who had an ak, and cut wood in the camp.
W:n Tnro Vnu rs