The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1903-12-03
THE FIELD OF BATTLE
INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES OF
THE WAR
The Veterans of the Rebellion Tell Of
WhistlinR Bullets, Bright Bayonets,
Bursting Bombs, Bloody Battles
Camp Fire. Festive Buxs, Etc, Etc.

WhistlinE Bullets, Bright Bayonets,
Bursting Bombs, Bloody Battles,
Camp Fire. Festive Buxs, Etc, Etc.
Kenesaw. said Major George Green
''he could not have come from Mitch
ellis brigade. l was at that time a
field officer in the Seventy-Eightt
Illinois Infantry in AIitchelrs brigade
and l am certain that none Of the
mounted officers left their horses in
the rear and went into the engagement
on foot.
Furthermore, it would have been
impossible for any of the mounted
officers in McCook's or Mitchelrs bri-
gade to have taken their horses over
the. Union intrenchments for the as
sault. The lines Of both brigades We're
formed behind our own breastworks.
which were six or sevNn feet high,
and 1t required great effort on the
part of the soldiers to get over them.
After we We're over we Strengthened
our lines and went forward. Who
the man on horseback was and how
he came to be in front ig certainly a
mystery The matter is not Of great
Importance. but it is very interesting" )"
TT certainly is" said Comrade
William Stewart. Of Pittwood. Ill.
"When the battle of Kenesaw was
fought 1 was a member of company G,
Fifty-First Illinois infantry. 1 saw
General Harker when he fell from his
horse, and 1 cannot agree with the
officer who says Harker rode a white
horse. My recollection is that he rode
bay horse. and l was close enough
to see clearly. He was shot not far
from the rebel works and within few
minutes after we reached the brush
in front of the works.
Il was with the front line. and
while we waited for the main line
to come up l stood behind big tree
and turned my back toward 1t to load.
Looking back. l saw Harker on q
bay horse waving his men forward.
Then the bugle sounded and the rush
began, and Harker was shot. 1 was
close to the rebel works, and on Nc
Cooks left. Harker fell to my right
about fifty feet, and not more than
one hundred feet to the rear. This
does not agree with the stories told
by some of our boys, but it brings
Harker within range Of the position
held by Major Eakin."
"And yet" said the Captain, Com
rade Stewart does not locate General
Harker where Major Eakin placed the
officer on a dark chestnut sorrel in
McCook's right. Stewart places the
spot where Harker fell close to Nc
Cooks left, and this corresponds with
the recollection Of Rilea, who saw Har-
ker pass from right to left through
McCook's brigade.
men of his own brigade. He always
was well to the front in battle. He
had two horses shot under him at
and two horses killed
1T Missionary ridge, and still another
1T Resaca. He was regular army
officer and came into the volunteer
service as Colonel of John Sherman's
Sixty Fifth Ohio regiment. Some man
AN to him when he was mOrtally
wounded at kenesaw and others as
listed in conveying the body to the
ear.
These are the men to settle the
controversy as to where Harker fell.
There was great confusion on that
lay, and, so far as I know. not a
single official report, regimental,
brigade, or division. makes more than
general reference to Harker's death.
General o. o. Howard, in an article
N the battle, quotes Sherman as say
ng that If Harker and McCook had
lot been killed be believed that the
men of those brigades would have
,roken through the rebel lines. But |
10 one says where Harker was kill
d."
"In the journal kept by Colonel |
'oseph S. Fullerton" said the Major,
there Is q definite statement as to |
where General Harker fell. Fullerton
vas Adjutant General at headquart-
rs Of the Fourth Army Corps and he
ept running record of events as |
hey occurred, giving hour and day.
Jnder date Of 9:30 a. M, June q, 1864,
e says: Colonel Bradley. in COM
land Of Harker's brigade, sends word
y Colonel Opdyke that General
Iarker has been mortally wounded:
hot from his horsewhile he was within
fteen PAGES Of the enemy's works.
n a general way this corresponds
nth what Stewart says.
"James Lavery, of Steubenville.
'hio, who was in the Ninety-Eighth
'hio. Mitchelrs brigade, at Kenesaw,
rites that he saw no officer of his
rigade on horseback at Menesaw.
his corresponds with the statement
Major Green, and leaves open the
uestiOn of whether the officer seen
Y Major Eakin was not the staff
Aicer mentioned in the hearing of
olonel Holmes by members of the
Ohio. This staff officer
ppeared close to McCook's right, and
lllied the men for the second assault,
: is clear that Harker was at that
me close to McCook's left, and it
,llows that the question, "NYho was
le man on n chestnut horse seen by
.ajor Eakin on the right of McCook's
'igadeY is still unanswered Chicago
lter Ocean.
Never Fired n Gun.
"There were some queer cases in
lie army" said Sergeant Grimshaw.
We had one man in Company B,
fifty Second Ohio, who beat the band.
don't believe any other company in
le army had his equal His name