Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1903-11-28
THE FIELD OF BATTLE
INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES OF
THE WAR.
The Veterans of the Rebellion Tell of
Whistiing Bullets, Bright Bayonets,
Bursting Bombs, Bloody Battles,
Camp Fire. Festive Bugs, ETC., Etc.


As to that Man ON Horseback at
kenesaw,' said Major George Green,
he could not have come from Mitch
ellis brigade. l was at that time
Held officer in the Seventy Eighth
Illinois Infantry in Mitchelrs brigade,
and | 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 MitchelFs bri-
gade TO have taken their horses over
the Union intrenchments for the as
sault. The lines OF both brigades were
formed behind our own breastworks.
which were six or sevNn feet high,
and 1t required great effort on the
part of the soldiers 10 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 is certainly
mystery. The matter is not of great
Importance, but it is very interesting"
1t certainly is said Comrade
William Stewart, of Pittwood. Ill.
when the battle OF keneSaw was
fought was a member of company c,
Fifty-First Illinois infantry. I saw
General Harker when he fell from his
horse, and l cannot agree with the
officer who says Harkcr rode white
horse. My recollection is that he rode
q bay horse, and | was close enough
to see clearly He was shot not far
from the rebel works and within a 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 it TO load.
Looking back, l saw Hatker on
bay horse waving his men forward.
Then the bugle sounded and the rush
began, and Harker was shot | was
close to the rebel works, and on Nc.
Cooks left HarIer 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
IIarker where Major Eakin placed the
officer ON 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.
"Harker was well known To the
men Of his own brigade lie always
had two horses shot under him at
Chickamauga, and two horses killed
at Missionary ridge, and still another
at Resaca. He was a regular army
officer and came into the Volunteer
Service as Colonel OF John Sherman's
ran to him when he was mOrtally
wounded at Kenesaw and others as
sisted in conveying the body to the
rear
"These are the men to settle the
controversy as to where Harker fell
There was great confusion on that
day. and, so far as / know, not a
single official report. reglmental,
brigade. or division, makes more than
general reference to Harkcr's death.
General O. 0. Howard, In an article
on the battle quotes Sherman as say
ing that if Harker ana McCook had
not been killed be believed that the
men of those brigades would have
broken through the rebel lines. But
no one says where Harler was kill
ed"
In the journal kept by Colonel
Joseph s. Fullerton" said the Major,
there is a definite statement as to
where General Harker fell. Fullerton
was Adjutant General at hcadquart.
ers Of the Fourth Army Corps and he
kept a running record Of events as
they occurred, giving honr and day
= HdtI udLc 81 J.sbb u. III. June = {, 1871
he says: Colonel Bradley, in com
niand of Harkers brigade. sends word
by Colonel Opdyke that General
liarkcr has been hortally wounded:
shot from his horse while he was within
fifteen PAGES Of the enrmys works
In general way this corresponds
with what Stewart says.
James Layery, Of Steubenville.
Ohio, who was IN the Ninety Eighth
Ohio, Mitchell's brigade. at Kcnesaw.
writes that he saw no officer Of his
brigade on horseback at Kcnesaw.
This corresponds with the statement
Of Major Green. and leaves open the
question of whether the officer seen
by Major Eakin was not the STAFF
officer mentioned IN the herring Of
Colonel Holmes ny members Of tho
Fifty Second Ohio. ais staff officer
appeared close 50 MoC0ok's right. and
rallied the men for the second assault.
1t is clear that lIaTier Was at that