The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1904-07-21
CLASS PENSIONS.
Something About Medals Of Honor-Tne oosn
lind. at Richmond, KY.

S0metn1nS ADOuG Wcud1s Va AAoAoA
lind. at Richmond, KY.
EnIToR NATIONAL. TRIBUNE: / notice
In a recent issue of your good paper COM
munication regarding special pensions 1or
nNIedaI Honor" men. have often
fbourht would like to write few Words
regarding class pensions. l believe every
one who was disabled in the service shouid
have a pension commensurate With MS
disability, and that his widow should be
pensioned. This the Government promised
lust as much as it promised to pay the
bondholders | believe also that the pen
sion for age disa bility is just; but when IL
comes to introducing bills for extra pen
sions for those who we're prisoners OF war;
or have Medals of Honor. etc.. DelieVe
we injure our cause. Give pensions TO ali
who are disabled from prison lie, Dut not
merely because they were prisoners.
If these bills became laws they would
make distinctions that did not exist-every
man who took part in a bayonet charge,
or saber charge, or who supported pat
terry in action, exhibited just as mucn
bravery as any man could; but tens or
fhousa nds of soldiers just as brave, never
had these opportunities, but were falthiui
TO every trust. Some men had little
more dash in their makeup than others ;
but that did not indicate greater bravery,
or make them more deserving OF honor or
pensions.
Without endeavoring to detract from the
honor of any one, let me illustrate:
The 9th Me-. whose term of enlistment
expired a few days before the battle OF
Gettysburg, volunteered to remain In sery-
ice and assist in repelling Lee. For this
they were voted Medals of Honor by Con-
gress. 1t was disinterested act, and many
were killed or wounded at time when
they were under no legal obligation to re-
main in the field. The widows and orphans
of those who were killed and those who In
curred disabilities were granted pensions.
The 55th Ind. was a three-months regl-
ment Its term of enlistment expired Aug.
q, 1862 1t was then at Richmond, Ky.
Gen. NJ d. Manson called the regiment
into line and stated that a largely-superlor
force. under Kirby Smith, was marching
from Big Hill. and would reach us in
day or two. They must be given battle to
keep them from forming a junction with
Brasg's army. He stated that nearly all
his troops were fresh from the recruiting
camps: that our regiment and the 4th Ny.
Cav. were all the drilled troops he had.
Snow said he, you are entitled to your
discharge. If you remain, many of you
will never see home again; many others
will be wounded; if you all wish to go, you
will have the opportunity; but those who
will volunteer to remain in this emergency
step three PAGES to the front" Every man
promptly stepped to the front and received
the thanks of the General.
On Friday. Aug. %, in the afternoon,
the long roll sounded. and the Doth Ind.
rushed into line: received the order to
march. and on the double-quick, went out
toward the enemy. A slight skirmish took
place and a small field gun was captured
from the rebels. That night the men lay
upon their Iarms. and before daylight on
the morning of the 30th coffee and hard
tack were served, and soon after sunrise
no a6y
sent with detail of II men of the 55th
Ind. to discover, and / might say, uncover,
the enemy for that was what we did. We
advanced some 800 yards in front of the
regiment, when we discovered number OF
men on horseback, several hundred yards
to our right front-undoubtedl a Gen
eral and his staff-probably Kirby Smith
himself. Our squad Immediately fired upon
them. and they galloped back over the hill.
The regiment came up and at once filed into
field on the left, and formed in line of
battle; battery took position in front of
us, while the enemy was still invisible-not
for long. however. A battery turned loose
upon us, with grape and canister, from
bunch of timber within easy range. AT
the first fire Corp'ls Beaman and Colwell-
j think of Co. Gust to my left, were
killed. and Homer Sering. of Co. G, was
struck upon the head a glancing blow, by
grape shot: but not seriously wounded.
We were ordered to lie down and load,
then rise and fire. While lying on my right
side loading my gun l was struck by ball
which entered the body on the right side
of the last lumbar vertebra. | was taken
from the field. That ball still makes it
self felt after nearly AZ years.
The next morning our Colonel, John r.
Mahan. than whom drawer man or better
officer did not exist, mustered small rem
nant of the fine body of men he led into
the fight. The rest were killed, wounded
or captured. This remnant was marched
TO Maysville. Ky, and proceeded by boat to
Cincinnati. and thence by rail to Indian
apolis, where they were paid their monthly
pittance, and disbanded. So far as l
know, not one received a written discharge
all were sent home with nothing to show
that they had been legally in the u. s.
No one ever presented their patriotic, he
roic and voluntary action to Congress, as
was done in the case of the 9th Me-, and
they never received Medals of Honor
though their action merited it, Now, if
this bill to pension Medal of Honor men
were TO become a law, it would work
injustice to thousands who deserve the pen
sions just as much as those who would
receive them.
History says but little of the battle of
Richmond, KY, while it is an indisputable
fact that no battle of the war was harder
fought, in proportion to the numbers en-
gagged. and no other army was SO nearly
annihllated as were the Union forces on
that occasion.
The second battle of Bull Run being
Fought on the same day the lesser engage
ment was overshadowed by it.-GEORGE
81. READ, Co. c, 55th Ind Vols. and Co
ii, 10Th Ind. Cav, Roswell, n. Mex