The National tribune., 1904-09-01

where he then was "a commanding posi-
ton on Dodge's right until l returned.
rode rapidly through the woods towards the
Seventeenth Corps and found Gen. Blair
with Gen. Giles A. Smith near the extreme
left of the Fourth Division (Halls Bril-
gadel.''
This conclusively shows that Blair was
not attacked until after two attacks had
been made upon me, although Halls report
gives the attack upon Blair as at II o'clock,
that time being before the Sixteenth Corps
was attacked. Fuller gives the time Of at
tack upon him as II 80. BY reading all
of page 243 you will get a full and clear
idea of time and everything. The time was
also taken by my staff and record made of
it, and that agrees with Strong. This only
shows how far apart officers can get in a
great battle on time. and on many things.
the spot.
On page asa of VOL IA to 16 of Society
of Army of the Tennessee Records Gen.
Leggett says: Both divisions of the Six
teenth Corps Immediately became holly en-
gagged, etc. etc. Just at this time l espied
the immediate rear of Gen. Fuller's COM
mand. and sent Capt. John b. Raymond.
of my staff, to inquire of Gen. Mcpherson
the expediency of having Gen. Giles 4.
Smith and myself change our line SO as to
face south. and at the same time / sent
Sdpt. "eOTse w. 10 ASCERTAIN
whether or not the left of Gen. Smith and
the right of Gen. Fuller were sufficiently
near together to antagonize any force seek
ing entrance there" He further says: 1.-THE
enemy in front of the Sixteenth Corps
rallied in the woods (this is after the first
attack and renewed their attack with in
creased vigor and bitterness, etc. etc. The
conflict continued for some time with no
appearance on either side of any DISPOSE
ton to yield the ground. when the enemy
gave way, and fell back in confusion, fol-
lowed by the Sixteenth Corps He also
says: THE second assault upon the Six
teenth Corps) was simultaneous with the
which was the left of the Seventeenth
Corps"
THE GAP IN THE LINE.
You will note from my address that the
moment l was attacked | sent an Aid, and
afterwards a Signal Officer, named Shelly,
think, who was detailed with me that
day, Or happened to be with me. These
officers had gone to Gen. Giles A. Smith,
who commanded Blair's left, Fourth Div-
fuse his left and join my right. think the
first officer l sent was Capt. Jonas, of my
staff, who returned Immediately to me, and
Gen. Giles A. Smith sent me word that he
would refuse. That was long time before
Cleburne's Division got between us. but as
my paper and your article show, McPher-
son had sent word without knowing the
condition in front of Giles A. Smith to
hold his position, and he would send rein
forcements to fill the gap between Fuller
and himself. Of course, had Mcpherson
been there earlier and seen what / saw. he
would have had Smiths left join my righi
Immediately, which would have put Gle
burne in front of us, instead of between Us.
That is one of the things that occur in
battle that the person on the ground knows
better than the one distant. 1t was on
the third attack on my line that the enemy
struck Blair. as Strong did not go to Blair
until after the repulse of the second attack.
Cleburne's force got right in behind Blair
left, and picked up that portion of his line
that was refused and swept back his force
so that Rlairs left, even before Wangelin
of the Fifteenth Corps, got there, was pref
ty nearly an extension of but a quarter of
mile away from Fuller's right, and after
| got through fighting | had to withdraw
my entire right quite a distance to connect
with Wangplin and Blair. such line as Gle
burne's force had pressed clear beyond me
and before he was halted was way in the
rear of my right,
After the second attack Cleburne. As he
pressed through the gap between Fuller
and Smith. forced Fuller to change front
and use part of his force to protect his
flank. and the Gath ILL., in this movement
Pherson. taking from them his field-glass.
orders and other papers that they had taken
from McIherson's body, and later i'm the
day / sent these to Gen. Sherman. See re-
port 9th Ills. volume 30. part 3, War
Records. page 494. Fnller's maps. page
$50. volume SO. part 3. War Records. show
where Fuller fought, and where we had TO
intrench.
GEN. FULLER's GALLANT ACT.
/ in I bo
entire Confederate force, and all of my
own, something that very seldom occurs.
and OF course, the scene, as Blair states,
was magnificent one. | saw Fuller do a
most gallant act. l sent an Aid to him
with instructions to charge. but before he
got there Walkers Division broke the center
of Fullers Brigade. his own regiment, the
18th Ohio, falling back. l saw Fuller get
down off his horse. grab the colors of the
9th, rush to the front with them in his
hands, and call upon his regiment to come
TO the colors. and they rallied and saved his
front. 1t was but n moment later that |
saw Walker. who commanded the division
that was attacking Fuller. fall from his
horse, and the division broke and went into
the woods. The action of Fuller was very
gallant, and has been painted, and have
a copy of the painting in my room.
Blair in his report has this to say of
the fighting. which shows that he watched
us long time DpIOfe he was attacked, ana
if YOU will read his report carefully. you
will see that it bears out my statements in
full. Blair says: Il started to go back to
my command. and witnessed the fearful
assault made on the Sixteenth Corps. and
its prompt and gallant repulse by that com
mand. 1t was most fortunate circum-
stance for the whole army that the Six
teenth Corps occupied the position | have
attempted to describe at the moment of
attack, and although it does not belong to
me to report upon the bearing and conduct
of the officers and men of that corps, still
l cannot withhold my expression of admira
ton for the manner i'm which this com
mand met and repulsed the repeated and
persistent attacks of the enemy The at
tack upon our flank was made by the whole
of Hardees Corps"
l speak in my address of MERGERS Bri-
gade fighting on three parts of the field.
Mercer after helping to retake the Decatur
road line, camped right in the rear of the
Fifteenth Corps. and did not come back to
me. When Logan. Blair and myself met
that evening, Blair asked Logan for some
help to go up to relieve troops at Bald Hill.
Logan, seeing MERGERS Brigade there. Or
dered me to send it up. They went I'D
there and crawled in and relieved the men
On Bald Hill. This was very late in the
night. and even then fresh men coming in
drove out or captured what men there were
still lying on the encmy's side of the in
trenchments. Mercer never made a report
of this battle. You will see by nv paper