The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1904-01-28
~ BATTLE Or FRANKLIN.
vivid .Rscollscttonss o. &pgA Exceedingly
He'd ssryies md BID fighting.. -.

there. was an active participant IN that
unpleasantness, from Johnson's Mill to
that they have been witt.m& ever since. |
do not wish to criticize my old comrnde
who makes an effort to iptosm the present
generation; will only tell my own story.
The facts are horrible enough. $3.50
On Nov. d the 23d Mich. left Johnson's
Mill packed in box cars too thick to lie
down, and by way Of Nashville went to
we moved to the right Of the town and 10
of my company, including ], myself, were
sent on the skirmish line. With scarce
time to throw few rails up for protec-
ton, we observed the rebels appear. about
4:30 p. M, in a cornfield in our front. A
lively skirmish Of half an hour followed,
and we then fell back to the main line,
which was soon abandoned.
About 8 p. m. our regiment was In the
rear, support for the rear-guard Of infan-
try, and there was small detachment OF
cavalry still in our rear. The hardest part
of their work was to rouse up stragglers
who had gone to sleep in fencecorners.
About midnight, coming near Spring
Hill, we were ordered to keep quiet; the
rebels were on the hill, half a mile a way,
as we could hear them and see their fires.
/ reached the regiment about 1890 a.
IN. 1t was about 40 rods from the pike, on
the right, facing south, and, like all other
troops, had thrown up breastworks.
About p. m. on the Both the skirmish-
ers were ordered out. and ID of our COM
pany, including myself. went. Each group
of five made rifle pit, the three groups
having but one shovel among them. We
saw the rebels three-quarters OF mile
away, when our group-the center one--re-
ceived the shovel to make our pit. The
rebels we saw proved to be q General and
his staff / but they did not stay there. long,
as they found they were in easy range.
About 4:30 p.1 m. we saw the advance
OF the rebels coming down to the fats.
They filed to the left and continued until
They formed a skirmish line and a single
line of battle and about $50 p. IN. adj
vanced. We remained in the pits till the
lines OH our left, further advanced than We,
were driven back, and the rebels. were
very close to us. We then fell back. go
ing through a fine yard in the rear Of a
house. When we climbed the fence the
rebels were not 10 rods behind us. Here
Henry Oberlin was wounded and. soon
died. Less than 20 rods further the con-
traction of the line enabled the skirmish-
ers to hold the line till the main line OF the
rebels arrived, when we fell back through
4 c0rnfeld in front Of our line Of works.
When we entered our works the rebels
were less than 20 rods from them. That
was about 6 o'clock. 1t was getting dark.
l was one Of the last to get in. II OPP
dycke's Brigade was in our front il must
have gone up tree or into the ground. as.
not 10 minutes after / jumped over our
works the rebels were upon rs and the
regiment OH orr left---I am sure it was an
Indiana regiment, but do not remember
its number--146th Ind, perhaps-a green
regiment. think, broke and ran. Col. o.
L. Spaulding ordered 10 men from each.
company to take the lefts before we could
respond regiment-perhap H1th Ohio
raised up from the ground after the In-
diana boys had run over them where they
lay i'm reserve. aud with "a yell that sur
prised the rebels, charged and retook the
works The whole event did not take over
10 minutes. The Ohio men took about
$50 prisoners--ali who had entered our
works! Not rebel had got 10 feet inside
till he was prisoner. -
From that time till II p. IN. there was
continuous roar. They charged and We're
repulsed IL times. will never forget the
cries and groans of the wounded and ldy-,
ing there. About 11:4J tie skirmishers
were told to remain I'M tile works and hold
them for half an hour, and the regiment
left us and moved to the rear. At 1890
a. m. the skirmishers left the works and
passed through town and over the bridge,
which was soon set on fire, md we began
our return to Nashville 0tir third day
and night without rest or sleep. First,
on the cars, then on the road from Rome.
e II the. rebels had followed us they would
have had picnic that night. The fence.
corners and r0adsides were thick with
exhausted men--men dead in sleep from
wea rness.
don't want to criticize; but as to OPP
dycke being in front and receiving the
brunt of the fght-well, If SO, he must
have been on our left; but if so, he must
have allowed the rebels to pass right
through his lines, for it was not over Is
minutes after the fight began that Tat
Cleburne at the head of his men, rode up
on our breastworks, where rider and horse
were both killed l saw the place two
weeks later, when we were following Hood
Oh his retreat after Nashville. also saw,
on the left of tile pike, the names of 100
Texas men killed there. Each had stick
at the head OF his grave, showing his
name. sst ,t.s-s :
At the first charge the rebels reached
our works and fought us there for 10
minutes. Many of them seized orr guns
by the muzzles; but they quit that, as they
found too often that they were at the
wrong end of the weapon. The men in the
works were all tried and true and there to
stay; and they stayed there till ready to
go: and before they went they took oil the
fight out of the rebels who were there
and they had plenty OF fight i'll them when
it began, and it was big contract to whip
it out as we did. They talk about Gen.
Sehofell being on the north side OF the
river! That was the place for him. He had
confidence in his officers and knew he
could rely upon his men. What earthly
good codld it have done to have any Gen
eral in the rear? 1t was dark In 20 minutes
after the first charge-one could not see
10 feet, except the flash OF the guns. Our
lines Were SO stretched as to be scarce
more than one man deep. Every man
had to be his own commander. 1t was
more than man--it was the hand of God.
The war accomplished His purpose; q les
son was taught; the end was nigh. The
enemy had reaped his reward-and we
are now getting ours i'm instruments OF So
month. The rebels there fought as
never man f0ught--and We did as well as
we could. Ii the Government is satisfied
that it is doing all it can for us, we must
be satisfied, whether it Is satisfactory or
otherwise. Dear Tribune, yon are Ger.
tainly doing your part-MoRRIs e. JOHN
son, Co. Il, 23d Mich, Manette, Kitsap
Co., Wash.
/ S. Cages Ford, Tenn.
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