The National tribune., 1905-11-30

stroyed. II left the field in demoralized
fragments, and even these dissolved like
snow under an April sun. IT also de-
cided adversely to the enemy a cam
rafgn undertaken under promising con-
ditions for a purpose which, IL success
full. would have had a most serious ef-
feet upon the Union cause. II Hood
had reached the Ohio River Ii would
have been a fair Offset to Sherman's
march to the sea. 1t would doubtless
have necessitated another levy of troops
at a time when the resources Of the
country, both I'm men and I'm the sinews
Of war, were strained almost to the
limit. Cit had already been proposed
by Gen. Grant I'm one of the dispatches
to Washington that has been quoted
that the States of Ohio. Indiana and Illi-
nois be called on for SO, 900 men to meet
this threatened dangerD 1t would have
precipitated conditions that might have
seriously embarrassed the situation on
the Potomac and throughout the theater
of war in the East.
Thomas's success paralyzed the enemy
In the West, and enabled him to send
q corps under Schofield to reinforce
Grant in the East and another column
under Smith TO the South to aid I'm the
capture of the last stronghold OF the
enemy in the West at Mobile, Ala. A
rart Of the army with which Thomas
won Nashville was in at the death OF
the Confederacy in Virginia and anoth-
the Gulf OF Mexico. 1t required the
genius Of a great Captain to organize
and equip from the fragments and re-
sources at his hand such an army az
Thomas hurled against Hood and infuse
into 1t in so short time the morale
that would enable IL to win the decisive
results that were secured at Nashville.
The war for the Union developed
many great military characters but the
peer of any of them in sterling soldierly
qualities, skill in tactical warfare and
indomitable courage and determination
In battle was Maj.-Gen. George III.
Thomas
Final Charge of the Day.
A spirited description of the opera
tlons Of the Minnesota regiments i'm the
battles about Nashville was written by
g. pioneer Minnesotan. a staff officer OF
the First Division at the time, and pub
lished in the st. Paul Press of Dec. 80.
1854. here quote passage from that
descriptions:
AT o'clock p. m. the clouds had
thickened and a moderate rain COM
menced to fall; the atmosphere became
prematurely darkened as If night was
setting in. The cavalry force which
had been operating vigorously on the
extreme right, and well toward the rear
Of the enemy. apparently became blind
ed by the mists which settled upon the
hills, and their firing materially slack
ened. old Man Smith'-as the boys
OF his command delighted to call him
and Gen. Macarthur were about, and the
First Division-Joe Mowers old divi-
sion-must maintain its dearly-bought
laurels of former days. The division
vas to charge Cheatham's yeterans-not
only to charge them, but to rout them,
capture and destroy them, and, IL pos
Eibie. write their history in lines OF
blood as doomed rebels who once exist
ed, but after this charge were not to
exist 1t was not known I'm military and
confidential circles in Nashville that this
telling charge was to be made, or at
what time it was to be made. but some
how or other people felt IL in their bones
that it would come off at about the time
IL did, and many were there to witness
1t. We find also Gen. Thomas at hand
accidentally, perhaps-but he was there,
t. witness the exciting scene. Gen.
Smith was there, of course, muscle and
nerve all in motion. knowing then, as
we'll what would be the result as he did
when it was all over, the very embodi-
ment Of the towering, all-conquering
veteran that he is, eyeing with more
than wonted confidence the compact
lines of his veterans. Macarthur, with
that powerfully-knit frame and that in
telligent and well-developed Scotch face,
flrmness amounting almost to stubborn
ness visible in every feature, sat on his
horse awaiting the proper moment to
give the final order. And, as if to make
the picture complete, Andrew johnson,
whom the soldiers of the Union and the
people at home have just honored with
the second office in the gift of the Ma
tion, was close at hand to behold the
grand military drama about to be en-
acted.
1.-The hour arrives o'clock precise
ly, by McArthur's time. The order goes
forth, and with a shout that is heard
plainly away off in our old lines near
Nashville, the division starts for the
works before it. The Second Brigade
leads off. Col. Hubbard, with hat in
hand, waving it over his head, leads on
his trusty warriors. He knows what is
coming, but he also knows the men he
leads. Across the cornfield, the soft
ground giving away until men and
horses sink at every step knee-deep;
under a shower of canister shell and
ntinie-balls filling every inch of the at
mosphcre and meeting them square in
the face, they keep onward. The works
are gained; no faltering yet; and now
goes up the flag of the 9Th Mimi. on
the works: simultaneously with it the
flag of the veteran 5th-which has been
shot down four times in this advance
and riddled with full charge of canis-
ter-aScendS; the works are carried in
front of all the brigades of the division,
and Minnesota holds the position in an
unbroken line of half a mile in extent.
First comes Capt. McGrew, of the 9Th,
a staff officer of Col. Hubbard's, with
about a regiment of them; then we
meet officers and enlisted men of all
the regiments with squads larger than
they can be supposed to take care Of
in all, the captures amounting to at
least as many men as there were in the
Second Brigade. The whole work-a
work that all military men who wit
messed it agree in pronouncing a charge
Of scarcely equaled brilliancy in the
annals of warfare-was accomplished
in 10 minutes time. The enemy was
routed and driven to the
adjacent hills in utter confusion. Ten
pieces Of artillery of the first quality
were captured, in addition to small
arms and prisoners without number.
Minnesota gained more glory than
the war had previously allowed her to
gain. The galantry of her officers and
men is the theme of all tongues and
pens. Col. Hubbard was personally
Immediately after the ac-
ton by Gems. Thomas. Smith and Nc
Arthur uniting in a telegram TO the
President requesting his promotion.
: j. p. Owens"
Highly Honorable Mention.