The National tribune., 1905-12-07
-THOMPSON'S STATION.

| Continued from page -
For Ave hours we were thus holly
| engaged under CALLING fire. costing US
an evidence OF the desperateness Of the
contest, OF 81 men OF my company Is
were killed or wounded.
| The enemy in our front having been
silenced. our ammunition exhausted,
the brigade moved to the woods to our
right and rear. Here we encountered
Forests Division, which had gained
our rear by the left, while Martins Bril-
gade was at our rear and right. The
precipitous sides OF a deep wooded ra-
vine were occupied by these forces.
Franklin was but nine miles away; the
roar Of the artillery could be plainly
| heard. The Commanding General was
well informed OF the strength Of the
enemy's forces, and yet refrained from
making any effort looking to our sup
port or relief We had nothing but our
| bayonets with which to repel or make
an attack; we had no ammunition, no
| reinforcements in sight. the cavalry and
artillery gone more than two hours. the
enemy's batteries commanding the
road: their forces, well mounted, thou
sands strong, guarding every advan-
tageous point in our rear. Nothing re-
| NAMED to our brave and unfiinching
| men but disgraceful and destructive
| flight. or fight until resistance was vain,
| as they did, and surrendered. Two
hundred and ninety-five Of our men
| had been killed and wounded, and
1,151 laid down their arms
We were prisoners of war and were
at once marched to Columbia, Tenn;
from thence to Richmond, Va, where
the Inequalities of Libby Prison were
| extended to us for several months.
End OF Brighten. Gilbert.
Gen. Gilbert's military career ceased
here, Congress refusing to confirm his
appointment as q Brigadier-General,
and his name soon thereafter, as far
| as the writer is informed, disappeared
| from history.
Gen. Van Dorm in his report does full
| justice to the courage and gallantry Of
Col. Coburn and his subordinates, and
reports a loss in his command Of 36
officers and 800 enlisted men killed and
wounded.
Numerous incidents occur in every
| such contest that clearly illustrate the
varied effects upon different minds.
Lieut.. W., of my company, as gentle
manly, cool, courageous, and gallant
an officer as ever carried q sword-the
athletic wrestler of the brigade-when
our line was being hotly and vigorously
pressed by the enemy, almost at close
quarters, evidently experiencing SINH
lar sensations to those produced by a
personal or individual encounter, with
hands clenched. said through closed
teeth: GOOD God! I wish 1 had hold of
few of those devils; could strip the
rags from a dozen of them"
While pursuing the enemy amidst
shower of leaden MISSILES and vigor-
ously suggesting giving them some
| thing hotter even than that which they
were receiving, Private H.. ordinarily
not over choice of the language he used,
appealingly said: ooh, Captain, don't
use such language; don't swear when
in such danger"
When the shell was fired through the
cornfield at the four marksmen, some
rollicking, jolly soldier, undaunted by
danger, said: well. declare, that is
the first time / ever saw corn plowed
with cannon"
AS We were rushing down the hill
side, driving our opponents before us,
Private c. called out, Captain, I am
gaining territory every minute" and
later feelingly remarked, II have lost
every foot Of territory had gained"
One more. Private NJ, whose wounds,
at least dozen in number, we had
just hurrfedly examined, and who was
up and ready for further conflict, was
at that moment again wounded on arm
and hand by fragments Of a shell burst
ing near US. and he remarked with
more yigor than elegance: Come on
with your shells; 1 can carry away all
the lead you can put into me-
Gould the armies Of the Union, COM
posed of such men, have been other
wise than victorious?
Visit From Former Foe.
In 1888, 25 years after the contest,
gentleman called at my Office in this
city, presenting his card element
Sullivane"-and inquired If my name
was Lincoln, and whether I had par
ticipated in the fight at Spring Hill, or
Thompson Station, Tenn, in 1863. Upon
being answered in the Affirmative. he
advised me that he was also a partici-
pant In that engagement, but on the
other side, as Lieutenant on the off,
cial staff OF Gen. Van Dorm; that he
was nephew Of Van Dorn's, and served
with him to the date Of that Generals
death. Our interview, though brief.
was most enjoyable, as we exchanged
our views and recollectfons Of various
incidents occurring In our first and more
hostile meeting. Suffice it to say that
| have not from that day until the pres
ent had the pleasure Of another per-
sonal interview with my antagonist of
quarter OF century before; but, as
an illustration OF the singular incidents
occurring along life's thoroughfares,
kindly indulge me a little longer that
| may tell how renewal of this &C
quaintance was brought about, and its
result Early in 1890, while filling the
office Of Deputy Commissioner Of PEN
SioHS, q iduy employee OF Lnat bureau
came to my desk with a letter, which
she said was from her son, residing at
Chattanooga, Tenn, and was in the in
terest of an ex-Union soldier as a claim
ant for pension. Upon seeing the name
OF the writer-Clement Sullivane, much
to the lady's amazement, / inquired:
Are you a sister of the late Gen. Van
Dorn?" Then, OF course, followed ex-
plantations as to where and how I be-
came aware OF the relationship, and
then as to the singularity Of the situa-
tion-a sister Of Gen. Van Dorm Ca bit
ter enemy Of all who wore the blue),
an employee Of the Government her
brother had attempted to destroy, and
sitting in Judgment upon the claims of
the boys in blue who had made such
destruction impossible, and. still fur
ther, she the mother Of one who had
aided the misguided brother and uncle
with energy, activity and ability in his
unholy and unsuccessful efforts, and
who now, through this mother, this
most excellent woman, was doing all
possible to render assistance to one of
bis former enemies.
In this manner. as / have said, re-
newed my acquaintance with Lieut..
Sullivane, and subsequently secured
1