The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1905-12-28

battery will be alloNS1
by order Of Gen. Gilbert.
"Geo. K Speed, Lieutenant and Acting
A. A. General"
It will be observed that the clause
cited 10 not contained In the above or.
from which even such an Inference can
be drawn. And more. Col. Coburn has
told the writer that at no time did Gen.
Gilbert tell him that that was the pur-
pose for which the expedition y, as be-
ing sent to the front.
Gen. Gilbert did not think there was
q considerable force Of the enemy in
front. and insisted that Col. Coburn
would only find Gen. Forrest in COM
mand Of about 1900 men," He never
suggested the possibility Of there being
more than that number.
1t is not possible that he (Gilbert)
purposely misstated the facts to Col.
Coburn. He unquestionably stated
what he thought were the facts.
Not only did he state once to Col.
Coburn that nobody except Forrest, in
command of about 1900 men," was In
front, but emphasized this statement
by reiteration.
If Gen. Gilbert had not been well
satisfied of the strength and position OF
the enemy in his front he surely would
have defined the order more clearly In
that respect, and allowed to Col CO.
burn some discretionary powers.
Col. Coburn was peremptorily or
dered to proceed along the Columbia
Pike as far as Spring Hill and send
out q party from there toward Column
bia and on through to Raleigh Springs
on the Lewisburg Pike, where q cav
airy force from Murfreesboro will COM
municate with it on the ensuing day.
and there would also accompany the
command, as stated in the order, "a
forage train Of 80 wagons" making a
total of more than 100 wagons
This was the order in a nutshell.
Col. Coburn's command was, in fact
sent on foraging expedition. and for
no other purpose.
Col. Coburn, however, in his move
ments, soon discovered that Gen. Gill
bert was not correctly advised of the
strength and position of the enemy
in front, and from time to time report
ed the numbers Of the enemy and the
increasing dangers in front.
Gen. Gilbert did not heed the facts
as Col. COburn presented them, but
still adhered to his previous declara.
tion-certain that Coburn was need.
lesSly alarmed.
In itself. this action of Gen. Gilbert
disproves the theory that Col. Coburn's
mission was to find the strength and
position of the enemy"
Col. Coburn was never known to
cisobey an order given him as sol
der. and being thus ignored by Gen
Gilbert he could do no less than con-
tinue the execution of the order. II
possible. To do otherwise, he would
have been denounced as a coward.
AS the command advanced, the full
force Of the enemy was developed
Forrest in command of about 1900
| men" proved to be only n curtain, be-
hind which was the greater army OF
Gen. Van Dorm, whose total strength
Appropriated not less than 5000 eff
fective, well-drilled soldiers, against
There was at no time more than 1900
| men of Coburn's Brigade engaged, OF
whom 1921 were captured.
Col. Coburn soon saw that he was
confronted by overwhelming numbers
| and realizing that Gen. Gilbert would
not render assistance. his men put VI
the best fight possible, and, unequa
as the contest was, he did not surren.
der until the last round of ammunition
had been fired.
Gen. Gilbert had full knowledge OF
| the unequal contest, as shown by his
telegram to Gen. Garfield while the
| fight was going on, which was:
Gen. Coburn has not made much
progress along the Columbia Pike.
can hear the guns not far off, probably
not more than six miles
Still, he refused reinforcements anC
| In the refusal Of which he made grave
| error. This fact was not overlooked by
Gen. ROsecrans, who caused to be tel.
| graphed to Gilbert that he regretted
exceedingly that you fGilbert) did MOI
support Coburn and bring off the in.
| fantry."
This was the undoing Of Gen. Gil
| bert. He was relieved of his com
mand as brevet Major-General and as
sumed his former rank as Captain II
the Regular Army, afterward serving
as Provost-Marshal at Louisville, KY.
until September 1868, and then unit
| the close of the war served as Muster.
ing and Disbursing Officer at some poin
In the East. He had command a
the battle Of Perryville, KY, In 1862
| but failed to give satisfaction. In all
| he was either incompetent or unfor.
| tunate, perhaps both. He died in Bal.
| timore on the 18th day Of January
1905
Thus was temporarily eliminated
from the service one OF the best bri
gades. It's subsequent record during
| the Atlanta campaign was unrivaled
the SD Ind. having had more mei
killed and wounded from Resaca tt
Atlanta than any other single regimen
IN Sherman's army, with the 18th
Mich. standing a close second. and the
combined brigade Of four regiments
which included the S5th Ind. and 22t
Wis. lost more in killed and wounded
than any similar command in tina
army showing that the brigade wa.
ever at the danger-point-the immed
late front OF the enemy, never com
planning, never resting until the fall OF
Atlanta. r. Mcbride, First Lieuten.
ant and Adjutant, 33d Ind, Washing
ton, ID. c.
|
Capture OF Col. Rhett, G. 8. A.