The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1906-07-05

the army at Nashville he was placed In
command Of brigade In Shefidan's Di>
vision, and in the fiercest Of the fight
ing, on the afternoon OF "Wednesday,
Dec. 81, he gained valuable time for
the reimbursement OF the lines by q swift
| sudden. irresistible bsyonet charge
| straight through the center OF the line
which was pressing upon Sheridan, thus
disorganizing Hardee's battle plan. The
charge was successful, but 1t cost the
young commanders life.
Another man who was keenfy regret
ted was Col. Leander Stem, Maryland
man, who had graduated from the Uni
versity Of that State and then migrated
to Ohio. Like most Of the Southern
young men who had left their sections
| because Of their adherence Of slavery,
he was earnest in the cause of.the Union
and was among the first volunteers. He
returned home, but when the second
call for troops came out he received q
commission as Colonel OF the 101st
Ohio. Though this regiment was only
mustered into service Aug. 80, 1852, Col.
Stems efforts to introduce drill and dis
| cipline were so successful that the regi-
| ment attracted surprise and praise six
weeks later by it's steadiness and calm
ness under the awful fire opened upon
| 1t at Perryville. In the advance from
Nashville Col. Stem and his regiment
| showed themselves quite worthy COM
| rades of the veterans with whom they
| were brigaded by a swift. sure charge
| upon q battery at Knobs Gap, which
| they captured. The regiment was In
the unlucky Right on the morning Of
Dec. 81. and as 1t was yielding to the
| pressure Of superior numbers, Col. Stem
rallied 1t to a firm stand by appeals to
| his men to stand bravely for the honor
| of the good old Buckeye State. and fell
L vi al In rat SOt ~ h So
| exhOrtatiOn.
Col. Minor Millikin. Of; the Sd Ohio
| Cav was one Of the best.specimens Of
the young men Of wealth and education
| Of Ohio who fastened to offer their SER
vices to the Government. He was from
Hamilton. where his father was prom
inent lawyer and for many years Presi-
| lent Of the Ohio State Board Of Agri-
| culture. His son had been distinguished
| IS an athlete in the Miami University,
| .xcelling his fellow-students I'M Jump
| ing, football. boxing, fencing and rid
| ing. At the same time he maintained
so high standing in his classes that
| he was an honor man. He enlisted at
the first call as private, and In order
| 10 have his company ready for service
| ne bought the horses with his own
money After the three monhs' service
| ne helped organize the Sd Ohio Cav. In
| which he became Major. and was then
promoted to Colonel. Believing firmly
that the saber was the only weapon, ne
led his men In saber charges fo<driye off
the rebel cavalry who were saulting
our trains, and in one OF these conflicts
he became involved in q hand -to-hand
night with several enemies. His superior
swordsmanship disabled and drove. of
his assaiiants. but he was himself killed
| by a revolver shot -
Col. Fred C. Jones was born in Penn
i 3v,s
| he became lawyer and was in success
ful practice at the time OF the Aring
! upon Fort Sumter He at once offered
| his services to the Governor OF Ohio
and was employed In various ways un-
I'll November. 1862, when he became
1eutenant-Colonel of the 24th ONO.
This regiment was In the advance bri-
yade OF Gen. Buell's army alb the latter
approached Shiloh, and was about 10
niles from the field when the battle
began. 1t reached the Tennessee, cross
ed the river, and with the 9Th Ohio
'ormed on the blum to assist the Army
II the Tennessee In repelling the last
assault. Lieut.-COl. Jones continued to
command the regiment during the en-
tire battle, and on the second day his
esiment was attacked by an entire bril-
,ade. and after an obstinate fight drove
on. for which the 24th Ohio received
iigh praise. and Leut-Coi. Jones was
promoted to Colonel for sallantry at
Shiloh. At Stone River the 14th Ohio
vas on the left OF the line, and received
IN attack from Polk's men. Col. Jones
ordered his men to lie down and hold
IRE until the enemy were within point
blank range. when they were to rise,
ieliver their vOlley and Immediately
'harge. These tactics were carried out
according to the order, and 20 success
fully that the 24th Ohio brought back
n a. lS<g
| ite regiment. but during the fight Col.
tones was shot through the body by
| nusket bullet, from the effects Of which
ne died 10 hours later.
Brig. Gen. Edward N. Kirk was an
other promising soldier who lost his life
in vain effort to make his brigade
| Withstand the overwhelming rush II
Hardee's Divisions. He was born in
Ohio. but grew to manhood In Illinois,
and upon the call for three years troops
organized the 34th III, at Springfeid.
Sept. Z. 1851. He showed such aptitude
| Tor the military profession that he was
promoted to . Brigadier- General and
placed IN command OF q brigade OF
Johnson's Division. This received the
| first terrible impact OF Hardee's masses
at daylight on the morning OF Wednes-
day, Dec. 81. and made a stubborn and
sktllful defenHe, which 1t maintained
| alone for some time until both its sSianks
were turned, and no assistance being
| rendered 1t. 1t was forced back. Gen.
Kirk was mortally wounded, but lin
gered until July 20. 1863, when he died.
| 1t was believed that q career OF great
usefulness was thus prematurely closed.
The Moral Effect ~ the Battle.
Although Stone River was as san
culinary conflict AZ Shiloh and threw
as many homes In Ohio, indiana, Illi-
nois, Michigan and Wisconsin into
mourning. 1t did not produce the shock
that the earlier battle; did, The people
were becoming. not callous,t to- death and
suffering. but more intensely in earnest
In the prosecution Of the war no matter
at what cost. They had. beoeme accus-
toned to long mortality slstsyand to the
Angel Of Death sprfnklfng blood upon
the linteis OF their homest Only eight
days before the battle of Stone River
opened Burnside. leading his gallant
men to blundering slaughteR, had lost
l 900 Of them before the ssanguinary
slopes Of Marye's Heights While Bragg's
and Rosecrans's armies were confront
ing one another on the BANKS OF Stone
River, Sherman was losingA2, 500 men
In his fruitless effort to eainaat Chtcka-
saw Bayou the highland In the rear of
VickSburg Stone River N ~ heft0r tha n