The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1906-01-18


private office.
"Wen, Mr. Osborn" he said. ''you
have made long stay. Have you been
able to read those kilograms YETI"
/ drew up a chair beside him, and
pulling out cipher of over $50 words,
read to him a well-connected. perfect
~ ineligible, highly interesting and
important communication from the
British Minister to the Home Secretary.
With Wagner ut Franklin.
Editor National Tribune: In your
issue of Dec. q. 1905, l read a partial
account OF the battle of Franklin,
Tenn, by Gen. j. ID. Cox. OH the con-
duct of Gen. Geo. ID. Wagner and the
Second and Third Brigades of his Di-
vision (the Second), Fourth Corps, and
the conduct Of Gen. Wagner and his
men was defended by Comrade j. \.
Williams, Co. F., 135th Ind, in an
article written by Comrade Williams,
and which was published in your is
sue of Dec. 21.
l am also defender OF the brave
and gallant Wagner. and L agree with
COmrade Williams in saying that Gen.
Cox was grevously in error In SO far
as the conduct of Gen. Wagner and
the Second and Third Brigades of his
Division are concerned in that hard
fought and bloody battle of Franklin
Tenn.
gagged, it is my belief that it was one
Of the hardest-fought battles during
the civil war. / was fortunate i'm being
a participant i'm that hard-fought bat
tie. / say fortunate. as ] came out OF
it without a scratch. l was First Cor
Orderly Sergeant of Co. B, 28th KY,
Second Brigade, Second Division,
Fourth Corps. 1 think that 1 ought to
know something about the battle, as
[ was there, and took a part in 1t, on
that memorable goth of November,
1864.
Upon our arrival at Franklin, from
Spring Hill, the Second and Third
Brigades were ordered to throw up
light line of earthworks i'm advance of
the main line; which we did, but had
hardly got the works finished when our
skirmishers were driven in by the
rebels
The men of the two brigades on the
advance line could not stand the over
whelming numbers of Hoods Army
who were advancing on us as fast as
they could. That was the beginning of
the fight We were forced to fall back
SO we were between two fires, our
men in front of us and the rebels in
our rear. We reached the main line
and over the works we went We
rallied, and formed behind the main
line of works and remained there until
IL
midnight. Then our army fell back to
the river, crossed it, and started on
our way to Nashville.
I admit that there was some con-
fusion among the troops for awhile. |
but they soon rallied, and formed be- |
hind the main line of works. The con-
fusion was caused by new recruits in |
the Third Brigade.
Gen. Cox is very much mistaken
when he says that Gen. Wagner rallied
the two disorganized brigades at the |
river, but that they were not again car
ried into action. If those two brigades
Of Wagner's were disorganized and
were not again carried into action, why
Is #. and how is 1T. that they were
formed behind the main line of works?
They were at the front, dealing death
and destruction to Hoods rebels, and
how is It that the two brigades of
Wagner's lost goodly number Of
brave men I'm killed, wounded, and
missing? Gen. Wagner was not the
kind Of man to remain in the rear
while there was any fighting going on.
He was always found in the front line
with his men, IL there was any fight
ing going on, and he remained with
them as long as the fight lasted.
Gen. Wagner was no skulker, but
a brave and gallant soldier. His pres
ence always inspired confidence in the
men of his command.
Comrade Williams has certainly
quoted evidence enough to prove that
the two brigades of Wagner's Division
were in the fight to the finish. They
never saw the river until after the bat
tie was over, when they fell back to the
river and crossed over ii.
I am like Comrade Williams, would
like to know where the two brigades
Of Wagner's Division captured their
prisoners and flags
1t certainly was not down by the
-
but it was in the heat Of that bloody
battle at the front line of works. That
is where Wagner's men were when the
prisoners and flags were ca ptured. Gen.
Cox may have been a brilliant and
capable officer, but he certainly did
of Lane and Conrad's Brigades. when
he made the attempt to write history
Of the battle Of Franklin, Tenn. And
he did cast shadow upon the reputa-
ton of the brave and gallant Wagner
It was unjust and wholly undeserved
during the civil war knew his reputa-
ton we'll as an officer, a fighter, and
a man. l agree with Comrade Will
liams in what he says regarding the
march of Gen. Wagner and his Divi-
sion from Columbia to Spring Hill, and
then to Franklin. All what he says is
true.
1 know that after our arriving at
Franklin from Spring Hill we had no
time for rest or sleep, and no time to
draw our rations. So we had to take
part In the Franklin fight without any
rations Now, If we had, as Gen. Cox
says, been down at the river. we GER
tainly would have had ample time to
have drawn our rations, and also would
have had plenty Of time to partake of
the evening meal. But as 1t was, we
went into the fight with empty
stomachs. I am with Comrade Will
liams when he says that it is high time
that history should do justice to the
memory of the brave and gallant Wag-