The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1906-02-22
HEAVY LOSSES IN BATTLE.
C0mfade Martin Makes Some caustfc
commcats in nm EGort,t Settle Dis
pute of Long Standing.a n

pute Of Long Standing.a n
Editor National TRIBUNE. In The Ma
tional Tribune of recent date, in answer
to request Of Comradef John r. Pal
mer for brief sketch OF the s2d H.,
you say: 1T belonged toa Gresham's
Division of the Seventeenth Corps, and
lost two officers and Sc MEN killed in
action. and one officer and $50 men
died of disease, accident. in prison, etc.;
making a total loss of 26S.,- According
to my arithmetic this would amount to
300. ut suffered heavily at Shiloh,
where 1t had its Lieutenant-C Colonel, a
Captain, First Lieutenant and two
Second Lieutenants killed.
The total loss OF the 32d Iii. at Shiloh
was three officers and Sc men killed and
six officers and 108 men wounded and
five men missing" Now, IL this is a
true history of the 32d Ill. 1 do not
wonder that Comrades Palmer and Ho-
bart cannot agree as to who struck
Billy Patterson and whether it was at
Arcola or Jackson, Miss. Comrade Ho-
bart says: '"The official War Records
give them (the battles Of Corinth and
Hatchie) as one and the same" Why
does he not quote the same authority
for the repulse Of Lauman at Jackson,
Miss, July IL, 1863, instead of falling
back on J. p. Cannon's Inside Of Re-
bellion?" AS far as can learn, the
position of the rebel forces at Jackson
was as follows: Loring on the right,
next Walker, then French, and last, on
the left, Breckenridge. This last divi-
sion had three brigades, commanded
from right to left as follows: Helms,
Adams, Stovall. Lauman struck Adams's
Brigade. but 1t appears that all had
something to do with the repulse, al
though I find nothing positive as to
Stovall. other than what is contained
in Adams's report of the affair. Com
rade Palmer. In reply to Comrade Ho-
barts criticisms. says: II cannot re-
frain from concluding this article by
Gsn J. c. sa Breckinr,ares t Dltis,on t mai
Col. Pugh charged at Jackson, Miss,
and that did not in any way confound
that disaster with that of HOvey's en-
counter of the 18th Of July. / was one
OF Hovey's kids, and this Is the first l
ever heard Of our having an encounter
with anybody or anything on the date
mentioned. II there was anything of
the kind. won't some comrade who is
thoroughly conversant with the facts
rise up and tell us where it was and
what 1t was about? If Comrade Hobart
will kindly inform me where he found
or where l can find Special Order, No.
191, dated Vicksburg, Miss. July Is,
1863, he will confer great favor and
place me under many obligations
Now, a few words with Comrade John
A. McGregor regarding his correction
of Comrade A. j. Jacobs, Co. d, ED
Ky. Comrade McGregor says: II would
like to prompt the comrade in regard
to the formation of the brigade as it
then existed - "yrIt would saw
ha hr;e
10th Ohio and 42d Ohio, instead of AID
Ind, 22d KY. and Saith Ind. command
ed by Col. l.. A. Sheldon, of the 42d
Ohio" Wrong. comrade.' on both counts
The formation Of the brigade as it then
existed was: saith Ind, Col. Mansfield;
ED KY, Lieut:-Col. Monroe; 18th Ohio,
Capt. Botsford; 42d Ohio, Col. Sheldon;
Hath Ohio, Col. CradIebaugh; Col.
Daniel w. Lindsey commanding brf-
gade. Col. Sheldon was in command at
Port Gibson, but some time after and
prior to the battle Of Champions Hill
Col Lindsey succeeded to the command
and held it all through the Vicksburg
and Jackson campaigns. In his de-
scription Of Champions Hill the COM
rade says: 1.-The roads upon which Nc
Pherson and McClernand respectively
were advancing met at the summit" Il
think the comrade is also mistaken in
regard to this. My impression is that
the Clinton and Raymond roads did
not join until near or at Edwards De-
pot and that the one that joined the
Clinton road at the top Of Champions
Hill was cross-country road. the same.
in fact. followed by Bufords Brigade Of
Bowen's Division going to the support
OF Stevenson, and the one on Which
Osterhaus and Carr came onto the field
just little too late to be effectiye.I a
not think Logan got anywhere. near the
ili Ia Iy,ta<a
toned, but did get possession Of the
Clinton road, In the rear of the enemy
where 1t crossed Bakers Creek by the
bridge. thus cutting off their retreat by
that route. The main Raymond road
was at least mile farther south. There
was another cross-country road about
one mile west of the one mentioned
above and it was over this road that
the rebels made good their retreat to
the Raymond road and thence to Ed
wards Depot. Had Osterhaus and Carr
advanced an hour earlier and captured
the position held by TiIghman at the
junction of these two roads our 4O-odd
days in the trenches at Vicksburg would
never have materialiZed.
Again, the comrade says: Grant
threw Smiths and Holiness Brigades
Of Crocker's Division into the gap on
Hovey's right" don't think the COM
rade intended; to put it exactly that
way, as Smith was In command of the
First Brigade. Third (Logans) Division
and Crockers was the Seventh Division
The position assigned at least part
OF these troops is also wrong / cannot
speak Of Smith, but know that the
Third Brigade OBoomer). seventh d.
vision, and the Second Brigade
(Holmes), same division, or at least
two regiments OF this brigade, the 18th
Iowa and 10th Mo-, also Co. e, gath
Mo-, were sent to support Hoveys Di-
vision, and fought gallantly, as their
list Of casualties amply attests
/ have always inclined to the opinion
(and give it for what it is worth from
the standpoint Of a man in the ranks)
that the cutting off of Loring's Division
from their line Of retreat was caused
not so much by the advance of Oster-
haus and Carr as by the desire Of Lor-
ing to be cut off. This opinion, think,
is fully carried out by his actions on
the field that day. He was ordered re-
peatedly, at least half dozen times,
to come to the left to the support Of
Stevenson; the last order was for him
to come Immediately and with all dis
patch to the left, to- the support Of
Stevenson, whatever may be in your
front" Still he dallied. Again and yet
again were couriers sent In hot haste
for him to come. and finaily Gen. Penn
berton himself went after him, and at
1x.r,f