The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1906-07-19
Gen. Re.ecran.,s order.

Gen. Rosecraas's Order.
F. d. Carlock, Alexandria. O., has al
ways been puzzled as TO the reason and
meaning OF Gen. Rosecrans's order to
zen. wood to support Reynolds at the
battle Of Chickamauga. He has hunted
through several authoritative histories
for an explanation. and in Fisk's THE
mississippi Valley in the Civil War" has
found the most satisfactory. Fisk says
that Bragg's plan of battle was TO turn
Rosecrans's left flank. commanded by
Gen. Thomas, and thus cut off his re-
treat to Chattanooga. In pursuance OF
this policy, Gen. Thomas was heavily
forcements early in the day. Rosecrans
therefore withdrew Negley from the
line, sending him to Thomas. and or
dered Gen. Wood, who was in reserve
In the rear Of Negley, to fill the gap
created by his withdrawal. This order
had been fully executed. and everything
was as 1t should be when an Aid of
Gen. Thomas. riding along the line
came up to REYNOLDS right. and not
seeing Brannons Division, which was
hidden among the trees. too hastily
changed crude impression into a fact,
and on reaching Thomas informed him
that there was gap between Reynolds's
Information to Rosecrans, who when
he received 1t supposed Wood had not
carried out his orders. and therefore
sent one OF his Aids to hasten Woods
movements. The Aid delivered the fol-
lowing order to Wood: 1.-The General
commanding directs that you close up
on Reynolds as fast as possible and
'Close up on Brannon." Gen. Wood
proceeded to execute this order. and in
trying to fill up an imaginary gap Great
ed real one. thus causing the frightful
disaster which followed
A CreditabIe Showing.
G. r. Walrath. who during the war
with Spain was member of Co. F, SD
Iowa, harrisburg. Iowa, writes: MY
Great-great-grandfat Walrath was a
soldier in the Revolutionary War, as
was also my great-great-grandfat on
my mothers side, whose name was
Alexander Mccoy. Two Of his sons my
Great-grandfather, John Mccoy and
Great-uncle, VIM. Mccoy, were soldiers
in the War OF 1912. Ny Uncle John c.
Mccoy was a member OF Co. d, 65th
H.. during the war with Spain. On my
fathers side, besides my great-great-
grandfather. my Great-grandfather
Christian Walrath. was a soldier in the
War Of 1912, and my father, G. A. Wal
rath, a member Of the 18th Ill. and of
Co. G, 14th Iowa. He was wounded at
Aaron Walrath, belonged to the 104th
and Goth I'll. respectively. Aaron Wal
rath enlisted at II. and took part in 81
engagements"
Memory Green Yet.
James H. Coughlin, Co. B, 10Sth n
Y, Bellevue, Mich. was only a green
kid when he enlisted, but his memory
Is green yet, and he wishes to correct a
mistake made by Comrade T. NJ Aid
rich in his chart of a section Of Gettys-
burg. COmrade Aldrich in his chart
has the 39th n. Y. as support to Wood
rufus Battery, when it should be the
108th n. Y. The 108th was placed in
support of the battery on the morning
of July 2. and held their place till July
6, and during Pickett's charge helped
work the guns of the battery. Comrade
Coughlin does not profess to know all
about the battle. but he does know his
regiment helped to make history on that
occasion, and he wants credit for all
the honor due 1t.
Youngest Soldier.
John NJ Honck, Co. B, s7th Pa.
Baltimore, Md, was only II years and
little over when he enlisted as drum
mer, and was assigned to Co. B, 4th
Md. Being tall and slender. he was
given a musket and mustered in as q
private. He was discharged as being
under age two months later. Re-en-
listed Is months after in the S7th Pa,
with which regiment he remained till
the close of the war. He would like to
have the name of the person who wrote
him from Marion. Ind. Address him at
1920 S. Charles st.
A Compliment.
E. M Williams. Second Lieutenant.
Co. B, Halls Battalion Mich. S. S.,
Council Bluffs, Iowa, says: Il have
just received your most valuable paper,
the champion of the old soldiers Of the
grandest army that ever existed. No
comrade can afford to be without it's
valuable counsel and championship
more than he can afford to be outside
the G. A. r. May The National Tribune
exist and thrive long after the old SOL
diers of the sos shall have answered
the last roll call. 1 would like to hear
from Capt. Watson, Of Co. A, Halls
Battalion Mich. S. s., or any other COM
rade of this battalion or of the 1st Mich.
s g."
A Loyal West Virginia Mother.
recent application for a pension by
a West Virginian named Brown brought
out the fact that one West Virginia
mother had given 16 sons to the service
of the Union during the civil war. She
had borne 80 children in all, 20 of
whom were boys. and of these boys
only four did not enlist in the Union
army. Two were killed. but IA survive
This is a most remarkable case, and
can probably not be surpassed, and
shows how contagious the war spirit
was in some families along the line Of
fire.
The I'd w. Va.
Daniel o. Carpenter. who belonged to
Co, B, I'd w. Va, and Co. /, 5th w. Va.
M'td Inf. would like to hear from some
of his old comrades. He is not ashamed
Of his regiment nor of Gen. MilrOy, the
old gray eagle, nor Of his Colonel. G. r.
Latham, the bee hunter. Let the old
snake hunters and sang diggers write
20 him at once.
Is 1t Just?
d. T. Long. Co. d, 18th ILL.,, Fort
Dodge, Kan, complains of the injustice
of our pension laws. Prior to 1880 dis
abled soldiers, proving their claims to
pensions, were paid from time of dis
charge. Since that time, under the new
laws, payment begins with the date of