The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1906-02-08
PARKER's CROSSROADS.
The Sharp Battle With Forrest-The
Sixteenth Corps-SpnniRh Fort-Old
A. L. Smith, ~

I'
The Sharp Battle With FOrrest-The
Sixteenth Corps-spnniRh Fort-Old
A. J. Smith. - -
Editor National Tribune: Being a
great admirer of our oMn soldier paper,
and always intensely sinterested in its
history, "reminiscences, and personal ex-
periences and also In the honest efforts
| of the "old boys" to keep history
straight, come asking replace at the
campfire. q
In McElroy's Opening, the Missis-
stppi," in describing the closing scenes
of the year 1862. of the surrender OF
Holly Springs. etc., he says of Forests
work and the fight at Parker's Cross
roads. Dec. 81. 1862. that "Fullers
Brigade defeated Forrest. and he was
| compelled to retreat" See IL I remem-
Der correctly. 1t is extremely doubt
full whether Fuller's Brigade lost
| man. either killed or wounded.
The facts. Forrest was retreating
and doing his best to get away without
fight. The forces in the immediate
vicinity of Huntington, Tenn, the night
before the battle consisted largely OF
two brigades of infantry Fullers Ohio
Brigade, with whole or part of bat
| terry. and Col. Dunham's Brigade. the
whole under command of Gen. Sulli-
van.
The night before the battle my conf
pany, under command OF First Lieut..
Lotion, with some cavalry guarded a
bridge and mill east of our camp, and
Forrest finding us there turned north
ward. making quite detour to pass our
forces. and crossed the river at some
point farther north, and before the bat
tie next day crossed the road our forces
had travelled over that afternoon.
On the morning of Dec 81, 1862. our
entire force started westward, but be-
fore reaching the battlefield the Ohio
vi do 1Dn1 al hvr
Sullivan, and Col. Dunham's Brigade
proceeded to the crossroads, one Of the
prOngs Of which Forrest had to occupy
to continue his retreat either south or
west.
Dunham's Brigade consisted of the
50th Ind, the 1920 ILL.,, the 39th Iowa
Uhe two latter new regiments), two
pieces of the Cd Wis. Battery, and two
squadrons of the 18th Ill. Cav. Dun
ham was Colonel Of the 5Oth Ind, and
had surrendered Mumfordsville, Ky,
previously. John /. Rinaker was
Cummins Colonel of the 39th Iowa All
these Colonies were present with their
commands.
We beat Forrest to the crossroads
and took position. and that was the
severest battle our regiment was ever
engaged in.
My best recollection is that the Ohio
Brigade was back on the road four or
five miles, at least, until they heard the
firing; and at the time it was currently
reported that Col. Fuller God bless
him) disobeyed Sullivan's orders and
came to our rescue, and practically
made all the captures of men and ma
terial; as our line was formed facing
east and the rebS east of us facing west,
so that Fuller's line coming in their
rear completely routed them from the
field and saved our brigade.
Jgt,,
due the Ohio Brigade, there were none
better: but simply for the memory of
the boys that sleep along that rail
fence do / write this.
Again, there seems1t to be a good deal
Of misunderstanding as to the organi-
Corps. a
/ believe this to be correct. In the
Fall Of 1868 the left wing of the Six
teenth Corps, under command of Maj
Gen. G. M. Dodge. left Corinth and had
headquarters during the Winter Of '63
Spring Of 1854 joined Sherman and
went through the Atlanta campaign,
and in the reorganization following
the fall Of Atlanta was consolidated
with the other corps OF the Army of
the Tennessee, the Fifteenth and Seven
Corps consisted of the old Second and
Fourth Divisions. one Of which was
commanded by Brighten. Sweeny.
Our regiment, the 122d ILL.,, was left
at Eastport. Miss. and during the Win
ter of 1894 was sent down to
sent to Memphis. Tenn. to join the
right wing of the Sixteenth Corps then
consisting of the old First and Third
Divisions, under command of Maj
Gen. A. J. Smith. The Corps COM
mander had been Ma. S. A. Hurl-
but. .s..-
This was the formation of the right
wing until the Nashville campaign,
when another division was added and
all named the Sixteenth Corps, con-
sisting of the First Division, Gen. Nc
Arthur; Second Division (the old
new Third Division. Gen. Eugene A.
Carr. In Gen. Hubbards Minnesota
at Nashville" Of Nov. 90, he seems to
entirely forget this new division, which
was in reserve most If not all the time
during the first days fighting.
Further. some time ago also noticed
quite discrepancy in the description
of the capture Of Forts Spanish and
Blakely. during the Mobile campaign.
The facts are the First and Third Di-
visions were at Spanish Fort with the
Thirteenth Corps, while our Division
(the SecOnd), under Gen. Garrard Oc-
cupied the extreme left of the line in
vesting Fort Blakely. and, with Gen.
Steel's command OF I am not mis-
taken), We're the only troops engaged
in the charge and capture of the fort
in the evening Of April 9. 1865, which
closed the fighting of the Sixteenth
Corps.
An incident Of Fort Blakely: Our
Col. Rinaker had walked with a cane
after his recovery from the wound Of
Dec. 81, '62. He commanded the First
Brigade. Second Division, and made the
charge on foot with his brigade, as no
horse could have gone to or near the
fort.
After the charge was over and the
enemy was ours, some one asked the
Colonel where his cane had gone He
answered very quietly, looking quizzi-
cally out of the corner of his eye,
"Darned If I know
Now as to c. A. Dana's description
and estimate of the Generals Of Divi-
sion and Brigade of Grants Army at
Vicksburg In the light Of subsequent
events 1T 1t extremely amusing to
one of Smiths Guerrillas'' to read
what he says of old A. J.. He
says of Gen. Smiths head. us clear
but thick" Say, boys, do you think
his head was thick at Tupelo? or, be-
fore leaving Memphis on the next cam
paign, when he told Gen. Washburn
that If he (Smith) went on another