The National tribune., 1906-12-20
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BATTLE, OF WAUHATCHIE.
Fight. Rnd IN Desperate One, by the
Men, NeifIu.it Much Commanding.

Editor National Tribune: In the ac-
! count OF the., battle of Wauhatchie re-
Gently published in your paper, | have
to say that lawas there in person. and
some features of it are entirely over
| looked by the writer (McElroy). Gen.
Gcary was absent from Wauhatchlc. ho
| being at Gen. Hooker's headquarters
and did not arrive upon the field whore
| the fighting occurred until nearly day
| light ard after the enemy had been
driven back He could not possibly get
up 20 the fighting line until after the
repulse, as his way was blocked by the
enemy's lines. There was no sharr
shooting in the particular sense OF
meaning of the term. The Palmetto
Sharpshooters were in the charging line
and the sharp crack OF their rifles was
readily distinguished. but the night
| time is not available for picking off men
by sharpshooters tho it may be moon
light. In this instance the smoke from,
both sides rolled across the clearing in
our front and obscured everything ey-
| cept the flash of the guns.
Gen. Joel A. Green was in command
| of the troops on the Wauhatchie field
and was wounded in the face. Col
David Ireland then took command, and
was also wounded or injured. and died
n few months later from the cffects
There was but little commanding on our
SIut L ne tUtUtN fuSHtu US
We were sleeping on our arms in a little
grove of open timber. The cnemy's
line Tapped halfway around us, anj
bullets enfiladed us. as well AS 4 fire in
front. Every man took position fJr
himself, and fired AS rapidly as possible
at the nearest of the enemy. Knap's
Battery fired away its last charge OF
case and shrapnel; the tug chains in
the artillery harness We're cut out and
GynI h,re ,Nf f,et &c
the battery fire slackened men from the
infantry supports took the places of
the fallen artillerists. The enemy at
one time came so close that the artii-
lery rammers were used over their
heads. The actual number of muskets
in the fight on the firing line was at the
time said TO be $50. and with the as
sistance of that battery and the mules
we tore up a whole division 5000
strong.
A brigade of the enemy which was
closing around our left about a quarter
of a mile away were scattered by the
mule brigade. as IL is called; the mules
broke loose in a body, and as luck hap
pened they took obliquely to our left,
and struck this Ranking brigade in an
old cleared field. where there We're q
few fruit trees. Emerging from the TIM
ber in wild rush. they were taken for
cavalry, and the enemy's lines broke
and fed to line of timber in their
rear at the other side of the field.
Probably there is not a man living who
took part in that affair but can dis
tinctly recollect that as our fire slack
encd in front of the log house sounds
of great confusion came to US from our
left and the distinct words of command.
rally by fours," prepare TO receive
cavalry" etc
Where are all the Color Sergeants
Am ! the only one living who carried
the battle flag of two different regiments
thru numerous engagements and lived
In the old time the colOrs was rather
dangerous place in time of action, as
well as a most important one.-M. L.
Olmsted. Color Sergeant. 18th N. Y,
and 1920 n. Y, Past Department Com
mander. G. a. r.. Department of Ore>
gon. Baker City, Ore.