The National tribune., 1906-07-05
PICKET SHOTS
From Alert Comrades Along the Whole
Line,
GEN. Wm. NeIson.

Liue.
Gen. VIM. Nelson.
Thos. H. Hammond. M D.. Oxford
Fla, who served as Medical Officer to
two companies OF 1st Regiment of Mich
igan Engineers and Mechanics and two
companies of the I'd Ind. Cav, sends us
some interesting items with regard to
Gen. Nelson. On one occasion, when
the men of the two companies of Michi-
gan Engineers and Mechanics were
about to embark from West Point,
somewhere near the mouth of Salt Riv-
er, for Nashville, and after the troops
under Maj. Hopkins with great diff
Guilty were gotten on the boats, Gen.
Nelson came up and ordered Maj Hop
kins to put them all. with the wagons
and everything, on that boat Maj Hop
kins said that would be impossible, and
Gen. Nelson, becoming very angry, told
him that the men might remain where
they were, and for him to report to Gen.
Buell.. Maj. Hopkins took Gen. Nelson
at. his word. and the men who had not
gone en- board, but who had their thing
all on the wagons to go, soon had the
tents up again. At this point Gen. Mel
son rode up, not on his big black horse
this time, and seeing DR.. Hammond
standing by tree, yelled: Where is
the commapder of this brigade?'' When
Hammond replied that he did not know
the General became greatly excited, or
dered Maj. Hopkins put under arrest,
and told the men to march down to
the boat quick or he would have them
marched down with bayonets in them.
Another story is told of Nelson riding
up to Gen. Grant on the field of Shiloh
and saying: Gen. Grant, l could blow
your tactics to - with a thimble full
of powder" This story DR.. Hammond
vouches for as it was told him by a
comrade living in Oxford who was a
witness of the event He also says that
Gen. Nelson was man of immense pro-
portions.
wheeler at Stone River.
Col NJ. H. Fitch, 9th Wis and 21st
Wis, Pueblo, Colo, says that in the
history of the Army OF the Cumberland,
with reference to the cavalry raiding to
the rear, it is said: wheeler, with
about $500 men and two pieces of ar
tillery, swept around the right" II
should be around the left. The attack
was made upon "a wagons and A of
these were saved by quick movement
of the 21st Wis, under the command of
Comrade Fitch, who was at that tine
Adjutant. The regiment was just fin
ishing breakfast along the pike on a
beautiful morning, and Lieut.-Col. Ho-
bart had ridden forward to see what
was in front, when the Adjutant, who
was watching the train moving along
the pike at a distance of mile, noticed
the attack, called the regiment to arms
and started for the train on the double
quick, beginning to fire on the Confed-
crate cavalry as it came within range.
The ranks opened up to let the wagons
pass between, and the rebel cavalry was
soon driven off, as the rest of the bri-
gade hurried up to the support of the
21st Wis.
The Provision Thief.
]. n. French, Co. K, SD H., Las
cruces, ". M, wants to know if any of
his comrades remember this incident: !
Near the close of the engagement at
Allatoona, Ga, Oct. As, 1864, an at
tempt was made to burn the provisions
his march to the sea. We were engaged
In bringing our dead and wounded
from the field, when a figure was no.
ticed lurking near the depot of sup
plies. Some one, guessing his motive, |
Immediately shot him, and the body lay
on the field for the greater portion of
the day. On examination it was found
that the man wore suit of Union blue |
over the gray uniform of a Confederate |
officer. What disposition was made of
the. body / do not know, but right at
the bend of the road is an unmarked |
grave which is taken care of by the |
railroad. Can this be the grave of the |
man who attempted to burn our Cup
plies? Comrade French would like to
know if anyone can give a correct ac-
count of this incident.
Springfield Landing, La.
c. A. Tarbox, Co. C, 10th n. H, |
Keene, \. H, referring 10 the raid of |
the Confederate Col. Logan on SPRING |
sol iFu hal uVYd- T.,I,
2, 1863, denies that there was any sur
prise or that Logan made the raid. He |
says that ii was Col Frank p Powers |
Gardner's Chief of Cavalry, who raided |
the place about o'clock in the morn
ing, and left in about Is minutes, with
out doing much damage except taking |
some rs prisoners, of whom Comrade |
Tarbox was one. He was on guard over |
the ammunition tent, which the rebels |
wanted to destroy, but they did not sue
coed In doing so. The affair was badly |
exaggerated and misrepresented.
list Wis. Cav.
Thomas A. Healey, Co. NJ. 1st Wis. |
Cav, Milford, Neb., thinks the article |
giving sketch of that regiment published !
in The National Tribune rather brief, |
since 1t was one of the regiments which /
secured the capture of Jeff Davis. Will |
liam MatZke, a member of the regiment !
ana one OF the squad Immediately con-
cerned in the capture, resides in his |
town, and received his share of the |
100000 offered for the capture Com |
rade Healey says that he considers our |
advice to pensioners contained in the |
issue of April 5 worth 10 times the |
yearly subscription to any soldier who
will heed IT.
Opposed to the wirz Monument
Comrade Joseph c. Coulter 424 South |
Bell street, Shawnee, Okla, would like |
to know Gen. PowelPs address He saws
he was the regimental bugler detailed |
from Co. ID, I'd Va. Cav, under Gen.
Powell's command, and that he was the
one who lifted him and Col. Tolon from
their horses at the battle of Wythes- |
vile. II think The National Tribune is |
one of the very best of papers," adds |
Comrade Coulter. 'and am opposed to |
the erection of a monument TO Capt. |
Wirz."
Why NesIey Betreated.
d. D. Rose, Co. A, 1lth Mich, VAL
paraiso, Ind, wishes to refute the i'm
putation that Gen. Negley was not in |
the battle of Chickamauga, but retreat
ed precipitately Comrade Rose pro- |
ceeds TO give US very interesting ac-
count of the battle of Dayis's Cross |
roads, but does not tell US why Negley !
retired from Chickamausa. He holds |
out the hope that he may do so later, |
however.
Battle of Resaca.