The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1906-04-05

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Johnston, at Cassville, Ga, as he states.
Tor attack, l commanded the extreme
rlgnt or the skirmish line in front OF
your corps. In your movement to the
north, across the open field, on that
DAY, l covered your front and right,
and my command was left to observe
the enemy when a part OF your corps
was thrown across the Canton road.
me enemy were in force in my front.
with artillery and infantry, and devel-
oping toward our right. About an hour
and half before nightfall the enemy
broke through the skirmish line OF an
Alabama brigade posted to my left,
and moved rapidly I'm rear Of my main
line, which was threatened I'm front.
MY reserve was consequently disposed
to meet this movement In the rear. and
encountered and repulsed the enemy in
snort and severe engagement on ana
near the Canton road; but gathering
reinforcements, he moved farther to
the rear, until / was completely iso-
lated and cut off from your corps
To extricate my command, / had to
move to the right, fighting all the while
In front and rear. until darkness put
an end to hostilities. BY making q
detour of eight or nine miles i'm the
night over country devoid OF road.
L was enabled to rejoin your corps.
massed in column, about 2 o'clock i'm
the night, and just in time for my
wearied men to participate in the re-
treat across the Etowah. which was
shortly after begun.
From my observations I am forced
TO believe that Gen. Johnston makes
an error in his book in discreditinG
the presence of the enemy on your
right, while you were moving to the
north, across the large open field. to
get in position. II my memory serves
me, your extreme right flank was not
covered by cavalry at all. as is not only
usual but most essential in a move.
ment such as you were making, and
you must have had to rely for infor-
nation Of the enemy in that quarter
from your staff and escort.
II am, General, very truly yours,
j. ID. Austin, Major, Commanding
Austin's Battalion Sharpshooters."
The Occurrences mt CassviIIe.
Parish OF Assumption, March 40.
Gen. ]. B. Hood.
Dear Sir: remember very well the
occurrences at Cass Station, or Cass-
vile, during the campaign of 1864.
which / have just examined to refresh
my memory. At the risk of being
somewhat tedious. I will state all I
know Of that affair. Your corps being
in the rear Of the army, entered Cass-
vile about IL m, on the 18th OF May.
was active as volunteer Aid) came I'm
last and found the army massed by
brigades in front Of Cassville; that iss
between that town and the approach
ing enemy. So we remained all night.
Next morning I first heard Of the cele-
brated battle order Of Gen. Johnston.
I refer to that order in which 1t was
announced that our retreat was ended.
and that, IL the enemy continued his
advance, battle would then and there
be given him. I thought 1t strange, iE
such were the determination, that the
army had not been placed in line of
battle the evening before, when they
would, at least, have been more COM
fOrtabIe. After our breakfast we rode
to Gen. Johnston's headquarters. where
you remained some half hour or more.
We then rode to Gen. Hindman's Di-
vision, which was Immediately placed
in motion to take up it's position in
in line Of battle, as ! supposed.
LAS We marched across an open val-
ley toward the range OF hills which Z
understood to be the line to be occu-
pied by our forces, you being in front
one of the soldiers called my attention
to a dark line off to our right, saying
they were Yankees. I called your at
tention to the fact, but you said it
could not be so, but must be our cav
airy, IL 1t was a body Of men. Falling
DdcK, the same SOlQler Ito WnOm i
had said / thought the dark line was
a fence or hedge) said that they were
throwing out skirmishers in our direc-
ton, and I at once called your atten-
ton to that fact. You halted the di-
vision, and ordered Gen. Hindman to
send out a body Of skirmishers to find
out who they were. In a few minutes
a sharp skirmish was In progress. and
several Of our men were wounded and
killed in your immediate proximity.
recollect very distinctly that five men
were hit at one time by the frag-
ments Of a shell, which exploded noe
more than 25 yards from where you
were sitting on horseback.
About this time Gen. Mackal1, Chief
Of Staff to Gen. Johnston, rode up, ap-
parently much excited, and spoke with
you. OF course, I cannot say what
took place, but soon after-indeed, at
once, and in his presence-our direc-
ton was changed, and we proceeded
to take up line of battle on the range
of hills Immediately in rear Of Cass-
Vile.
There we remained all day, the
enemy erecting batteries I'm front and
In flank OF us and enfilading our line.