The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1906-02-01

attack on Iuka, and here. if he were
no more fit to command than an OK
as Dana says in one letter you over
look his brigade would have been cap
tured; but as it was he by most excel
lent strategy extricated us from the
rebel army under Van Dorm near La
Grange.
Coming now to the battle of Davis's
Bridge, on the Hatchie, we find the ami
mus of Gen. Ord in this, that being
drunk, and, like martinez, he cursed
soldier of Humans Brigade. and was
by this Union soldier wounded, and
there and then decided to play even
with Gen. Lauman and his soldiers, and
hiding his time, he waited until he got
the ear of G. A. Dana, and what you
have not published of the balance is
shown in letter l have received from
Comrade $. NJ. Howard, which 1 send
You herewith.
One other point. if you will bear with
me, is that you do not give the 2Sth
Ill. enough credit in the affair at Jack
son, and also you mention the 51st ILL.,,
which was not there, but instead it was
the SD ILL.,. and as the error is repeated
/ call attention to 1t.
Pardon me for speaking out in meet
ing In behalf of our old commander
whom c. A. Dana, at the instance Of
Gen. E. Q. c. Ord, would rob of his
laurels. Humans Division had only
been In the investment line two or three
days when these attacks began, and the
pretext of it was ostensibly the capture
of Lieut.-Col. Cam and few men of
the 14th ILL.,, in sOrtie of the rebels on
our rifie-pits. These were placed in
their position by the Engineer Officer,
and Gen. Lauman had nothing to do
with their capture.-Ed. L. Hobart, Co.
ID, 2Sth H., Denver, Colo.
"Al About Jackson, July IL, 1888.
During the siege of Vicksburg Cen
Joseph E. Johnston. of the Confederate
army. had taken possession of Jackson
the capital of Mississippi and had forti-
fled the city with a strong line Of earth
works, extending from Pearl River on
the southeast around the city to the
river again on the northeast
In the campaign against Jackson
which began on the next day after the
surrender of Vicksburg. the Fourth Di-
vision was commanded by Gen. Jacob
G. Lauman, and belonged properly to
the Sixteenth Corps. but unfortunately
was attached to the Thirteenth Corps
commanded by Gen. f. 0. c. Ord, a
Regular Army officer of whom / shall
have something to say later on.
I'm that campaign the Thirteenth
Corps comprised 14,400 infantry, 440
cavalry and SO pieces Of artillery.
THE Ninth and Fifteenth Corps and
one division Of the Sixteenth Corps also
took part in that campaign; but as
am dealing only with our Fourth Divi-
sion / shall have little to say about the
other divisions
1T is proper to recall the fact at the
outset that Gen. Stephen A. Hurlbut was
the first commander of our division. and
that 1t was he who led us on and on
and on at Shiloh, when and where Gen.
Lauman commanded the Third Brigade;
and that 1t was Gen. Hurlbut who led
us out OF the chaos at the battle on the
Hatchie, brought about by Gen. Ord,
and then and there turned tumult into
glorious victory, when and where Gen.
Lauman commanded the First Brigade
amidst that cyclone of carnage and
death.
THE Fourth Division left the trenches
before Vicksburg July 5, the very next
day after the surrender OF that Gibral-
tar of the Mississippi. and arrived in
the immediate vicinity of the fortifica-
tiOns at Jackson on the 10th.
THE division then consisted of three
brigades. commanded respectively by
Coils. Pugh, Hall and Bryant. The Sec
ond Brigade was not engaged in the
charge, and may be omitted from fur
ther mention just now.
'"The First Brigade was composed of
the 41st and SD H., the Sd Iowa and
the SD Wis.
THE Third Brigade consisted of the
28th and 32d ILL.,. the SD Ind. and the
18th Wis.
ION the night Of the 18th most of the
division was I'm camp on the west side
of the railroad running south from
Jackson, and distant about one mile
from the Notifications, and about 8
o'clock on the morning OF the 18th the
First Brigade with exception of the
33d Wis. and including the 2Sth Ill. }
was ordered over to the east side of the
railroad, with our left connecting with
Gen. Hovey's Division
From this point Col. Pugh advanced
his skirmish line which soon engaged
the enemy. The 28th, 41st and sad Ill
and the glorious Sd Iowa were then
ordered to advance by Col. Pugh We
moved on through dense underbrush
across a small creek. and thence on
ward until we came to n cornfield
Here we halted and dressed up the line
although under sharp fire. Col Pugh
says he did not like the looks Of the
situation here, and declined to pro-
coed farther without specific orders
therefor. Hence he sent for Gen. IXau-
man, the division commander, who
thereupon came upon the ground in
person and ordered Col. Pugh to charge
upon the main earthworks of the enc
my. less than half a mile distant
with deep yell. learned at Shiloh
which still rings In my ears. these four
veteran regiments started on the dou-
ble-quick for the main earthworks OF
the enemy. for destruction and death:
for we were charging into a terrible
angle Of the main works, completely
eufi1aded from our RIGHT dank ond c,,v,