The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1907-05-30
OPDYCKE's CHARGE.
Franklin One OF the Severest as Well N
Most Important Battles of the War.

r. c. Rice, Co. B, 125th Ohio. War
rem, o., has been wanting to describe
the charge of Opdycke's Brigade at the
cattle Of Franklin for some time, but
mas felt that only Comrade McElroy
could do the subject justice. He also
feels a little delicate about saying any
thing more about Franklin, feeling that
the comrades are tired of hearing So
much about battles. OF all the battles
of the war no one was of more impor-
lance than Franklin. Gettysburg may
have turned the tide in the East, but
there was then the great West to be
reckoned with. The legions under Hood
were yet strong in their belief of ulti-
mate victory. Strange as it may seem,
yet the statement is nevertheless true
that the instantaneous roar of the bat
tie of Franklin was greater than in any
other. More ammunition and more
cartridges were expended per man
there than in any other battle in the
worlds history. Other battles may
have had more men engaged, but here
CO., 900 muSketS were used in one charge
and nearly 100 cannon all ablaZe at the
same time. That storm OF lead which
stopt the famous charge of Pickett was
not more destructive. Tho each issue
of The National Tribune should say
something about Franklin, the story
would not be half told. The army ex-
perience of the old soldier is about all
that is left to talk about. 1t signifies
little that the comrades do not agree
in what they saw. 1t is perfectly nat
ural that they would not see things
alike. as each was busy in his own sur
Iroundings. But of the charge. Gen.
Hood, in his account of the battle. fully
describes the situation. He had sur
veyed the ground, and saw that his
main attack should be made on the
center of the line, and chose two of his
oldest Generals, Cleburne and Cheat
ham. to lead in the charge These two
divisions, a human avalanche, came
sistible fury. and the conditions for
their success were far greater than
those Of Picketts men at Gettysburg.
Our advanced line, in falling back.
were as a mask to this charging col
umn, shielding 1t from the fire of our
men. Hood witnessed all this with great
exultation and expectancy. He saw his
men mount our works, and considered
the battle won; but just then, as he
says, "a small brigade in line, just back
of the works, charged our men most
valiantly, retook the works. and could
not be dislodged, altho we tried repeat
edly." This brigade was Opdycke's,
and these are the facts pure and SIM
pie. Here were few determined men
acting as one man, all under the con-
troll of a master mind-"the right man
in the right place" Comrade Rice says:
when ] saw our old flag go down and
the flag of the Confederacy Haunting
on our works, when our men came
fleeing back, I felt that i, 100, must
run. everybody must run, or meet with
humiliation. But the commands of
that gallant man changed all our
thoughts of fear and uncertainty, and
made us all of one mind-not a man
faltered. If we had been struck with
awe at the appearance. of Hoods lie
gions. TO them the sight of our glisten-
ing steel in countercharge was equal
ly demoraliZing to their ranks; their
stamina was gone and no repeated eff
forts could revive it. Subsequent
charges lacked the fierceness of that
first one. To all comrades of that bat
tlefield l say, speak out, and thru the
medium of The National Tribune make
the importance of that battle so well
known, so well understood. that there
shall be none to cry out, Give us
rest"