The National tribune., 1908-05-28
RACING WITH HOOD.

Zouaves, Brooklyn, N. Y.
RACING WITH HOOD.
A Lively Time In Getting Back to NASH
willie.
Editor National Tribune: When Gen
Hood threatened Columbia, Tenn, in
December, '64, ii was necessary fo
nearly dozen clerks at Gen. Schofield S
headquarters to get on rush to keep
pace with the General and staff wher
we moved forward from camp near
Pulaski. Tenn. With all our haste We
could not get breakfast over and have
the tents and chests loaded on the
clerks wagon till all were gone but our
team. We had six of the finest mules
in the train. By trotting not little
We were up in time. Fighting was GO
ing on at Columbia to head off Hood.
who thought to beat our time to Frank
lin and Nashville. but they didn't Quite
halt for Hood & Co. occurred Dec.
p Schofields headquarters were across
Duck River, at the. head of the pontoon
bridge, which was crammed with our
trains and troops. All were across the
next day. Dec. 2S and % headquarters
were at Rutherford Creek. When the
last wagon was securely across and on
pearanee of washday; had blankets.
tents. etc, all about hung to dry, ow-
ing to the headquarters wagon. mules
and all. falling off the pontoon into
Duck River. on the upstream side.
aided the boys in securing the table,
cutlery, chests. blankets. etc, until the
detail came. The 6aules fioated under
the bridge. down 4 : river. Isaw them
being landed below in shallow water
"a sx.yf-S inn he Il
Generals blouse on, which he filed
well, being large and powerful. The
three stars were on his shoulders all
right, as he clung TO the careened, COW
cred wagon. He got the mess chest
out and fioated it to us. and remained
in the river till all was saved The
troops passing filled the bridge some
times from side TO side.
The morning of the 29th we pulled
up stakes and moved on toward Spring
Hill What remained of headquarters
and myself. got into Lieut. Cuttings
railroad train at Rutherford Creek and
rode to Spring Hill, arriving about noon
As there was a probability Of getting
the train thru to Nashville. it5was left
on the track near a picket post If a
culvert destroyed by the enemy could
be repaired it would proceed north: If
not. it would be burned. i concluded
post of the 44th Ill Midnight came,
and orders to burn the train were modi-
fled to not destroy train before day
light.
AT S a. m.; Dec 80. were orders from
Stanley to destroy train and join the
troops at the north edge of town. Fires
were lighted about s O'Clock under
every car. ] remained behind to in
spect the baggage of the officers of the
nd
underclothing. of which was in need.
| have thought that Capt. Sbellenbarg-
er could have carried off his sacheI.
| exposed the contents of several Off
GERS sachels, ETC., and secured con-
tents too numerous TO mention. One
substantial sachel l filed with change
of underwear and carried out / jumped
to the cornficld side and ram after my
crowd The fire. at the train, enabled
me to make speed in cornfield to
overtake the 44th Ill, but blinded me
in the haze of-dayiight, and ran into
creek of mud and water. but came to
the road in front of the Confederate
fires which had beer n sight all night,
and soon joined my comrades in blue at
north edge of Spring Hill, where the
Yanks. probably W. B. Houghtelin's
rear guard. filled the road solid from
side to side; and the lively spring in
bid the Confederates good-by, as we
were surely retreating or manuvering
for a new position. When daylight
came we were up to the last wagon of
that long train, and as far as we could
see ahead the troops were marching
route-step. each side of the pike, the
wagon train moving briskiy toward
Franklin. l put my sachel into the
feed trough on the rear of an army
as-a nd fol Mo-
hurt my feet, and rode part of the
time. After proceeding two or three
miles cavalrymen were to be seen on
the right, on the edge of the woods
One of the teamsterS became panicky,
and turned out of the train, off the pike
and ran his mules at gallop past sew
erai ahead. If any shots were fired at
this time they were probably by our
own men, who shot few mules of that
team. and caused, the upset and halt
on his part. There was no more panic
The road was excellent our wagons
made good time. so that before weI
reached Franklin the whole Fourth
Corps was left behind
II is my opinion that the article in
the Repository 81 November is true. asI
narrated by w. u. Houghtelin. 77th Pa,
in the light of my personal knowledge,
and statement of Lieut.. A. Il. Cutting
Military Conductor. in The National
Tribune of March %. 1894, as follows:
'Lieut.-col. Mccoy 175th Ohio. ordered
me to run to Duck River (Dec. 29).
Then q staff officer ordered me to run
train back to Rutherford Greek, there
leave anything wanted and take on bag
gage of 1S6th Ohio and 44th Mo. This
did, and started to return to Nashville. 4
On arriving at Spring Hill Station.
about p. m. | met the engineer. of the
second section of my train and IAN Or
DERBY from ID. S. Staniey's headquarters
with word to hold my train till further
orders."-A. j. Furnas. Co. A, 103dI
Ohio, Columbus Junction, Iowa.