The National tribune., 1910-02-10
DEPARTMENT OF okL,uoM,.
The COmmandcrshtp Sought by Il Loyal
TcnnC sScean.

| Tcnncsscean.
We, the officers, delegates and mem
bers of Irwin Mcdowell Post, 49, De-
partment of Oklahoma, G. A. r., Enid,
Okla, at meeting regularly assembled
Dec. 4, at 1880 p. m, 1909, unanimously
indorse and highly recommend Com
rade b. n. Turk, Senior Vice Com
mander, Department of Oklahoma, G..
A. r., as candidate to the election of
the office of Communicating Chief of the
2Uth Annual Encampment of Okla
homa, @. A. r., to be held at Alva,
Okla. tdate not ssp, when convened.
Comrade Turk is Past Junior Vice
Department Commander, Past Post
Commander and has been Post Adju-
tant for years, and is an efficient whole
souled Grand Army worker, under all
circumstances and on all occasions.
b. n. Turk was born Jan. 81, 1845,
and was raised in Monroe County,
Tenn. He was only ) years old when
the rebellion broke out In the year
1863 he became subject to the rebel
conscript. Taking his life in his hands,
he refugeed across those historic Cum
berland Mountains which then divided
the Confederate and Union armies, trav-
cling on foot 4 days and nights, most
of the way at night, with small rations
and without light or guide reached
Camp Nelson, KY, Joined Co. C, 9Th
Tenn. Cav, as q private. July %, 1863.
The first service he had with his regi-
ment was besieging ana capturing Cum
berland Gap, together with 5000 pris-
oners, without firing a gun. HIS next
experience WAS being cooped up in
Knoxville by Gen. Longstreet for II
days, hard fighting night and day on
one-fourth rations, but were relieved by
corps Of Gen. Grants troops from
Chattanooga.
dc r,,rL hoe .t,o H.,
tinction of sounding the bugle to boots
and saddles at Bulls Gap, Sept 3, 1864
that mounted our troops TO make a
midnight march to Greenville, Tenn,
thru an awful storm of rain, lightning
thunder and Egyptian darkness for the
distance of 16 miles, who did surprise
and kill Gen. John II. Morgan, routed
and stampeded his entire army OF $500
troops with less than 1000 cavalrymen.
Comrade Turk refused twice to be pro-
moted rather than leave his company;
never reported when he was sick; al
was ready for duty. He was also in
the following battles: Blue Springs
Tenn. Aug. 23, 1864, in which his bri-
gade won great victory, routing the
enemy and driving them for miles. Nor
ristown, Tenn, Oct. 81 and %, 1864
saber-charged the enemys three lines
OF battle with their two lines killed and
captured 3g9 rebels five pieces of artfl-
lery, small-arms, wagons, etc, the enc
my fleeing out OF the country, our
troops in close pursuit. Watauga River.
Ienn., Sept. 30 and Oct. /, 1864; here
we, dismounted, fought the enemy who
We're holding a fort. On the second
day we captured the fort, routed the
enemy and burned the railroad bridge.
AT Bulls Gap, Tenn, from the 9th to
the 18th of November, 1864, we were
besieged by the enemy five long days
and nights, with no feed for our horses
and very little for ourselves but the
boys never flinched, fought like heroes
that they were, repulsed every attack.
expecting reinforcements from Knox
vile which we had been promised, but
which never came. The night of Nov. |
IL, almost starved and out of ammuni-
tlon, no relief in sight, we determined |
TO cut our way out which we did |
moving in the direction of Knoxville. |
with the enemy following us, fighting |
lhe best we could in a moonlight night, |
but getting the worst of it. We reached |
Morristown, where just a few days be-
tore we won such a victory. We made
our last united stand at Morristown:
they charged us, we drove them back:
they charged the second time, and our
said: BOYS, take care Of
Then the great stamnede
commenced, and we only stopped when
I was necessary to hold the enemy in
theck, and were glad, indeed to reach
ne tort at Strawberry Plains. So that
comrade Turk was in continual service
rom MS enlistment to the last of the
war. He was mustered out with his
'eglment at Knoxville, Tenn, Sent. II
1865, with an honorable discharge.
Comrades of the Grand Army of OKLA
homa, Greeting:
We are informed that Comrada p NJ
urk' pusier in Co. c, 9Th Tenn. Cav.
VII De a candidate for Department
commander, and having known him i'm
'oth umes of war and peace, and al
ways and everywhere he proved him
eif TO be made of the material suited
o the soldier and the citizen. In war
lie was faithful, brave and patriotic He
lad all the soldierly qualities combined
vlth the highest type of gentleman
-hese qualities grew out of the center
u his being, and are as permanent as
lls individuality. You can make no
install in committing to him any work
# trust you may consider essential TO
ne well being and perpetuity of your 4
department. of the Grand Army of the Il
tepubiic. If we had voice In your as l
empty we would not hesitate to nomi-
ate and vote for B. N. Turk for any
fhce to which he might aspire.
amuel Walker, Sergeant. Co. C. 9Th
Tenn. Cav, Woodburn, Iowa: T. q
Maynard. Sergeant, Co. C, sth Tenn
Cav, Mount Vernon, Mo-; w. A. II
Crouch, Corporal, Co. G, sth Tenn.
Cav, Liberty, Mo.