Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1912-09-13
2D}2MWEAR
STORY OF DECATUR BATTLE
Interesting Account 10 Related Of Hot
Time at That Important Strong
hold In Alabama.

hold In Alabama.
In the National Tribune Of May FL
Sergeant Ashley v. Newton, Co. D.
Sd Mich, in "Colored Troops at Deca-
tur," says that at Nashville his reg1-
lei got a rush order to proceed TO
Decatur to reinforce General Milroy.
who was being closely pressed by For
rest. General Milroy was not at
Decatur; neither was Forrest. writes
VIII A. McTeer, adjutant, Sd Tenn.
Cav, and asting assistant adjutant
general, First Brigade, Fourth Divi-
sion, Cavalry Corps. Maryville, Tenn,
In the National Tribune. Gen. Robert
8. Granger was in command Of the
military district OF north Alabama,
with headquarters at Decatur and
Huntsville. Col. c. c. Doolittle, Of the
18th Mich, was in command OF the
post at Decatur.
Comrade Newton says: eve found
the bridge burned, but General Mil
roy had provided for our coming by
erecting a pontoon bridge"
Our Cavalry Brigade reported to
Genera Granger for duty, arriving at
Decatur July 10, 1864, and the bridge
was destroyed before that time, and
the pontoon vas erected then, and ap-
peared as If it had been there for
months before. 1t appears that 1t was
placed there by General Sherman
when on his way from Memphis to
Chattanooga"
Further, Comrade Newton says:
1.-THE C~onfederates seeing us, empha-
sized their objection by rushing a six
piece battery down to the bank OF the
river within easy range OF the bridge
and they would have mixed things up
very seriously for the Sd Mich. but
for the timely intervention Of two
companies Of colored troops that were
tent by General M1lroy to distract
their attention in another direction"
I was acting assistant adjutant
general of the Cavalry Brigade and
on the line Of battle. Hood (not For
rest) attacked us, October 26, 1884.
In General Changers report to
General Thomas he fixes his whole
force at Decatur at 1850, and with
the 10Th Mich. added. which had Just
arrived, and $50 absent on patrol
duty, there were only 1000 men to de-
fend Decatur. Every available man
was placed out on the line, and then
we could not reach aroun more than
half way in front Of Our works. The
only reason that the first days fight
ing was not one Of the greatest bat.
ties OF the war was because there
were not men enough to make 1t so.
There were no colored troops there
that day, but in the night we were re-
inforced by the 14th q. 8. Colored
Inf, commanded by Col. afterwards
GeneraD ]. T. Morgan. -
The Sd and 29th Mich. reinforced
us while engaged in the hottest part
on the first afternoon. l remember
distinctly their coming, and as they
went out on the line the appearance
of the bright, new uniforms was In
decided contrast to our own worn and
dingy clothing.
The Confederates were using a bat
terry at a lively rate with deadly ef-
feet, but it was nearly a mile from
the river and not in range Of the
bridge at all. On the 9th the enemy
threw up some pits on the bank Of the
river, about a mile above Decatur and
nearly a half mile from herr the bat
terry vas first used by them on the
1rst day. On the morning Of the 2Sth
a detachment from the 18th Mich. and
102d Ohio according to my journal
Al mem made their way down the
river, succeeded in thanking the Con
federate rifle pits, made a gallant
charge from their rear, in which a
number OF men were killed and
wounded, and brought in 100 prison
ers.
l stood on the upper porch Of the
Decatur hotel when Colonel Morgan
came in front with the 14th regiment
Of colored troops (not two COM
panies), and they piled their KNAPP
sacks, leaving one man to the COM
pany as guards. I noticed Colonel Nor
gan holding in his hand a small
Ratchet, and also that a number OF
the officers had h%atchets. They start
ed out in the open field, marching in
excellent order to within rife range
Of the Confederates. when they fired
a volley, then raised a yell and charg-
ed.
than 20 minutes, but the work was
bloody. They drove the Confederates
from their support with the bayonet.
The guns were spiked, and the col
ored boys had to fall down along the
waters edge under the bank Of the
river, while the enemy ran along
above them and shot down or them.
In his report Of this charge, Cen
eral Granger says: I'VE lost 40 killed
and wounded" and up to that time
our loss amounted to so.
In the forenoon Of October 80 the
enemy began to withdraw, and I was
at the place where his battery had
stood, and 1t was a place Of blood
without a doubt. Prior to this charge
Capt. Albert F. Beach, Battery A, LIST
Tenn, had taken two sections OF his
guns up on the north side of the riv-
er, opposite the Confederate battery,
ant they fought an artillery duel
across the river, and Beach succeed