The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1920-01-22

non, generals place is on the battle front
whether not the style of fighting has changed
since the Civil war and the Spanish-Americanw war,
and Sherwood was moved to tell something about
the style of fighting he saw in the Civil
Now, Sherwood of Ohio saw whole lot of fight
Ing in the Civil He enlisted as q private in
the Fourteenth Ohio infantry April 49, 1861 and
mustered as brigadier general October
8, 1855. He was in 43 battles and was 123 DAYS
under fire. He six times cOmplmented in
special orders by commanding generals for gallant
conduct in battle. So. few living men have seen
what he has seen.
Omitting the controversial parts and emphasiz-
ing the historical parts of real value General Sher-
woods address in part as follows:
Mr.. SherwoOd.-NOw, to the question of our
style of fighting in the Civil war. There stands
today. as it stood over half century ago. in front
or the town of Franklin, Tenn, on the highest
point of the ridge, large linden tree It was half
past three in the afternoon of November 80 1884
when General Hood, commanding $4,000 veteran
soldiers, rode unattended to that tree threw the
stump or the leg that was shot off at Chicka-
manga over the pOmmel of the saddle drew out his
field glass; and sat looking the valley to the
position of the Union army. It was the silence
that always precedes great battle. Presently the
silence was broken by the soft strains of music
which hoated up from the town below. 1t was the
Federal band playing "Just before the battle
mother" The men in gray the hill and the
men in blue in the valley below listened There
were tears in many eyes, as the pathetic words
were well remembered:
Just before the battle, mother
am thinking most of YOU"
General Hood closed his field glass wheeled
his horse and rode back to General Stewart with
the command, General, will charge the Fed
eral line in front" Stewart formed his corps on
the right. General Cheatham formed his corps on
the left and on the extreme right, the Harpeth
river, rested General Forests cavalry. can
on the ridge sounded the signal for the charge
With bayOnets fixed the heavy columns, all vet
Grams, marched with steady and even tread down
the slope. The iercest and boodiest battle of the
centuries was I say that because it is fact
that more men lost in that battle in proper
ton TO the number of troops engaged than in any
battle that fought either continent
Hoods losses were over 40 per cent.
The hottest part Of the line was 6lack-lOcust
thicket just at the right Of the Columbia Pike. 1
at that part OF the line. I have distinct
recollection OF that locust thicket, and can see
now, I then that waving line of shining
bayonets as 1t rushed to the works with that de-
FAINT rebel yell, and the mad and murderous con-
fict that followed NY horse, Firefy, coal black
that I had ridden in many conflicts from Rocky
Face to Atlanta, shot. But I was young and
spry then and was at the front to witness the
elimination of the charge.
On the-Ieft of my command the Federal lines
gave way. And this is something historical on
which historians and Horace Greeley, the Count de
Paris, Governor Cox of Ohio General Banks of
Mississippi, Gen. Basil Duke and John TrotvEood
Moore OF Tennessee have written conflicting ac-
counts. I going to clear that up. On the left
Of my command the Federal lines gave way. Gen