The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1920-01-08

non n generals place IL on the battle front
whether or not the style of fighting has changed
since the Civil and the Spanish American 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 war He enlisted a private in
the Fourteenth Ohio infantry April 49, 1861 and
mustered out brigader general October
&, 1865. He was in 43 battles and 1913 days
under fire. He six times compmented In
special orders by commanding generals for gallant
conduct in battle. So. few living men
what he has seen.
Omittng the controversial parts and emphasize
ing the historical parts of real value General Sher-
woods address was In part as follows
Mr. Sherwood.-Now, as to the question Of our
style of fighting In the Civil war. There stands
today. as 1t stood over half century ago. In front
OF the town of Franklin, Tenn, on the highest
point of the ridge. large linden tree. 1t was half
past three in the afternoon of November 30 1864
when General Hood, commanding $4,000 veteran
soldiers, rode unattended to that tree threw the
stump of the leg that was shot Off at Chicka-
manga over the pomme Of the saddle, drew out his
field glass; and looking the valley to the
position of the Union army. 1t the silence
that always precedes a great battle Presently the
silence was broken by the soft strains of music
which foated up from the town below. 1t was the
Federal band playing "Just before the battle
mother" The men in gray the hill and the
in blue in the valley below listened. There
tears in many eyes. 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, we will charge the Fed
era line In front" Stewart formed his corps on
the right. General Cheatham formed his corps
the left and on the extreme right, on the Harpeth
river, rested General FORESTS cavalry. can
non on the ridge sounded the signal for the charge
With bayonets fixed the heavy columns. all vet
erans marched with steady and even tread down
the slope. The fercest and boodiest battle of the
centuries was on. l say that because 1t is fact
that more men were lost in that battle in proper
tion to the number Of troops engaged than In any
battle That was ever fought either continent
Hoods losses were 40 per cent.
The hottest part of the line was blacklocust
thlcket lust at the right of the Columbia Pike.
was at that part Of the line. l have a distinct
recollection of that locust thlcket, and can see
now as l saw them that waving line OF shining
bayonets as IL rushed to the works with that de-
faint rebel YELL and the mad and murderous con-
fict that followed My horse, Firefy, a coal black
that / had ridden in many conflicts from Rocky
Face to Atlanta was shot. But was young and
spry then and was at the front to witness the
elimination of the charge.
On the left 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 Trotwood
Moore of Tennessee have written conflicting ac-
counts l am going TO clear that up. On the left
of my command the Federal lines gave way. Cen