The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1920-01-23

non, a generals place is on the battle 'front.'
whether or not the style of fighting has changed
since The Civil war and the Spa~nish-American war,
and Sherwood was moved to tell something about
the style of fighting he saw in the Civil war.
Now, Sherwood of Ohio saw a whole lot Of fight
ing in the Civil war. He enlisted as a private in
the Fourteenth Ohio infantry April 16, 1861, and
was mustered out as a ~brigadier general October
8, 1868. He was in 43 battles and was 123 days
under fire. He was six times complimented in
special orders by commanding generals for gallant
conduct in battle. SO, few living men nave seen
what he has seen.
Omitting the controversial parts, and emphasiz-
ing the historical parts of real value, General Sher-
woods address was in part as follows:
MIR. SherWood.-Now, as to the question of our
style of fighting in the Civil war. There stands
today, as it stood over half a century ago, i'm front
Of the town Of Franklin, Tenn. on the highest
point of the ridge, 4 large linden tree. 1t was half
past three in the afternoon of November 80. 1864.
when General Hood, commanding 5000 veteran
soldiers, rode unattended to that tree, threw the
stump Of the leg that was shot off at Chicka-
manga over the pommel of the saddle, drew out his
Held glass, and sat looking across the valley to the
position Of the Union army. 1t was the silence
that always precedes a great battle. Presently tho
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 on the hill and the
men In blue in the valley below listened. There
were tears in many eyes, rs 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
eral line in front" Stewart formed his corps on
the right. General Cheatham formed his corps on
the left, and on the extreme right, on the Harpeth
river, rested General Forests cavalry. A can
non on the ridge sounded the signal for the charge.
With bayonets fixed the heavy columns, all vet
Grams, marched with a steady and even tread down
the slope. The fercest and bloodiest battle of the
centuries was on. I say that because it is a fact
that more men were lost in that battle in proper
ton to the number Of troops engaged than in any
battle that was ever fought on either continent.
Hoods losses were over 40 per cent.
The hottest part Of the line was a black-locust
thicket just at the right Of the Columbia Pike. l
was at that part Of the line. I have a distinct
recollection Of that locust thicket, and ! can see
now. as / saw then, that waving line Of shining
bayonets as it rushed to the works with that de-
FAINT rebel yell. and the mad and murderous con-
fict that followed. Ny horse, Fireny. a coal black
that I had ridden in many conflicts from Rocky
Face to Atlanta, was shot. But l 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
If my command the Federal lines gave way. Gen