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

eral Cleburne was abreast Of that charging line.
He fell just at the left of my brigade. AS the Con-
federates rushed on the Federal line of battle q
gray figure on a chestnut horse rode diagOnally
across the front Of the charging column. The
horse went down within so yards of the breast
works. The rider arose, waved his sword, and
led his men on foot to the ramparts; then his
brave form staggered and fell against the Federal
line, pierced with MIME balls. His corps was
swept back under a terrific fire Of %musketry, near
ly one-half either killed or wounded. This was
Gen. Pat Cleburne. [Applause.]
A few yards on the Confederate right Gen.
George w. Gordon of Tennessee, who was also
abreast of the charging line, fell just under the
fresh earth of the breastworks. He was wounded
and captured, as he refused TO fall back. Near
this spot Gen. John Adams also fell. He stood
upon the parapet and was fatally shot, his horse
falling across the ~breastworks. General Carter
fell MORALLY wounded before reaching the Federal
battle line. General Stahl reached the ditch he
stood on the bodies Of the dead and gave COM
mands and rallied his men. Just in front Of my
line, facing the locust thiCket, General Cockrell
Of Missouri was wounded, but not fatally. Not a
hundred yards away lay General Granbury dead.
He died leading the brave Texans to the works.
A minute more and General Stahl fell, mortally
wounded. General Walthall of Mississippi, after
ward United States senator, had two horses shot
under him. Twelve Confederate generals were
either dead or wounded. Colonies were command
ing divisions, captains were commanding bricades.
More generals were killed in that eight hours
struggle in front of that little Tennessee town than
were killed in the two days fight at Chickamauga
or the three days fight at Gettysburg, where three
times as many soldiers were in battle. And LET me
emphasize this with the statement that more brig.
adler and major generals were killed at Franklin
in that eight hours fight than in the whole world
war OF four years and over where nearly $1,000
wv soldiers were in the hell of battle. Applause !
l was colonel, commanding the One Hundred
ana Eleventh Ohio, just to the right of the old
cotton gin. and just In front of a grove of black
locusts. Early In the fight Colonel LOwrey of the
One Hundred and Seventh Illinois, and Col. Leroy
clark OF the One Hundred and Eighty-1hird Ohio
were Killed, which left me the ranking officer of
the battle line of the brigade, which / commanded
to the end OF the struggle. My regiment suffered,
both In officers and men, the largest casualty list
OF any regiment in the Union army. [Applause1
l had only eight officers alive and not wounded I'm
ten companies.
During my four years service l was compelled
to witness the agOnizing aftermath Of over 40
battlefields. l saw the brave and intrepid General
Harker go undaunted to his death In the charge
OH Kenesaw mountain. General Harker was the
idol Of his soldiers. I saw that splendid Ohio sol
der. General Mcpherson, the handsomest mounted
general In our army, brought on a stretcher to the
left of my command at the Howard house in the
Battle OF Atlanta. just as his great soul had de-
parted to the unknown world.
General Sherman was the commander in chief
of the Union army In the memorable Atlanta CAM
paign. l commanded the brigade skirmishers the
day of the Atlanta battle of July 90, 1864, and es-