Carthage courier. (Carthage, Tenn.) 1913-current, 1921-04-21
BY SAM COOKE.


10 an old Confederate soldier. now
lingering on the end of a century.
Sunday, April 6, 1862, cIings to the
memory with unavoidable tenacitv.
ohlloh was great battle the blood
lest perhaps of modern times. until
the late great war, considering its
duration and the number of men en-
gagged. After the defeat at Fishing
Greek and the downfall of Fort Donei-
son; Gen. Albert Sidney johnson. then
with his headquarters at Bowling
Gfeen, ny, moved his lines southwark
ana established a defensive line ALONG
what was then known as the Memnhis
q Charleston Railroad To break this
ilne by massing heavy forces against
u, brought from Cairo, Paducah and
louisville, was the purpose of the Fed
eIal army, and to forestall this was
the purpose of Gen. johnson. The
command TO which the writer belonged
evacuated Columbus, KY, on the first
day of March, 1862, and after camn-
ing at several points along the Mobile
d ONO Railroad encamped at a small
station called Bethel, where we re-
NAMED till noon on April 4. On the
morning OF that day we had orders
20 prepare three days rations and be
READY 60 march at moments notice.
NAANA O<NECUkL1OUSlN. AaTH nlnO
out N The evening, We camped at P1r1
dy, where we spent the night in show
ers OF rain. On the morning of +ha
NTH we pursued our eastward course
at moderate pace till twilight. when
we were ordered to stack arms and
speak only in Whispers. We cou1d
near plekeG firing here and there all
night IN the morning of the sixth
we seized our guns and stood in battle
line beneath the rays of a beautiful
sunshine. By this time skirnisbino
resolved itself into heavy firing on our
I1ght After an order to march ooino.
2 few PAGES, we had the order 'SRear
INTO line, double quick march, Ex-
ecuting tins order, we found ourselves
IA IA close proximity with the tents of
the enemy, which seemed to be taking
breakfast in quiet serenity. with
which we unceremoniouslv inferfaroJ
We marched unlimited through theiI,
camps, when we were confronted nv
them IN strong battle array, at close
range. We halted just in front of a
large battery supported by regiment
OF infantry on either side Here we |
dld not wait for formal introduction /
and soon afterward found Gen. Nc,
Lernand to be very contrary. he re-
FUSED to give Gen. Bushrod johnson
the right of way. We had to force
thls way, not by eminent domain pro-
ceedings, but by bullets and bayonets
me same method was adopted all
along the line. Gen. Albert Sidney
Jonnson believed in getting as close
70 Ine enemy IN battle as possible, and |
had great confidence in the bavonat
Gen. Cheatam was of the same mold
and was a past master in celeritv. in.
somuch that he rudely refused to give
Len. Sherman time to recognize his |
line when they became denoralizeJ
and retreated Reference is here
made to Folks Corps, Cheatan's Di-
vision, Bushrod Johnson's BRIGADE
Blythe's Regiment of II companies and
company G, by which you can locate
this old rebel in the fight.
In our first attack our captain was
knocked out, severely wounded; 8 were
killed and AZ wounded. This was done
In few minutes when the 154th Ten
nessee, one of the finest regiments in
the Army of Tennessee, came to orr
relief and joined on our Immediate
rlght. Then we raised the strebel
yelP' and started the whole line in
front of us on the retreat Following
them up, they halted on long ridge,
leaving US IN a ravlne, where they had
all the advantage. Here we lay on
the ground and wished we were pan
cakes instead of soldiers. Here Col.
Blythe and Lieut. Col. Heron were
killed and our major was wounded
and carried off the field. At this juno
ture Capt. Jacob H. Sharp, senior cap
tain in the regiment, mounted the
horse from which Col. Blythe was
shot and took immediate command of
the regiment. Here our first Iieuten-
ant was killed and second lieutenant
severely wounded. Our third lieut.