Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

"By God," he said, "I'll make you a brigadiergeneral for this fight!"

And he meant what he said, for he afterwards addressed a letter to Secretary Stanton, of which the following is a copy:

HEAD-QUARTERS NORTHERN DEPARTMENT,

CINCINNATI, OHIO, October 31, 1864.

HON. E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War:

I desire to call the attention of the department to the claims of Colonel Benjamin Harrison of the 70th Indiana Volunteers for promotion to the rank of Brigadier-General Volunteers.

Colonel Harrison first joined me in command of a brigade of Ward's division in Lookout Valley preparative to entering upon what is called the Campaign of Atlanta. My attention was first attracted to this young officer by the superior excellence of his brigade in discipline and instruction, the result of his labor, skill and devotion. With more foresight than I have witnessed in any officer of his experience, he seemed to act upon the principle that success depended upon the thorough preparation in discipline and esprit of his command for conflict, more than on any influence that could be exerted on the field itself, and when collision came his command vindicated his wisdom as much as his valor. In all of the achievements of the 20th Corps in that campaign Colonel Harrison bore a conspicuous part. At Resaca and Peach Tree Creek the conduct of himself and command was especially distinguished. Colonel Harrison is an officer of superior abilities, and of great professional and personal worth. It gives me great pleasure to commend him favorably to the Honorable Secretary, with the assurance that his preferment will be a just recognition of his services and martial accomplishments.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOSEPH HOOKER, Major-General Commanding.

HARRISON AT THE BATTLE OF NASHVILLE.

Sherman started from Chattanooga in pursuit of Joe Johnston on the 5th of May, 1864, and in the morning of the 2d of September following his army took possession of Atlanta. The telegram

announcing the capture reached Grant at City Point about 10 o'clock at night, and the rejoicing at head-quarters was loud and long. The good soldier sat silent some time; at last he turned to his adjutant-general, and said: “This is a great triumph, and we will honor it as we can. Send a telegram to the corps commanders in our lines here, and tell them to have all their guns loaded and shotted, and trained upon the enemy, and at 12 o'clock sharp open fire."

At 12 o'clock sharp the first gun was fired from Bermuda Hundreds; then all the others, five hundred at least, joined in "the loud acclaim." The Confederates, aroused and angry, took to their batteries, and replied, and as they would not quit, the sun came up on the great duel. Thus they, too, unconsciously united in the honors rendered.

Down at Atlanta the rejoicing was equally fervid, if not so noisy. Feeling that his troops had earned a rest, Sherman gave it to them. On his own part a new campaign was to be determined upon and arranged. A great many officers availed themselves of the opportunity to go home on furlough. About that time Colonel Harrison received an order of which the following is a copy.

HEAD-QUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI. IN THE FIELD, ATLANTA, GA., September 12, 1864. SPECIAL FIELd Orders,

No. 71. } Extract.

III. Pursuant to instructions from the War Department the following

officers will report in person to Hon. O. P. Morton, Governor of Indiana, at Indianapolis, Indiana, for special duty. The Quartermaster's Department will furnish transportation.

COL. BEN. HARRISON,

By order of MAJ.-GEN'L W. T. SHERMAN.
L. M. DAYTON, Aide-de-Camp.

70th Reg't Ind. Inf. Vol.

For two years Colonel Harrison had been continuously in the field, and, as the order afforded him an opportunity to visit his family in Indianapolis, it was accepted. Upon his arrival there he reported to Governor Morton, and then ascertained for the first time the character of the special duty awaiting him. In a few days he entered upon a systematic canvass of the State for recruits, who, greatly to the apprehension of the Governor, had been slow in offering themselves.

Upon the 9th of November, Colonel Harrison finished the canvass. Having in the meantime heard that Sherman's preparations were complete for the opening of a new campaign, he made haste to rejoin his command; and, but for the failure of a hack to make connection with a southgoing train at Indianapolis, he would have reached Atlanta in time to have participated in the celebrated march to the sea, which was begun on the 15th of November. Taking the next train, however, he got as far on the journey as Dalton, Georgia, where, unfortunately, or fortunately, as the case may be, he found the railroad torn up, making further progress for the time impossible.

[graphic][ocr errors][merged small]
[merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors]

pon the pth of November Colonel Harrison the canvass. Having in the meantime Bear that Sherman s preparations were complete for the opening of a new campaign, he made muste to rejoin his command; and, but for the Lure of a hack to make connection with a southgong train at Indianapolis, he would have reached Atlanta in time to have participated in the celebrated march to the sea, which was begun on the 15th of November. Taking the next train, however, he got as far on the journey as Dalton, Georgia, where, unfortunately, or fortunately, as the case may be, he found the railroad torn up, making further progress for the time impossible.

« AnteriorContinuar »