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Lieutenants Peters, Thrapp, Strayer and Geomans. Lieutenant A. G. Tuther, Adjutant, although captured early in the day, displayed great gallantry, and rendered valuable assistance during the time he was engaged.
Captain Taylor's company at the commencement of the last engagement were deployed as skirmishers, and he deserves great credit for the gallant and skilful manner in which he handled his men.
I am, Governor, very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
Lieut.-Colonel Armstrong's report. Supplementary report to the account rendered by Colonel McMillen to Governor Tod.
Colonel: I begin at the place where you left off, (in your battle report,) in which it is mentioned that the Ninety-fifth had been ordered to charge a battery.
Here there is a hiatus in your well-written report, which none but a participant can supply.
Presuming that you had not been officially advised of the reasons why two hundred soldiers and numerous officers were captured near that spot, I propose, in justice to that body of gallant men, to enter a little more into a detailed description of the event than your hurried notice, which reads, “the regiment lost, in addition to our killed and wounded, one hundred and sixty men and a large number of officers captured at this point.”
I am filled with admiration for the delicacy with which this mention is made, but cannot suffer myself to be restrained by that feeling, when I read, in your report, that “seeing that it would be reckless and useless to continue our assault upon the battery, I ordered the regiment to halt and fall back, which they did, for a time, in good order, etc.”
Now, I must acknowledge I did not hear that order.
Those in advance with you report the order having been for “every man to save himself.”
We heard no order!
Yet, shade of John Gilpin, the scene that ensued!
I only know there must have been an order of some kind; for, in proof of it, three fourths of the regiment, being brave men and good officers too, would not have fallen back in disorderly retreat, even before the advance of the enemy, had they known there was a forlorn hope of two hundred men to endure the onset; and while the other regiments had yet to struggle, and slowly yield before a line of fire that was terrific.
In your absence I took command, and was joined by the following-named officers, who had not withdrawn from the field: Captains Cowgill, Warnock, Hansan, Allis and Tate, and I believe, Captain Wylie, Captain Taylor being on picket-duty; these constituted all the Captains from Franklin county, with the exception of Captain Stewart, who is mentioned in your report as having ably seconded you in the capacity of Aid on the retreat.
In addition I beg to mention Lieut. Bull, Davidson, Robinson, Tate, Chrisman and Colwell, who remained on the field.
The list would doubtless have been much larger, had not the advance thought we were at their heels.
In fact Adjutant Tuther returned to us on foot and was captured in our vicinity.
In order to save the command, the men were kept together, and only began to retire when the other regiments left the field.
My command was surrounded, yet kept together by the cool courage of officers and men, who thought, even when the day was lost, that we might cut our way out. But such numbers were brought against us as to compel the men to throw down their arms, within one fourth of a mile from the point where the battle opened, and within an hour after the order to charge the battery.
I have to apologize for not knowing that there was such an order as to “fall back,” not anticipating it so early in the engagement.
In this connection, I hope I may be indulged in the mention that after my command had surrendered, being mounted, I effected my escape amid a volley of bullets, happily without injury, and had proceeded about a mile, receiving an occasional shot from straggling rebels, when I unfortunately ran into the enemy's lines and was captured near the point where our army was making its second stand.
From the time of my capture until the morning of September first, I did not see you. During those two days (I mention it for your information) the wounded were brought in and were cared for, and the five hundred and forty soldiers of our regiment were released on parole.
From them details were sent to examine the field on offices of humanity.
And I had but just sent Captain Warnock with a force to inter our dead, when I received your order to march homeward with the regiment, at ten o'clock A. M., before these duties were performed, which must be my apology for not obeying your order; as we desired to perform the last sad rites of sepulture for our dead comrades before departure, and which you had doubtless overlooked.
When those duties were done, the regiment took up its line of march for Cincinnati, at four o'clock P. M., with which incidents I believe you are conversant.
This report would not have been made — it did not need making, so far as the furnishing of information is concerned.
Gen. Manson long ago reported the part our brigade took in the action, and before you made up your mind to make your informal showing to the public.
The regiment perfectly understand your reasons for appearing in the papers at this late day, and why you do not report more elaborately, except on certain points, which certain reasons required you to amplify.
But that public mind which was so long left unenlightened (in a Pickwickian sense) may take our accounts together, and congratulate itself that there were two officers in one regiment, not only willing but anxious to appear before the world with the pen as well as the sword.
(And here let me mention, that the sword and the horse
