Last Battles of the War — Comment

Confederate Veteran
Volume 3, Number 2, Page 37
February 1895

Captain George B. Guild, present Mayor of Nashville, disagrees with Captain Ridley in his Diary, as published in the January Veteran.

He refers to the closing scenes of the battle of Bentonsville, N. C., on the evening of the 21st of March, 1865, where the diary reports " * * * the enemy in large numbers appearing on our left flank was about to capture the bridge across the large creek in our rear, which was the only means of escape of our army, at which critical moment Capt. Ridley says: "Cummings' Brigade, commanded by Colonel Henderson, of the 42d Georgia, charged the enemy, driving them back." etc.

Now, Mr. Editor, if there is any thing on earth that an old soldier is jealous of, it is the reputation his command made during the war, and he will not sit quietly by and see the honors that it won given to others. I would not detract one particle from the gallantry of Cummings' Brigade, but if they were present at this particular crisis I did not see them: and there are a score or more of old soldiers in this city who were on the ground and participated in the movement, and will verify my version of the affair.

About 3 o'clock, on the evening in question, Gen. Mowers' division of the Federal Army had advanced so far and unexpectedly on our left rear as to threaten the bridge. Everything was in great confusion. Gen. Hardee came rushing down the road, and the first troops he came across was a portion of the Texas brigade (the 8th Texas and the 4th Tennessee cavalry regiments) commanded by Col. Baxter Smith, He at once ordered Col. Smith to charge the enemy, which he did in gallant style, with these two regiments, throwing Mowers' division into confusion and driving them back some distance. Then before they could recover from the suddenness of the attack or could realize that it was but a small troop of cavalry, some of our infantry came upon the scene and held them in check until the army could recross the bridge, which it did hastily that evening and night. Gen. Hardee accompanied us a portion of the way in the charge, and his son was killed at the head of our command.

We have read from other sources than Capt. Ridley, his version of the affair, but the important part taken by the 8th Texas and the 4th Tennessee, as we have detailed it, is correct.