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X.i i lieften i the C011-i iu-ates,COS tTHE DEATH OF BISHOP POLK,An Arronui that Differ* from tbnt of (ifn.HhcrineLtt.it iont in-1, toI in-ipro-mitylightand.pro-lateRGer-firsti for i theRaytheesti-[ an first dred,500An-lateaeignNewuenfcaliiet de-tion, Theis of,t of landAn officer on Gen. Howard’s staff at the time gives ns the fallowing account of the death of Bishop Polk r On Juno 14th, General Howard and staff left their headquarters for the front, where Stanley's division of Howard’s (Fourth) corps had broken camp and were awaiting tlm order to attack Pine mountain. It was just after sunrise. A mile or two in rear of the advance Howard met Sherman, but the conversation between them I did not hear, a» the two generals conversed aside. Howard and staff joined Stanley and his staff on the road, and in full view of Pine mountain, and as we drew rein and exchanged greetings Stanley exclaimed :“ Howard, do you see that group upthere on the crest of the mountain i I wonder who they are ?**We all brought our field glasses to bear upon the point indicated and could plainly see three persons standing in front of a lino of breastworks and a larger group in the background. We could not tell whether they were officers or privates, but as it was evident that they were watching our movements Stanley suggested that a few shots be fired to drive them under cover. Howard, who had suggested that perhaps Bishop Polk was in the party, made no objections, wlien Stanley turned to Captain Simonson, his chief of artillery, with the remark:“Simonson, can’t you unlimber, put a shot into the group and give the bishop a morning salutation V*“I’ll try T* was Simonson’s laconic reply. And away he galloped to the rear. A few minutes later a section of the Fifth Indiana battery (Simonson’s) was iinlimbered within twenty feet ofould I us. The lieutenant sighted the gun andhere pro-they e deal ueat of ii ar-of a « to t as boy, inity ibor. u in not * but i the of a 1 bylikepeudtion,mateoners in little jo of uised l thoth.. shot exploded over and to the right of the group. Here my memory fails me, but my impression is that a second shot was sighted and fired by the lieutenant with no better effect. Simonson, wheu the gun had lieen reloaded, dismounted ami said : “Here, lieutenant, let me try it.” Ilg) took the range and the messenger of death aped on its mission. Our glasses were bent upon the group and we observed a commotion as the shot took effect in the group that stuttered to the rear. While Simonson was upon his knees sighting the gun for another discharge, Captain Leonard, chief of Howard's signal corps, sitting on his horse beside me, read the Confederate signal coda that our officers had interpreted at Lookout mountain, and and I caught the words: male “General Polk is killed!*' With a d in look of amazement Leonard turned to Howard and Stanley and exclaimed : “Bishop Folk Is killed I “What? exclaimed Howard; “have you interpreted the signal correctly ?’’ “Yes* general; Simonson's last shot killed him. They are signaling it along ney- j the lino.”Tho young men of the staff who were cracking jokes instantly ceased, and for a moment none spoke. Then Howard said :“ Well, fl Christian has fallen. Suchis war.lting 1 Just then Simonson caught the words, y the j 11 Bishop Polk is killed!” from I He was sighting the gun, and, lilting Ins eyes, ilrnt glared fearfully, exclaimed : What is that, Leonard ?’*. “ Bishop Polk is killed ! Your last shot did it. They are signaling it over the motmtam,” I replied.Simonson’s head dropped upon the“ vent, whero it resteiI for a moment. Then, raising his eyes, ho exclaimed : “Thank God 1 Yesterday they killed my dear brother; I have killed ft lieutenant genpral and am avenged !Without discharging the piece Simonson arose, remounted and joined the staff. Silently ht repaired to his regular ditties, and, the line being formed, we advanced slowly against tho mountain, every one of us feeling that -we would have rejoiced had soma other than Louisiana's fighting bishop gone down before Simonson’s first and only shot. The enemy was so demoralized flmt he evacuated the mountain, and half an hour afterward we stood upon the spot where Polk fell and saw the ground stained with his blood. A day or two after poor Simonson, the only one of us who rejoiced at tho bishop’s death, fell, shot on the skirmish line in Ack-worth woods.f hiseachages liars t nnfromirths u to -fivo orer. rest,O CHI’, or dredtion, oon-in ato tion, the idue-ition tired n no Mr. noreIf ateen,pre-Rand if ho i he isnr-Preservation of Wood by Lime,M. Ijostal, a railway conductor, ofFer-'* Abullnonbus!TBeld of Irich8lt;whiimaxhoooneTthismgachiwonHIfeet,fronmqi:footrespAto c whilt; thro anin ldugthenfron£]wasbee lt;bet lt;granfaunretieingiA root the iwinewhisthenthatfinetT1ed iifwifethinon ito Ifillare•Aontlandplanarra—m Bar dollimajJithecomdryropeandtomsacj;old,broltheand for 1 quiiTof neai rive con1 men his lt;ful I intoothlt;IIdrei of t Ainogaiiii ilithatingoneUiiAlencquoC BHAW«ithei4 I
Newspaper Details
The Beaufort Tribune
Beaufort, South Carolina, US
Wed, Jun 23, 1875
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
David K.
USA 30 Mar 2022
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