My gg-grandfather, was one, John W. McPike, a private in the 22nd Indiana Infantry, Co. I. He was wounded at the battle of Chattanooga in the attack on Missionary Ridge. He spent a few weeks in the hospital and then joined his comrades, on furlough, back at their homes in Southern Indiana. The unit "veteranized" and was sent back to participate in the Atlanta campaign around the first of April 1864.

In this man's Veteran's pension application there is the following account of a street altercation in Nashville, Tennessee. Can anyone help me document or verify the following story?

On or about April 1, 1864, while at Nashville, Tenn., on furlough, en route from my house (train?) to the hospital me and another man named John Wandel were passing along the public street when we met a party of men and we got into an argument with them. One of the men was named - Casey and he remarked that "when we attacked Johns(t)on (the Conf. General) we would get badly whipped" I said to him (Casey) that "you had better go and help him out; you are nothing but a rebel noway". We (Wandel and I) then started on when Wandel called to me to "look out he is going to shoot". I turned toward him just in time, to see him drawing a pistol from his pocket. I jerked mine out of my pocket,as I had one, and we, Casey and I, fired at each other at about the same instant. He fell dead and I found that his bullet had struck me in the inner side of my right thigh above the knee. The bullet was of 22 caliber. It was not cut out but I believe it has worked out.

From another account it states this happened on "Cherry Street" and he had been sent from the train to the doctor/hospital, by his commanding officer to declare him fit for duty.

Thanks,

Jim Martin