Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-09-15
NIr. RiddIe and the soIdIers Of Ban Rpn

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! CORRESPONDENCE.
EDS LEADER notice that some in
terested parties are circulating a statement
to the effect that Hon. A G. Riddle tum-
bled soldier out of his carriage while re-
turning from Bull Run last summer. Is
this So and what are the facts Of the case
/ COUNTRTMAN.
| REPLY
A few words will tell the n facts in the
case" During the exciting scenes of the
Bull Run battle, Mr. Riddle, in company
with Hon. H. G. Blake of the Medina dis
trict, Hon. Mr. Morris, of the Monroe dis
trict and Mr. Thomas Brown, Of the Ohio
Farmer, had been in the vicinity in a car
riage in which they had ridden from Wash
ingtOn, and were on their way back. At
this time the rebels were apparently on the
retreat, and our entire army were in pos
session Of the field At a point three
fourths of a mile or sOin the rear of where
our army then stood, a body of thirty or
forty rebel cavalry suddenly dashed down
upon a large mass of struggling soldiers,
army teamsters, citizens, &C., collected at a
hospital A few of the soldiers fired upon
them, killing four or five and sending the
balance back the way they came.
This appearance of the rebels, however,
produced a panic in the crowd of soldiers,
.eamsters, &C, who fed toward Centreville
in perfect CONSERVATION. BIr. Riddles
party happened to be at this placeon their
way to Washington when this occurred, and
saw the whole Of it. The fleeing multi
tude were not in the slightest danger, save
that of being overwhelmed in the general
stampede, as our whole army were then
between them and the rebels, and did not
retreat until an hour later. Three private
soldiers were taken up and carried of by
this party, one upon the drivers seat, one
on the top of the carriage, and one inside.
While carrying these three soldiers, a Lieu
tenant Colonel of Wisconsin regiment,
fleeing inexcusably from his men and
leaving them to their fate, hung on to the
steps of the carriage and rode there, not
withstanding the angry remonstrances of
the party against his cOwardly deser-
ton of his regiment Mr.. Riddle called
him an "infernal coward" to his face, and
ordered him to get off and return to the
aid of his men. He would not release his
hold until the party, as Mr.. Riddle express
ed it, " tumbled the internal coward out"
All this, while the three privates were
riding, and the one inside was being fed
from Mr. Riddles lunch basket
Mr.. Riddle did not tumble out any
private soldier; he did tumble out an
"infernal coward of an officer who was
wilfully running away from his men.
The feeling which has been excited in
some quarters against Mr.. Riddle upon
this ground, was first engendered by the
course of the Cleveland Her.
aid, which so united detached paragraphs
of Mr.. Riddles letter as to make them ap-
pear to be a statement that one of the pow
der -grimed and exhausted soldiers was
" tumbled-out as an "infernal coward"
It was no private soldier, but Lieutenant
Colonel, while the privates remained.
Messrs. Brown, Morris and Blake can
easily verify this statement, while all who
know the natural kindness Of heart which
Mr.. Riddle, will find it hard
to believe that he was ever guilty of harsh
treatment of a private soldier.
The letter of Mr.. Riddle, from which
these charges are drawn, was a private one,
written in the heat and excitement imme-
liately after the return from the battle
field, with no thought of its appearance in
print.